November 29, 2009 | Posted by Barry
So the readers of this website spoke with the top 10 list of cigars for 2009. Not surprisingly La Traviata by CAO won and now the question remains where will it finish in my own list that will be published on December 21st 2009 along with another $100.00 gift certificate for famous-smoke.com. These gift certificates come courtesy of myself as my way of saying thanks to the support given to this site…
To win all you have to do is comment on my posts between now and December 20th, 2009 at 11:59pm. No back to back comments on the same posts, but the more comments you leave the greater chance you will have to win…
Good luck and now on to the Sunday Links…
So leave those comments and good luck on winning that gift certificate
Categories: Cigar Reviews, Site Information | 
Tags: Carlos Torano Signature, contest, Davidoff Colorado Claro, Don Pepin Cuban Classic, La Traviata, oliva v maduro | 
4 Comments »
November 27, 2009 | Posted by Barry
Well after a short delay and little snafu I am happy to announce the gift certificate contest as come to a close. I will be giving away a second $100.00 gift certificate in the month of December so be sure to check back often to find out how to win your chance at this great prize…
Tom M is the winner and he has been contacted by email… While none of his top 5 sticks made the Top 10 List submitted by the readers of this website I am sure he will enjoy spending his $100.00 on cigars that he loves the most…
Here is the top 10…
10. Tatuaje Noelle Reserve
09. Nestor Miranda 20th Anniversary
08. Tatuaje Boris
07. CAO LX 2
06. Oliva V
05. Room 101 by Camacho
04. My Father Le Bijou
03. Padron Family Reserve
02. Epernay
and the cigar of the year chosen by the readers of acigarsmoker.com
01. La Traviata by CAO Cigars
Categories: Cigar Reviews, Site Information | Tags: Cigar Of The Year 2009, contest, User submitted | 4 Comments »
November 26, 2009 | Posted by Barry
This is the time of year where we all give thanks so I decided that should extend to my website as well. acigarsmoker.com would not be where it is today without the help of so many people. So today the website will take on the look of a CD liner note as I thank those who helped us get where we are.
These are not in any particular order,and everyone deserves the same credit so here goes…
Gary J. Arzt, Mauricio Canto of Costa Rica Cigars, Fume Cigars in Montclair NJ, Andre Reed, Robert Arroyo, Steve Faccenda from CAO, Jon Huber from CAO, Rick Delia of Oliva Cigars, Allison from Rocky Patel, Rocky Patel, Dion Giolito, Pete Johnson, David Mallow, Stogie Review (Walt White, Jerry Cruz and Brian Hewitt), The World According To Stew, Tom’s Cigars, St. Pete Pipe & Tobacco, Alec Bradley, Xikar, Joe from Cigar Vault, Cigar Inn, Rich Rodenhaus from Don Pepin Cigars, Cigar Agency, Maria & Dennis from Altadis USA, Tony from Ashton, Sonny, George Rico, Tony from SmokeScore.com, Cigar Jack, IPCPR, Ashes Tobacconist, Famous-Smoke, Chicago Cigar Co., Corona Cigar Co., Charlie Torano, Cigar Outcast, Cigar Clubhouse, Stogie Guys, Sam Leccia, Padilla Cigars, Tony from Ashton, Holt’s Cigar, Twin Shoppe Cigars, Michael Herklot from Davidoff, The Cigar Chick @ Nat Sherman, Zino, Kevin from Drew Estate, everyone on Twitter and the countless readers who take the time to visit this website on a regular basis.
Have a Happy Thanksgiving!
Categories: Cigar Ramblings, Site Information | Tags: | No Comments »
November 24, 2009 | Posted by Barry
Tatuaje T110
Today’s smoke is the first cigar I have taken a picture of with my new HTC Hero phone. The phone has a 5 mega pixel camera but it still came out a little grainy. I guess I have to play around with it, but it is better then the web-cam I was using in my friends store. I was gifted today’s smoke by two people. One was Tony from smokescore.com and the other was Joe aka jitzy8585 who is cigar aficionado that can be found on various cigar boards and on twitter.
The Tatuaje T110 is a rare cigar with only 200 boxes being made for 1 store in Hawaii. The Tatuaje T110 is a pure ligero smoke that is made in Nicaragua. Despite the fact that the majority of the readers will never smoke one I decided review it anyway and I hope no one minds my self indulgence in doing so.
Cigar: Tatuaje T110
Size: 4.5 x 52 (T110/Short Robusto)
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Full
Appearance and Construction (19/20): The T110 features a gorgeous looking oily wrapper that is totally flawless. The stems are virtually non existent making this a silkly looking wrapper. There is a slight tooth on the cigar and the cigar offers a classic looking triple cap. The band features the Fleur De Lys with T110 printed to the right of it and Tatuaje to the left of it. . The colors are white with some red, yellow and blue
Flavor & Notes (26/30): Prior to lighting up the smoke I took the time to smell the wrapper which is usually uneventful for me. However on this stick the sweet smell of chocolate was easily identifiable. The draw was pretty uneventful other then some sweet tobacco notes. Upon lighting up the cigar there is a nice spice present similar to a white pepper. As the first third progresses some leather and dark chocolate join the white pepper on this powerhouse. The second third has some peppery spice remaining and the primary notes are coffee beans and leather. The final third of the cigar offers notes of coffee beans and a subtle leather on the finish.
Burn/Ash/Draw (23/25): This big smoke producer burns with only the slightest bit of wave to the burn line. The light colored ash hold fairly well with only the slightest bit of flake. The draw was a little tight on the cigar I smoked for this review but it wasn’t overly annoying.
Overall (22/25): I am glad I had the opportunity to smoke one but to be honest with you while good I wouldn’t go out of my way to track these down. I would howeve but at the same time I wouldn’t rule out trading for them again. It is a nice spicy full bodied smoke, that has a strong nicotine kick to it so I would save these for after a hearty meal if you ever come across them.
Rating: 90
Price: $Unknown
Categories: Cigar Reviews | Tags: Hawaii, pete johnson, T 110, T110, tatuaje | 4 Comments »
November 23, 2009 | Posted by Barry
Oliva V Maduro 2009
What looks like to be a standard release each fall from the Oliva Cigar Co, the Oliva Series V Maduro has begun to make it’s way on to the shelves in various stores around the country. The Chicago Cigar Co. has these sticks for an amazing price of $77.00 for a box of 10 making it the lowest I have come across on the Internet. Plus if you use the shipping code ACS you can save on the shipping of these sticks. The 2008 was an amazing cigar, so lets see if the 2009 fares as well.
Cigar: Olive V Maduro
Size: 6.5 x 52 (Torpedo)
Wrapper: Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Full
Appearance and Construction (15/20): The Oliva V Maduro’s wrapper has a chocolate like appearance in color. There are a few prominent veins on it, and the seams of the roll are quite visible but sometimes looks can be deceiving. The cigar has a nice weight to it, and no soft spots. On the few samples I have smoked I had to cut a little more then I normally would on a torpedo cigar due to a tight draw. There are a few stems visible once the cigar is cut which was a tad disappointing. The cigar features the classic Oliva V band with the word Maduro to the left of the logo.
Flavor & Notes (29/30): Prior to sparking this stick up the cigar offers notes of mocha that are easily identifiable while the foot offers notes of figs. As we progress through the first third of the cigar there are notes of chocolate and wood. As we enter the second third of the stick the notes really begin to shine. The chocolate notes become very rich and creamy as they envelope you palate. Through the nose the cigar has some spices but nothing too overpowering. The final third of the stick the chocolate notes remain but toned down as leather and spice take hold of the stick.
Burn/Ash/Draw (22/25): Around the half way point the cigar burned a little funky but I was smoking the review cigar in less then ideal conditions. I had to give a quick touch up to get it back on track. The medium gray ash had a little bit of flake but held on well. The draw is an issue, but cutting it a little more then most torpedos seem to be the trick with these sticks.
Overall (24/25): Last year I failed to get my hand on more then one box, and I regretted that after I smoked a few. This year I jumped on board early and the 2009 edition does not disappoint. The cigar has a lot of nice flavors to it, and while strong it does not overpower.
Rating: 90
Price: $77.00 for a box
Categories: Cigar Reviews | Tags: 2009, maduro, Oliva Series V, Torpedo | No Comments »
November 22, 2009 | Posted by Barry
Greetings & Salutations one and all. As thanksgiving approaches us so does the end of our contest for a $100.00 gift certificate for famous-smoke.com. If you have not done so yet, make sure you Enter To Win!
Oliva has a few gift boxes out for the holiday season one of which is the series V. This gift sets comes with 2 diademas that are not made anywhere else but for the gift set. If you are a fan of the Oliva V be sure to put these on your wish list.
This past week Altadis and Tatuaje have settled their lawsuit and I hearby lift my ban of Altadis smokes 
The Sunday Links
- Casas Fumando has a review of the Liga Privada T-52 from Drew Estate.
- Matt’s Cigar Journal has a review of the Camacho Connecticut.
- Puffing Cigars gives is their take on the CAO Gold Vintage.
- The Friday Cigar gives us a review of the Edmundo Dantes El Conde 109 Mexico Region Edition 2007.
- Tom’s Cigars a self described Rocky Patel Fanboi gives us a review of the Rocky Patel 2009 Autumn Collection
Categories: Cigar Ramblings, Cigar Reviews | Tags: Camacho Connecticut, CAO Gold Vintage, Edmundo Dantes El Conde 109 Mexico Region Edition 2007, Liga Privada T-52, Rocky Patel Autumn Collection 2009 | 1 Comment »
November 20, 2009 | Posted by Barry
Alec Bradley Tempus Maduro
I searched high and low to find some information on this new release. The Alec Bradley Tempus Maduro is a limited edition produced in the Magistri size that I found in a recent trip to Philadelphia while at Holt’s on Walnut. The cigar was so good I had to bump up the review date to share with you all.
Cigar: Alec Bradley Tempus
Size: 6.5 x 52 (Magestri)
Wrapper: Maduro
Binder: Trojes, Honduras Criollo ‘98 – Indonesia Embetunada
Filler: Trojes, Honduras, Nicaragua
Strength: Medium/Full
Appearance and Construction (19/20): A flawless dark maduro wrapper with virtually no veins and a ton of oils make this an attractive looking stick. The Magistri is a a well rolled diadema. There are no soft spots on this stick and there is a slight tooth to it. The over-sized band catches your eye on the shelf, which is a good thing to those new to the Bradley family of cigars.
Flavor & Notes (28/30): The prelight draw revealed some wonderfully rich tobacco notes, but nothing in the terms of flavor. As we light the cigar using a cedar strip for a change of pace the cigar offers notes of earth and coffee and I catch the occasional note of cinnamon that teases the senses. As we approach the second third the coffee notes are joined by some wonderful mocha notes that make this cigar shine. The final third of the cigar has notes of earth, coffee and semi sweet chocolate notes.
Burn/Ash/Draw (22/25): The burn in this cigar was a nice and slow and remained even throughout. The oils just poured off the cigar as it burned. The ash was a medium to dark gray that held on extremely well but became very flaky around the mid way point. The draw like most diademas started out a little tight but opened up as we got to the middle of the smoke.
Overall (23/25): There was a great question asked on Stogie Review the other day if you let a cigar that is rare alter the way you rate it or speak of it. I for one do. This cigar is a limited edition smoke that I wish was a year round release and in other sizes. The cigar definitely has a wow factor and I plan to snatch up a handful every time.
Rating: 92
Price: $10.00
Categories: Cigar Reviews | Tags: alec bradley, limited edition, maduro, Magestri | No Comments »
November 18, 2009 | Posted by Barry
Liga Privada T52
The T52 is a blend that was in a holding pattern for a long time as Drew Estate has been working with a stalk cut habana leaf since 2006. The cigar even went through a re-blend during production as they could not decide on test blend #3 or #4. So blend 3.5 was developed and what you have is the final product, the Liga Privada T52
Cigar: Liga Privada T52
Size: 6 x 52 (Toro)
Wrapper: Stalk Cut America Habano (Connecticut)
Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina
Filler: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
Strength: Medium/Full
Appearance and Construction (18/20): This silky smooth American grown Habano wrapper has an abundance of oils and minimal veins. The roll of the cigar is seamless and the cigar seams to be well aged. There are no soft spots to speak of and the stick has a nice heavy weight to it. The band of the cigar is a slight variation on the No. 9 with the colors being brown and bronze and the words Liga Privada T52 written out in a nice bold font. The one negative here is some of the cut lines of the wrapper are uneven but one really has to stare at the stick to see that.
Flavor & Notes (27/30): Prior to lighting up this stick the prelight draw offers some sweetness and leather notes that intrigue the palate while the foot as some notes of raisin and a sweet molasses. The first third of the cigar offers some pepper through the nose, but the primary notes here are cocoa, cedar and leather. As we approached the second third some of the sweetness faded and the cigar began to take on the notes of nuts, and coffee with the occasional cinnamon spice. The final third of the cigar had leather and spice notes.
Burn/Ash/Draw (24/25): This slow burning cigar offers no issues at all. It burns slightly jagged but remains close enough to even to never cause a concern or a need to relight. The ash is a light gray with some dark patches and it holds on strong. Despite being a major smoke producer the draw was a tad difficult and for that I’ll deduct a point.
Overall (23/25): A lot of people I know don’t like the Liga Privada No. 9 due to the impressive strength and the T52 will be the answer. This cigar is a full flavored medium bodied smoke that delivers. They are in stores now and they do not disappoint.
Rating: 91
Price: $14.70
Categories: Cigar Reviews | Tags: American Habano, Liga Privada T52, Stalk Cut | 2 Comments »
November 16, 2009 | Posted by Barry
Super Selection 12 by Davidoff
I know the cigars I have smoked lately have been a little repetitive due to the fact I recently went to the Davidoff of Geneva shop on Madison Avenue in New York City. Today’s smoke was a cigar shown to me by the General Manager, Michael Herklots who I first made acquaintance with on Twitter. The cigar is one that was not on my radar but after hearing Michael rave about it I had to give it a try. According to the Davidoff website, “The Super Selection is a true one of a kind cigar. As tastes change we have been able to bring to market new cigars that match these fuller, stronger tastes. The Super Selection series is a power blend that has an inviting and seductive aroma. By forgoing the creative process of band and box artwork, the time to bring this blend to the store has been greatly shortened. Available only from the Davidoff Shop in New York; we can assure you that this product meets Davidoff quality and integrity requirements.”
Cigar: Super Selection by Davidoff
Size: 5 x 50 (Robusto)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sungrown
Binder: Domincan Olor
Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican Ligero
Strength: Medium
Appearance and Construction (17/20): This sungrown wrapper has a significant amount of veins throughout. The foot of the smoke appears to be a little bit loosely packed but the remained of the cigar has no soft spots. The roll of the cigar isn’t seamless and the wrapper lines are well defined. The cap of the cigar is well done on this band-less cigar that has a no frills appearance about it.
Flavor & Notes (27/30): Like just about all Davidoff cigars the prelight notes are very earthy with notes of grass and hay which match the notes off the foot of the cigar. The first third of the cigar has an underlying sweetness to it, but the primary notes here are nuts and a mild coffee. As we smoke the second third of the cigar there is still a slight sweetness mixed in with some earth. There is some spice present as well, especially through the nose. The final third of the cigar has a nice buttery sweetness on the finish.
Burn/Ash/Draw (22/25): The burn of the cigar is slightly jagged but nothing that gets out of control. The light colored ash is flaky and does not hold on strong so keep those ash trays handy. The draw offered some resistance, but it wasn’t annoying.
Overall (22/25): This value smoke from Davidoff, yes value smoke at $9.00 is a nice every day smoke for those who don’t mind dropping the $9.00. It smokes like a Davidoff and offers a piece of The Good Life.
Rating: 88
Price: $9.10 a stick at Davidoff
Don’t forget to enter our contest for a chance to win $100.00 Gift Certificate to Famous-Smoke.com
Categories: Cigar Reviews | Tags: davidoff, Madision Ave, robusto, Selection 12, Super Selection | No Comments »
November 15, 2009 | Posted by Barry
Not really sure what to write about today. Baseball season is over, and football this year has been a snore for me. Despite liking the Saints and the Jets I can’t seem to get into it. I cheer for the Saints because I am a huge Drew Brees fan ever since his days at Purdue.
In cigar news this week the Oliva V Maduro has it the shelves. I’ll have a review within a week to see how these compare to 2008. Also on shelves now are the Davidoff Colorado Claro, The Griffin Special Edition XXV and Paul Garmirian’s 20th Anniversary.
The Sunday Links….
And please do not forget to enter our contest for a $100.00 gift certificate to Famous-Smoke.com
Categories: Cigar Ramblings, Cigar Reviews, Ramblings | Tags: Alec Bradley Prensadao, Cabaiguan Maduro, Padron Family Reserve | No Comments »
Recent Comments