This cigar has a nice clean wrapper that gets a bit lumpy towards the head. The foot smells of cedar and well aged tobacco. The cold draw is just slightly tight. This morning’s beverage is a Blue Island cold brew latte. Listening to the Saustex mix on Spotify.
Continue reading Origen Lancero by J Fuego
All posts by El Jefe
La Flor Dominicana La Volcada Toro
This cigar has a dark brown rustic wrapper. The bunch seems a bit stiff, bout the cold draw is fine. This afternoon’s beverage is a cold Topo Chico. Continue reading La Flor Dominicana La Volcada Toro
Asylum 13 Medulla Oblongata Maduro
This cigar is firmly box pressed and has a very solid bunch. Light coffee notes come from the foot. The cold draw is slightly tight with more coffee notes. This morning’s beverage is a cold brewed latte.
Continue reading Asylum 13 Medulla Oblongata Maduro
EP Carrillo Dark Rituals Toro
The wrapper on this cigar is a little rough, but it has a beautiful color. It also has a nice firm bunch. The aroma from the foot is leather and cocoa. The cold draw is perfect. Tonight’s beverage is a More Cowbell IPA.
Continue reading EP Carrillo Dark Rituals Toro
Steve Saka Muestra de Saka Nacatamale
My sample sports a perfectly smooth dark wrapper. There’s a light tobacco sweetness coming from the wrapper and foot, with traces of Ligero also present. An ideal draw leads me to believe that this will 
be a great cigar. Today’s beverage is an Avery Brewing Tweak, a 16% beer that provides a kick all of its own. Continue reading Steve Saka Muestra de Saka Nacatamale
Southern Draw Jacob’s Ladder Lancero Ignite Some Good Limited Edition
Ok, I’ll admit it. Not only am I a sucker for Southern Draw Lanceros, I’m a big fan of Cigars For Warriors, and donate often. The fact that sales of the jars benefited CFW, I was near the front of the line. Continue reading Southern Draw Jacob’s Ladder Lancero Ignite Some Good Limited Edition
WHAT TO DRINK WITH YOUR SMOKE
For the experienced premium cigar smoker as well as those just discovering the enjoyment of hand-rolled tobacco, figuring out what to drink while relaxing with a good smoke is important. Pairing is 
initially a fairly easy thing. Lighter bodied cigars are best accompanied by lighter bodied beers, and so on down the spectrum. But craft brewers have pushed the envelope to create very different, and in some cases, truly astounding beers and ales. Not to be outdone, cigar manufacturers are constantly modifying their blends to create different profiles in their cigar lines. Getting a truly outstanding pairing can be a bit of a gamble but rewarding when you find the perfect pair. Continue reading WHAT TO DRINK WITH YOUR SMOKE
Southern Draw Cigars & Famous Smoke Shop to release Rose of Sharon Perfecto as they IGNITE some good!
Austin, Texas – APRIL 30, 2018. IGNITE project release #2 will be 
an exciting new size for the award winning Rose of Sharon. The medium bodied blend that was blessed as the 2017 #1 Cigar of the Year by Stogie Geeks (Joe D.) and Tuesday Night Cigar Club, #2 Cigar of the Year by Phillip Kohn a.k.a. the Katman with a perfect 100 rating, the #8 Cigar of the Year by HalfWheel – the Consensus, and 10 other Top 25 Cigars of the Year will now be offered in a special round format. Continue reading Southern Draw Cigars & Famous Smoke Shop to release Rose of Sharon Perfecto as they IGNITE some good!
Steve Saka Todos las Dios
Firm roll but good draw, foot and wrapper have a slight dark chocolate aroma. Initial draw also has Dark Chocolate notes with a very strong but pleasant tobacco flavor. Continue reading Steve Saka Todos las Dios
Southern Draw Cigars to release Jacobs Ladder Lancero – Box Press
Austin, TX. – Born from the new charitable strategy, IGNITE some good and produced at the A.J. Fernandez Cigar Co. in Esteli, Nicaragua, the Jacobs Ladder Lancero makes its debut in an exclusive box pressed format known as the TOP RUNG at Casa de Montecristo which coincides with the Texas Cigar Festival. The box pressed lancero in this award winning premium cigar blend is a limited exclusive release and will be available in a number of Casa de Montecristo retail locations. Continue reading Southern Draw Cigars to release Jacobs Ladder Lancero – Box Press
The T Robusto: A Collaboration and a Success
This cigar is a collaboration from Matt Booth, AJ Fernandez and Robert Caldwell. It is box pressed with a smooth dark wrapper. Notes of coffee are notable in the foot. The bunch is firm. The cold draw is perfect. Today’s beverage is a Real Ale Commissar Russian Imperial Stout. Continue reading The T Robusto: A Collaboration and a Success
Most interesting cigars of 2017 part 2
I’m not assigning rankings to these cigars, and no Cubans are listed. All these cigars were released in late 2016-early 2017. To avoid the illusion of rankings, the cigars are listed in alphabetical order. I have chosen 22 cigars for this list. 11 Will appear on this part and the second 11 will appear next week. Continue reading Most interesting cigars of 2017 part 2
Most interesting cigars of 2017
I’m not assigning rankings to these cigars, and no Cubans are listed. All these cigars were released in late 2016-early 2017. To avoid the illusion of rankings, the cigars are listed in alphabetical order. I have chosen 22 cigars for this list. 11 Will appear on this part and the second 11 will appear next week.
Remember, these are listed alphabetically, not by rank. Continue reading Most interesting cigars of 2017
AJ Fernandez Enclave Broadleaf
Size of cigar: 5 inches by 52 ring gauge
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Filler leaves: Nicaraguan
New as of this summer, A.J. Fernandez has released a broadleaf version of the Enclave.
My review sample exhibited a very smooth and dark wrapper with the expected sweet aroma of broadleaf, while the foot gave off light cocoa and leather scents. Overall, construction looked and felt excellent, with the cigar showing a nice firm bunch and a great cold draw. My morning accompanying beverage was a fresh-roasted Torquino/Serrano blend of coffee. Continue reading AJ Fernandez Enclave Broadleaf
Herrera Esteli Miami
Size of cigar: 5.75 inches by 48 ring gauge
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Fillers: Dominican & Nicaraguan
The Miami version of the Herrera Estelí blend is rolled at the El Titan factory, the ‘home’ factory of Willy Herrera. Continue reading Herrera Esteli Miami
White Hat Hirochi Robaina series
White Hat Cigars distributes the Hirochi Robaina (HR) line of cigars. If the name Hirochi Robaina sounds a little familiar to you, that’s probably because Hirochi is the grandson of revered Cuban tobacco grower and expert Don Alejandro Robaina. The HR line of cigars is made at the La Corona Factory in Esteli, Nicaragua.
HR Signature
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder & Fillers: Nicaraguan (Esteli & Jalapa)
The HR Signature (brown band) sports a smooth and oily dark wrapper exhibiting an intoxicating aroma of rich dark chocolate, also present in the shaggy foot. The cigar has a nice firm bunch, clips cleanly and displays a perfect cold draw. Continue reading White Hat Hirochi Robaina series
Black Label Trading Company Last Rites Petite Lancero
Size of cigar: 6.5 inches by 42 ring gauge
This cigar has a very nice, smooth Maduro wrapper. The bunch is firm with no soft spots, and the wrapper gives off an aroma of cocoa nibs and leather along with some spices. The cold draw is perfect. My chosen accompanying beverage is a Southern Star Winter Warmer Ale. Continue reading Black Label Trading Company Last Rites Petite Lancero
Southern Draw Jacob’s Ladder Robusto
Beautiful smooth dark wrapper with a firm bunch and a perfect draw. Aromas of dark chocolate from the shaggy foot and wrapper, more of a spicy vibe from the cold draw. Owner Robert Holt says smoke this one after a good meal. Continue reading Southern Draw Jacob’s Ladder Robusto
Macanudo Fumas
At the opening dinner, Macanudo Inspirado provided capa, binder and tripa fumas. This is the first time I have seen this presentation, a chance to experience the tobacco that goes into a cigar by itself. I am intrigued. Continue reading Macanudo Fumas
Hamlet 25th Year Master of Tobacco Robusto
Size of cigar: 5½ inches by 50 ring gauge 
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Pennsylvanian Broadleaf
Filler: Nicaraguan & Honduran
This is the second blend issued by Hamlet Paredes since he joined the Rocky Patel family. Continue reading Hamlet 25th Year Master of Tobacco Robusto
AJ Fernandez New World Puro Especial Robusto
This is a new blend of an old favorite. A rich dark wrapper with only minor veins that smells heavily of cocoa, with more of the same from the foot. The bunch is firm and the cold draw is good.Ash fell off just past the first inch (fortunately not in my lap).
The cigar and the coffee are matching extremely well (can’t beat a cup of fresh roasted torquino). Good smooth smoke with a good amount of black pepper on the retrohale. Firm light grey ash and an even burn. So far this is definitely a very pleasant experience.
At one third the pepper has settled and a nice lingering bittersweet flavor has developed. The cocoa notes are very subtle but add nicely to the profile. I would call this a medium+ bodied smoke with medium flavor.
After 2/3 the pepper notes return in the retrohale and the overall blend has really come together with notes of cocoa and coffee. I always start a cigar expecting the best and this one has definitely not let me down. The burn has remained even throughout with a nice conical burn.
Approaching the final inch the ash fell off again, this time nailing my shirt. Not that big of a deal, but the ash could have been firmer. Still, this is a very good cigar with a great complexity of flavors. 90, Joe Bob says check it out.
Micallef Cigars interview at IPCPR2017
IPCPR 2017 Wrap-up
The 2017 International Premium Cigar and Pipe Retailers Convention has come and gone. While it took place in Las Vegas like last year, there were significant differences – and these not all due to the fact that the venue had changed from the Sands Expo to the Las Vegas Convention Center. Continue reading IPCPR 2017 Wrap-up
Muestra de Saka Exclusivo
6″ x 52, tobaccos vary from batch to batch.
Smooth oily capa with mocha notes with mostly Cappuccino/latte notes from the foot. A somewhat heavy vitola with an excellent bunch and the perfect cold draw. I have heard lots about this cigar from smokers as well as Steve Saka, so let’s see what ol’ Joe Bob thinks.
Initial notes include insane amounts of carefully aged tobacco with backnotes of cream and coffee. Saka warned not to expect a Sobramesa or even a Mi Quireda; completely accurate so far. Not even much pepper in the retrohale. This is a very elegant creamy cigar.
Paired with an Atwater Decadent Dark Chocolate Brew, the two are meshing spectacularly, although I suspect the mocha notes would be lighter with a different beer. Still, the cigar has a sweetness of its own.
The ash is solid and medium grey and the burn is razor-sharp, signs of an excellently constructed cigar.
Backing off the cocoa-heavy beer for a few minutes, the cigar still has excellent mocha notes over the flavor of the finely aged tobacco. According to Saka, each batch will be different; this batch is divine.
Nearing the first third, the flavors kick up a bit with some pepper notes in the retrohale. Still as smooth as silk though, with lots of tasty smoke. The burn is still near perfect and is very flat.
A cool burning cigar on my patio on a nice breezy evening is pretty much as good as it gets. Not quite halfway and the cigar continues to be as cool as it was at the beginning.
I can almost hear some of you saying, “yeah, but Joe Bob is a huge Saka fanboy,” but as I continue towards the second third I am still looking for some flaw in the cigar to keep me from sounding like a worshipper; nothing has come up yet. That said, heed Saka’s warning that this is not as strong as a Sobramesa or a Mi Quierda. That takes nothing away from the quality nor enjoyment of this cigar.
Passing the 2/3 point, the fermentation notes of the tobacco strengthen, adding to the complexity of the flavors of the cigar. The burn is still almost perfect and the smoke remains cool and pleasant. I may have to run inside for a corn cob holder so that I can smoke past the point where it gets too hot to hold.
In the cigar industry, Steve Saka is mentioned in the same conversation as Rafael Nodal, EP Carillo, Michael Gianini and Christian Eiroa. I find no error in these comparisons. As for the Muestra de Saka, I’ll be “that guy” and only give it a 99.
Review of Comacho American Barrel Aged
“Private, do you know what that smells like? It smells like victory!”
“Private Joker; hell, I Iike you, you can come over and date my sister!”
“Where does he get such wonderful toys? What kind of a world do we live in where a man dressed as a bat gets all of my press?”
“There was me, that is Alex, and my three droogs, Pete, Georgie and Dim, who really was dim, trying to make up our razoodoks about what to do with the evening.,.”
Apparently, all 4 decided to smoke a Camacho Barrel-Aged robusto.
A smooth as silk wrapper; a perfect cut, cold draw hints of very rich leather,
They never napalmed the VC so they could surf; they all made it through USMC training with their sanity intact; the Joker lost to Batman; and Little Alex and his droogs had a Camacho American Barrel-Aged Robusto with their Moloko-plus and never assaulted Billy-boy and his droogies at the derelict casino because they were all so entranced by this cigar that they were all so distracted by the cigar that they never got around to their planned mischief.
Silly? Yeah, probably, but this cigar is so good that it could distract almost anyone from any planned mischief.
While typing all of that up, I have made it through the first third with the ash intact with a truly complex mixture of flavors that almost defy identify description.
The Camacho American Barrel Aged line may or may not be better than sex. You will have to decide that one for yourself,
A completely complex cigar with excellent flavors that defy description. 98, Joe Bob says check it out.
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