I thought it had more of the characteristics of the t52, but that is not a problem in my mind.
it wasnt a problem in my mind either. I enjoy the T52 more than the No.9. i think i was about 10 minutes in when i began thinking that this was more like the T52 than the No.9. i just wanted to be sure of it before i put it in print. by the time i put it down i was sure of it.
I thought it had more of the characteristics of the t52, but that is not a problem in my mind.
it wasnt a problem in my mind either. I enjoy the T52 more than the No.9. i think i was about 10 minutes in when i began thinking that this was more like the T52 than the No.9. i just wanted to be sure of it before i put it in print. by the time i put it down i was sure of it.
I agree they share characteristics... but the sweetness of the SA maduro wrapper is undeniable, imo. I guess to me that adds a character that keeps it familiar to both the no. 9 and T52, while still making it it's own stand alone cigar.
i didnt say it tasted exactly like it. i just feel its closer to the T52. this is a good example of how binder plays on the blend. I suspect that the binder in this cigar has more influence than the wrapper.
1-23-12 been in my humidor since 1-7-12
Camacho Face-Off By Litto Gomez (5 3/4 x 50)
Wrapper:
Binder:
Filler:
Blender: Litto Gomez
The specifics of this blend seem to be a secret. The story yields a bit more information but again, the details are sketchy at best.
Litto Gomez of La Flor Dominicana and Christian Eiroa of Camacho have decided to use each others tobacco in an attempt to make a better version of the others cigars. They want to out do each other. Each company sent the other enough tobacco to make 50,000 cigars. To this tobacco each added some of their own to the mix. So in short, the blend of the Camacho Face off is mostly Honduran with a bit of Dominican.
Thanks to Garbandz on the Cigar Asylum Cigar Forum for the trade to make this happen.
This cigar is one of the cigars on my Bucket List. Since this cigar was produced in 2003 (before I started smoking cigars) and it was made in limited quantity by to companies that are in high demand, I thought I would never get to see one of these. Litto is one of my favorite blenders and Camacho produces some of the best Honduran tobacco available. I have always been a fan of Honduran tobacco so needless to say, this made my Bucket list. The La Flor Dominicana Face off by Christian Eiroa is on my bucket list also. I may need to compare. If you know where to get some of those, please let me know.
The cigar is light in color and a bit light in feel. It is lighter than I was expecting it to be. There is a decided amount of fuzz to this cigar and it is a rugged in appearance. The band is the old style Camacho band in cream with all the print in dark brown.
The lick on the cap is almost flavorless but there is an oily feel to it. There is a slight vegetable quality to it. Not too surprising being that it is a plant. Just sayin...
The cap is cut with a Xikar Xi2. This brings a cold draw that is solid. There is some resistance but not too much. Just enough to let you know you are actually drawing. The flavor of this draw is a little leather and a little vegetable.
The light is with a soft flame and it light easy.
The first few draws have a very leather taste. There is also a very light coffee after taste that is slightly on the bitter side. The cigar is very smooth. Not surprising at all since it was rolled 9 years ago. There is a slight musk through the nose that seems to make the finish match the rest of the cigar well. This is a very interesting musk. It does not remind me of the signature “Kelner Musk” that is found in almost all Kelner blends. It is spicier and has more leather to it. The musk is only through the nose. Without the retrohale, the cigar is decidedly flat. Its a good thing this cigar is so smooth because it needs the retrohale.
Only 20 min in and the ash has fallen off twice. It seems to not want to hold on. The burn is even. The draw is good. It is not burning fast. There is no indicator that the ash should fall. Maybe too much Magnesium in the soil? I'm not too sure. The cigar does seem to be smoking fairly quick. This may mean that the cigar is packed light (and that could explain the weight issue in the pre-light ritual). If it is packed lightly, the ash is less dense and will fall faster.
The middle third of the cigar and the musk is taking over. The initial flavor is sweeter and the finish has picked up a black walnut note. I fully realize that this is a very specific flavor to use and I run the risk of sounding like like one of the over the top reviewers that can taste “hints of Shiitake mushrooms grown in the south of China during a colder growing season...”
However, I grew up with a Black Walnut tree in my back yard. The taste is very familiar to me and I would recognize it anywhere. It is very distinct.
The final third is roughly the same overall profile but the smoke heats slightly and gives it a more cinnamon note. The coffee note on the finish becomes stronger and the bitterness slightly more noticeable. This note is not strong enough to cause a problem. The finish lengthens slightly as well.
As the cigar winds down it heats up considerably. The bitter is slowly taking over and a burn “to the burn” probably wont happen.
I set it down once it got too bitter. It is still a nub, but I didn't want to keep smoking it until my fingers burnt.
Burn time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Face off sounds like an interesting smoke. Didn't know about it till I saw you guys talking about it. Reading about it makes it seem like this should of been an annual thing.
before i get into this review id like to point out once again that this will be on my blog. however, if you are looking to follow me on Facebook then you will have to like my page. there is no link on the blog to my facebook page. i cant seem to get the "like" button to work from the blog.
on that note, the RSS feed works and the Twitter button works also. thanks for reading
back to your scheduled programming...
1-25-12 been in humi since 8-28-11
Curivari Cafe 52 (5 x 52)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
I purchased this cigar while in New Orleans at the Crescent City Cigar Shop, right in the French Quarter. I sat and chatted with the owner Armando Ortiz all morning and smoked cigars. He's a good guy. If you ever get there, stop in. He will treat you fairly and honestly.
In our talks that day we were discussing “undiscovered” cigars. To tell the truth, I had never heard of Curivari. It took little convincing that I needed one, but in the end, I bought one.
It has a very simple maroon and gold band that has the name of the cigar and the line extension but also the words “Calidad Suprema” that translated roughly to “supreme quality”
the cigar itself has a slight reddish hue and some rough seems. It feels oily to the touch. The bouquet before the light is light and simple. All I can smell is a classic tobacco. The lick on the cap has a bit of spice to it and it feels very oily in the mouth. A quick cut with the double guillotine reveals a light draw. The cold draw is sweet and spicy. There is almost a candy like quality to it even though I know that this cigar is not infused and has no sweet tip to it. Most of this impression is through the nose. (a retrohale on a cold draw will reveal more flavor of the cold tobacco)
lit with a soft flame.
The first few puffs are a light earthy with a very slight bitter that is not distracting at all. There is a slight musk through the nose and the finish has a bit of spice to it. All of the flavors are light and do not weigh down the palate in any way. The finish is short. The underlying flavor that rounds out this cigar is a dark coco. The burn is jagged and a corrective light is needed early.
At the beginning of the middle third the cigar mellowed out and the flavor took a step down, almost as it is settling in for the long haul. The burn is slow and there is still a slight spice on the finish. The flavors are less earthy and more coffee in nature. At best this is a medium body smoke at this point. Another corrective light is needed at the mid point.
The final third starts out very round and coco. The flavor seems to “develop”but never “change” the complexity is very subtle. The texture of the smoke is only slightly indicative of Nicaraguan tobacco. The finish gives it away to me. Otherwise I feel it embodies more of a Honduran qualities than Nicaraguan especially on the initial flavors and the overall roundness.
As the cigar winds down the coco dies out and the coffee intensifies. It does stay smooth. This cigar tastes good all the way down to the very last.
Burn to the burn.
Burn time: 1 hour 40 minutes
This is a very good cigar and it needs to be payed attention to, otherwise it will sneak past you and you will miss it.
Kuzi. I had picked up a couple of the Curivari "Gloria de Leons" from Armando's shop this past Christmas. I agree with you in that, although it was all Nicaraguan tobacco, it didn't have that signature flavor so typical of most. Also, I think this is the first cigar that I can honestly say I tasted citrus. Pricey, but a good cigar.
Kuzi. I had picked up a couple of the Curivari "Gloria de Leons" from Armando's shop this past Christmas. I agree with you in that, although it was all Nicaraguan tobacco, it didn't have that signature flavor so typical of most. Also, I think this is the first cigar that I can honestly say I tasted citrus. Pricey, but a good cigar.
did you have the cafe, the classica or the 1000 series ?
My understanding is that this line is a stand alone, not one of the three series you mentioned. I checked the website and they list it differently.
CLICK
on that link there are a few lines listed: Seleccion Privada
Gloria de Leon
El Gran Rey
Reserva Limitada
with the Reserva Limitada having three subcategories Reserva Limitada Classica
Reserva Limitada Cafe
Reserva Limitada 1000 Series when you click on those they describe different blends with different flavor profiles and all have different bands.
so the reserva limitada is a line but it is tweeked a bit for each. they actually are similar in blending style, i have had the classica and it was also quite good but decidedly different. most of the difference is it is significantly fuller in body.
1-31-12 been in humidor since 1-28-11
Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta No. 7
(6 x 50)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian shade grown Connecticut seed, Nicaraguan Criollo Maduro
Binder: Jalapa Nicaraguan
Filler: Jalapa Nicaraguan
Blender: Dr. Alejandro Martinez Cuenca
Joya de Nicaragua is Most well known for their Antano line. That line has three extensions: Original, Dark Corojo, and Celebracion. Those cigars have a very distinct blending style mainly because these are all designed to be similar. The Furete and the classico has the blending styoe as well but they are not similar in overall flavor or power.
The Cabinetta is designed to step away from the Joya de Nicaragua style. The Cabinetta was blended to be the milder, smoother, more approachable Joya de Nicaragua. I have approached it several times in the past and I feel that it is time for a review.
I got this particular Cabinetta on my trip to Nicaragua. This was in the sampler pack that was handed to me on the first night in Miami. At that point in my smoking career I had recently fallen in love with Joya de Nicaragua so I was very excited to see it in the pack. It has been resting in my humidor, comfortably, for the last year.
At first glance the cigar is very different than any other cigar on the market. The last inch or so has a darker wrapper than the rest of the cigar. The Two tone wrapper is not just for show. The lighter of the two wrappers is an Ecuadorian shade grown Connecticut seed that, gives this cigar a mild overall taste to it. The other wrapper, A Nicaraguan Criollo Maduro is added to the end to stimulate the tongue and lips with a bit more spice, coco and the flavor impression that you are smoking a fuller bodied cigar. The divide between these two wrappers is concealed behind the band.
The Connecticut Seed wrapper is thin and shows the veins of the binder through it. I have to admit, it looks a little rough. The smell of the cigar is very nice. It has a sweeter feel to it. I take the band off as I always do before I smoke any cigar and I see that the transition between the maduro and the shade grown wrappers is not a smooth transition. The band hid the minor imperfections, and the fact that Joya de Nicaragua thought of that shows good presentation.
The lick on the cap has a sweet coco undertone with a hint of spice. The cut on the cap reveals an interesting look into the head of the cigar. The Nicaraguan Criollo Maduro wrapper is seen then a ring of very light Connecticut-seed Ecuadorian shade grown wrapper, then the dark fillers.
The draw is a bit firm (almost too firm) and tastes heavily of coco. It is damn near candy-like.
A light with a soft flame and I am welcomed to this cigar with a sweet cream note with the classic Nicaragua woody/spice texture and taste. As the cigar settles in the coco notes start to appear. They are subtle and soft but they are there. Most of the spice is through the nose and on the finish. The woody notes are very forward and they dominate the beginning of the cigar.
The burn in the first third is perfect and the foot billows out smoke. The ash holds on strong and when it reaches an inch has some resistance to me knocking it off. All of these qualities point to solid construction, something that I have grown accustomed to with this brand.
The middle third starts off with the same overall profile but has an over all rounder mouth feel and a longer finish that has a cinnamon-like sweetness to it. Through the middle third the spice increases but all other flavors remain consistent. The middle third ends with some burn issues and a few touch ups are needed.
The start final third does not vary much from the middle third. However, the Maduro section is getting close. This is where many would stop. I fully intend to smoke right on through just to see the transition.
When the transition does hit the coco notes skyrocket. There is also a coffee note in there. The spice that was light before becomes more defined. The finish is significantly more toasty. The woody notes are over-powered by the coco and coffee. This gets me thinking that Joya de Nicaragua could potentially produce this cigar as an inverse of what it is now with the Ecuadorian Shade grown part as the head and the maduro as the bulk of the cigar. Maybe a sampler with one “regular” Cabinetta, one without the maduro part, one all Maduro and one as an inverse of the regular. This is now me just thinking in type. (but seriously JdN, I hope you are listening, I would buy that sampler). This last bit of the cigar shows off how much a wrapper can influence the overall cigar.
The Cabinetta ends on a wonderfully chocolate note.
I just got my first Cabinetta, I'm really looking forward to it.
I think your blog looks great by the way. I love how you have everything categorized along the side by country. I have to ask, though, how you choose which country to categorize things under? So many different country's tobaccos go into one stick and then it may be rolled in yet another country. The one that really took me by surprise is the MOW Ruination categorized under Costa Rica.
Congratulations on taking the leap into the blogosphere, I wish you the best of luck!
I just got my first Cabinetta, I'm really looking forward to it.
I think your blog looks great by the way. I love how you have everything categorized along the side by country. I have to ask, though, how you choose which country to categorize things under? So many different country's tobaccos go into one stick and then it may be rolled in yet another country. The one that really took me by surprise is the MOW Ruination categorized under Costa Rica.
Congratulations on taking the leap into the blogosphere, I wish you the best of luck!
i can have one review in many categories. whatever country is in the cigar, it is categorized in that. the ruination has a Costa Rica binder. it gets more detailed when you search by tags. does that help?
Question Kuzi, do you smoke really slow? A 6X50 in two hours is a long time in my book and I personally run into burn issues and relights if I take that long. I know you've recommended the slower approach which is why I ask, but I've hoenstly only had churchills last that long
1-31-12 been in humidor since 1-28-11
Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta No. 7
(6 x 50)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian shade grown Connecticut seed, Nicaraguan Criollo Maduro
Binder: Jalapa Nicaraguan
Filler: Jalapa Nicaraguan
Blender: Dr. Alejandro Martinez Cuenca
Joya de Nicaragua is Most well known for their Antano line. That line has three extensions: Original, Dark Corojo, and Celebracion. Those cigars have a very distinct blending style mainly because these are all designed to be similar. The Furete and the classico has the blending styoe as well but they are not similar in overall flavor or power.
The Cabinetta is designed to step away from the Joya de Nicaragua style. The Cabinetta was blended to be the milder, smoother, more approachable Joya de Nicaragua. I have approached it several times in the past and I feel that it is time for a review.
I got this particular Cabinetta on my trip to Nicaragua. This was in the sampler pack that was handed to me on the first night in Miami. At that point in my smoking career I had recently fallen in love with Joya de Nicaragua so I was very excited to see it in the pack. It has been resting in my humidor, comfortably, for the last year.
At first glance the cigar is very different than any other cigar on the market. The last inch or so has a darker wrapper than the rest of the cigar. The Two tone wrapper is not just for show. The lighter of the two wrappers is an Ecuadorian shade grown Connecticut seed that, gives this cigar a mild overall taste to it. The other wrapper, A Nicaraguan Criollo Maduro is added to the end to stimulate the tongue and lips with a bit more spice, coco and the flavor impression that you are smoking a fuller bodied cigar. The divide between these two wrappers is concealed behind the band.
The Connecticut Seed wrapper is thin and shows the veins of the binder through it. I have to admit, it looks a little rough. The smell of the cigar is very nice. It has a sweeter feel to it. I take the band off as I always do before I smoke any cigar and I see that the transition between the maduro and the shade grown wrappers is not a smooth transition. The band hid the minor imperfections, and the fact that Joya de Nicaragua thought of that shows good presentation.
The lick on the cap has a sweet coco undertone with a hint of spice. The cut on the cap reveals an interesting look into the head of the cigar. The Nicaraguan Criollo Maduro wrapper is seen then a ring of very light Connecticut-seed Ecuadorian shade grown wrapper, then the dark fillers.
The draw is a bit firm (almost too firm) and tastes heavily of coco. It is damn near candy-like.
A light with a soft flame and I am welcomed to this cigar with a sweet cream note with the classic Nicaragua woody/spice texture and taste. As the cigar settles in the coco notes start to appear. They are subtle and soft but they are there. Most of the spice is through the nose and on the finish. The woody notes are very forward and they dominate the beginning of the cigar.
The burn in the first third is perfect and the foot billows out smoke. The ash holds on strong and when it reaches an inch has some resistance to me knocking it off. All of these qualities point to solid construction, something that I have grown accustomed to with this brand.
The middle third starts off with the same overall profile but has an over all rounder mouth feel and a longer finish that has a cinnamon-like sweetness to it. Through the middle third the spice increases but all other flavors remain consistent. The middle third ends with some burn issues and a few touch ups are needed.
The start final third does not vary much from the middle third. However, the Maduro section is getting close. This is where many would stop. I fully intend to smoke right on through just to see the transition.
When the transition does hit the coco notes skyrocket. There is also a coffee note in there. The spice that was light before becomes more defined. The finish is significantly more toasty. The woody notes are over-powered by the coco and coffee. This gets me thinking that Joya de Nicaragua could potentially produce this cigar as an inverse of what it is now with the Ecuadorian Shade grown part as the head and the maduro as the bulk of the cigar. Maybe a sampler with one “regular” Cabinetta, one without the maduro part, one all Maduro and one as an inverse of the regular. This is now me just thinking in type. (but seriously JdN, I hope you are listening, I would buy that sampler). This last bit of the cigar shows off how much a wrapper can influence the overall cigar.
The Cabinetta ends on a wonderfully chocolate note.
Very nice review. Have you had the JDN Celebration? Was wondering how it compares to the Cabinetta.
"The draw is a bit firm (almost too firm) and tastes heavily of coco. It is damn near candy-like. "
That's exactly how I'd characterize the Torano 50 Years - exactly. In fact, much of what you are saying about this cigar (except appearance), I believe also applies to the Torano 50 year. Interesting.
Question Kuzi, do you smoke really slow? A 6X50 in two hours is a long time in my book and I personally run into burn issues and relights if I take that long. I know you've recommended the slower approach which is why I ask, but I've hoenstly only had churchills last that long
i am ALWAYS the slowest smoker in any room. i dont have many burn issues. i think this is because i keep my humidor at 65%-68%. iduno... never really had an issue.
Very nice review. Have you had the JDN Celebration? Was wondering how it compares to the Cabinetta.
"The draw is a bit firm (almost too firm) and tastes heavily of coco. It is damn near candy-like. "
That's exactly how I'd characterize the Torano 50 Years - exactly. In fact, much of what you are saying about this cigar (except appearance), I believe also applies to the Torano 50 year. Interesting.
the Celebracion is one of my top 10 blends of all time. it is much fuller, much rounder, and when smoked slow much woodier. the flavor of that cigar coats your palate like very few cigars do. i buy that one by the box and almost always in the toro size.
i have a torano 50 year in the humidor but i have yet to smoke one.
2-2-12 been in humidor since 1-7-12
El Titan de Bronze Titan Redemption Maduro
Robusto (5x 50)
Wrapper: Mexican San Andreas Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
A big thanks to BigT06 for hooking me up with this cigar.
This cigar is Hand made in the USA in their Facility in Little Havana, Miami, FL. They use rollers from some of the worlds top factories (According to their website they are from Romeo y Julieta, Corona, and Partagas. I am assuming they mean the Cuban brands) and employ Cuban style of “entubado” to bunch their fillers. This style is hallmarked by the filler leaves being rolled into tubes or scrolls before being added to the bunch and bound. It is by far the most difficult style to roll but also creates the best, most even airflow for a cigar. This difficulty does have a big downside for manufacturers: it is slow.
Given the difficulty of the making, the boutique status, and how few can be made a year, this cigar is very middle of the road as far as price goes.
This cigar is not an especially deep maduro, but it clearly is a maduro; the wrapper feels oily to the touch and the second band says “maduro.” the band doesnt seem like anything special. Thats OK with me, I would rather have an ugly band and an amazing cigar instead of an amazing band and a bad cigar. If I were to review this cigar based on looks, it wouldn't be anything more than average.
The smell is again, nothing special. It is just a light classic tobacco smell. The lick on the cap is a very damp earth taste. It is almost “cool” on the lips because of the taste impression.
A cut with my Xi2 reveals a draw that is fairly tight but still drawable. I'm a bit surprised by this given the information given about this cigar in the first paragraph of this review. A big deal was made of it on the El Titan de Bronze website. The flavor of this very firm draw is again the damp earth flavor, but in the draw it is more mushroom than anything. (I know what you may be thinking but there is no mold anywhere on this cigar that I can see and it came out of a humidor that has not been above 68% in over a year.)
A light with a soft flame brings on a dark chocolate flavor with a bitter coffee aftertaste. Through the nose I get a bit of a wood note. There is the Nicaraguan texture/flavor combo on the finish. It is a spicy, woody mix. There is a ton of smoke coming off of the foot but due to the tight draw I feel that the amount that can be drawn into the mouth is limited. As the cigar settles in, a few more spicy notes come out and the bitterness dissipates. The wood flavor through the nose is strong but only through the nose.
The middle third is not that much different than the end of the first third. There may be a touch of musk through the nose as well but nothing outstandingly different. The draw has yet to open up. The burn is great. As the middle third continues on a subtle sweetness develops. This is how the middle third stays.
The final third starts to transition to a toastier version of the cigar. Close to the end the spice picks up slightly.
The cigar finishes with a very difficult draw and the same overall profile.
Burn to the nub.
Time 1 hour 40 minutes
the flavors were not spectacular but they were good. The only real complaint is the difficult draw throughout. Rolling the cigar between the fingers did not help. A Draw Poker may have helped but I did not have one handy. Cant win them all.
Thanks for the review! Sorry you got one with a tight draw. I've not had one with less than perfect draw to date, and they typically have chewy, billowing smoke. Looks like you may need another couple to try
2-3-12 been in humidor since 11-20-11
My Father Special S Robusto
(5 x 50)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Blender: Don Pepin Garcia
The My Father special S is a limited edition cigar that was originally intended to be passed out at events or as free gift with box purchase. The Blend of this cigar is rumored to be based off of the El Centurion Guerrero, another LE released in 2007. There were only 850 boxes of of 20 of the El Centurion Guerrero made in each of the three sizes it was produced. The blend was a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder and the filler was Nicaraguan grown Criollo 98 and Nicaraguan grown Corojo 99 leaves aged for three years. This was also blended by Don Pepin Garcia. Garcia has been known to describe these as being similar to the old Cohibas from back when he was in charge of Cohiba for Habanos S.A. in the 90's. El Centurion Guerrero was released as the “First Limited Edition 2007” and that also contributes to the story that the special S is based off of the Centurion blend.
Below you can see the two cigars.
On the left is the Special S that I am smoking for this review. On the right is El Centurion Guerrero. Given that I was using a different camera, lighting condition, background, etc on the Special S than was used on the Centurion, I cannot really do a fair color comparison. The only thing I can really compare is the texture. Both look oily and smooth with minimal veins.
If I didnt know the above information I would assume that this was a fairly unassuming cigar. The only thing that hints at the potential is the word “special” along the bottom of the band.
The smell of this cigar is very classic in nature. It is on the hay side of barnyard. The wrapper is a medium brown and is very smooth to the touch. The lick on the cap is sweeter than I would expect with notes of spice and leather. I cut with my standard double guillotine the draw is damn near perfect for me. The resistance is just enough to let you know it is a cigar, not a tobacco straw with a 50 ring gauge. The cold draw flavor is herbal in nature with a bit of oats. It also has a sweet note to it. I do not often come across a cigar where the cold draw is as complex as this one. It almost makes me not want to light this cigar.
...almost.
My standard Xikar EX soft flame lighter does the trick nicely. As I am toasting the foot cedar notes are noticed. The first puffs are a sweet version of a classic DPG spice. The Finish is the woody-spice that I find in almost all Nicaraguan cigars. There is a cedar note as the smoke is rolled in the mouth. An herbal and nutty flavor is noticed through the nose. The finish also has a white pepper to it. Again, I know this is a very specific flavor to reference. That kind of specificity puts me in danger of sounding like a reviewer that will note things like “licorice made in the foot hills of the Appalachian Mountains in Amish South West Pennsylvania.” However, white pepper is an almost identical flavor to black pepper just lighter. So what I am saying is that it is a light pepper on the finish. Though there is a decent amount of spice, none of it is harsh in any way. The underlying sweetness holds it together and makes this a fairly unique cigar well within the first inch.
As the cigar settles, the woody notes lengthen and the nutty notes fade to the background but are still noticeable. The spice has a late onset and is best enjoyed when the smoke is held in the mouth for a longer period of time. Again, the subtle underlying sweetness holds it all together. The burn is perfect at three quarters of an inch when I knock off the first ash.
As I head into the middle third of the cigar the burn starts to waver but a very quick corrective light is all that is needed. The flavors are becoming more herbal. The spice has softened but is still there. It has also lengthened and is in every part of the flavor. The combination of smoothness and spice is almost a juxtaposition of itself. Never before have I experienced a cigar that has this level of spice that is also as smooth as it is. There is no burn through the nose, only wood, nuts and herbs. And like the first third there is that underlying subtle sweetness that seems to hold it all together.
To summarize the middle third in one word: smooth.
The last third opens up with a bit of a sharpness to it. This sharpness is something that is rare to find in cigars. Only a hand full of cigars of cigars that I have smoked have this quality. It is a “sharp cedar.” By “sharp” I don't mean “strong” or “overpowering” but rather sharp like there is sharp or mild cheese. In Cuban cigars the sharpness is on the barnyard qualities and many describe it as the “Cuban twang.” The sharpness I have here is on the cedar note.
Another correcting light is needed; not a major one, but it is still needed.
The cigar winds down with a bit of more spice. The Nicaraguan tobacco is really shining through now with the classic woody spice texture.
Very nice review. Have you had the JDN Celebration? Was wondering how it compares to the Cabinetta.
"The draw is a bit firm (almost too firm) and tastes heavily of coco. It is damn near candy-like. "
That's exactly how I'd characterize the Torano 50 Years - exactly. In fact, much of what you are saying about this cigar (except appearance), I believe also applies to the Torano 50 year. Interesting.
the Celebracion is one of my top 10 blends of all time. it is much fuller, much rounder, and when smoked slow much woodier. the flavor of that cigar coats your palate like very few cigars do. i buy that one by the box and almost always in the toro size.
i have a torano 50 year in the humidor but i have yet to smoke one.
I feel the same way about the Celebration...a great smoke for the money, and one of my favorites. It's a med. version of the Antonio, I think.
If you want, I'll send you a couple more of the Torano 50's, and you could do a comparison review?
Very nice review. Have you had the JDN Celebration? Was wondering how it compares to the Cabinetta.
"The draw is a bit firm (almost too firm) and tastes heavily of coco. It is damn near candy-like. "
That's exactly how I'd characterize the Torano 50 Years - exactly. In fact, much of what you are saying about this cigar (except appearance), I believe also applies to the Torano 50 year. Interesting.
the Celebracion is one of my top 10 blends of all time. it is much fuller, much rounder, and when smoked slow much woodier. the flavor of that cigar coats your palate like very few cigars do. i buy that one by the box and almost always in the toro size.
i have a torano 50 year in the humidor but i have yet to smoke one.
I feel the same way about the Celebration...a great smoke for the money, and one of my favorites. It's a med. version of the Antonio, I think.
If you want, I'll send you a couple more of the Torano 50's, and you could do a comparison review?
a comparison to the cabinetta? i have the 50 and can review soon. that isnt a problem.
Comments
1-23-12 been in my humidor since 1-7-12
Camacho Face-Off By Litto Gomez (5 3/4 x 50)
Wrapper:
Binder:
Filler:
Blender: Litto Gomez
The specifics of this blend seem to be a secret. The story yields a bit more information but again, the details are sketchy at best.
Litto Gomez of La Flor Dominicana and Christian Eiroa of Camacho have decided to use each others tobacco in an attempt to make a better version of the others cigars. They want to out do each other. Each company sent the other enough tobacco to make 50,000 cigars. To this tobacco each added some of their own to the mix. So in short, the blend of the Camacho Face off is mostly Honduran with a bit of Dominican.
Thanks to Garbandz on the Cigar Asylum Cigar Forum for the trade to make this happen.
This cigar is one of the cigars on my Bucket List. Since this cigar was produced in 2003 (before I started smoking cigars) and it was made in limited quantity by to companies that are in high demand, I thought I would never get to see one of these. Litto is one of my favorite blenders and Camacho produces some of the best Honduran tobacco available. I have always been a fan of Honduran tobacco so needless to say, this made my Bucket list. The La Flor Dominicana Face off by Christian Eiroa is on my bucket list also. I may need to compare. If you know where to get some of those, please let me know.
The cigar is light in color and a bit light in feel. It is lighter than I was expecting it to be. There is a decided amount of fuzz to this cigar and it is a rugged in appearance. The band is the old style Camacho band in cream with all the print in dark brown.
The lick on the cap is almost flavorless but there is an oily feel to it. There is a slight vegetable quality to it. Not too surprising being that it is a plant. Just sayin... The cap is cut with a Xikar Xi2. This brings a cold draw that is solid. There is some resistance but not too much. Just enough to let you know you are actually drawing. The flavor of this draw is a little leather and a little vegetable.
The light is with a soft flame and it light easy.
The first few draws have a very leather taste. There is also a very light coffee after taste that is slightly on the bitter side. The cigar is very smooth. Not surprising at all since it was rolled 9 years ago. There is a slight musk through the nose that seems to make the finish match the rest of the cigar well. This is a very interesting musk. It does not remind me of the signature “Kelner Musk” that is found in almost all Kelner blends. It is spicier and has more leather to it. The musk is only through the nose. Without the retrohale, the cigar is decidedly flat. Its a good thing this cigar is so smooth because it needs the retrohale.
Only 20 min in and the ash has fallen off twice. It seems to not want to hold on. The burn is even. The draw is good. It is not burning fast. There is no indicator that the ash should fall. Maybe too much Magnesium in the soil? I'm not too sure. The cigar does seem to be smoking fairly quick. This may mean that the cigar is packed light (and that could explain the weight issue in the pre-light ritual). If it is packed lightly, the ash is less dense and will fall faster.
The middle third of the cigar and the musk is taking over. The initial flavor is sweeter and the finish has picked up a black walnut note. I fully realize that this is a very specific flavor to use and I run the risk of sounding like like one of the over the top reviewers that can taste “hints of Shiitake mushrooms grown in the south of China during a colder growing season...”
However, I grew up with a Black Walnut tree in my back yard. The taste is very familiar to me and I would recognize it anywhere. It is very distinct.
The final third is roughly the same overall profile but the smoke heats slightly and gives it a more cinnamon note. The coffee note on the finish becomes stronger and the bitterness slightly more noticeable. This note is not strong enough to cause a problem. The finish lengthens slightly as well.
As the cigar winds down it heats up considerably. The bitter is slowly taking over and a burn “to the burn” probably wont happen.
I set it down once it got too bitter. It is still a nub, but I didn't want to keep smoking it until my fingers burnt.
Burn time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Burn: 10
Draw: 9
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 8
Construction: 8
Balance: 9
Feel: 9
Overall: 8.9
mirrored on my BLOG
just wondering did the ash continue falling at a fast rate, or was it only like that in the beginning?
at lest the flavors sound interesting
on that note, the RSS feed works and the Twitter button works also. thanks for reading
back to your scheduled programming...
1-25-12 been in humi since 8-28-11
Curivari Cafe 52 (5 x 52)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
I purchased this cigar while in New Orleans at the Crescent City Cigar Shop, right in the French Quarter. I sat and chatted with the owner Armando Ortiz all morning and smoked cigars. He's a good guy. If you ever get there, stop in. He will treat you fairly and honestly.
In our talks that day we were discussing “undiscovered” cigars. To tell the truth, I had never heard of Curivari. It took little convincing that I needed one, but in the end, I bought one.
It has a very simple maroon and gold band that has the name of the cigar and the line extension but also the words “Calidad Suprema” that translated roughly to “supreme quality”
the cigar itself has a slight reddish hue and some rough seems. It feels oily to the touch. The bouquet before the light is light and simple. All I can smell is a classic tobacco. The lick on the cap has a bit of spice to it and it feels very oily in the mouth. A quick cut with the double guillotine reveals a light draw. The cold draw is sweet and spicy. There is almost a candy like quality to it even though I know that this cigar is not infused and has no sweet tip to it. Most of this impression is through the nose. (a retrohale on a cold draw will reveal more flavor of the cold tobacco)
lit with a soft flame.
The first few puffs are a light earthy with a very slight bitter that is not distracting at all. There is a slight musk through the nose and the finish has a bit of spice to it. All of the flavors are light and do not weigh down the palate in any way. The finish is short. The underlying flavor that rounds out this cigar is a dark coco. The burn is jagged and a corrective light is needed early.
At the beginning of the middle third the cigar mellowed out and the flavor took a step down, almost as it is settling in for the long haul. The burn is slow and there is still a slight spice on the finish. The flavors are less earthy and more coffee in nature. At best this is a medium body smoke at this point. Another corrective light is needed at the mid point.
The final third starts out very round and coco. The flavor seems to “develop”but never “change” the complexity is very subtle. The texture of the smoke is only slightly indicative of Nicaraguan tobacco. The finish gives it away to me. Otherwise I feel it embodies more of a Honduran qualities than Nicaraguan especially on the initial flavors and the overall roundness.
As the cigar winds down the coco dies out and the coffee intensifies. It does stay smooth. This cigar tastes good all the way down to the very last.
Burn to the burn.
Burn time: 1 hour 40 minutes
This is a very good cigar and it needs to be payed attention to, otherwise it will sneak past you and you will miss it.
Burn: 8
Draw: 9
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 9
Construction: 9
Balance: 10
Feel: 9
Overall: 9.0
I agree with you in that, although it was all Nicaraguan tobacco, it didn't have that signature flavor so typical of most. Also, I think this is the first cigar that I can honestly say I tasted citrus. Pricey, but a good cigar.
on that link there are a few lines listed:
Seleccion Privada
Gloria de Leon
El Gran Rey
Reserva Limitada
with the Reserva Limitada having three subcategories
Reserva Limitada Classica
Reserva Limitada Cafe
Reserva Limitada 1000 Series
when you click on those they describe different blends with different flavor profiles and all have different bands.
so the reserva limitada is a line but it is tweeked a bit for each. they actually are similar in blending style, i have had the classica and it was also quite good but decidedly different. most of the difference is it is significantly fuller in body.
Joya de Nicaragua Cabinetta No. 7
(6 x 50)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian shade grown Connecticut seed, Nicaraguan Criollo Maduro
Binder: Jalapa Nicaraguan
Filler: Jalapa Nicaraguan
Blender: Dr. Alejandro Martinez Cuenca
Joya de Nicaragua is Most well known for their Antano line. That line has three extensions: Original, Dark Corojo, and Celebracion. Those cigars have a very distinct blending style mainly because these are all designed to be similar. The Furete and the classico has the blending styoe as well but they are not similar in overall flavor or power.
The Cabinetta is designed to step away from the Joya de Nicaragua style. The Cabinetta was blended to be the milder, smoother, more approachable Joya de Nicaragua. I have approached it several times in the past and I feel that it is time for a review.
I got this particular Cabinetta on my trip to Nicaragua. This was in the sampler pack that was handed to me on the first night in Miami. At that point in my smoking career I had recently fallen in love with Joya de Nicaragua so I was very excited to see it in the pack. It has been resting in my humidor, comfortably, for the last year.
At first glance the cigar is very different than any other cigar on the market. The last inch or so has a darker wrapper than the rest of the cigar. The Two tone wrapper is not just for show. The lighter of the two wrappers is an Ecuadorian shade grown Connecticut seed that, gives this cigar a mild overall taste to it. The other wrapper, A Nicaraguan Criollo Maduro is added to the end to stimulate the tongue and lips with a bit more spice, coco and the flavor impression that you are smoking a fuller bodied cigar. The divide between these two wrappers is concealed behind the band.
The Connecticut Seed wrapper is thin and shows the veins of the binder through it. I have to admit, it looks a little rough. The smell of the cigar is very nice. It has a sweeter feel to it. I take the band off as I always do before I smoke any cigar and I see that the transition between the maduro and the shade grown wrappers is not a smooth transition. The band hid the minor imperfections, and the fact that Joya de Nicaragua thought of that shows good presentation.
The lick on the cap has a sweet coco undertone with a hint of spice. The cut on the cap reveals an interesting look into the head of the cigar. The Nicaraguan Criollo Maduro wrapper is seen then a ring of very light Connecticut-seed Ecuadorian shade grown wrapper, then the dark fillers.
The draw is a bit firm (almost too firm) and tastes heavily of coco. It is damn near candy-like.
A light with a soft flame and I am welcomed to this cigar with a sweet cream note with the classic Nicaragua woody/spice texture and taste. As the cigar settles in the coco notes start to appear. They are subtle and soft but they are there. Most of the spice is through the nose and on the finish. The woody notes are very forward and they dominate the beginning of the cigar.
The burn in the first third is perfect and the foot billows out smoke. The ash holds on strong and when it reaches an inch has some resistance to me knocking it off. All of these qualities point to solid construction, something that I have grown accustomed to with this brand.
The middle third starts off with the same overall profile but has an over all rounder mouth feel and a longer finish that has a cinnamon-like sweetness to it. Through the middle third the spice increases but all other flavors remain consistent. The middle third ends with some burn issues and a few touch ups are needed.
The start final third does not vary much from the middle third. However, the Maduro section is getting close. This is where many would stop. I fully intend to smoke right on through just to see the transition.
When the transition does hit the coco notes skyrocket. There is also a coffee note in there. The spice that was light before becomes more defined. The finish is significantly more toasty. The woody notes are over-powered by the coco and coffee. This gets me thinking that Joya de Nicaragua could potentially produce this cigar as an inverse of what it is now with the Ecuadorian Shade grown part as the head and the maduro as the bulk of the cigar. Maybe a sampler with one “regular” Cabinetta, one without the maduro part, one all Maduro and one as an inverse of the regular. This is now me just thinking in type. (but seriously JdN, I hope you are listening, I would buy that sampler). This last bit of the cigar shows off how much a wrapper can influence the overall cigar.
The Cabinetta ends on a wonderfully chocolate note.
Burn to the burn
time 2 hours 20 min
Burn: 8
Draw: 8
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 9
Construction: 9
Balance: 10
Feel: 9
Overall: 9.0
if you like my reviews, please see my blog and follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
I think your blog looks great by the way. I love how you have everything categorized along the side by country. I have to ask, though, how you choose which country to categorize things under? So many different country's tobaccos go into one stick and then it may be rolled in yet another country. The one that really took me by surprise is the MOW Ruination categorized under Costa Rica.
Congratulations on taking the leap into the blogosphere, I wish you the best of luck!
it gets more detailed when you search by tags.
does that help?
"The draw is a bit firm (almost too firm) and tastes heavily of coco. It is damn near candy-like. "
That's exactly how I'd characterize the Torano 50 Years - exactly. In fact, much of what you are saying about this cigar (except appearance), I believe also applies to the Torano 50 year. Interesting.
i dont have many burn issues. i think this is because i keep my humidor at 65%-68%. iduno... never really had an issue.
i have a torano 50 year in the humidor but i have yet to smoke one.
El Titan de Bronze Titan Redemption Maduro
Robusto (5x 50)
Wrapper: Mexican San Andreas Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
A big thanks to BigT06 for hooking me up with this cigar.
This cigar is Hand made in the USA in their Facility in Little Havana, Miami, FL. They use rollers from some of the worlds top factories (According to their website they are from Romeo y Julieta, Corona, and Partagas. I am assuming they mean the Cuban brands) and employ Cuban style of “entubado” to bunch their fillers. This style is hallmarked by the filler leaves being rolled into tubes or scrolls before being added to the bunch and bound. It is by far the most difficult style to roll but also creates the best, most even airflow for a cigar. This difficulty does have a big downside for manufacturers: it is slow.
Given the difficulty of the making, the boutique status, and how few can be made a year, this cigar is very middle of the road as far as price goes.
This cigar is not an especially deep maduro, but it clearly is a maduro; the wrapper feels oily to the touch and the second band says “maduro.” the band doesnt seem like anything special. Thats OK with me, I would rather have an ugly band and an amazing cigar instead of an amazing band and a bad cigar. If I were to review this cigar based on looks, it wouldn't be anything more than average.
The smell is again, nothing special. It is just a light classic tobacco smell. The lick on the cap is a very damp earth taste. It is almost “cool” on the lips because of the taste impression.
A cut with my Xi2 reveals a draw that is fairly tight but still drawable. I'm a bit surprised by this given the information given about this cigar in the first paragraph of this review. A big deal was made of it on the El Titan de Bronze website. The flavor of this very firm draw is again the damp earth flavor, but in the draw it is more mushroom than anything. (I know what you may be thinking but there is no mold anywhere on this cigar that I can see and it came out of a humidor that has not been above 68% in over a year.)
A light with a soft flame brings on a dark chocolate flavor with a bitter coffee aftertaste. Through the nose I get a bit of a wood note. There is the Nicaraguan texture/flavor combo on the finish. It is a spicy, woody mix. There is a ton of smoke coming off of the foot but due to the tight draw I feel that the amount that can be drawn into the mouth is limited. As the cigar settles in, a few more spicy notes come out and the bitterness dissipates. The wood flavor through the nose is strong but only through the nose.
The middle third is not that much different than the end of the first third. There may be a touch of musk through the nose as well but nothing outstandingly different. The draw has yet to open up. The burn is great. As the middle third continues on a subtle sweetness develops. This is how the middle third stays.
The final third starts to transition to a toastier version of the cigar. Close to the end the spice picks up slightly.
The cigar finishes with a very difficult draw and the same overall profile.
Burn to the nub.
Time 1 hour 40 minutes
the flavors were not spectacular but they were good. The only real complaint is the difficult draw throughout. Rolling the cigar between the fingers did not help. A Draw Poker may have helped but I did not have one handy. Cant win them all.
Burn: 10
Draw: 7
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 9
Construction: 8
Balance: 10
Feel: 9
Overall: 8.8
if you like my reviews, please see my blog and follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
My Father Special S Robusto
(5 x 50)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Blender: Don Pepin Garcia
The My Father special S is a limited edition cigar that was originally intended to be passed out at events or as free gift with box purchase. The Blend of this cigar is rumored to be based off of the El Centurion Guerrero, another LE released in 2007. There were only 850 boxes of of 20 of the El Centurion Guerrero made in each of the three sizes it was produced. The blend was a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper, a Nicaraguan binder and the filler was Nicaraguan grown Criollo 98 and Nicaraguan grown Corojo 99 leaves aged for three years. This was also blended by Don Pepin Garcia. Garcia has been known to describe these as being similar to the old Cohibas from back when he was in charge of Cohiba for Habanos S.A. in the 90's. El Centurion Guerrero was released as the “First Limited Edition 2007” and that also contributes to the story that the special S is based off of the Centurion blend.
Below you can see the two cigars.
On the left is the Special S that I am smoking for this review. On the right is El Centurion Guerrero. Given that I was using a different camera, lighting condition, background, etc on the Special S than was used on the Centurion, I cannot really do a fair color comparison. The only thing I can really compare is the texture. Both look oily and smooth with minimal veins.
If I didnt know the above information I would assume that this was a fairly unassuming cigar. The only thing that hints at the potential is the word “special” along the bottom of the band.
The smell of this cigar is very classic in nature. It is on the hay side of barnyard. The wrapper is a medium brown and is very smooth to the touch. The lick on the cap is sweeter than I would expect with notes of spice and leather. I cut with my standard double guillotine the draw is damn near perfect for me. The resistance is just enough to let you know it is a cigar, not a tobacco straw with a 50 ring gauge. The cold draw flavor is herbal in nature with a bit of oats. It also has a sweet note to it. I do not often come across a cigar where the cold draw is as complex as this one. It almost makes me not want to light this cigar.
...almost.
My standard Xikar EX soft flame lighter does the trick nicely. As I am toasting the foot cedar notes are noticed. The first puffs are a sweet version of a classic DPG spice. The Finish is the woody-spice that I find in almost all Nicaraguan cigars. There is a cedar note as the smoke is rolled in the mouth. An herbal and nutty flavor is noticed through the nose. The finish also has a white pepper to it. Again, I know this is a very specific flavor to reference. That kind of specificity puts me in danger of sounding like a reviewer that will note things like “licorice made in the foot hills of the Appalachian Mountains in Amish South West Pennsylvania.” However, white pepper is an almost identical flavor to black pepper just lighter. So what I am saying is that it is a light pepper on the finish. Though there is a decent amount of spice, none of it is harsh in any way. The underlying sweetness holds it together and makes this a fairly unique cigar well within the first inch.
As the cigar settles, the woody notes lengthen and the nutty notes fade to the background but are still noticeable. The spice has a late onset and is best enjoyed when the smoke is held in the mouth for a longer period of time. Again, the subtle underlying sweetness holds it all together. The burn is perfect at three quarters of an inch when I knock off the first ash.
As I head into the middle third of the cigar the burn starts to waver but a very quick corrective light is all that is needed. The flavors are becoming more herbal. The spice has softened but is still there. It has also lengthened and is in every part of the flavor. The combination of smoothness and spice is almost a juxtaposition of itself. Never before have I experienced a cigar that has this level of spice that is also as smooth as it is. There is no burn through the nose, only wood, nuts and herbs. And like the first third there is that underlying subtle sweetness that seems to hold it all together. To summarize the middle third in one word: smooth.
The last third opens up with a bit of a sharpness to it. This sharpness is something that is rare to find in cigars. Only a hand full of cigars of cigars that I have smoked have this quality. It is a “sharp cedar.” By “sharp” I don't mean “strong” or “overpowering” but rather sharp like there is sharp or mild cheese. In Cuban cigars the sharpness is on the barnyard qualities and many describe it as the “Cuban twang.” The sharpness I have here is on the cedar note.
Another correcting light is needed; not a major one, but it is still needed.
The cigar winds down with a bit of more spice. The Nicaraguan tobacco is really shining through now with the classic woody spice texture.
Burn to the burn.
Time: 2 hours.
Burn: 8
Draw: 9
Taste: 10
Aftertaste: 9
Construction: 10
Balance: 9
Feel: 9
Overall: 9.1 of 10
if you like my reviews, please see my blog and follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
If you want, I'll send you a couple more of the Torano 50's, and you could do a comparison review?