Good construction, some veins in the medium wrapper, light tobacco notes from the wrapper and a somewhat generous draw. Paired with a Shiner Texas Warmer ale.

Not surprisingly, it’s very similar to the Camacho Corojo I smoked last week; the differences being a cleaner draw and less tendency to go out, although I will have to say that I was pretty involved in conversation while smoking the Camacho.

There is however a slight difference in the tasting notes; the Ditka has more pepper early on and has an odd sweetness that I might expect from a “dipped” cigar, although I know this one is not.

The cigar is producing plenty of smoke and is burning cleanly. The beer, a “winter warmer” style ale with chinook hops and roasted barley is a good match. Unlike UK winter warmers that usually carry a hefty punch, this beer is more session strength, thus not overpowering the cigar.

The Stage V Clinger cigar holder is also a handy gadget to have. Since I don’t golf and have not been on a fishing boat in quite some time, I am using my steel grill to hold the magnets. There are three “steps” in the holder so it will work with most cigars.

At about 1/3 some very pleasant pecan notes emerge to blend with the tobacco and cedar notes I find in most Corojo cigars. The “mystery” sweetness has subsided some but remains, and the pepper remains for a very nice complex cigar.

This is a mild-to-medium cigar with lots of flavor and is very enjoyable. I’m not really a Bears fan, but would very much like to share one of these with Coach Ditka. Although the cigar is mild-to-medium, there is enough intensity to the flavor to match the personality of the Coach.

A bit of cinnamon appears at about 2/3, keeping the complexity interesting. That “certain something” remains that would lead me to believe that the cigar was aged with a liquor, although I’m still pretty sure it is not.

Back to the clip, I am clipping it on the band to ensure that it doesn’t damage the wrapper. I will try it another time with an unbanded cigar to test it.

This is a very good Camacho style cigar that has just enough difference to say that it is just a rebranded Camacho. Leather, nuts, a bit of cinnamon and a touch of coffee set this apart from a typical Camacho.

One thing I have noticed is that the cigar remains very cool. Even many of the Churchill size cigars get a bit warmer at 2/3. It also has a very firm ash, so much so that I let it drop in my lap, but it was cool enough to not damage my shirt as some ashes do when they drop off without warning. It is also a very good sized cigar to smoke while drinking a bomber (22oz) beer in that you don’t run out of one while having some left of the other.

I mentioned earlier that I am not a Bears fan, but I always did admire Coach Ditka, and this cigar represents him very well. Clean burn, great flavors and perhaps a bit smoother than the Coach’s personality, it’s a great cigar that you should smoke, Bears fan or no.

I could find a few quibbles with this cigar, but not many, so it earns a 87. Joe Bob says check it out.

As for the Stogie V Clinger, I will give it a preliminary 80, reserving the right to reexamine it with a bandless cigar.