February blind tasting: Post Here

[El Presidente]

The cigars will be arriving over thenext few days :-D

Post here before my 1st of March.

[Jimmy2]

Wrapper:Brownie colored wrapper ,Oily and silky to the touch.

Cap:perfect well made.

Draw: Tight at first but corrected itself shortly after.

Burn:well made cigar at first had burn problem but after it was smooth sailing.

Ash: Dark white ,Gray and black

1st part flavor:Woody ,bitter ,but creamy hints of coco medium strength.

2nd part flavor:white pepper,strong licorice flavor with hints of carmel.Still woody flavors dominates the palite.This cigar has awakened with pleasant flavors and still creamy.

3rd part flavor:Woody flavor has calmed down a bit black licorice and fresh ground coffee beans now dominate the palate.

Down to the nub:Tangy flavors ,rich tobacco flavor.Nice creamy after taste with black licorice still present .smoked it down to the nub.

All in all a well balanced cigar and enjoyed it immensely a staple in my humidor when we find the identity of this cigar.This cigar with the flavors it offered will only get better with some age .

Smoke the cigar at Havana Dreams with great conversation and a little Frank Frank Sinatra in the back round the way a cigar should be smoked.

A solid 91/100

[SuperT]

» Frank Frank Sinatra in the back round the way a cigar should be smoked.

Frank and Dean!

Nice review, I'm anxious to hear more about it.

[Tampa1257]

Jimmy2, nice review, but don't forget to make your guess as to what the cigar is/was........:-)

[Jimmy2]

I think it was a R&J or HOYO DE MONTERREY ..

[Jimmy2]

While with Rob last night at dinner I asked him what was the mystery cigar of February and him told me he forgot what he picked.

Does any of the Feb tasters have any idea yet because i don't..

[Tampa1257]

I received the cigar a few days ago, and it needs another week at least before I test it. I think I already know what it is (From reading Jimmy2's review), but until I smoke it and confirm my suspicions, I will refrain from judgement................. after all, I have not smoked it yet, it could turn out to be something totally different.

[Tampa1257]

What a fine test cigar!

Once it arrived, I looked at its size and thought, this stick is an odd sized cigar, a tad longer than normal for a Robusto. I looked at the rich dark wrapper and gave it a deep long smell, and the nose was unique as well as distinctive. Yes, I believe that I know what this bad Boy is just from the nose of it, yet I am not going to make my final determination until I fire this stick up after a nice rest after its travel from down-under.

I pulled this test cigar out tonight to enjoy while I review the cigar boards and enjoy a little quiet time on a Friday evening. The cigar is nicely constructed, the overall wrapper was deep mocha brown. The pre-draw gave hints of the flavors yet to come and my suspensions were yet again reconfirmed for me. My lips tasted a slight yet undeniable taste of rich molasses. The very distinctive and unique tobacco flavors of the San Cristóbal del La Habana La Fuerza greeted my mouth! As the cigar developed, I found the it was at times floral and other times rich with a earthiness and the woodiness was omni present. Toward the mid point, the deep and rich sweetness of the molasses became even more pronounced. The cigar was medium bodied with very rich flavors. It has been over a year since I have smoked one of these, and I simply do not know why I have not picked up any of these for my rotation! They are a wonderful tasting cigar! Creamy, mocha type flavors, rich sweet molasses, heavy coffee notes, earthy and a touch of cooking spice mixed with a light floral background. Absolutely delightful cigar! Nice subtle complexity with rich flavors.

I would rate this cigar a 5 out of 6 smoke rings, A excellent cigar that one really needs to try and I would keep these for normal rotation in my humidor!

[MrQ]

Tampa I enjoy your reviews very much, some times I can almost taste the cigar when I'm reading it. thanks :-)

[waldo]

I smoked mine yesterday after letting it get a few weeks rest in the humi.

Looked to be about 5 1/2" by 48 or so. (Possibly a H.Upmann Connoisseur #1)

Upon arrival, this cigar had no aroma at all.:-|

Construction was very good, wrapper medium brown with a few very small viens. Not much in the way of oils.

Prelight draw was good, but without much flavor.

Upon lighting, I found it to be a bit mutted. Burned razor straight, nice ash.

This cigar never really developed into much of anything as I smoked it. I got some woody and toasty hints here and there and that's about it.

85

Not my style.:-|

[Ginseng]

Wow, what a range of experience with this. So far, my stick smells wonderful and looks fantastic if a bit squished. We're looking at next Thursday as the next 50F day so I think we are at blastoff T-5 days.

Wilkey

[genevapics]

» Wow, what a range of experience with this. So far, my stick smells

» wonderful and looks fantastic if a bit squished. We're looking at next

» Thursday as the next 50F day so I think we are at blastoff T-5 days.

»

» Wilkey

Nice call Wilkey. I hadn't had a chance to check the weather channel. I'll probably wait also for the weather on Thursday. Nice heads up. Thanks.

[J-ROD]

» What a fine test cigar!

»

» Once it arrived, I looked at its size and thought, this stick is an odd

» sized cigar, a tad longer than normal for a Robusto. I looked at the rich

» dark wrapper and gave it a deep long smell, and the nose was unique as

» well as distinctive. Yes, I believe that I know what this bad Boy is just

» from the nose of it, yet I am not going to make my final determination

» until I fire this stick up after a nice rest after its travel from

» down-under.

»

» I pulled this test cigar out tonight to enjoy while I review the cigar

» boards and enjoy a little quiet time on a Friday evening. The cigar is

» nicely constructed, the overall wrapper was deep mocha brown. The pre-draw

» gave hints of the flavors yet to come and my suspensions were yet again

» reconfirmed for me. My lips tasted a slight yet undeniable taste of rich

» molasses. The very distinctive and unique tobacco flavors of the San

» Cristóbal del La Habana La Fuerza greeted my mouth! As the cigar

» developed, I found the it was at times floral and other times rich with a

» earthiness and the woodiness was omni present. Toward the mid point, the

» deep and rich sweetness of the molasses became even more pronounced. The

» cigar was medium bodied with very rich flavors. It has been over a year

» since I have smoked one of these, and I simply do not know why I have not

» picked up any of these for my rotation! They are a wonderful tasting

» cigar! Creamy, mocha type flavors, rich sweet molasses, heavy coffee

» notes, earthy and a touch of cooking spice mixed with a light floral

» background. Absolutely delightful cigar! Nice subtle complexity with rich

» flavors.

»

» I would rate this cigar a 5 out of 6 smoke rings, A excellent cigar that

» one really needs to try and I would keep these for normal rotation in my

» humidor!

Damn Chuck reading your reviews could make a man go broke:-D

[josie67]

Finally smoked mine yesterday with a glass of Grand Marnier.

Appearance: Robusto sized, dark wrapper, oily, no blemishes

Prelight draw- Excellent

Prelight aroma- Typical barnyard

Prelght taste-none

Initial impressions: spicy, long finish, medium bodied, rich. Draw was good-very good, ash was snowy white. After the first inch, the flavors open up more, becoming increasingly more rich with hints of dark chocolate and spice. Burn was slightly uneven with frequent touch ups needed.

Second Third: Medium bodied, woodsy flavors, long finish, less spicy

Last third: Flavors soldier on much like the second third of the cigar with the flavors all coming together to give impressions of a nice, medium bodied earthy, rich cigar.

Overal, this was a VERY pleasant cigar.

Draw: 14/20

Warapper: 2/2

Burn: 2/3

Flavor: 72/75

total 90/100

[korryp]

I am going to borrow this form from Josie. I finally got around to smoking mine at a Herf yesterday.

Appearance: Robusto sized, dark wrapper, a few minor spots on the wrapper. Foot was a little squished.

Pre-light draw- Tight, this worried me a little at the start. Thinking that is was because of being sent in the mail.

Pre-light aroma- a very, very slight barnyard smell. This could also be due to being shipped in a padded postage envelope.

First third:

Some spice, medium bodied, Draw was tight to the start of the second third.

Ash was white with a few gray specks. I could tell that the flavor was building

from the start.

Second third:

Medium bodied, a stronger spice taste and a little bit a sugary flavor.

Last third:

Remained a medium bodied cigar to the end. The flavors built up to be sort of a spicy sugar flavor. I was impressed at how this all melded together.

Draw: 12/25

Wrapper: 20/25

Burn: 20/25

Flavor: 22/25

Total Score: 74/100

I would also agree that this is a La Fuerza. I placed one next to one a friend had given me last year. I looked very close. I am planning on smoking his later this week.

Thank you for the opportunity to be one of your taste testers.

[Tampa1257]

» The cigars will be arriving over the next few days :-D

»

» Post here before my 1st of March.

Still waiting for several reviews to come in for the Feb Taste Test. Remember that El Prez requested they all be posted by Mar 1, and we are still waiting for a few more.

[genevapics]

» » The cigars will be arriving over the next few days :-D

» »

» » Post here before my 1st of March.

»

» Still waiting for several reviews to come in for the Feb Taste Test.

» Remember that El Prez requested they all be posted by Mar 1, and we are

» still waiting for a few more.

Unfortunately, some of us live here in the Northeast and we are getting pelted with freezing rain! :-( Hopefully the weather breaks later this afternoon and I can get a chance to smoke this baby. Believe me, I want to, I want to...

[Ginseng]

» » » The cigars will be arriving over the next few days :-D

» » »

» » » Post here before my 1st of March.

» »

» » Still waiting for several reviews to come in for the Feb Taste Test.

» » Remember that El Prez requested they all be posted by Mar 1, and we are

» » still waiting for a few more.

»

» Unfortunately, some of us live here in the Northeast and we are getting

» pelted with freezing rain! :-( Hopefully the weather breaks later

» this afternoon and I can get a chance to smoke this baby. Believe me, I

» want to, I want to...

Yeah,

Right now it's 36F with spots of freezing drizzle. I could go out into the garage in my thermals but it seems like such a waste. Let me know. If it needs to be done then I'll go out there this afternoon. Geneva, you're welcome to join me in "the lounge."

Wilkey

[genevapics]

» » » » The cigars will be arriving over the next few days :-D

» » » »

"the lounge."

You know it's funny you mention the lounge. The Cigar Shop (I forget the name) over at People's Plaza has seats. I am not sure if they allow smoking though. The place up on 202, next to Trader Joes, definitely allows smoking. They told me in no uncertain terms: WE LOOK THE OTHER WAY! Hmm...

I think I'm going to wait it out until over the weekend. I can't stand the damp weather! :-( I couldn't do the review justice.

[Ginseng]

» » » » » The cigars will be arriving over the next few days :-D

» » » » »

» "the lounge."

»

» You know it's funny you mention the lounge. The Cigar Shop (I

» forget the name) over at People's Plaza has seats. I am not sure if they

» allow smoking though. The place up on 202, next to Trader Joes,

» definitely allows smoking. They told me in no uncertain terms: WE

» LOOK THE OTHER WAY! Hmm...

»

» I think I'm going to wait it out until over the weekend. I can't stand

» the damp weather! :-( I couldn't do the review justice.

The shop in PP is called Cigar-ette City. I know they allow smoking in the humidor but only during cigar events. The workers smoke in the back room but AFAIK, smoking is not allowed in the front.

Tobacco Field is the place up next to Trader Joe's. I've bought stuff from them before and the owner seems nice. They always seem to have talk radio turned up too damn loud though.

In both of these places, cigarette sales drive volume and cash flow but cigar sales drive profitability. One unfortunate result of this fact is that there are always people continuously blowing through buying packs and cartons of cigs. Sort of detracts from the experience, especially since the lounge area is right next to the door.

Oh well, it'll be warm in a month :-P

Wilkey

BTW, looks like low 40's from Sat-Tue.

[strayvector]

Damn...I was in Minneopolis during the winter months of 03 and it sure sucks to live in cold climate. Everytime I travel for work during the winter, I'm reminded why I live in Tucson. We had a brief cold spell yesterday with some afternoon showers and temperature dropped to 67F during the day yesterday. So I did what any self-respecting desert dweller did and put on a sweatshirt, shorts and sandals and took a walk to enjoy the cold. On a normal day, it would have been a t-shirt, shorts and sandals...like today, high of 78F.

[genevapics]

Screw you and your damn weather!:-D Having just been in Los Angeles for the Rose Bowl, I remember exactly why I went to school out there. Someday... someday. What was it that MacArthur told the Filippino's: I shall return!:-) Enjoy the weather my FOH brother.

[strayvector]

Well, not to rub it in any further, but I just came in from the back yard having smoked an awesome Bolivar PC in shorts and t-shirt at 9 at night. Life is good.

[Ginseng]

» Well, not to rub it in any further, but I just came in from the back yard

» having smoked an awesome Bolivar PC in shorts and t-shirt at 9 at night.

» Life is good.

Ooh, Ooh,

I'll remember this. Expect a bundle of Filipino jungle bidis to be headed your way. Just don't be surprised if DEA mistakes it for the other illegal leaf-based smoking implement. :-P

Wilkey

[Loki]

» » The cigars will be arriving over the next few days :-D

» »

» » Post here before my 1st of March.

»

» Still waiting for several reviews to come in for the Feb Taste Test.

» Remember that El Prez requested they all be posted by Mar 1, and we are

» still waiting for a few more.

Sorry Chuck but I've had a miserable cold and it just wouldn't be fair to that fine looking cigar that I was sent. I'm feeling better and will try to get to it Sunday.