According to Brent Butterworth, “Carlos Fuente, Sr. (aka Don Carlos) and his son, Carlito Fuente, blended the God of Fire cigars. God of Fire by Don Carlos uses an Ecuadorian wrapper while God of Fire by Carlito has a Cameroon wrapper. Don Carlos and Carlito Fuente have adjusted their blends to suit each size and shape of cigar offered. All God of Fire cigars can be considered medium-bodied, and all deliver a smooth, refined character and a satisfying, full flavor. Beyond those common traits, though, no further generalizations can be made. One must sample all the God of Fire cigars to experience the wealth of flavors this line offers.”

Cigar: God of Fire by Don Carlos
Size: 5 x 50 (Robusto)
Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Strength: Medium
Number Smoked: 2

God of Fire 06 Tubo by Don Carlos

Appearance and Construction: The God of Fire by Don Carlos is releases yearly using a specific vintage of tobacco. This edition uses tobacco from 2006 and hit the shelves about 2 years ago. The tobacco is now 5 years old, and I was lucky enough to find this on the shelves at Cigar Inn on 2nd Ave in NYC. The robusto comes in a red tubo which features Prometheus on it being killed by an eagle. This was his punishment for stealing fire and delivering it to the mortals. The cigar itself features and oily looking wrapper with some veins that are noticeable. There is a nice weight to the cigar, and is rolled well. The cigar utilizes a two band system. The first has the God of Fire band, and the second denotes the year and whose blend.

God of Fire 06 Foot by Don Carlos

Flavor & Notes: Despite the tubo not being lined with cedar the cigar has some strong cedar notes on the foot, wrapper and cold draw of the cigar. On the cold draw however there is a subtle sweetness present as well that reminds me of the ocean air on a day where the air is clean and crisp. Once the cigar is lit, the notes of cedar continue but there is also some fruitiness present like dried fruit candy jells. The cigar really takes a change when you exhale through the nose. The cigar becomes slightly more complex and the flavors explode. In the second third really making sure to exhale through the nose the cigar reminded me of my morning cherrios with notes of oats and some cinnamon thrown in for good measure. The final third remains heavy on cedar with some leather notes, but through the nose the cigar has some oats remaining. The finish of the smoke is short but tasty.

God of Fire 06 by Don Carlos

Smoking Characteristics: The cigar had an exquisite draw with a tight light color ash that held on well. The burn line was crisp and straight despite a slight diagonal burn as noted by the picture below. There was a nice aroma from the God of Fire that produced a nice thick lustrous volume of smoke.

God of Fire 06 by Don Carlos

Conclusion: Was it worth $22.00 no, would I buy it again, yes. How is that for a contradiction. The cigar was very tasty, and I found myself enjoying it immensely, but in a time where many cigars are coming out for less and less, the God of fire doesn’t stand above those. It does however smoke like a 12-14.00 stick and if they came in at that price I would smoking them often. But for now, at $22.00 I will keep some on hand for a special occasion.

God of Fire 06 by Don Carlos

Rating: 92
Price: $22.00

The Fonseca CXX, 120 Years comes in 3 sizes, 6 3/8 x 46 (Corona / $6.95 MSRP); 5 7/8 x 52 (Robusto / $7.50 MSRP) and 4 7/8 x 60 (Gordo / $7.95 MSRP).

2011 looks to be a promising year for Quesada, Fonseca & SAG Imports with the upcoming Casa Magna Lancero, Quesada Espana and now the Fonseca CXX to celebrate the 120th Anniversary of the brand.

Cigar: Fonseca 120 Years (CXX)
Size: 6 3/8 x 46 (Corona)
Wrapper: Dominican Republic
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua
Strength: Medium
Cigars Smoked For Review: 2

Fonseca CXX 120th Anniversary

Appearance and Construction: The Fonseca CXX (Roman Numerals for 120) sports an oily wrapper that has a lot of character to it. Reddish brown in color there are a network of veins that run through the wrapper and there is a lot of bumps and valleys to the naked eye. The cigar itself is rolled to perfection with a pigtail cap. The dark color band lacks any pizzaz to it and this could get lost on the shelves of some dimly lit humidors. Between the fingers there no soft spots despite its braille like feel with a nice weight and balance in the hand.

Flavor & Notes: Once the pigtail cap is clipped I am pleasantly surprised by the incredibly rich notes on the pre-light draw. It consists of nuts, chocolate and has a brownie like richness to it. The foot of the cigar has some chocolate to is a distinct musk, like grandmothers closet. Trust me when I tell you this is a good thing, I am content right now and I enjoy it a solid 20 minutes prior to lighting. Once the cigar is lit notes of nuts, cinnamon and rich chocolate envelop the taste buts with a gorgeous plethora of spice through the nose. As we enter the second third, some of the spice kicks it up a gear into a nice pepper note but the primary core flavors of chocolate and nuts remain. As we near the final third, the cigar began to turn slightly bitter with notes of leather and nuts to close the cigar.

The first third of the Fonseca CXX 120th Anniversary

Smoking Characteristics: The cigar had some burn issues but none that left me feeling disappointment as they were easily touched up with a quick touch up. The dark color ash was a bit weak and had some flowering going on but I never lost the ash before I chose to ash which was a good thing for my shirt. If you went through my closet you would find a collection of shirts with small burn holes in them. The draw was ideal, but there wasn’t an abundance of smoke produced from the cigar. There was a nice aroma, but I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it reminded me of.

The second third of the Fonseca CXX 120th Anniversary

Conclusion: Of the 3 new cigars I smoke from SAG this early part of 2011, the Fonseca stood above just edging out the Quesada Espana as tops for me. I’m looking forward to the release of these and see a box purchase in my future. This should be a banner year for the Quesada family, and I am appreciative of the early look into what is coming down the road.

The final third of the Fonseca CXX 120th Anniversary

Rating: 93
Price: $6.95

The La Aurora Corojo comes in 5 different sizes. The Aurora #4 (5.25 x 43), Belicoso (6.25 x 52), Double Corona (7.5 x 50), Gran Corona (6.5 x 50) and the Robusto (5 x 50). MSRP is $5.60 to 6.80 a cigar before any taxes.

Cigar: La Aurora Corojo
Size: 5 x 50 (Robusto)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Corojo
Binder: Ecuadoian Sumatra
Filler: Dominican Cubano, Dominican Olor, Nicaraguan Habano ’00
Twitter: @laauroracigars
Facebook: La Aurora Cigars
Official Site: http://www.rediscoverlaaurora.do/

Appearance and Construction: The La Aurora Corojo cigar features a gorgeous looking reddish brown wrapper with no blemishes, over-sized veins, or any imperfections. The cigar has a nice weight to it with no soft spots to be found while the foot reveals a nice bunching. The band is the simplistic classic looking red, white and gold La Aurora logo which reminds me a bit of a fireman’s logo. At the rate I have been burning these sticks I could be labeled an arsonist of the tobacco variety.

Flavor & Notes: Once I clipped the cap and spent 2 hours looking for matches (yes, i it would of been easy to just go to the store and buy a lighter but I can be stubborn at times) it was time to smoke another one for review. The cold draw offers up some spice, raisin and a faint molasses while the foot of the cigar is spicy. Once lit the cigar has a slight spice to it, as well as notes of cedar and a slight raisin. Through the nose the cigar a nice spice to it that heightens some cinnamon notes as the cigar enters the second third. The second third has some aforementioned notes of cinnamon but is also joined by a nuttiness and continued cedar. As the approach the final third of the cigar the notes remain of cedar and spice with an occasional wisp of cinnamon.

Smoking Characteristics: The burn of the cigar was even til almost the end of the cigar. In the last third I needed to touch it up some as it slightly canoed on me, but this is what lighters are for right? The cigar I smoked courtesy of my local rep this past Thursday burned like a dream  so I am not really worried about that imperfection in the burn. The dark color ash held very well and I had to double tap it around the second half to break it off. I did so so I wouldn’t wind up with a pile of ash on the floor. The draw was perfect from start to finish.

Conclusion: I really enjoyed this cigar a lot from the first time i smoked it and of all the cigars I smoked so far from IPCPR this is in my top two even if the score doesn’t reflect it. There are a lot of factor that come into play in stating such. The profile is right up my alley, and the price is right. I just hope with all the stuff coming out from my friends at La Aurora and Miami Cigar that this doesn’t get lost in the shuffle.

Rating: 90
Price: $6.00

Disclaimer: This cigar was gifted to me by Miami Cigars & La Aurora Cigars both of whom I have developed a close friendship with. Despite this my reviews are as I see (taste) them, and invite you respond with your thoughts. As always the typo’s and spelling mistakes have been left in this review for your amusement.

Aurora 100 Anos

To celebrate the the companies 100th anniversary, The 100 Años cigar was created. La Aurora was founded in 1903, and to celebrate the this cigar first appeared in 1994. The cigar was met with much fanfare in it was labeled the 3rd best cigar that year Cigar Aficionado Magazine. When the cigar first appeared on the market the lancero was not one of the sizes released. In fact only 800 boxes were ever produced by using the remaining tobacco from the blend.

Cigar: Aurora 100 Anos
Size: 7.5 x 40 (Lancero)
Wrapper: Dominican
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Strength: Medium

Appearance and Construction (16/20): The label of the cigar features the Aurora lion with a banner underneath stating 100 anos and utilizes colors the of red, beige, yellow and gold. The lancero at first look is a beautiful looking cigar. However under close inspection the cigar has an exorbitant amount of veins, but luckily only 1 of them sticks out above the surface.  Despite the number of veins, locating the seams of the the roll is virtually impossible. This toothy stick has a bad looking cap though where the cut lines are very uneven and slightly off center but this gets cut off so it is no big deal in the grand scheme of things. The cigar has a nice weight to it, and no soft spots.

Flavor & Notes (28/30): I am a huge fan of the notes one gets off the foot of aged Dominican tobacco. The notes are similar to that of an Anejo with that oak barrel nose and some molasses as well. The wrapper has a faint nose of chocolate while the prelight draw reminds me of cashews and molasses. As we light up the stick it offers some enjoyable spice and wood notes before being joined by a slight leather. As we approach the second third of this outstanding lancero there are some notes that are perceived by me as bread along side some cinnamon spice and a touch of wood. The final third of the cigar has some spice notes and a touch of leather. The cigar has an amazingly long finish.

Burn/Ash/Draw (24/25): The cigar has one of the best burns of any lancero I have smoked. The burn is so straight it is almost obscene. The medium gray ash holds for ages which is unheard of in a lancero cigar. The draw, although a little looser then I would like works well on this lancero that stood lit from start to finish.

Overall (22/25): Lancero cigars lately for me have been so hit and miss in terms of keeping them lit. I really enjoy how much more the flavors pop off the wrapper. This cigar is a lancero done right. What I don’t understand is the price of the lancero in general. The cigar uses much less tobacco yet in most cases the cigars are more expensive then a robusto. $11.0o is a bit steep for a stick of it’s size but the cigar was enjoyable and there were no regrets.

Rating: 90
Price: $11.00

La Traviata

The La Traviata brand began its life at the turn of the 20th Century in Cuba or, more precisely, in the Tabacalera Cubana, Agramonte no. 106, in Havana.  Over 100 years later, CAO has resurrected the La Traviata name, abiding closely to its original Cuban roots in presentation and taste.  CAO La Traviata is a full-bodied, full- flavored cigar that combines an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with a Cameroon binder and incorporates two different ligero filler tobaccos from the Pueblo Nuevo farm in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic.  “The inspiration for La Traviata came from smoking numerous classic Cuban cigars,” said CAO President Tim Ozgener. “We wanted to create a cigar that appealed to sight, smell, and taste.  We’ve also stayed true to the original La Traviata vista and artwork circa 1901-1904.”

Packaged in 24-count boxes, CAO La Traviata will be available in three shapes: Divino (5″ x 50), Radiante (6″ x 52), and Intrépido (7″ x 54), and will have a suggested retail price range of $5.00 to $6.00 per cigar before local taxes.

Finding these cigars online will be near impossible as they are B&M only, which gets high marks from me.

Cigar: CAO La Traviata
Size: 5 x 50 (Divino / Robusto)
Wrapper: Habano (Ecuador)
Binder: Cameroon
Filler: Dominican Republic and Nicaragua
Strength: Full

Appearance and Construction (19/20): The first thing that stands out to me is how silky the wrapper feels in my hand and how oily the cigar appears to the naked eye. The roll of the cigar is incredibly flawless with the wrapper having a few veins although none stand out. The stick has a tremendous weight to it with no soft spots and a little bit of tooth. The band a departure from most CAO sticks has La Traviata in the center with a small reference to CAO on the top. The colors of beige, blue, gold and maroon work really well giving this cigar a very classy feel to it.

Flavor & Notes (28/30): The foot of the cigar offers tremendous notes of molasses while the pre light draw has some sweetness and anise present. The cigar starts off with a slight kick of pepper, that slowly begins to fade revealing notes of roasted nuts and some slight leather notes. As we approach the second third of the cigar the notes of roasted nuts really begin to shine and the cigar takes on some cedar notes as well as a continued leather. The final third of the cigar the roasted nuts begin to fade as well as the leather notes. What remains is a strong anise flavor that you can actually smell from the cigar as well. There is some pepper through the nose and despite this the cigar has a delicious creamy finish.

Burn/Ash/Draw (23/25): The burn of the cigar is incredibly even with a nice tight ash with only the slightest amount of flake. The draw of the cigar had some resistance on each stick but I wouldn’t label it a nuisance.

Overall (24/25): I mentioned at my local cigar shop that this cigar is different then any other CAO I have smoked. and was told by the owner it is because the cigar is made at a different location then other CAOs. The prior statement was cleared up by Jon Huber in the comment section. With that said and done this is by far the best CAO I ever had, and is a really special cigar. It has an old world feel to it and I look forward to sparking another one up. Despite this cigar being B&M only if you call a mail order house attached to a B&M you might be able to get them that way. But as I always say, please support your local B&M and this cigar is an excellent choice in doing so.

Rating: 94
Price: $5.00

Cuchillos Cubanos

Convenience, flavor and value merge. Cuchillos Cubanos is a 60/40 blend of long and medium filler tobacco in efficient European sizes and packaging. Cuchillos Cubanos delivers rich and hearty cigar flavor without the large cigar format. All cigars are hand-made, double binded and finished with a silky grade A coverleaf.  Made for an “on-the-go” lifestyle in mind, these cigars are the perfect complement to the morning espresso ritual or, an after lunch luxury.

While other cigars will rank higher, this 5 pack of sticks is hands down my personal favorite cigar on the market right now. The Cuchillos Cubanos which translates to Cuban Knives is a cigar that gets right to the point. I thought I reviewed this stick when it first came out but it fell to the side while I caught up on other cigars I had in rotation. So without futher adieu I bring to you the Cuchillos Cubanos

Cigar: Cuchillos Cubanos
Size: 4.5 x 46 (~46~)
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Medium

Appearance and Construction (18/20): Just about any cigar that comes from the mind of Dion Giolitto has a look of elegance and class to it and this cigar is no exception. The grade A wrapper is reddish brown in color and the stick has a seamless roll with no veins and a perfect triple cap. The stick is well packed with no soft spots. The cigar which is in a pack of 5 features no cigar band.

Flavor & Notes (28/30): Right from the start of this stick the full flavor is evident. There are some subtle pepper notes that compliment a warm fresh from the oven bread like note. The warm bread notes continue right into the second third of this delicious stick and is joined by some marshmallows and cocoa notes as well. This stick would be heaven to smoke around a fire. The final third of the cigar is a rich cocoa with some toast notes.

Burn/Ash/Draw (24/25): The cigars burns very even all the way through this enjoyable smoke. In the hundreds I’ve smoked to date I’ve yet to have an issue on the burn or the draw. The light to medium gray ash was firm with a slight flake that held on admirably.

Overall (25/25): I know medium filler is something a lot of cigar smokers tend to stay away from, but this cigar is something that everyone should try. This cigar has more flavor then many long filler cigars and it smokes like a dream. If I was stuck on a desert island and could have a lifetime supply of one cigar this would be it.

Rating: 95
Price: $20.00 a Five pack

Padilla Dominus

Ernesto Padilla, owner of Padilla Cigars, has made full use of Corojo 2006 tobacco to blend his new Padilla Dominus brand, a cigar that is made solely with this type of Nicaraguan-grown tobacco. The seeds were planted in 2006 in the country’s Jalapa and Estelí regions before the crop’s harvest in early 2007. The final product is what Padilla calls his most full-bodied cigar to date.

“Aesthetically, Corojo 2006 is a gorgeous, brownish red color,” said Padilla. “For growers, it is very resistant to disease and has a high-yield crop. To consumers, the Corojo produces sweetness and spice, but it is very rich and balanced, and at the same time, it is the fullest bodied cigar I make.”

And the most expensive. Perla, 4 x 40 ($8.36 MSRP), Robusto, 5 x 50 ($9.04), Torpedo, 6 1/8 x 52 ($10.86) Corona Gorda, 5 5/8 x 46 ($9.76), Toro 6 x 52 ($10.56)  Churchill, 7 by 48 ($11.00) and Double Robusto 5 x 54 ($10.56).

Cigar: Padilla Dominus
Size: 7 x 49 (Churchill)
Wrapper: Nicaragua Corojo 2006
Binder: Nicaragua Corojo 2006
Filler: Nicaragua Corojo 2006
Strength: Full

Appearance and Construction (18/20): The reddish brown wrapper on this cigar has some veins, but nothing out of the ordinary. The cigar is exquisitely rolled and sports some nice tooth. There are also some oils visible on this stick. The cigar is well packed with a nice weight but what really stands out is the cigar band. The band is silver, gold, cream, black and red and it works. The silver has a pewter look to it, and the lion on this band is outstanding but as we all know a cigar band does not make a cigar.

Flavor & Notes (27/30): Prior to lighting this stick offers the trade mark Padilla taste. There are notes of cedar and mocha on the draw as well as the foot. It is these notes that made me a huge fan of Padilla Cigars. Upon sparking this up with a cedar strip, I was treated to some pepper right off the bat, but it wasn’t in your face strong pepper. As the first third progresses the pepper fades and notes of mocha and coffee jump to the front with some subtle spice in the background. As we enter the second third of the cigar the notes of mocha are really dominant. There is still some coffee in the mix as well with some sweetness as well. As we reach the final third of the stick the flavor profile dramatically turns. The final third of the cigar was leathery, and slightly bitter but just before I put it out there was a nice cherry note that made the finish enjoyable.

Burn/Ash/Draw (23/25): The cigar had a little bit of an uneven burn, although the burn line was straight it burned slightly faster on one side but never needed to be touched up. The ash was a dark gray that held on strong for half the cigar, but once I lost the ash there was some flowering and flake. during the second half of the smoke. The draw was perfect with nothing to complain about.

Overall (24/25): Thanks to Padilla for supplying me with this wonderful stick. I’ll be smoking this cigar in a robusto on a regular basis once I see it in stores. While labeled as the strongest cigar in the Padilla like it borders more on medium despite being billed as a full bodied smoke. For some odd reason it reminds me a little bit of a Padilla Miami on steroids. The high price point of this smokes prevent it from being a perfect 25/25 in this section.

Rating: 92
Price: $11.00

Paul Garmirian Soiree

I get around to more cigar shops then some cigar reps do. Among my favorites is a shop I don’t get to as much as I used to. The shop located in Princeton, NJ is called A Little Taste of Cuba and is owned by the founder of Tobacconist U, Jorge Armenteros. The shop has a lot of regulars in there who truly get what cigar smoking is all about, and despite the small humidor it is stocked with some great cigars. One of which was recommended to me by regular of the shop named, Sloan. When in Princeton you tend to run into many people with a name that says high society. Sloan turned out to be a pretty good guy though and here is my take on the cigar he pointed out to me.

According to the Paul Garmirian website the Soiree was created in a quest for new blends reminiscent of the great Cuban cigars PG enjoyed in the 1950s and early 1960s. The result is a full bodied after dinner cigar with an exquisite aroma and smooth finish, the Soiree is rich and tantalizing and the perfect way to complete a relaxing evening.

Cigar: Paul Garmirian
Size: 4 x 50 (Short Robusto)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Colorado
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Strength: Full

Appearance and Construction (18/20): The cigar for some reason reminds me of a fullback. It’s short, and solid, and looks like it could it’s ready to bowl you over. The wrapper is extremely oily and inviting with a nice appearance to the naked eye. Under close inspection the cap is slightly less then perfect, but gave me no problems when snipping. The cigar has a nice weight to it, with no soft spots anywhere. The stick utilizes a 2 band system with the primary band being the standard Paul Garmirian Gourmet Series utilizing red and white colors. The secondary band denotes it is the soiree, and is gold and black.

Flavor & Notes (28/30): Prior to lighting up this stick the cigar offered notes of earth with a slight spice on the draw. The foot revealed earthy tobacco notes. Due to the small size of this stick I am not going to break it down into thirds. As I lit the cigar I was hit with some spice and pepper through the nose. As the cigar progressed the notes of spicemoved to the background and what remained was a rich creamy stick with notes of notes of wood and nuts that would go perfect with a nice single malt scotch.

Burn/Ash/Draw (23/25): The cigar needed a minor touch up upon lighting, but other then that it burned like a dream. The gorgeous white ash held on for 3/4 of the stick despite being in breezy conditions outside. The draw was a little tight, and it didn’t produce as much smoke as I would like but that is only a minor complaint.

Overall (23/25): As the winter approaches us I am aware many people look for quick smokes due to smoking restrictions. A lot of people won’t smoke in a car or in their house so they look for a cigar that they can finish while walking the dog or running a quick errand. This cigar comes in other sizes and I will try a few of them next time I get to Princeton, NJ. But this stick in this size is perfect for when you don’t have the time and want a quality smoke. I was surprised by the slight kick and I was very impressed by the notes I got smoking this excellent cigar.

Rating: 92
Price: $8.50

Cain F

The Cain F which stands for Fuerte is a special edition in the Cain series. These sticks are 82% ligero compared to the 77% ligero in the maduro line. These 5 packs were available to retailers who took advantage of a special purchase order from Oliva cigars. In turn Oliva provided shops with these 5 packs to either a) sell or b) offer as a freebie to those who purchased a full box. I’ve seen this done both ways at many stores. The best place to buy the Cain online is the Chicago Cigar Company, so be sure to visit them for the best prices on this cigar line.

Cigar: Cain F
Size: 5 x 50 (Robusto)
Wrapper: Fuerte (Nicaragua)
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua (Jalapa, Condega, Esteli)
Strength: Full!

Appearance and Construction (18/20): The Cain F features no cigar band in the box of 5 cigars. The wrapper is glistening with oil and has virtually no veins. There is a slight tooth to this well packed stick that has no soft spots at all.

Flavor & Notes (26/30): The cigar offers strong notes of cedar on both the prelight draw and off the foot of the cigar. Once lit this cigar is an onslaught of strength. The notes of the first third of the cigar are spicy with an abundance of pepper. The nicotine is noticeable on this stick well before the 2nd third of the smoke is reached. Once in the 2nd third of this powerhouse the cigar is flavorful but powerful. The spices remain while some notes of wood and earth try to creep in as well. The final third of the cigar needs to be enjoyed sitting down because the power of this stick is strongest at the end. The final third of the stick is still spicy with notes of wood and coffee.

Burn/Ash/Draw (24/25): The burn of this cigar is near perfect. It never needed to be touched up though there was a slight waviness to it. The ash was dark and slightly flaky although it did hold on strong. The draw was excellent and the stick produced a decent amount of smoke.

Overall (23/25): These cigars are not for the weak. The strength and nicotine will know you on your ass even if your a seasoned cigar smoker. Despite being strong the cigar is smooth and refined due to the triple fermentation process. I rather smoke the maduro but these sticks are not so distant second in the Cain family.

Rating: 90
Price: $Unknown

Padron Family Reserve

The Padron Family Reserve has begin to hit the shelves of tobacconists around the world. The cigar is meant to celebrate the company being in business for 45 years and is nicknamed “The Hammer”. The Padron Family Reserve comes in both the natural and maduro wrapper and are in boxes of 10 cigars. My local cigar shop got these in and despite the high price I have been smoking them religiously. I tend to favor the natural version, however on the shelf the difference between the maduro and natural to the naked eye was negligible.

Cigar: Padron Family Reserve (45 Years/The Hammer)
Size: 6 x 52 (Box Pressed Toro)
Wrapper: Nicaragua (Aged 10 Years)
Binder: Nicaragua (Aged 10 Years)
Filler: Nicaragua (Aged 10 Years)
Strength: Full

Appearance and Construction (20/20): Outstanding. That sums it up in one word. This toothy looking natural wrapper has almost no veins to speak up. The roll is seamleass, and the cigar is balanced. There are no soft spots on the stick and the foot reveals a well packed cigar. When it comes to box pressed sticks, Padron definitely sets the bar. The band is red and gold, and denotes the cigar is the Padron Family Blend. There is a hammer located between the 1964 which was the birth year of Padron Cigars. There is a secondary anti counterfeiting band underneath the primary band. The 3rd band denotes 45 Years.

Flavor & Notes (30/30): Prior to lighting my stick, the foot offered some notes of cedar and spice and the draw reveal some rich cocoa notes. From first light this cigar is definitely something special. Rich. That’s how I can describe this smoke. There are some notes of chocolate/cocoa with some coffee. But this cigar transcends the notes. The cigar is the smoothest, and most perfect cigar I have ever smoked. The second third has some slight spice to it which compliments the rich tobacco and cocoa notes. The final third right down til I couldn’t hold the stick provided wonderfully rich notes of chocolate, coffee and a slight cedar.

Burn/Ash/Draw (25/25): The cigar had the smallest carbon line I ever saw. The cigar burned even all the way down to the end. The ash was a nice light gray that held very well. The draw of the cigar was pure perfection.

Overall (24/25): In NJ with the tobacco tax these sticks retail for 35.00 and that prevents the cigar from being perfect. I know this is a contradiction, but despite the price I have been smoking them on a regular basis. The cigar is incredible. This stick provides a flavor profile that is so enjoyable and relaxing that I felt totally relaxed and unstressed after finishing the cigar. Those who don’t smoke, don’t understand. But this is my therapy and it’s cheaper then spending time on the couch of a psychologist.

Rating: 99
Price: $260.00 a box of 10 at Famous Smoke Shop