Dear Followers,

As you may have noticed I have not posted any reviews in some time. Due to life circumstances I have been on a temporary creative hiatus. Rest assured I am still enjoying many fine cigars, and I will get back to blogging as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience.

Sincerely,

~Chris/Cigar Scholar

Playboy Robusto (52x5) by Altadis/Don Deigo

This cigar was from yet another three-pack sampler from Altadis, as seen advertised in – surprise! – Playboy magazine (I read the articles and look at the pictures!) I ordered these last October (’09) and didn’t receive them until mid-February (’10) – I could have cultivated the tobacco and rolled my own by then. Still, I can’t pass up three premium cigars for $7.95. This cigar is the newer Altasis/Tabacalera de Garcia version of the original Playboy Cigar by Don Diego recipe. (Heck, with all these cigar companies merging and acquiring one another, who can keep track anymore?) Anyway, after five months in the humidor I decided to fire one up for my weekly Thursday night after-school treat. I have long been a fan of the milder Don Diego line, and consider it a mainstay of the neophyte cigar smoker. Even seasoned veterans such as myself like to keep several on hand as a morning or afternoon smoke. Besides, if they’re good enough for Hef they’re good enough for me.

My pre-cut/pre-light examination revealed a firm, well-made dark brown cigar, slightly veined, with an elegant looking black band highlighted with the silver iconic Playboy Rabbit Head emblem. [Note: The original style Don Diego band has Hef’s monogram and signature, along with a smaller Rabbit Head logo.] Supposedly the Altadis re-boot incorporated having the flavor profile kicked up a notch. These new Playboy cigars are touted as being a blend of the finest aged Nicaraguan, Dominican and Peruvian long filler tobaccos paired with exquisite Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper leaves. My initial conservative guillotine cut left a cold draw that was a bit snug. So, like a surgeon, I took my Xikar Xi Original cutter* and skillfully shaved off another slice. The pre-light draw was unremarkable; somewhat buttery and nutty, perhaps a hint of zest. Safely ensconced in the “man cave” (my garage) and my faithful mutt “Stogie” at my feet, and with a slight drizzle beginning to fall, I settled in and lit the fuse…

Ah sweet nectar, once again I suckle at your teat! ™ Initial puffs presented - as advertised - a mild-to-medium experience, and a leathery yet creamy flavor profile with a bit of gusto to it. The draw was still a little firm, but I was getting decent mouthfuls of smoke and the burn was acceptable so I continued on. This Playboy cigar produced a grey/white ash; however the ash was flaky and would not stay on too long, so I spent a lot of time hovering over the ashtray as I smoked. Into the middle I began to pick up on a certain harshness I could not pinpoint. I retro-haled a few times to see if I could sort out the complex blends and isolate the offensive anomaly, but to no avail. I could detect pedestrian, medium-bodied firewood flavors and subtle fruit notes. Nearing the end the cigar seemed to waver back and forth between bitter and harsh. I’ve said in the past and I’ll say it again: I like a flavorful cigar but I do not abide a harsh cigar. As a matter of fact the next morning this cigar left a foul taste in my mouth, which almost never happens with premium cigars. Nearing the last ¼ the bitterness increased and I decided I’d had enough.

To sum up: I like Playboy’s taste in women; cigars – not so much. My feelings towards this cigar are about as mixed as the tobaccos that are in it. It was not a terrible cigar per say, more of an erratic cigar. And bitterness in a cigar is often a sign of young tobacco. Furthermore, I’m still not sure what the relationship is between this newer Altadis Playboy cigar and the original Don Diego Playboy [with the monogrammed wrapper] that launched in '96; I recall liking the older version a lot better, as it seemed more true to the Don Diego flavor profile. Factor in the price – about $10.00 a stick – and I simply cannot recommend the Altadis Playboy cigar to anyone seeking a unique smoking experience.

Grade: C

Good day sirs!

*The discussion always arises over whether it is better to use a hole punch, draw poker, cigar scissors, knife, single-or-double guillotine cutter, teeth(!), etc… to prep your stogie. But for my money a quality double-bladed guillotine cutter is the only way to go. I’ve owned my Xikar Xi Original for over two years and I have nothing but great things to say about this quality product. The blades are made of high quality surgical 440 stainless steel, with an HRC of 57. [The Rockwell Hardness Scale (HRC) is used for measuring the hardness of a metal alloy. The rating is taken by measuring the amount of force required to produce a deformation in the metal using a diamond point. Typical values for a quality blade range from HRC 55 to HRC 62.] The Xikar Cutter gives cigar enthusiasts the finest cigar cut with power, efficiency and ease of use. An aluminum body encases the stainless steel blades in a spring-loaded, ergonomic shape. This is the finest cutter you can buy – they guarantee it! Xikar cutters come in a variety of styles, colors and housings, and they offer free lifetime blade sharpening should you ever need it. Xikar also offers lighters, knives, humidors and other quality cigar-related products. If you are any level of cigar aficionado do yourself a favor and check out the Xikar cutters today!

http://www.xikar.com/main.asp

La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial (5.5 x 52)

The term going “up north” is a colloquialism both unique and familiar to most Michigan natives. Simply put, it means heading from a southern part of the state to a northern part of the state; usually for recreational or vacation purposes. Depending on where you are from and where you are headed, there exist myriad interpretations as to what exactly constitutes “up north”. Since I live in the suburban metro Detroit area, by my estimation it means anything farther north than West Branch; or beyond parallel to the tip of the thumb for any of you non-Michiganders reading this.

Last weekend I was fortunate enough to get an invitation to my friend’s cottage on Otsego Lake; located in Michigan’s central Lower Peninsula, about four hours north of Detroit. After the long drive - which included a scenic ninety-minute rural detour due to a traffic accident that shut down the Interstate - I was in need of a stiff drink and a good cigar. I arrived at the cottage just as the sun was setting and the campfire crackling to life. With salutations exchanged and a “hail fellow” shot of Jim Beam, I stowed my gear and fished the travel humi out of my BAD brand duffel bag*. I brought along eight soldiers – more than was needed – because I wanted a variety from which to choose. (Also, altruist that I am, I like to travel with a few spare sticks on the odd chance I run into any fellow “brothers of the leaf”.) Since the smoke from a campfire tends to dull the olfactory senses, I decided to smoke a robust cigar that would cut through all the haze. I settled on a La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial #5 Belicoso. The La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial was rated the number-four cigar of 2008 by Cigar Aficionado magazine (for whatever that’s worth.) I have smoked La Aroma de Cuba in the past and found them to be an excellent cigar, so much so that I always like to keep a couple in the humidor.

Pre-cut/pre-light consideration revealed a solidly-built pumpkin-colored Belicoso with plenty of oils and a soft sheen. Other than some slight veining the wrapper was seamless. The band is a royal affair, utilizing the original Cuban artwork (two Renaissance women commiserating about something-or-other) with several modifications and enhancements, plus extensive gold embossing and rich colors – another beauty for my cigar band journal. This cigar is made for and distributed by Ashton and manufactured in Nicaragua by master cigar maker Jose "Pepin" Garcia. Per their website copy: “The seamless wrappers embrace an enchanting Cuban-esque blend of rich, well-aged Nicaraguan tobaccos, cultivated in Ecuador under direct sunlight from Cuban seeds.” Nice! My trusty Montecristo Samurai travel cutter sliced a perfect mini dunce-like cap off the head. A pre-light whiff greeted me with an alluring cedar-and-leather broth of a medium-to-full-strength cigar. The cold draw was easy and offered a big, chocolate-like flavor, albeit delivered smoothly and with refinement. Fresh beer in hand I settled in and lit the fuse…

Ah sweet nectar, once again I suckle at your teat™! With the foot slowly toasted, preliminary puffs greeted me with a hearty dose of earth and cedar; an appropriate flavor considering the woodsy surroundings. Into the mid-stick sweet spot I sailed, and lighter notes of cinnamon and white pepper tickled my olfactory receptors. The burn was sharp and even and produced a compact grey-white ash that held fast. I was thoroughly enjoying this cigar, and a nice comfortable glow settled over me as I felt the day’s tensions ebb from my body. The home stretch continued to impress with subtle layers of leather, cocoa and coffee notes. Down to the nub, and as often happens when I finish a great cigar I chastised myself for not bringing the two-hour-plus 7x49 Churchill. Beyond the glow of the campfire Otsego Lake was a sheet of glass, broken only intermittently by the odd fish leaping for a late-night snack. The fire slowly reduced itself to fading embers, and with my sleeping bag beckoning I savored the final puffs in peaceful repose. To me, moments like this are what cigar smoking is all about.

To sum up: As mentioned, I have smoked this cigar in the past and it has quickly skyrocketed onto my top-ten list. Well-made and with an effortless draw, the La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial No. 5 was a complex cigar with a chocolate earthiness that lasted throughout. The restrained undertones of the bottom-notes complimented – as opposed to confused – the flavor profile; the hallmark of a good cigar in my estimation. At about $9.00 a stick, I give the La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial my resounding recommendation.

Grade: A

Good day sirs!

*If there's one piece of gear I love and obsess over it's my duffel bags. I like having a secure place for my stuff when I travel. Whether it's for an overnight stay, a long weekend, or a two-week vacation, I get just as excited packing for a trip as I do being on the trip itself. (Weird, I know). Anyway, over the years I have amassed a wide variety of duffel bags, of various shapes and sizes, for all occasions. But the one company which makes the best duffel bag for my money is BAD Bags out of Seattle, WA. I bought my first BAD (for Best American Duffel) Bag back in the mid-90's, and I can assure you as a person who demands quality from his products they more than live up to their reputation. My BAD Bags have been all over the country with me, and let me tell you these rugged bags can take a beating. I have since added several other sizes of their seminal duffel bag to my arsenal, and recently purchased two of their newer rolling duffels. Their duffel bags come in a variety of sizes and colors, and as mentioned they make several rigid-body rolling duffels, including a carry-on size.

Now I could go on and on, and bore you with statistics from the BAD Bag website; like their 6,000-pound break-strength seat-belt webbing, or the beefy #10 YKK zippers. But do yourself a favor and check it out...

http://www.badbags.com/

CAO's La Traviata Divino (5x50)

Did you know that almost half of Michigan is comprised of water? And except for Alaska, Michigan has more shoreline than any other state? With 3,177 miles of Great Lakes shoreline it is easy to see why Michigan supports a flourishing recreational industry, and leads the nation with approximately one million registered pleasure boats. [Netstate.com]. Speaking of pleasures, this past holiday weekend – Saturday July 3rd to be exact – I had the pleasure of spending the evening on my brother-in-law’s boat, the Island Girl. It’s a sweet 30-footer with one two-person sleeping compartment, a galley, head (that’s a bathroom for you landlubbers), flying bridge and lots of other bells and whistles. (Seriously. I am not joking. There are actual bells and whistles.) We were anchored along with hundreds of other boats in the north channel of the St. Clair River. The channel runs between the City of Algonac and Harsens Island, Michigan. It was a gorgeous summer night and everyone was gathered to watch the Algonac fireworks display. Sound like a nice setting for a cigar? I would say so! I wanted to smoke a reliable cigar for such an occasion. Something I’d had in the past and knew would not let me down. With a nice comfortable glow settling over me from several cocktails, and the fading dusk turning into night, I unlatched my Model 1120 Armored Humidor Systems* travel humi and chose CAO’s La Traviata Divino (5x50).

Pre-light/pre-cut assessment displayed an oily black, vein-laced oboe of a cigar. Firmly constructed, it felt solid in my hand and looked like it meant business. The regal-looking band consists of mostly gold embossing with some reddish-brown accents. CAO unveiled their La Traviata cigar brand at the International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers Association's annual convention, last August 2009. The La Traviata is billed as a re-boot of a turn-of-the-20th Century Cuban blend: “…A full-bodied, full-flavored cigar that combines an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with a Cameroon binder and incorporates two different ligero leaf [top of the plant] filler tobaccos...” Sounds like a powerhouse to me, and the aquatic air had me in the mood for something brawny. I made the cut and took a pre-light sip. The cold draw was a little firm for my preference, nonetheless the flavor profile revealed a pleasant distinct pepper and rawhide nose. I settled in and lit the fuse…

Ah sweet nectar, once again I suckle at your teat™! Inaugural puffs repaid me with rich notes of cedar, licorice and leather. A barrage of woodsy earth tones assailed my palate – and I mean that in the best way. The nasal exhale produced that nice sinus cavity buzz which portends the start of a good smoke. My timing was perfect – a few loud salvos signaled the beginning of the fireworks show. Into the mid-stick sweet spot the cigar transitioned into a lush and velvety affair. I would still call it full-bodied but without any harshness. As anticipated, the draw loosened to ideal as the cigar continued to burn. The leisurely burn line held razor-sharp as I coasted into the finish. Down to the nub the flavor profile remained balanced and enjoyable; notes of coffee and cocoa, with just a touch of cinnamon creeping in. As I enjoyed my final puffs the pyrotechnics display was in full effect. Bouquet blossoms of light filled the sky and reflected off the water, and along with the lights on all the boats the channel was lit up like… well, like the Fourth of July! The sights and sounds of liberty were in the air and all was well with the world.

To sum up: CAO’s La Traviata brand represents a bit of a departure for the company best known for cutting-edge cigars with brightly-colored bands. It’s an all-around excellent cigar priced in the $6.00 to $8.00 range. I bought this cigar from my local tobacconist roughly 30 days prior to smoking. Other than a slightly dense draw (most likely remedied with a little more humidor time), it suffered no major construction or burn issues. For a medium-to-full-bodied cigar, and at this price point, I consider CAO’s La Traviata worthy of humidor space. They have already become part of my rotation.

Grade: B+

Good day sirs!

*There are plenty of travel humidors on the market these days, but one of the first companies I came across, way back in the early 90’s, was Armored Humidor Systems. Their cases are watertight, impact-resistant, and humidity-controlled. I've had my Model 1120 for 16+ years and it has been all over the country with me. Perfect for camping, boating, road-trips and vacations. Their website (along with video of a Jeep running over one of their cases) can do a better job of showcasing these damn-near bulletproof cigar vaults than I can. Check ‘em out: http://www.armoredhumidor.com/index.html

El Rey Del Mundo 1848 (7.62x52)

I recently had a birthday. No big deal really, but I’ll seize any opportunity to celebrate something with a good cigar. (Coincidentally, my wife’s birthday is the day before mine.) I began the evening meeting up with some of my wing-men at a nearby Champp’s for our weekly Friday happy-hour specials. After priming the pump with $2 pints, we rendezvoused back at the ranch were the missus was having her own little gathering. Add a neighbor and a few more of my cronies to the mix, and next thing you know we had ourselves a nice little party. Cold drinks, good friends, my own backyard on a beautiful summer night… The stage was set for a fine cigar.

I repaired to my home office and peered into my humidor* for something special, something large, something to commemorate just such an occasion. I noticed an El Rey Del Mundo 1848 Churchill squirreled away. El Rey Del Mundo translates to “King of the World”; so-named as a tribute to blender and cigar legend Frank Llaneza, who passed away last March. Frank was one of the pioneers of the premium cigar industry and was considered a trendsetter when it came to blends and wrappers. This particular cigar was the last of an El Rey Del Mundo threesome I received from the Cigar Dave Officer’s Club, April selection. (The nice thing about belonging to one of these cigar clubs is that it causes you to sample cigars that you might not normally try.) I’d already smoked the other two sticks and found them to be smooth yet complex, excellent cigars. I was saving the larger Churchill for a night like tonight.

Pre-cut/pre-light assessment presented a hefty, well-constructed log of a cigar with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, the binder and filler both being Honduran. The wrapper was dark and oily with some slight veining. The band was ornate, mostly gold and red with embossed raised seals and a crest of some sort; just the basic, classic cigar band, but nothing special. I held the foot to my nostril and inhaled deeply. Pre-cut flavor profile revealed an aroma rich with soil and cedar scents. The smell reminded me of fall camping in a pine forest several years ago. My trusty Xikar cutter rewarded me with another perfect cut, while a pre-light draw confirmed the earthy top note. Fresh beer in hand, I settled in and lit the fuse…

Ah sweet nectar, once again I suckle at your teat™. With my Xikar double-torch lighter I gently toasted the foot of this well-made cigar as if it were a marshmallow. I took those first few glorious puffs. I might as well have heard a starting pistol report because this cigar was off-and-running like a champ right out of the gate. Rich, creamy mouthfuls of smoke portended the beginning of another sublime smoking experience. Chocolate and cocoa middle notes were apparent in the opening draws, as well as some spice. The cigar became more powerful (in a good way) as I crept towards the center. Some pepper, coffee, maybe a touch of honey teased the palate. Into the finish the cigar remained flavorful without being overpowering; the earth, cedar and leather signatures held true, along with the others lingering in the background. The burn and draw remained fairly consistent throughout the smoke, and a firm grey ash held on for dear life, surrendering only on my command. (Some minor wrapper touch-ups were required, but nothing out of the ordinary for a two-hour plus cigar.) As I savored the final puffs of my El Rey Del Mundo Churchill I glanced around at my wife and friends. They were all sharing a laugh over some sort of anecdote (probably at my expense). I realized how lucky a man I am, and how appropriate a night it was to be enjoying a birthday cigar named “King of the World”.

To sum up: The El Rey Del Mundo 1848 Churchill is a must-try for any cigar enthusiast. Well-made, consistent, medium-to-full bodied yet flavorful throughout, and priced in the wallet-friendly $7.00 range, an excellent cigar for the cost. I would recommend these to any aficionado.

Grade: B+

Good day sirs!

* Much easier than rummaging around in your actual humidor, making a mess and screwing-up the humidity, is to have an online virtual humidor to keep track of your cigars; especially when your collection starts to get into the fifty-cigars + range. And on that note the website CigarGeeks.com has an excellent virtual humidor set-up for their members. Free.

Arganese Connecticut Presidente Robusto (5x50)

This cigar was a free sample stick from the nice folks at Famous Smoke Shop; tossed into the box with a past order. I was impressed with their generosity until I found out that the Arganese original blend was being discontinued and no longer on the market, so I guess they were trying to get rid of them. Anyway, according to their [Arganese] website, what really makes Arganese Cigars different from other Dominican cigar brands is they “only use 100% first generation Cuban seed tobacco grown in their own fields in authentic Cuban-style growing methods.” They also boast that Arganese Cigars were named one of the top 10 cigars in the world in the Robb Report’s Fine Cigars & Fine Living and featured on the Jay Leno show! (Perhaps, but I don’t subscribe to the Robb Report, and I'll take Letterman over Leno any day.) Anyway, this Connecticut Robusto had been patiently lingering in my humidor for well over a year. A recent weekend spent at the cottage found me sitting at the Tiki bar on our second-floor deck and drinking beers with my brother-in-law. Looking out over the marshlands and enjoying the evening, I decided it would be a perfect time to see what this Robusto – my first Arganese ever I might add – had to offer.

Pre-cut/pre-light inspection ceremony presented a light-brown cigar with a dry, papery wrapper. It was lightweight and had an almost delicate feel to it. The band was a somewhat ominous-looking affair with shades of black surrounded by gold trim. The center containing a red-and-blue crest of some sort with a moon and stars, a knights bascinet helmet, a crown, and finally two figures doing something or other that I can’t quite make out. (I’m still not sure what it all signifies but it looks pretty dang cool in my cigar band journal.) I slowly ran the stick under my nose and took a whiff. (I like to think of this as “foreplay”.) The olfactory profile was unremarkable for the most part - all the normal smells of cedar and my well-maintained humidor. My trusty Montecristo Samurai cutter sliced through the head with scalpel-like precision. I took a cold draw… The full-bodied cigar greeted me with notes of creamy vanilla and wisps of leather. Unfortunately, the pre-light draw also greeted me with a mouthful of short filler. Most disturbing. Beer in hand and my customary hubcap-sized ashtray in front of me, I settled in and lit the fuse…

Ah sweet nectar, once again I suckle at your teat ™! Checkered flag puffs were ambiguous as the cigar started out undecidedly. I continued to get more than the normal bits of short filler tobacco in my mouth, which annoyed me. After a few minutes cedar notes were threatening to kick in. It is at this stage, fellow enthusiasts, I am obliged to point out the serious issues I was having with the burn: The ash was very loose and flaky, and oddly enough even had little fingers of ash protruding off at various right angles (the technical term for this is called: flowering). Little cinders would then break free and flutter all over the place and it was really making a mess. The burn line was thick and uneven and needed constant touch-ups. It did not seem to affect the draw so much, but aesthetically it was a real debacle and was putting a damper on my smoking experience. In any event, I trudged along into the so-called sweet spot, and I have to say I was not impressed with this supposedly full-bodied cigar. It was a witches brew of flavors - I could detect coffee, vanilla, leather, pepper… but with no rhyme nor reason... no balance to any of it. And still the ash continued to come apart like a cheap Piñata. Down the home stretch I got frustrated and decided to tap-out. I had already eaten an appetizer of short filler and my lap looked like someone dumped an ashtray in it. So with about ¼ of the stick left I put it out of its (and my) misery. (Not to worry – I always have several back-up cigars in my travel humi.)

To sum up: What can I say? I am glad this cigar was free! Sadly, I was disappointed with my first Arganese experience, especially since I have buried somewhere in my humidor their cigar called the “Cugine!” [Italian for “cousin”; in honor of Joe “Vito” Gannascoli of Soprano’s fame], that I have been saving for a special occasion. Perhaps this cigar was just the random, odd dud... And frankly I am usually willing to give a first-time cigar the benefit of the doubt. But the truth of the matter is this: With so many brands to choose from, and cigar prices going up, cigar companies cannot afford to be putting out duds. So for now I have to give the Arganese Connecticut Presidente a poor rating.

Grade: C-

Good day sirs!

Don Diego No. 100 Robusto

I realize Don Diego is considered more of a beginners’ smoke by most enthusiasts. But still, Don Diego has a very rich history in the cigar industry and was one of the first premium cigars I ever smoked, back when I was but a novice in the hobby. So I always like to keep a couple in my humidor for nostalgia’s sake. This mild cigar is typically a morning or afternoon smoke for me, and today was no exception. After several hours spent knocking a few items off my honeydew list (“honey do this… honey do that…”) I figured I’d reward myself with a garage smoke. It seemed a little early for the sauce, being a weekday morning and all, so I opted for an ice-cold Diet Coke. With my faithful mutt “Stogie” at my feet I got down to business.

This aromatic Robusto was one of a fiver special from Famous and rested in my humidor for well over a year. It came wrapped in cellophane; which I tend to leave on for reasons that I will go into another time. After carefully unsheathing the stogie, a pre-cut inspection revealed a silky smooth Connecticut shade wrapper with no obvious flaws -- typical since Don Diego’s are known for their consistent construction quality. Since I know from experience that this particular cigar is notorious for a very free draw, like a skilled surgeon I expertly cut off as little of the cap as possible. The pre-light sip revealed a smooth creamy flavor with just a touch of spice. I lit the fuse…

Ah sweet nectar, once again I suckle at your teat™. From the get-go this Don Diego Robusto lived up to its reputation as a mild-to-medium bodied smoke. It was exactly what one would expect from a smooth Dominican cigar. Near the mid-stick sweet spot I performed the nasal exhale to experience a pleasant peppery and toasty flavor. The cigar burned well throughout the smoke, with just a very minor wrapper fray near the end. The finish was subtle with sweet notes of spice and lavender, and almost no bitter aftertaste. I relaxed in the glow of my post manual labor, and all was well with the world.

To sum up: At around $5.00 a stick, if you like to keep something mild in your humidor that provides a consistently mellow smoking experience with a subtle finish, I highly recommend a Don Diego No. 100 Robusto.

Grade: B

Good day sirs!

Rocky Patel Renaissance Robusto

Although many aficionados consider Rocky Patel cigars to be overrated, I personally think he is putting out some of the finest blends in the industry. The Decade is one of my top-five favorites, and The Edge, Connecticut and Vintage 1990 continue to impress. At any given moment I’ll have three or four different types of Rocky Patel cigars in my humidor. The Renaissance, introduced in mid-2008, has for some odd reason eluded me. Meaning I have been remiss in getting around to smoking one. Odder still is that I have had three Renaissance Robustos squirreled away in my humidor since last February (’09). So after a respectable 15-month hibernation in the humi, I figured Memorial Day would be an appropriate occasion to finally smoke this beauty. After a sweltering backyard dinner and drinks at a friend’s place, I was happy to find myself back home in comfortable clothes, relaxing in my “man cave” (the garage). Sporadic afternoon thunderstorms brought a nice reprieve from the hot, muggy weather here in the metro Detroit area, and a cool breeze was coming in.

Pre-light/pre-cut inspection revealed a skillfully constructed cigar with a nicely formed cap and consistent firmness throughout. This cigar uses a “four-year aged Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, a binder from Jalapa, Nicaragua and a blend of rare tobacco from Nicaragua, along with ligero from an undisclosed region of Central America.” The wrapper was more of a Colorado Maduro in color with some brown speckles mixed in. The cigar band itself is an ornate affair, with shades of brown, white and gold; exactly what you would expect to find on a cigar named the Renaissance. (You could almost imagine Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo sparking one of these up over a glass of port.) The guillotine cut was swift, exact and without incident. A pre-light draw enticed me with an earthy flavor with subtle hints of nuts, vanilla and a touch of spice. I settled in and lit the fuse…

Ah sweet nectar. Once again I suckle at your teat! ™ Right from the first few puffs, I suspected that this cigar was going to be a champ. The smoke volume was nice and billowy and the draw was cool and effortless. Initial flavors were plainly distinct with strong notes of rich coffee, vanilla and spicy pepper. I coasted into the sweet spot, tasting hints of cinnamon and sweet raisin, along with a slight roasted almond flavor. Exhaling through the nostrils produced that nice peppery “zing” I have come to appreciate. The burn was razor sharp and the ash held tight well beyond the one-inch mark. The cigar showed balance and smoothness and rewarded me with a politely protracted finish. It goes without saying I smoked this rope to the nub. What a great cigar to usher in the unofficial beginning of summer!

To sum up: Overall, another medium-bodied hit from Rocky. The Robusto is priced in the tolerable $7.00 - $8.00 range. I would without hesitation recommend this cigar to fans of the Rocky Patel line, or connoisseurs of a notch-above a medium-bodied stick.

Grade: A-

Good day sirs!

Diamond Crown Robusto #5

Harsens Island, Michigan is located at the top of Lake St. Clair near the mouth of the St. Clair River. Less than an hour from Detroit, the only way to get there from the mainland (other than boat or small plane) is by five-minute ferry ride. With no fast-food restaurants, no gas stations and only one bar open year-round (two in the summer), Harsens Island nonetheless remains popular for its hunting, fishing, wildlife, freighter watching, and a host of other sights. The largest freshwater delta in the Great Lakes Basin, the majority of the island and surrounding areas are protected wetlands. With only 1,300 year-round residents occupying 19 square miles, and because of the absence of any bridge, the island retains an isolated charm. And the locals like it that way!

If my fellow cigar-smoking brethren are reading this and exclaiming, “Dang, that sounds like a great place to have a family cottage – I’d go there every weekend and smoke cigars!” You’d be correct. And that is how I came to find myself this past Memorial weekend, Saturday night; just a mile from my cottage at the Sans Souci (French for “without a worry”) Bar located along the shipping channel of Harsens Island, with a Diamond Crown Robusto in my hand just begging to be smoked. (Note: As of May 1 the State of Michigan smoking ban went into effect. You can’t smoke inside the Sans Souci, of course, however outside of the bar just beyond their property line you can smoke at one of the many picnic tables located along the waterway).

Pre-light/pre-cut inspection proudly displayed a solid fireplug of a stick with a smooth, shiny golden wrapper. This 5-year old wrapper undergoes multiple fermentation processes, giving it a unique taste filled with sweet, rich flavors. The cigar band is an unassuming affair of muted red, yellow, and gold colors, with the titular crown in the center. Mouth salivating, I made my customary perfect cut and took a pre-light draw. The cold draw flavor profile presented itself as a bit nutty with a touch of cedar. I had a good feeling about this cigar. When Diamond Crown cigars first came out they wanted to be a thick cigar for the experienced aficionado, so all Diamond Crown cigars were created with a minimum 54 ring gauge. They claim the larger ring would “allow for their proprietary blending of 6-7 individual tobacco leaves; an extremely complex mix of Dominican tobaccos.” That sounded good to me. Grabbing my trusty Xikar double-jet torch lighter, I settled in and lit the fuse…

Ah sweet nectar, once again I suckle at your teat ™! Introductory puffs rewarded me with a mouthful of rich creamy smoke that coated the palate. I detected almond with maybe a touch of black cherry vying for my attention. I ambled into the sweet spot, and a buttered toast note entered the mix along with hints of black pepper. For a supposedly medium-bodied cigar this Diamond Crown Robusto was bursting with flavor. The draw remained ideal and the burn rapier-sharp as I entered the home stretch. Just beyond the break wall, barely visible in the moonlight and a stones-throw away, an iron ore freighter slipped silently up the channel. A ghostly behemoth bound for the Great Lakes and parts north. Into the finish I was rewarded with a smooth blend of toast, wood, cedar and coffee. As I savored the final puffs beneath a canopy of stars, I settled into a nice peaceful repose, reflecting upon the true meaning of Memorial Day: commemorating the men and women of our military who have made supreme sacrifices on our behalf.

To sum up: At around $12 for a 4 ½ inch Robusto the Diamond Crown begins to creep beyond my fiscal comfort range. However, for a medium-bodied cigar it boasted a tapestry of delicious flavors; it had some depth but was not overpowering. A gift from the missus, this particular stick rested for near 90 days in my humidor, and had no construction, draw or burn issues. While probably not an everyday smoke for me – and that’s based solely on price – I will most certainly revisit this brand again.

Grade: A-

Happy Memorial Day!

Los Blancos Sumatra Robusto

This was a gratis stick (“gratis” is Latin for “free” by the way…) courtesy of David Blanco himself – Vice President of Los Blancos Cigar Company – back in Jan. ’09 as a replacement cigar for a rare dud (re: no draw) given me by a friend. A polite, well-worded e-mail to the company was followed by a prompt reply back from Mr. Blanco, then all I had to do was provide him the name of my local tobacconist and go in and pick out a Los Blancos Cigar of my choosing. David took care of the rest. You gotta love that kind of customer service! Not being greedy, I chose the Los Blancos Sumatra Robusto; a double-banded sparkplug of a cigar that was a welcome reprieve from the very mild cigars I have been smoking lately. I let this Robusto nap in my humidor for almost a year-and-a-half. Last night the hot weather broke here in the metro Detroit area, and a cool breeze was blowing in from the south. Seemed like a perfect night for a solo contemplative patio smoke. With my trusty dog “Stogie” at my feet, I settled in with a cold beer.

Pre-light assessment displayed a good-looking medium-brown cigar with a slightly sandy wrapper. The red-and-gold regal looking bands (one at the head and one at the foot) have some type of shielded blue crest on them. Fancy. The company website boasts: “These cigars are masterfully blended with tobacco from the Blanco’s family’s fields in the Jalapa (Nicaragua) and Jamastran (Honduras) Valleys. These complex elements are then united using a Sumatran wrapper imported from Indonesia and combined into perfectly balanced cigars.” Sounds good to me. I made the guillotine cut and took a pre-light draw. The cold draw flavor was slightly peppery with a woody fragrance. I had a good feeling about this smoke. I lit the fuse…

Ah sweet nectar. Once again I suckle at your teat ™. Launching pad puffs greeted me with a wonderfully rich bouquet of cedar aroma. Also, cocoa and a slight nuttiness made their presence known. Into the sweet spot the cigar settled comfortably into a solid medium-bodied smoke. Creamy leather bottom notes poked out from the velvety smoothness. Into the finish, as I exhaled though the nose a subtle coffee flavor was detected. The draw was excellent and the cigar burned like a champ, holding a decent size ash throughout the smoke. I smoked it to the nub, as I usually do with a good cigar. To the south, strobe-like flashes of lighting hinted at a storm brewing somewhere off in the distance. I enjoyed the last few puffs of my cigar, and all was well with the world.

To sum up: Wonderfully rich and complex for a medium-bodied cigar. Well constructed and with a classy band, this cigar would really stand out in any humidor. Seems fairly priced in the $6.00 range for a single. I will certainly try the other cigars in the Los Blancos line-up; Criollo, Connecticut, Maduro… If you like your medium-bodied cigars to provide a complex variety of flavors you will want to give this a try.

Grade: B+

Good day sirs!

Davidoff Short Perfecto (5 x 50)

Most aficionados consider Davidoff to be the Mercedes Benz of cigars. I’d have to agree, but as I can no sooner afford to smoke a luxury cigar as I can to drive a luxury car, any Davidoff cigar is, to me, a rare treat. This little fireplug – a gift from a benevolent doctor friend – has been hibernating in my humidor for five long months. After a day spent putting in some yard work, I finished up just in time to beat the rain. So I decided to reward myself with a treat. I figured the Davidoff Short Perfecto (5x50) would be the perfect (pun intended) cigar to enjoy as a cool-down garage smoke.

Pre-cut/pre-light inspection ritual displayed a firm, light-brown torpedo-shaped cigar with a smooth wrapper. The subtle yet unmistakable white band with the Davidoff name in gold script glistened in the fading light. I slowly ran the stick under my nose, and with eyes closed took a whiff. Anticipation is half the fun. With my trusty Xikar cutter I deftly snipped off just the very tip of the head. The cold draw was tight, but I knew this to be typical of torpedo-shaped cigars until a few puffs in when the burn opens up the foot. The pre-light draw tempted me with notes of grass and wheat. Supposedly, sometime in the past couple of years Davidoff quietly changed the blend of these cigars, switching from a Connecticut grown wrapper to an Ecuadorian shade grown wrapper. Be that as it may, it’s sometimes hard for me to keep track of the vagaries of blends and wrappers and whatnot. But as I’ve said many times in the past: I know what I like when I smoke it. With that in mind I propped up my feet on a milk crate, settled in and lit the fuse…

Ah sweet nectar, once again I suckle at your teat ™! A few opening-bell puffs and I was immediately reminded of Davidoff’s unique flavor and aroma. Kind of like a creamy buttered toast. True to form, as I smoked this torpedo the foot opened up and the draw adjusted itself to ideal. Into the sweet (thick) spot and some pepper notes announced their presence through the nose, then earth tones and wood. It was truly a rich balance of tobacco flavor. The cigar burned consistently throughout the 45-minute smoke, although the ash was a bit flaky and the final puffs slightly harsh and gritty. As I savored the last few draws, a calm post-exercise euphoria settled over me. And all was well with the world.

To sum up: Like a $50 steak, the $13-a-stick Davidoff Perfecto is worth trying at least a few times in your life. Perhaps for a holiday or special occasion. Davidoff Perfecto’s really do have a unique blend of tobaccos and a distinctive wheatgrass flavor, even sublime I would say. However, I feel the Davidoff “good life” cigars are too cost-prohibitive to be a regular smoke – at least for me anyway.

Grade: B+

Good day sirs!