Brother Dicksbain has always been a fan of Perdomos.  Not me.  For some reason, they have always tasted bitter to me.  Maybe it’s the Nicaraguan spice, which seems to overpower everything else.  Not so with the Perdomo Habano line, however.  What a masterpiece.  These full-powered, large gauged beauties are sure to satisfy even the most demanding palates.  And at just $4-5 per gar, you can’t go wrong.  Available in Connecticut, Corojo and Maduro wrappers, I recommend trying the Connectcut.  The lighter wrapper allows more of the complex flavors to shine through.

Leafytimes.com Approval: 8.0

Another take: StogieReview.com “. . . With a price point of $5.50 at my local shop, I definitely think they are worth it. The Perdomo Habano Corojo will be becoming a staple in humidor.”

Yet another take: Stogieguys.com “. . . Overall, though, I’d say the cigar delivers for the price. I also have a suspicion that they would be even better with some aging. I give the off-the-shelf Perdomo Habano“

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Today I smoked the mild and tasty Dunhill Conado at lunch in the ongoing LGAR series.  I wasn’t expecting much from this cigar for some reason.  Perhaps because I hadn’t really heard any rave reviews about them that I could recall.

I was plesantly suprised.  The Connecticut Shade wrapper on this near Dominican puro (It’s all dominican with a bit of brazillan filler thrown in) was veiny and bit rough.  The contruction was great.  Burn and draw were flawless throughout the entire cigar.

It’s a mild cigar that left a slightly bitter taste on the tounge.  The aromas were floral at points and herby anise was present towards the end.  I enjoyed this cigar throughout the duration.

So when I got back to my office to write this review, I thought I’d look up what these puppies cost.  JR stocks them at $164.95 for a box of 25.  That makes these $6.60 a piece when purchased in bulk.  Although I liked this cigar while smoking it, it wasn’t good enough to justify the price.  There are plenty of other cigars out there in the $6 - $7 price range that I would recommend.  So that’s gonna drive the rating down on this cigar.  I guess you’re paying for the brand name…

Leafytimes LGAR Rating: 6

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No, I didn’t smoke a leather chair during lunch today.  But I thought my new chair was more noteworthy than the CAO black I smoked and we already reviewed.  I got this chair and ottoman set for a mere $70 from neighbor that was having a garage sale (on a Thursday!).  It’s a $800 set from the now out-of-business Bombay Company.  Having a big, luxurious chair to relax in while smoking a fine cigar is what life is all about.  It’s really tough once you’ve sat at an upscale cigar bar in a nice leather chair to go home and sit on a $9 plastic chair in the garage. . .  Sure, it has a little minor wear, but it’ll be perfect in my garage for smoking cigars.  My current thought is to get a massive heater for the garage so I can continue to smoke during the bitter Ohio winters.

Ok, on to the CAO Black.  The cigar started out bitter and off.  But for me, that normally indicates that it’s going to be a good cigar.  I’ll explain that theory in a later post.  As expected, this flavor bomb opened up about 1/3 through and delivered.  Bountiful smoke, great cedar and almond tastes.  A fine afternoon cigar to test out my new chair.

Leafytimes LGAR Rating: 8.0

Where do you sit when smoking a cigar?  Drop us a comment and let us know.

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Today’s lunch included a turkey sandwich, my new book The Hutt Gambit (Star Wars: The Han Solo Trilogy, Vol. 2), and a Playboy Double Corona by Don Diego.  If you haven’t been able to tell by the other LGAR reviews so far, the trend has been mild cigars.  This is due mostly in part to a JR Weekly special I purchased a few week back.

The Playboy Don Diego edition is being retired and replaced with a bold, less mild new version.   I found the Don Diego version to be the best mild cigar I’ve had in a long while.  Not being a fan of mild smokes, I still can say I enjoyed this cigar enough to recommend it to friends (you, the leafytimes reader of course!).

Construction, burn, and draw - All up to Playboys and my standards.  Taste - Smooth, mild nuts and honey is the best I can describe it.  I have a hard time picking up aromas in mild cigars other than cardboard and paper…so that makes this cigar noteworthy.

LeafyTimes LGAR Rating: 8.5

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Honestly, I don’t remember which Montecristo I purchased.  It was part of a JRCigar grab bag.  So this review will be short and relatively pointless.

Size appeared to be a Robusto.  Close to 4.5 x 48.  Perhaps a 444.  It almost tasted like an Monte Afrique, but I’m pretty convinced it was either a 444 standard or robusto.

Typical Montecristo cigar for me.  Good construction, good draw, good burn.  Taste was nothing exciting.  Hints of coffee and spice.  Finish was bitter.  Overall, an OK smoke but I wouldn’t go buying a box of whatever these are…

I’ll try to get my facts straight for future LGAR posts!

Leafytimes Mystery Rating: 5.0

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A few days ago, my brother suggested we start a series of short posts where we review our LGARs.  The first question you probably have is “What the heck is a LGAR“.   In short, it’s a cigar that is smoked during the business week during the lunch break.  While we’re dedicated cigar smokers, we both have jobs that don’t exactly let us puff away all day long.  It’s a rare treat to sneak out for a nice long cigar break right in the middle of the work day.  It’s almost like cheating the system by having a small piece of the weekend slammed right into the hectic week.  I’m starting Round I with the perennial classic: The Macanudo Hyde Park.

I was actually just at the real Hyde Park in London a few weeks ago.  Unfortunately, I didn’t smoke a cigar during my visit.  But this cigar’s name and in fact this entire Macanudo line always takes me back to these historic spots in England.  I sat back in my car at the back of the office parking lot, opened my current book Allegiance (Star Wars) and proceeded to enjoy this mild smoke.

These are nice mild and smooth sticks.   Particularly mild actually.  The construction was great.  The wrapper was paper thin but held together nicely.  The burn and draw were also flawless (Surprising given that this stick came from JRCIGAR).  The taste was pleasant.  Hints of cardboard and paper are all I could really get out of this.  Perhaps my palette is just not ready for mild smokes.  I always find myself wanting MORE from them.  This cigar never really opened up for that “WOW” moment where we slap on a high rating and go buy a box.  This line of Macanudo’s will always be what our father called them “Nice, smooth cigars”.  Nothing more.  That said, I still enjoyed it…perhaps because I wasn’t working on a Tuesday afternoon in Sunny Ohio.

Leafy Times Offical LGAR Rating:
Another take [Maduro Version]: StogieGuys: For smooth flavor and dependable construction, the Macanudo Maduro Hyde Park receives three out of five stogies.

See also here and here.

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For those of you who think I believe every cigar is a rave, let this post be a message to you: El Mejors are terrible.  I recently received four El Mejor Expresso maduros in an otherwise outstanding bundle from Cigar International.  They were not only the worst in the bunch; they were the worst cigar I’ve had in a year.

Let’s start with the appearance.  A dark, overly box-pressed spear-shaped log with a dark, bland label.  And it’s all down hill from there.  The burn is uneven.  The draw merely acceptable.  And the flavor?  Blech.  True to its name, it’s like smoking used coffee grounds from five years ago–except that would probably taste better.  Avoid these cigars.  If they are part of a bundle, pretend they aren’t there while considering whether to buy the bundle.  Give them to a drunk friend.  Give them to your worst enemy.  Better yet, throw them away.

You get the idea.  And I’m not alone.

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While perusing the local Tobacco Barn for a smoke this weekend, I decided to forgo purchasing an Artuero Fuente Hemingway Best Seller in favor of a La Flor Dominica Chisel.  I’ve had three or four of the Chisels over the past two years, and while I’ve enjoyed them, they have not been one of my absolute favorites–in part because they are a bit more expensive than your average La Flor, and in part because the “double ligero” wrapper and filler make this cigar super-strong.  I must say, however, that the one I picked up this weekend was an absolute gem.  Nutty and woody in flavor, with licorice and caramel overtones, this cigar was by far the best Chisel I’ve had to date.  Maybe it took a little while for the blend to settle in.  Or maybe the La Flors have finally grown on me.  Either way, you can be sure this cigar will find its way into my hands again.

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I hate gimmicky packaging.  Diablo cigars have it in spades.  Does it follow that I hate Diablo cigars?  Nope.

Consisting of a Dominican & Nicaraguan longfiller blend wrapped in a dark Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, Diablo cigars have been around for a while.  I remember Brother Dicksbain purchased one from Vendome when we first started smoking cigars back in 2005.  I remember him telling me it was just “OK.” With that less-than-stellar review, I never bought one for myself.

Until last week that is, when Famous-smoke.com’s “Monster Deal” featured a box of Diablo Pimientos for just $39.95, including shipping.  I checked out the reviews on top25cigars.com and was surprised to find that these cigars have been ranked rather well.  So I decided to gamble.

I know I tend to overrate cigars (e.g., CAO America), but Diablos are actually fantastic little smokes.  They have a “peppery” aftertaste that is very similar to an OpusX–it’s not as refined as an OpusX and it doesn’t have the same depth.  But the overall taste is in the same family.  Think of it as a cheaper, dumber cousin of the OpusX.  Simply marvelous for $1.60 a stick.

(If they cost $1.60 a stick everyday, I would give them a 9.0).

PS: Speaking of Diablo, word is Blizzard is going to announce Diablo 3 this weekend.  Let’s hope that’s true and that it’s not an MMORPG.

Update:  IT’s TRUE!

See the trailer here.

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I was browsing our site while smoking a CAO Brazilla Gol! this evening, and I realized that we’ve never done a review of this terrific smoke (other than the brief review in the HudGar2006 mega review).  If you like CAO cigars — hell, if you like cigars at all — then in all probability you’ve tried at least one of these sticks.  I’ve been smoking them consistently since 2005.  At first, I wasn’t a huge fan.  They tasted more like burning plastic to me than a noteworthy smoke.  Over time, however, I grew to love these toothy little sticks.

What the Brazillia line lacks in complexity, it more than makes up for in sheer power.  The construction is as good as any other CAO cigar — above average, but far from perfect — and they are one of the less expensive CAOs.  (Next to the CAO Gold, quite possibly the best value cigar ever made, the Brazillias are typically the cheapest CAO at any cigar store).

If for some reason you have avoided these sticks because of the campy packaging, I encourage you not to read a cigar by its band and try one they next time you’re looking for a powerful stick but do not want to pay top dollar for a Litto Gomez or Gurkha Beast.  I suggest the Gol! (a fat robusto), or better yet, the Impanema (roughly a Churchill in size).  These gars are better in longer sizes with slightly smaller ring gauges.

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I’m not sure how many of you read OJ Simpson’s book “If I Did It: Confessions of the Killer” I didn’t, but the title gave me an idea. Instead of doing an official review of a Cuban cigar, I could do a “hypothetical” review. That way I’m not admitting that I actually smoked such a cigar, but I get to communicate my thoughts regarding such a cigar to you–assuming I did smoke one.

If I smoked a Cohiba Sigulo VI, for example, the review would go something like this:

COHIBA SIGULO VI - Toro (6 x 50)

“What an amazing smoke. Next to the Montecristo No. 2, this is easily the best Cuban cigar I’ve ever smoked. The draw is perfect, the taste is amazing, the depth is unsurpassed. That’s not to say it’s perfect. It smokes a little fast, for instance, and burns a little unevenly. Nevertheless, this cigar embodies the classic “Cuban” flavor like no other. If I could switch off between these and Padron 1964, there would be no need for anything else. If you have the means, I highly recommend picking one up.”

Hypothetical Rating: 9

Or I would, if I were doing a review of the Sigulo VI. Sadly, our government (at least for now), refuses to allow us Americans to buy these cigars or even smoke them in foreign countries. I express no opinion on the merits of the government’s decision, except for this pithy insight: I don’t really think Cuba is that much of a threat anymore, now that Russia is gone–and has been for almost 20 years. We won. Time to leave the cold war behind us.

Enough said, no politics, etc. (Actually, I think the embargo helps keep Cuban cigars so good because it decreases demand and ensures higher quality production).

Not that I’ve ever smoked one…. If you have, let us know what you think. I’m dying to find out whether they are really better than Dominicans or Nicaraguans.

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The Arturo Fuente King B Belicoso has a truly regal name. As I was smoking my second one of these, I was trying to figure out what the “B” stood for. Bold, brass, big? Maybe it’s a self-grading like the hippie teachers would ask you to give your own art project back in grade school. Maybe the “B” was Fuente’s way of calling these seconds or segundos. Let’s find out.

This cigar is basically a Chateau Fuente with a sun grown wrapper and belicoso shape. The construction was classic Fuente; near flawless. Unfortunately, it was down hill after admiring the exterior craftsmanship. This cigar notably suffers from tight draw issues. I’ve had two and my brother has had three and we’ve both experienced the same tight draw. I really haven’t had any draw problems with cigars since I stopped buying crappy $2 bargin smokes. Bad draw is one of the worst conditions to affect a cigar. It prevents you from ever unleashing the tobacco goodness. It’s like having a Ferrari Hamann 599 GTB Fiorano with flat tires. Sad.

The taste was not that impressive either. Grass, cardboard, and blackberries. Finish was bitter. It never gets roaring with pepper and spice like most Chateau Fuentes. And because of the draw issues, the smoke output from this cigar really left me tasting blind and not enjoying myself.

We Brothers are huge fans of Fuente … we even made the pilgrimage to Casa Fuente last year and purchased many grossly overpriced cigars. The King B is overpriced at any dollar amount until the can fix the draw issues.

LeafyTimes.com Rating: 5

Another take from the StogieGuys: “Despite the sporadic burn problems and occasionally bitter finish, this is another excellent cigar from Fuente with a full, complex, and balanced flavor.”

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