The La Palina Nicaragua lineup is rolled at the A.J. Fernandez factory (Tabacalera Fernandez), giving me fairly high expectations of quality construction. Both the Oscuro and Connecticut reviewed here are Toros.
La Palina Nicaragua Toro
Category Archives: Reviews
Hiram & Solomon Triple Review
Hiram & Solomon cigars are produced by David Blanco at the Plasencia factory. The lineup features three cigars named for the three Blue Lodge Ranks.
Hiram & Solomon Entered Apprentice Toro
Blanco Liga Exclusiva de Familia Maduro Churchill
Montecristo Pepe Mendez Pilotico Toro
This cigar has a very smooth wrapper and a medium bunch. The foot gives off aromas of cocoa and coffee. The cold draw is perfect. Tonight’s beverage is a Lorelei Brewing Merdude Russian Imperial Coffee Milk Stout.
Continue reading Montecristo Pepe Mendez Pilotico Toro
Emilio Grimalkin Toro
This once a year release is rolled at the Oveja Negra Factory in Esteli. It has a nice smooth dark wrapper. The bunch is firm without being hard. Aromas from the foot are earthy and a bit spicy. The cold draw is perfect. This evening’s beverage is a New Belgium Voodoo Ranger Imperial IPA.
Marrero Fuerte Gran Robusto
This cigar has an oily maduro wrapper in a box press format. The aroma from the foot is coffee and cocoa. The cold draw is perfect. This morning’s beverage is a Chameleon Cold Brew latte. Continue reading Marrero Fuerte Gran Robusto
Jeremy Jack Libelula Robusto
This cigar has an almost flawless San Andreas Maduro wrapper. The filler is Nicaraguan Arangosa. The foot smells like a good cocoa latte. The cold draw is perfect. Tonight’s beverage is a Lorelei Brewing Merdude Russian Imperial Coffee Milk Stout. Continue reading Jeremy Jack Libelula Robusto
Hiram and Solomon Shriner
This cigar has a oily Colorado brown wrapper, perhaps Habano. The bunch is firm with no soft or hard spots. The foot smells of light ginger. The cold draw is perfect. This morning’s beverage is a Chameleon Cold Brew latte. Continue reading Hiram and Solomon Shriner
Veritas Three Blend 2017 Toro
This cigar sports a rustic box pressed three leaf barber pole wrapper with a sweet aroma. The aroma from the foot is less sweet but more substantial with a meaty background. The cold draw is perfect. This morning’s beverage is a Chameleon Cold Brew latte.
Cigars International joins Southern Draw Cigars to IGNITE some good
Southern Draw Cigars is proud to announce the third installment of the IGNITE some good charitable campaign as it partners with Cigars International to release 1,000 custom IGNITE humi-jars. Going back to its roots, the original two cigar blends from Southern Draw Cigars, Kudzu and Firethorn now have a fresh new size to be enjoyed. A 5×58 round format perfecto. Continue reading Cigars International joins Southern Draw Cigars to IGNITE some good
Origen Lancero by J Fuego
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
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
Room 101 San Andreas 808 Gordo
First and foremost I acknowledge that this is not a “new” cigar. I promise to obtain and review a Big Chief Cool Arrow (henh…culero) as soon as possible; however, this cigar is new to me and I want to review it on CW as no one has before. Continue reading Room 101 San Andreas 808 Gordo
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!
Jeremy Jack JJ14 Corona Gorda
This cigar has a nice Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper surrounding Nicaraguan Aganorsa from Esteli and the Jalapa Valley. The aromas from the foot are earthy and floral. The bunch is a bit short of firm. The cold draw is perfect. Today’s beverage is a Stone Exalted IPA.
The cigar starts out smooth with a bit of spice, floral and earthy flavors and black pepper in the retrohale. The smoke is very smooth and thick. The burn is very even and the ash is solid. The IPA is a good pairing.
During the second third some sweetness joins the flavor profile. The pepper in the retrohale has muted a bit. The burn remains very even.
Approaching the final inch the complexity of flavors remains excellent. This is a very well constructed cigar. 90, Joe Bob says check it out.
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
Southern Draw Rose of Sharon Lancero
This cigar has a beautiful smooth Connecticut wrapper with a closed foot and a pigtail cap. Very light aromas of toasted tobacco from the wrapper and foot. A box pressed cigar with a good bunch. The cold draw is perfect.
Initial flavors are toasted tobacco with a bit of a zing. Soft pepper notes are in the retrohale. The cigar is burning evenly and the ash is light grey and solid.
The first third reveals a solid mix of spice while retaining the toasty character. There is a good peppery quality in the retrohale. The burn remains even and the ash is solid.
During the second third a cinnamon note emerged from the spice mix. The smoke is very smooth and plentiful. This is a medium bodied cigar with great complexity. It also has a long toasty finish. The burn remains even.
Approaching the final inch the flavors remain solid and the smoke is very smooth. Excellent construction and complexity, this one earns 98. Joe Bob says check it out.
Hoyo La Amistad Silver Robusto
This is the 2017 release of the Hoyo collaboration with AJ Fernandez. It has a nice dark wrapper. Aromas from the wrapper are mostly tobacco, but there is a little “zing” from the foot. The bunch is firm and the cold draw is perfect. Tonight’s beverage is a Krombacher Dark Lager.
The initial draws yield flavors of tobacco, cedar and hints of spice that remind me of a really good BBQ rib rub. The draw is perfect and the burn is very even. The ash is solid and light grey.
In the first third the spices settle to a smooth pepper note on the tongue and in the retrohale. A toasted flavor blends in with the profile. The ash dropped at one inch and remains solid and the burn remains even.
During the second third a sweetness creeps into the already excellent profile. The smoke is very smooth. This is a solid medium bodied cigar. The burn remains flawless.
Approaching the final inch the cigar remains smooth and tasty. The ash has been solid throughout, as has the burn. Perhaps a bit milder than the Amistad Gold of 2016, but still an excellent experience. 95, Joe Bob says check it out.
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
Blanco Nine Robusto
This cigar has a beautiful dark brown wrapper. The predominant aromas are well tanned leather and cocoa. The ligeros seen in the foot and clipped head are very well placed. The cold draw is perfect. Today’s beverage is a Lorelei Merdude Russian Imperial Coffee Milk Stout.
The cigar starts very smooth, especially for a triple ligero. This is a full bodied smoke from the start. The smoke is very full and rich. Strong notes of leather and cocoa dominate the opening flavors. The burn is very even. The mottled grey ash is fairly solid and taps off easily.
The burn angles a bit in the first third; perhaps a bend in one of the ligero leaves. Every other aspect improves. Cedar notes appear and blend in very well. There is a healthy dose of pepper in the retrohale.
During the second third the burn self corrects and is once again even. The flavors build without any bitterness. Some coffee notes also appear. The ale is a perfect pairing, enhancing the cigar.
Approaching the final inch the flavors remain exceedingly complex. The overall construction is also very good. Again, a very full bodied smoke. 93
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