Category Archives: Reviews

Reviews

Nat Sherman Metropolitan Habano Short Robusto

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This cigar has a beautiful chocolate brown wrapper. The wrapper has a nutty aroma while the foot smells of cocoa. The bunch is firm. The cold draw is perfect. Tonight’s beverage is a Dos Equis Lager.

The initial flavors are nuts and cocoa. The smoke is very smooth from the beginning. The burn and draw are perfect. The ash is light grey and looks solid.

In the first third the burn developed a fairly bad run, so I corrected. We’ll see what happens. The cigar is burning in a cone, so it’s not a filler issue; it could be a wind problem since the big doors of the lounge are open and a storm just blew through. The flavors continue to be a nice blend of nuts and cocoa. The retrohale is very smooth.

During the second third the correction worked and the cigar is burning evenly. A bit of cedar has joined the flavors and is blending in well. The smoke is very smooth and the ash remained solid even though the correction.

Approaching the final inch the flavors remain the same. Still decently complex but didn’t develop much. Except for the one run, the construction is good. 83, Joe Bob says check it out.

Reviews, Reviews 2017

Most interesting cigars of 2017

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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 →

Reviews

AJ Fernandez Enclave Broadleaf

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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 →

Reviews

White Hat Hirochi Robaina series

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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 →

Reviews, Reviews 2017

AJ Fernandez New World Puro Especial Robusto

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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.

Reviews

Camacho Ditka Gametime

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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. Continue reading Camacho Ditka Gametime →

Reviews

General Cigar/AJ Fernandez Diesel collaboration -Grind

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A perfect bunch and aromas from the wrapper and foot that almost make you want to eat the cigar it smells so good. Hints of cocoa wrapped in earthy tones of tobacco. A clean clip and a perfect draw speak of great things to come.

A nice strong bite of tobacco greets you from the very start, grabbing your collar and yelling, “this is gonna be special, ok?” And it’s right. This is a great cigar. Undertones of cocoa provide a nice bed for the tobacco while the peppers play around with your palate. The burn is nice and even with a firm light grey ash.

When two great cigar makers team up you can expect great things. This cigar has the consistency of a General with the complexity of an AJ Fernandez. While that may sound somewhat contradictory, trust me, the end product is outstanding.

At 1/3, hints of cognac sneak in. The peppers are somewhat muted although still present. And the volume of smoke is outstanding. The burn continues to be straight and the ash remains firm. My Topo Chico also does a very good job of keeping the cigar from being overwhelming.

There is absolutely no stinging from the smoke as it passes across the face. At 2/3 I am still impressed by the seamless combination of General and AJ. When you smoke this cigar you will understand how it can be both complex and consistent. The strength combined with the flavors is epic.

Putting it down at one inch, I wish it was a longer cigar so I could continue to enjoy it. 90. Joe Bob says check it out.

Reviews

Novel Pairings from the IPCPR 2017, Day 2

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Day 2 10

1. El Chapo and Sausage. Jeremy Jack Cigars went out on a limb with some unique looks. Their El Chapo is in a three-count box, and is on the lam. The Salchichas, or ‘sausages’, is a good link.

2. Oscar and Island Jim. Yes, Island Jim really looks like his cigar band, and he even has a BBQ pineapple snack sausage with a cigar-like package.

3. Sakasquatch and ‘Everyday’. Steve Saka introduced Todos Los Dias, and apologizes for his poor Spanish translation, but promises happy smokers if they try the stick. He also has a new mascot – the cigar-smoking big-foot Sakasquatch.

Day 2 3 4

4. Bravo and his mom. The Guayaberas Lady was happily sharing her love of stylish smoking shirts with retailers while her son happily shared the J. Fuego Gran Reserva Original, and everyday Walk Around cigar.

Day 2 7 8

5. Two different families. The Micallef family and the Gomez/Sanchez family bonded together over a common goal – make cigars, make them well and share them with the world. This new partnership made for a unique booth, with live cigar rollers, live interviews about the cigar industry and a beautiful humidor giveaway.

Day 2 9

6. Cigars and stuff. The new and improved Tommy Bahama has combined the look and feel of sailing and golfing with cigars and accessories. Their ashtrays include some that stand up to sun, wind, rain and falling off the table. Their humidor comes with a built-in light so you can always find the cigar you want. And their lighters and cutters are the quality you would expect from a high-end outfitter.

Day 2 1

7. 40-million sticks and a new brand. Despite having to start over twice, the Plasencia family has been the cigar manufacturer go for customers wanting quality tobacco and production. The Plasencia family has made quite a jump in the market with their own brand of cigars, including the new Alma Fuerte line.

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8. LFD and a long road back from number one. After Cigar Aficionado named La Flor Dominicana’s Andalusian Bull number one, the elation did not slow for the company. This year, they are trying to follow up with La Volcada – named for a step in the tango dance.

Day 2 14 20

9. Re-banding and measurements. Coming up with one the most unique bands, E.P. Carrillo’s Inch took on a stylish new look, with a gold band, to mark their unique inch-size ring gauges.

Day 2 5 6

10. Luck and the ‘Ladder’. Knowing Robert Holt of Southern Draw would make one think successful cigar manufacturing and sales is about luck, because that he definitely has. For him and his new Jacob’s Ladder, it’s more about work, travel and talent.

Day 2 11

Reviews

Muestra de Saka Exclusivo

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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.