Category Archives: Reviews

LFD TAA Gold Anniversary 2019 Maduro Oro 6 1/2 x 54

This maduro version of the 2019 TAA release has a hard box press with a somewhat rustic wrapper. The foot smells a bit musty with hints of coffee and cocoa. A perfect v-cut reveals a perfect draw. Today’s beverage is a Clown Shoes Snow on the Maple Tree Imperial Stout.

The cigar begins with a light sweetness to the mostly full bodied smoke. The Stout turn out to be a perfect pairing, holding its own. This is a very strong blend. The burn is a bit off, probably from lighting with an Alec Bradley tabletop soft flame in a breeze.

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Gary Sinise Launches Mental Health Network For Veterans, First Responders

Source: Forbes

On Tuesday, actor and humanitarian Gary Sinise launched The Gary Sinise Foundation Avalon Network.

The new nationwide network will provide care to veterans and first responders suffering from post-traumatic stress and TBI (traumatic brain injury). Avalon will establish 20 treatment sites around the country to serve thousands of veterans, first responders, and their families.

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DC Cigars Cameroon Toro

This is a very good-looking cigar construction-wise, with the DC braided ring. The wrapper is a true Cameroon with a touch of green in the wrapper. It is pig-tailed with a shaggy foot. The draw is perfect. Tonight’s beverage is a cold Rogue Dead Guy Ale.

The initial flavor notes are sweet and grassy, with a grassy retrohale. There are no hints of paper that I usually experience with Ecuadoran-grown Cameroon seed wrappers. The Ale tones down the sweetness a bit making for a nice pairing.

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Dissident Rant Robusto

This cigar has a toothy dark wrapper that has a couple of minor flaws, but overall looks appealing. Some sweet cocoa notes from the foot. A very clean vcut reveals a smooth draw with some sweetness in the tobacco flavor. Today’s beverage is a cold Shiner Candied Pecan Porter.

The initial draws are strong tobacco with lurking cocoa notes. The retrohale is smooth. The beer is subtly sweet, but overall a good Porter that matches the cigar well.

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Atsinki Imaya Robusto

 

Charles Robinson of Tennessee was looking for a distributor for these @IPCPR2018 and was kind enough to give me this cigar to sample. It has a smooth Habano wrapper with smooth nutty aromas from the foot and the wrapper. The bunch is firm. The cold draw is perfect. Today’s beverage is a cold Topo Chico.


The initial flavors are mostly earthy and walnuts. The retrohale is mildly peppery. The draw remains perfect. The burn is perfect as well.In the first third the earthiness shifts to a more wooded flavor, more oak than cedar while the rest of the flavors remain consistent.

During the second third a bit of sweetness joins the flavor profile. The burn remains perfect. This is an excellently constructed cigar with a great complexity. The pepper in the retrohale has moderated and is very smooth. It is medium bodied cigar.

Approaching the final inch the flavor profile remains solid. The construction is also excellent. This one may be a bit hard to find; as far as I can tell they’re mostly in Tennessee, where they are headquartered.

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