Irish's Cigar Shorts

Well I have decided to do a little different approach after some truly great and helpful guidance and input by doing what I call "Cigar Shorts". As much as I truly love doing an extensive and in-depth review on a cigar it's rather difficult to get 4 hrs (smoke time and writing time then publishing time) un-interrupted while smoking a cigar. Often times I have the good fortune to be smoking with friends or my wife and I can't dissect and continuously write about the cigar since I'm talking to friends or my lovely wife etc. However I am able to get a really good read on a cigar even when herfing or smoking with friends. So in that spirit I will be posting Cigar Shorts which is a synopsis of the cigar and a few pics of them as well!!! I will be giving the subjective and objective points of view as well as a general rating for the cigar (kind of shooting from the hip on the rating since I haven't really broken it down) but it will be much shorter and a quicker read. I have now uploaded all the ones that I have done so far on my website along with pictures and updated the "Humidor Honors" page as well so please check it out!!

Thanks everyone for the support!!
Brett

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90+ Irishman

Casa Fuente

Manufacturer: Arturo Fuente
Size: Corona Gorda – 46 X 5.75” Wrapper: Cameroon

Draw: Perfect, just the slightest resistance that lets it produce volumes of smoke. 10/10 pts

Burn: No runs, no cracking or unraveling, just a razor sharp burn line for the entire cigar. 10/10 pts

Construction: Neither heavy nor light in hand, single small vein. Slightly spongy towards end. 9/10 pts

Body: Started out lightly but by less than an inch in it had grown to medium bodied. Finished on the high side of medium to be slightly medium+.

Smoke Time: 1.5 hrs

Smoking Experience Synopsis
I had been gifted this cigar by a close personal friend of mine, also named Brett, this past December of 2011. Having four months of rest in my own humidor I felt that the time was right to light this bad boy up when I herfed with the friend who had gifted it to me initially. When I peeled off the foot wrapper and cellophane and put the stick in my mouth to light it I was taken a-back by the overly sweet taste of the wrapper; it was so creamy and sugary sweet that I could have sworn it was an infused cigar even though I had known better. It was not too sweet however, and as soon as the foot was toasted and started smoking the sweet of the foot paired exquisitely with the toasted caramel, roasted peanut, and gobs of sweet cream and vanilla. The balance was as superb as anyone could ask for, and the farther I burned the stick the farther the complexity grew. Over the course of this burn, slightly elegant cinnamon and damp earth floated in, and the finish turned into a chewy and smoky wood finish with plenty of aged dry leather and a sweetened almond. This was as wonderful of a profile (for my personal taste at the least) as I’ve ever had in a no CC cigar. Highly recommended to anyone from novice to aficionado, however a highly sensitive and developed palate will get the most out of the cigar.

General Rating for Overall Cigar: 95 pts

90+ Irishman

OSOK (One Shot One Kill)

Manufacturer: Room 101/ Camacho Cigars
Size: Filero (Preferido Shaped Cigar) 42/52 X 4.5”
Wrapper/Binder/Filler: Habano / Honduran / Honduran and Dominican

Draw: This one nailed it, hard to do on a preferido since there are normally pinch points. Tons of smoke and just a hint of resistance. 10/10 pts

Burn: Considering the large amount of ligero tobacco in this I expected issues and runs, however none presented themselves save for minor waves that fixed themselves. 9/10 pts

Construction: Very difficult shaped cigar to roll, no veins however and a leathery yet gorgeous chocolate brown wrapper with twinge of red. No soft spots or crack throughout the experience. 9.5/10 pts

Body: Started out medium and quite quickly grew into a contender and full-bodied player, quite nice to be certain!

Smoke Time: 1 hr 15 minutes.

Smoking Experience Synopsis
These type of shaped cigars are really a treat for me; the balance, body, and complexity is ever changing throughout the entire cigar since the size of the cigar is always changing. However that being said they are normally not all that enjoyable until you get past the “bulb” and the draw opens up and the balance truly starts. This is one of the only examples that I have had in the past year that was the opposite of this. The draw was right from the first light and throughout the rest of the cigar and it was wonderfully balanced during the entire time as well. There was such a flavor bomb and it was so in your face that you kept waiting and nearly holding your breath waiting for it to bite you and hurt…. It never came though. You expected to pay for tasting a profile that big and deep but it just faded into nothingness like fading to black. This seems to fit the name of the cigar though; One Shot One Kill…. Then you fade to black. I would never had been able to have this cigar were it not for a great friend of mine named Steve, thank you my friend this was one helluva cigar and I will be on the lookout for more!

General Rating For Overall Cigar: 93 pts

90+ Irishman

Bolivar Belicoso Fino

Vintage 2007 Box Date
Country of Origin: Cuba
Manufacturer: Bolivar (Habanos SA)
Size: Campana 52 X 5.5” also referred to as Belicoso

Draw: With five years of box age on it the draw was dead nuts on, touch loose which I like and bellowed out smoke like a chimney without being hot in any way. 10/10 pts

Burn: The burn was fairly consistent but I did run into a few small runs but most self corrected quickly. The ash generally held to nearly 2” and was tight. 8.5/10 pts

Construction: The wrapper was very delicate and a beautiful roasted peanut color with small veins and quite elegant. No soft spots or issues other than a few minor cracks but those were from transit cross-country to get to me (shipping cigars can sometimes impart minor damage) but affected the cigar none. 9.5/10 pts

Body: With five years of age on this cigar I expected the body to be quite mild and it was beautifully so. It was creamy and buttery but surprisingly grew in strength and ended at a solid medium bodied cigar.

Smoke Time: 1 hr 45 mins

Smoking Experience Synopsis:
I rarely pair any of my cigars with anything other than Coke or water, but on this occasion (herfing with my Father) I paired it with a hefty snifter of Hennessey Single Distillery Cognac called Le Peu. If you ever come across it, and it is rare to find it, pick it up because it is phenomenal. From the very first draw upon lighting the BBF bellowed smoke that had a heavy buttery and creamy texture that coated your mouth like honey. There was a complexity that I have only ever had in a few cigars; Montecristo No. 2, Fuente Fuente Opus X Lvoe Affair, Montecristo No. 4, and My Father No. 4 to name a few. What set the BBF apart from all of the aforementioned cigars is how seamlessly and fluidly the flavors rolled through my mouth and palate. I’m normally pretty good at picking apart the profile and being able to tell what flavors are there and in what sequence they roll across your palate… not this one. It was a perfectly seamless transition that was simply divine. I can say with certainty however, that a tangy lemongrass that I pick up in nearly all CC’s was there but far more refined, along with heavy cream, robust vanilla, a wet red oak, and a light but heavily aged leather to finish with a distinct roasted almond. It grew into a solid medium body with some iron rich red meat core and a tang that finished with smoky leather and oak to be balanced and rounded out by the cream and vanilla. All in all this met or surpassed the benchmark I had set for the best cigar I’ve had to date, it will be hard to top but I’ll keep trying

General Rating for Overall Cigar: 97 pts

Toombes

Love the new format, Brett. Short, sweet and to the point. Keep up the good job.

90+ Irishman

Toombes:
Love the new format, Brett. Short, sweet and to the point. Keep up the good job.

Thanks for the feedback Toombes I am glad you like it!

Roberto99

Great reviews as always. You did fool me however, I was expecting to see you smoking a cigar in your cigar shorts, ala enfidl. Actually I'm glad that didn't happen!

90+ Irishman

Man O’ War Side Projects Little Devil

Manufacturer: Tabacalera Fernandez
Blender: Abdel Fernandez
Size: Cuban Corona w/ Pigtail and Closed Foot 44 X 5.5”
Wrapper: Nicaraguan grown Habano Sun Grown extra-fermented leaf. Binder and Filler Nicaraguan as well.

Draw: Slight resistance but was not challenging at all, very nice. 9/10 pts

Burn: Closed foot lit quickly and burned very slowly with no wavering whatsoever. 10/10 pts

Construction: The wrapper was incredibly toothy and hearty, It was reminiscent of a thick and rough looking leather. The seams were tight without any defects. The closed foot held tight as did the pigtail. 10/10 pts

Body: Full body by all means, spicy and pepper core with a smooth and creamy finish and a chewy meaty undertone.

Smoke Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Smoking Experience Synopsis:
I bought a box of these before I had ever even smoked one trusting that this would be another Abdel blend that just fit my profile perfectly. Luckily for me, it really really was. Heavy in the hand with a meaty undertone and a peppery blast that is highly balanced by a dark rich earth spice. However this pepper and spice blast is quite different than any other I normally have experienced, it is such a big flavor that I expect it to punish me and bite badly, but rather rolls into a buttercream and cinnamon/vanilla finish with a oak and cedar aftertaste. It’s quite smooth and bellows out mountains of snow white smoke. The ash holds to over 1.5” every time and is a dark gray gunmetal color with mild salt and pepper scattered throughout. In the mouth the wrapper feels so toothy that it feels similar to a 220 grit sandpaper but leathery…. Unique and honestly I dig that! The smoke is cool and smooth down to the nub, it’s only at the very end of the nub that the smoke gets hot and mildly bitter. I am convinced that in 8-12 months that this will self-correct, and that the pepper and spice will become less dominate and support a creamier and richer buttercream and vanilla/cinnamon spice.

General Rating for Overall Cigar: 91 pts

bigfnsteve

Awesome reviews brett! Thanks for sharing. Awesome to see someone burn up a stick i gave`em! As soon as i get some more of the larger osoks ill get`em to ya. I think you`ll like`em

Toombes

90+ Irishman:
Man O’ War Side Projects Little Devil

Manufacturer: Tabacalera Fernandez
Blender: Abdel Fernandez
Size: Cuban Corona w/ Pigtail and Closed Foot 44 X 5.5”
Wrapper: Nicaraguan grown Habano Sun Grown extra-fermented leaf. Binder and Filler Nicaraguan as well.

Draw: Slight resistance but was not challenging at all, very nice. 9/10 pts

Burn: Closed foot lit quickly and burned very slowly with no wavering whatsoever. 10/10 pts

Construction: The wrapper was incredibly toothy and hearty, It was reminiscent of a thick and rough looking leather. The seams were tight without any defects. The closed foot held tight as did the pigtail. 10/10 pts

Body: Full body by all means, spicy and pepper core with a smooth and creamy finish and a chewy meaty undertone.

Smoke Time: 1 hr 20 mins

Smoking Experience Synopsis:
I bought a box of these before I had ever even smoked one trusting that this would be another Abdel blend that just fit my profile perfectly. Luckily for me, it really really was. Heavy in the hand with a meaty undertone and a peppery blast that is highly balanced by a dark rich earth spice. However this pepper and spice blast is quite different than any other I normally have experienced, it is such a big flavor that I expect it to punish me and bite badly, but rather rolls into a buttercream and cinnamon/vanilla finish with a oak and cedar aftertaste. It’s quite smooth and bellows out mountains of snow white smoke. The ash holds to over 1.5” every time and is a dark gray gunmetal color with mild salt and pepper scattered throughout. In the mouth the wrapper feels so toothy that it feels similar to a 220 grit sandpaper but leathery…. Unique and honestly I dig that! The smoke is cool and smooth down to the nub, it’s only at the very end of the nub that the smoke gets hot and mildly bitter. I am convinced that in 8-12 months that this will self-correct, and that the pepper and spice will become less dominate and support a creamier and richer buttercream and vanilla/cinnamon spice.

General Rating for Overall Cigar: 91 pts

Brett, this is spot on to what I experienced while smoking one of these bad boys last night! I got just a few minutes more out of mine, just didn't want to let it go. Awesome review, brother!!

90+ Irishman

bigfnsteve:
Awesome reviews brett! Thanks for sharing. Awesome to see someone burn up a stick i gave`em! As soon as i get some more of the larger osoks ill get`em to ya. I think you`ll like`em

Thanks a ton Steve, I really did fall in love with this blend, it just was right on!!!

Toombes, once again thanks for the comments and feedback! It's great to hear that I'm on the eight track and accurately summing up the sticks I review, thanks a ton!! I really am glad that I bought a box of the Devils, it's a phenomenal cigar especially when you consider their cost!!

gmill880

Roberto99:
Great reviews as always. You did fool me however, I was expecting to see you smoking a cigar in your cigar shorts, ala enfidl. Actually I'm glad that didn't happen!

Haha thats what I thought . A showdown of historical proportions between EFIDEL and Irishman for the CCOM Forum Smoking Short Shorts Contest ( Actually , after I typed that , I realized this might be a good contest for some of the SOTL haha ; ) .

90+ Irishman

gmill880:
Roberto99:
Great reviews as always. You did fool me however, I was expecting to see you smoking a cigar in your cigar shorts, ala enfidl. Actually I'm glad that didn't happen!

Haha thats what I thought . A showdown of historical proportions between EFIDEL and Irishman for the CCOM Forum Smoking Short Shorts Contest ( Actually , after I typed that , I realized this might be a good contest for some of the SOTL haha ; ) .

Bwahahaha! That would be hilarious, who knows I may do something like that just for the h3ll of it

BigT06

Very nice reviews, Irish. I have a BBF from 2007 and it may be the finest smelling cigar I've ever encountered.

90+ Irishman

BigT06:
Very nice reviews, Irish. I have a BBF from 2007 and it may be the finest smelling cigar I've ever encountered.

Truer words were never spoken Todd.... This is one of those cigars that I'd do d@mn near anything to own a box, it simply was that special.

rzaman

Great job Brett. I appreciate taking your time and sharing your smoking experience with us. Thanks!!!

90+ Irishman

rzaman:
Great job Brett. I appreciate taking your time and sharing your smoking experience with us. Thanks!!!

Thanks! Just trying to do something that I love and may help out some brothers looking to get a read on a stick before they spend their hard earned cash. Thanks again to all!

Toombes

I think your reviews are awesome, but I'm still waiting for a rundown of the new kumquat-raspberry-peach Swisher-White Owl-GAME hybrid.

boydmcgowan

Overall I like the review format a bit better, Brett so good job, keep on posting your thoughts. 2 qustions though.

1. does the rating still include a "wow" factor like you used to? I really liked that part of the rating becuase it showed us what you thought of the cigar, not what you expect an aficionado to think of the cigar.

2. are you opposed to breaking down the rating into the different sections like you used to. I know these are review summaries, but it woul dbe cool to see how you got to a 91 in the Little Devils review for example.

90+ Irishman

boydmcgowan:
Overall I like the review format a bit better, Brett so good job, keep on posting your thoughts. 2 qustions though.

1. does the rating still include a "wow" factor like you used to? I really liked that part of the rating becuase it showed us what you thought of the cigar, not what you expect an aficionado to think of the cigar.

2. are you opposed to breaking down the rating into the different sections like you used to. I know these are review summaries, but it woul dbe cool to see how you got to a 91 in the Little Devils review for example.

Thanks Boyd! The ratings that I've put up so far did have a wow factor hence why some were higher than others but I didn't break it down but kinda just shot from the hip and said this is the general rating that it feels like. However I've had much better response on these synopsis reviews than my uber-breakdown reviews so I'll probably stick with this style from here forward. Beacause of that I will be doing that point rating breakdown from here out. Thanks for all the input guys it helps so much!!

RBeckom

Nice format for the busy person without time to spare. Great job.

Ken Light

Hey Brett, could you/how would you compare the Little Devil to the Puro Authentico?

90+ Irishman

Ken Light:
Hey Brett, could you/how would you compare the Little Devil to the Puro Authentico?

Sorry for the late reply Ken, it is certainly similar, but there is more spice and meaty core with leather heavily laced into it as well. It's more refined and complex but still the same in your face.

Ken Light

90+ Irishman:
Ken Light:
Hey Brett, could you/how would you compare the Little Devil to the Puro Authentico?
Sorry for the late reply Ken, it is certainly similar, but there is more spice and meaty core with leather heavily laced into it as well. It's more refined and complex but still the same in your face.

Thanks! I wonder if age will bring them closer together or parse them apart...

Toombes

Ken Light:
90+ Irishman:
Ken Light:
Hey Brett, could you/how would you compare the Little Devil to the Puro Authentico?
Sorry for the late reply Ken, it is certainly similar, but there is more spice and meaty core with leather heavily laced into it as well. It's more refined and complex but still the same in your face.
Thanks! I wonder if age will bring them closer together or parse them apart...

Don't mean to hijack you thread, Brett, but I can only imagine that age will only make them better. I find both sticks to be great to begin with, but when the flavors marry as they age... Day-um! Hope this gives you some ideas, Ken. Again, sorry if I stepped on your toes Brett.

RBeckom

I would definitely be interested in your take on The Brick House. I've had two bad experiences in A row with these cigars. Others have reported that they are A fine smoke. Interested?

90+ Irishman

Rodney, I've heard similar stories myself where sometimes they are fantastic and others they are fresh rolled dog-turds. Sent off the only one I had to someone that I know loves them so I haven't tried them myself yet, but yeah I'd be very intrigued to see what it does for my palate, soon as I locate one I'll do a review on it for ya brother

rzaman

Brink House a great value cigar from the J.C. Newman. One of the true Nicaraguan Puro. There are few Nicaraguan puros in the market. The Subido wrapper is interesting, very thin, dark reddish, oily. It is not very complex but a good everyday smoke. One problem is, it is not consistent. Couple times I had burn issue and the wrapper crack easily.

90+ Irishman

Toombes:
Ken Light:
90+ Irishman:
Ken Light:
Hey Brett, could you/how would you compare the Little Devil to the Puro Authentico?
Sorry for the late reply Ken, it is certainly similar, but there is more spice and meaty core with leather heavily laced into it as well. It's more refined and complex but still the same in your face.
Thanks! I wonder if age will bring them closer together or parse them apart...

Don't mean to hijack you thread, Brett, but I can only imagine that age will only make them better. I find both sticks to be great to begin with, but when the flavors marry as they age... Day-um! Hope this gives you some ideas, Ken. Again, sorry if I stepped on your toes Brett.

Not at all borther, jump in any time!

Toombes

Thanks, brother. Your pallet is considerably more developed than mine, but through our conversations I believe I'm getting better. The last PA I smoked presented me with the usual earth, leather, pepper and spices. I was actually able to pick up a hint of what seemed to be toasted nutmeg lingering in the background. Everyone's taste is subjective to what they read in reviews, so I tend to read them after smoking a particular stick. Anywhoo, just my $.02...

90+ Irishman

Liga Privada Unico Serie Dirty Rat

Manufacturer: Drew Estates
Size: Corona 5” X 44 with Pigtail Cap
Wrapper/Binder/Filler: Habano Sun Grown Connecticut/ Brazilian Mata-Fina/ Dominican, Honduran, Nicaraguan

Draw: This one had been in my humi sitting at 67% rH and 63 degrees Fahrenheit for 8 months and had a dark oily sheen to it. With the pigtail cap cut it opened up a perfect draw, very little resistance but just enough to nail it. 10/10 pts
Burn: Through ¾ of the cigar the burn was very consistent and had no issues, towards the end however it started to get slightly uneven and required a small correction with the torch. 8.5/10 pts
Construction: There were zero soft spots, no cracks in the wrapper, and the pigtail cut cleanly and held firm. Everything you could want from a well constructed cigar. 10/10 pts
Body: The Dirty Rat is deceptively powerful, as of late I have been smoking more medium bodied cigars while still very much enjoying the fulls, but this one really packs a severe punch. The initial spice and pepper gets you right in the jaw but does not overpower you, great balance and body throughout the length of the stick. 9.5/10 pts

Smoke Time: 1 hr 15 min

Smoking Experience Synopsis:

I had unrealistically high expectations of this cigar; between the hype that many talk about and the presentation and vitola size I really was expecting a masterpiece of a cigar…. It delivered in spades. The last cigars that really impressed me this much were the Room 101 Namakubi by Matt Booth, and the 2007 Bolivar Belicoso Fino. It really was that good and here is why; the balance and flavor profile were as perfectly matched, at least for my palate, as I could have hoped for. I can deal with a poorly constructed cigar that comes unraveled or cracks, I can even deal with some heat and a tight draw so long as the balance (which greatly affects the flavor profile for me) is top notch. When a cigar comes together to have perfect draw, construction, and harmoniously balanced and bold in its profile…. It gets top marks and earns humidor honors for me. The Dirty Rat did that in flying colors. From the first light, I received an intense blast of espresso and milk chocolate with an almond undertone that really carried the bold flavors to help balance it with a delicate and unique note. A very rugged leather immediately started weaving itself in and out of the profile but in a way that made it very difficult to pin down how and where, the best approximation I can give is that it came in towards the middle of your tongue and lingered to the finish to fade away smoothly. The spice and pepper I talked about were also very much present, but in a very different way than I am generally used to since it was not a red pepper heat and black pepper tartness. It was a smoky spice that best reminded me of chipotle spice and a hickory smoke… very complex and helped to offset the strong chocolate and espresso at the start. Over a third into it and the chipotle pepper is still there but finishes clean and smooth without a bite similar to white pepper. The core of the body however has turned into almost a red wine profile; robust and elegant with a tangy finish that melts into a sweet and smoky oak. The burn has been nearly perfect throughout this experience and has produced incredibly cool dense billowing blue smoke. In the final half and third anise showed up with more leather and less of the chipotle spice and a stronger almond element. Right before I put it out it made one last wild turn to shift from the chocolate and anise and spice, to an aromatic cedar with pine nuts and a young leather that finishes with cherry. Truly this was a sublime experience and a cigar that I will forever remember!

Rating Scale:

Balance: 25 out of 25 pts
Construction: 18 out of 20 pts (Draw, cigar construction, and burn are included in this section)
Draw: 18 out of 20 pts (just slightly too loose, but still great!)
Flavor: 20 out of 20 pts (Nailed it, dead)
Wow Factor: 12 out of 15 pts (Brilliant in every way and a special cigar, but it isn’t THE most special to me)

Total Score: 93 Pts out of 100pts.