La Libertad comes from Vilager Stokkebye. Never heard of them? Well until recently, neither have I. According to the website, Villiger Stokkebye International combines many generations of two families and more than 240 years of experience in the tobacconist’s art into one company. The Villiger family of Switzerland and the Stokkbeye family of Denmark have [...]
Posts Tagged ‘Cigar Review’
Four Kicks – Cigar Review & Contest
Posted by acigarsmoker on November 16th, 2011
If you use social media, or read cigar blogs chances are you already heard about Four Kicks by Crowned Heads. If you haven’t then you must not be a true cigar geek like me and my fellow twitter-holics. In case you fit this bill, Four Kicks is by Crowned Heads a company started by former employees of CAO. The company which features Jon Huber former marketing genius for CAO follows many of the same promotional ideas used in the past. Before the brand was launched there was T-Shirts, Stickers, and Baseball Caps. In fact, you can win one of those caps by leaving a comment at the end of this review.
The cigar is made in the Dominican Republic for Crowned Heads under the watchful eye of EPC Cigars at Tabacalera LaAlianza. Ernesto Perez Carrillo has seen a lot of success, fast since he began he own label after a similar buyout but the Scandinavian Tobacco Group. One can say this was a match made in heaven as both have a similar past.
Illusione MJ 12 Maduro – Cigar Review
Posted by acigarsmoker on November 9th, 2011
2011 has been a big year for Dion. First he came out with one of the best candela cigars I have ever smoked. Then he moved his cigar shop Fumare located in Reno, Nevada into a bigger location. Lastly, some sizes (CG:4, 88, 888, and MJ 12) of the Illusione Original Documents got the Maduro treatment. The cigars don’t look like your typical maduro, but more on that later.
The MJ 12 shows the mind of Dion at work. A believer of some conspiracy theories the MJ 12 was named after the Majestic 12. The scientists that allegedly were assigned to the Roswell incident in 1947 by President Harry S. Truman. The original MJ 12 release was wrapped in silver foil to acknowledge the alleged cover up by the US Government. This time around, the MJ 12 Maduro is wrapped in black foil.
Posted in Cigar Reviews 
Tags: Cigar Review, Conspiracy, dion giolito, Fumare, Illusione Maduro, illusione mj12, majestic 12, Mexico, MJ 12, mj12, Nevada, Original Document, Reno, San Andres 
2 Comments »Oliva V Maduro 2011 – Cigar Review
Posted by acigarsmoker on November 7th, 2011
Oliva Serie V Maduro Especial is a limited edition cigar released yearly and truly a treat with only 30,000 cigars produced with a different size created each year. This complex blend of Nicaraguan long filler tobaccos with a specially fermented Jalapa Valley ligero held together by a Nicaraguan binder. The cigar is then finished with high priming San Andres maduro wrapper grown in the fertile San Andres valley in Mexico.
Posted in Cigar Reviews Tags: Cigar Review, limited edition, maduro, Mexican Maduro, nicaragua, Olivia, San Adreas, Serie V 1 Comment »Undercrown by Drew Estate – Cigar Review
Posted by acigarsmoker on November 4th, 2011
For fans of the Liga Privada you might have noticed a bit of a shortage lately, and perhaps it is that reason to why the Undercrown was created. As the stories go, the rollers on the factory floor were told to smoke less Liga. The press release states, “Undercrown is a liga blended on our factory floor by the best of our Liga Privada torcedores for themselves due to our request that they smoke less of the cigars they were crafting. Incorporating many of the same rare tobaccos, but of different vintages and primings, the cigar they created was no mere replacement. Earthy, creamy, spicy with a delicious black tobacco sweet finish, Undercrown is an exceptional smoking experience of uncompromising quality and flavor that deserves to be smoked by all.”
The result is a cigar can basically be called the half-brother to the Liga Privada line. Will the cigar become the black sheep of the family or will it be widely accepted. That is the question that can only be answered over time. But here is my opinion none the less.
Posted in Cigar Reviews Tags: Brazilian Mata Fina, Cigar Review, Drew Estate, Jonathan Drew, Liga Privada, Marvin Samel, nicaragua, No. 9, Stalk Cut Habano, T-52, Undercrown 2 Comments »Thunder by Nimish – Cigar Review
Posted by acigarsmoker on November 2nd, 2011
Thunder by Nimish Desai is the first cigar by the cousin of Rocky Patel. Made in Honduras the cigar is labled as a medium to full-bodied smoke. The cigars will be available in 3 sizes and retail for between $5.00 and $6.00. The sizes are Short Robusto (4.5 x 54) w/pig tail cap, Toro (6 x 52) and Torpedo (6.25 x 52). On a footnote I am writing this review on Saturday night as snow falls in New York City. There is a solid 2″ on the ground with another 1″ to 3″ due overnight. The temperature is a frigid 34 degrees Fahrenheit with a real feel temperature of 17 degrees, Fahrenheit. I know some will say that this weather is out of whack because of it, but I say Global Warming is a myth and an urban legend. I don’t ever remember snow or temperatures this cold, ever.
Tatuaje Wolfman – Cigar Review
Posted by acigarsmoker on October 31st, 2011
Pete Johnson has returned with his version of the Monster Mash…. Each and every Halloween he returns to his lab to create a new monster, and hopefully a graveyard smash. The Wolfman is the 4th release in the series with the 1st being the Frank, 2nd Drac, and 3rd The Face. In the second year there was also an actor’s series release in the Boris. The cigars are released in 666 dress boxes (shaped like a coffin) and 1300 regular boxes of 10.
I recently drove to Philadelphia with some friends, and hung out with Pete at Holt’s on Walnut before heading to the Oyster Bar for dinner. Over the course of the day we discussed his music career, future releases, and IPCPR. When I arrived there were only 4 non-dress boxes left, and within 5 minutes those were gone.
Posted in Cigar Reviews Tags: Box Press, Cigar Review, Drac, Frank, holts, limited edition, Monster Seies, My Father Cigars, pete johnson, Philadelphia, tatuaje, The Face, Wolfman 5 Comments »EP Carrillo Edicion Limitada 2011 – Cigar Review
Posted by acigarsmoker on October 19th, 2011
Ive been a fan of EP Carrillo since their cigars first landed on the market. Even though the 2009 Limited Edition was met with mixed reviews on-line I was a fan and it only grew with each product I smoked. The Elenacos, Maduro, New Wave Connecticut, Short Run 2010 and Short Run 2011 as well as the Limited Edition 2010.
Each year EP Carrillo release a cigar in one size but in a different blend each year and this year is the fullest body of the 3 Limited Edition cigars released to date. This years release is limited to 2,000 boxes all of which were pre-sold at IPCPR. Ernesto Perez Carrillo was the original creator of La Gloria Cubana and now runs his own company based in Miami and are an advertiser on this site. The above reviews were written before that, and todays review is based on a couple of cigars I picked up at Cigar Inn in New York City.
La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale – Cigar Review
Posted by acigarsmoker on October 17th, 2011
If you look at the teams that General Cigar has created they do not have what you would consider to be the traditional route of a cigar company. For example, Michael Giannini was born in Philadelphia, PA. Hardly the tobacco hotbed and yet he has grown into his position after spending 25 years in the business. Looking at Michael you wouldn’t expect him to be so involved in blending with his fashionable style he seems more suited to be involed over at GQ then with La Gloria Cubana.Looks can be deceiving.
The latest release from La Gloria Cubana, The Artesanos Retro Especiale. According to the press release,
TAA 2011 Exclusive by Tatuaje – Cigar Review
Posted by acigarsmoker on October 12th, 2011
The TAA stands for the Tobacconist Association of America is based out of Chicago, Illinois and was born in 1968 by visionary retail tobacconist. They meet yearly, with the next meeting in 2012 in Los Cabos (America group, meeting in Mexico, go figure!). To find out more about the TAA visit them on the web at http://fujipub.com/taa/. This is the first year Tatuaje has released a cigar that is available only through TAA members. Rather then list those stores here, visit Smoking Stogie for their review and a list of shops that will carry the cigar.
According to UpDown Cigar (one of the retailers selling this smoke)….
San Lotano Oval – Cigar Review
Posted by acigarsmoker on October 10th, 2011
Every March and every October like clockwork I get hit hard with allergies. Add to the fact that while at Little Puff I developed flu like symptoms on the way home and I began to rethink how much I smoke.
According to the AJ Fernandez website,
The prestigious San Lotano Oval from AJ Fernandez presents in a highly unique oval shape. The key to an enhanced smoking experience: ultra-premium aged tobacco. The new Oval affords a truly distinguished balance like no other.
The cigar is available in six sizes, Petite Robusto (4.5 x 54); Corona (4 x 44); Robusto (5.5 x 54); Toro (6 x 54); Gordo (6.5 x 60) and Pyramid (6.5 x 54).
Posted in Cigar Reviews Tags: Box Press, Cigar Review, habano, Habano 2000, Oval, robusto, San Lotanto 5 Comments »Veritas MMXI – Cigar Review
Posted by acigarsmoker on September 28th, 2011
At the Delaware Cigar Festival I was surprised to see representation from Veritas Cigar Company. In fact, after talking to them I was even more shocked to learn Michael Dove was no longer a part of the company since the press release touted his family history in tobacco. In talking to the company owners I was able to find out the story of Veritas cigars.
Originally founded as a website called Cars, Bars & Cigars they quickly realized the amount of work necessary to run a site. In 3 months time they didn’t get the advertising dollars they expected and shut down the site. I won’t get into how 3 months is long enough to pay your dues, but after the site shut down they began to figure there next move. That move was the creation of Veritas Cigar Company. They turned to Blue Mountain Cigars to make their product which they pitch as having tobacco aged for at least 4 years. The portfolio is currently 3 different cigars, the MMXI (Maduro), DEA (Connecticut), and the Tri (triple wrapped). The cigars are bade by Blue Mountain Cigars and pitch that the tobacco is aged for four years.
Posted in Cigar Reviews Tags: Blue Mountain Cigar, Cigar Review, Delaware, maduro, MMXI, Veritas, Veritas Cigar Company 12 Comments »Room 101 LTD Namakubi – Cigar Review
Posted by acigarsmoker on September 26th, 2011
Room 101 cigars originally debuted to mix reviews. However, Matt Booth worked hard and developed a cult following. The cigars grew in popularity and seemingly they got better. Last month acigarsmoker.com was with the Room 101 Connecticut and we eagerly awaited the release of the Namakubi.
According to Room 101 Cigars the story of the Namakubi is based on Samurai culture and is believed to live on in spirit within certain groups. In ancient times when two Samurai clans would gather for competition there was a great deal at stake. Normally, the losing party would die as a result of wounds sustained in battle or be executed upon defeat. The Namakubi, or freshly severed head of the losing party would be prepared on a wooden tray then tagged in a regimented manner and presented to the leader of the winning clan as a gift.
Posted in Cigar Reviews Tags: camacho, Cigar Review, Corona, limited edition, Matt Booth, Namakubi, Room 101 3 Comments »La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Maduro – Cigar Review
Posted by acigarsmoker on September 21st, 2011
Last week Nat Sherman hosted the launch of the Air Bender Maduro which as of now is only available as part of Casa de Tobacco. The Casa de Tobacco will also serve as a Humidor and is made from rattan and leaves from the plantain. It basically looks like a scale model of the curing barns that are in the tobacco regions of the Dominican Republic. Production is limited, and the MSRP is $350.00.
At the event I got to talk with Litto and while there are no plans currently to release the cigar as a stand alone, he wouldn’t be surprised to see it as a regular release down the road. Since Litto makes all the tobacco decisions I think it is safe to say the cigar will become a regular release.
Posted in Cigar Reviews Tags: Brazil, Casa de Tobacco, Cigar Review, La Flor Dominicana, Limited Release, Litto Gomez, maduro, Nat Sherman, toro 2 Comments »
