According to Atlantic Cigar, “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. Packaged in boxes of 10 Toro (6 x 50) cigars these limited production cigars will not last long so grab a box before they are gone for good.”

Cigar: Oliva V Maduro
Size: 6 x 50 (Toro)
Wrapper: San Andreas Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Medium-Full
Cigars Smoked For Review: 4

Oliva V Maduro 2011

Appearance and Construction: When I got an email from one of my shops that they got the 2011 V Maduro in I just shrugged my shoulders. When I made it into the shop and saw it wasn’t a torpedo I picked up a box and a few singles. The draw issues that plagued the last few years as a torpedo did not follow through in the toro. The V Maduro features an oily San Andres Maduro that is flawless. The cigar is rolled to perfection with a nice weight to it, and no soft spots. The band is your typical Oliva V, however, to the left of the logo on the side is the word maduro.

Oliva V Maduro 2011 Foot

Flavor & Notes: The cold draw of the cigar is earthy with a slight saltiness and chocolate while the foot serves up some earth to the nose.  Once the cigar is lit there is  aburst of leather notes that slowly fade revealing a sweetness. As we progress past that first 1/2″ the first third develops into a complex smoke. The leather notes are gone and have been replaced by earth which is joined by dark chocolate (slightly bitter), and strong espresso. As I breach the second third of the cigar, the coffee notes are dominant that they almost overwhelm what else the cigar has to offer. The dark chocolate notes are a bit more refined and less bitter, while some spice picks up especially through the nose which caused my eyes to water. The last third of the cigar becomes nutty with the occasional floral note gone is the spice and chocolate. There is some earth and espresso on the short finish.

Oliva V Maduro 2011 First 3rd

Smoking Characteristics: After a couple of years with difficult draws the issue has been resolved and kudos to Oliva for getting away from the torpedo/belicoso format. The cigar has a nice burn to it and a solid ash that was medium gray in color that holds for a third of the cigar at a time.

Oliva V Maduro 2011 Second 3rd

Conclusion: With 2008 a distant memory, and the disappointment of the earlier years, the 2011 really stands outs. Complex and enjoyable the Oliva V Maduro delivers and brings a renewed interest in the limited edition annual release. Definitely worthy of a box purchase or two. One to smoke now, and one to sit on and age.

Oliva V Maduro 2011 Last 3rd

Rating: 92
Price: $9.00 / $81.00 a box of 10 @ Atlanic 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 isn’t long enough to pay your dues, but after the site shut down they began to figure their 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 made by Blue Mountain Cigars and pitch that the tobacco is aged for four years.

Cigar: Veritas MMXI
Size: 6 x 60
Wrapper: Mexican Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Medium-Full
Cigars Smoked For Review: 2

Veritas MMXI

Appearance and Construction: The Veritas MMXI features a dark maduro wrapper from Mexico that has some tooth to it, and is rolled well. The cigars are rolled in Nicaragua but do not feature a triple cap. In the hand the stick is extremely light for a 6 x 60, and there are many soft spots along it. The band is red and silver and lacks quality. In short this feels like a bundle cigar.

Veritas MMXI - Foot

Flavor & Notes: The foot of the cigar has a nice mocha like sweetness, and the draw is similar but slightly metallic as well. Once the cigar is lit a soapy note is noticeable that reminds me of sucking on a bar of soap bar as a kid for bad language. As the soapy notes fade the first third takes on a sour note. In the second third not much has changed, there is some sourness and soapiness mixed in with some leather. The last third continues with a rather sour after taste and abundance of charcoal.

Veritas MMXI - First 3rd

Smoking Characteristics: The dark color ash held on strong and there was a nice amount of smoke produced from this sixty ring stick. The burn of the cigar was uneven and fast. It required a couple of relights and touch-ups throughout which is too much work for me when I am enjoying a smoke. The aroma of the cigar was a little salty and sweet which wasn’t to bad.

Veritas MMXI - Second 3rd

Conclusion: I bought these cigars at the Delaware Cigar Festival for $3.00 each for charity. I wanted to like them because Michael Dove is a nice guy, but it looks like jumping ship was the right move as this was the worst cigar I have picked up in 2011 and possibly this decade. As always I invite you to formulate your own opinion and share it below, but I will be staying clear of these. The price of $7.00 just leaves so many other options out there.

Veritas MMXI - Last 3rd

Rating: 77
Price: $7.00

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.

Cigar: La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Maduro
Size: 6.5 x 54
Wrapper: Brazil
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Strength: Full
Cigars Smoked For Review: 4

Air Bender Maduro

Appearance and Construction: The wrapper for the La Flor Dominicana is one of my favorites, Brazilian. The cigar lacks visible oils before lighting up, and a few ugly veins that stand out, but the wrapper has a nice dark appearance to it. The wrapper has some color variations but this is due to a method used by La Flor Dominicana. The wrapper is sprayed with a water mist and massaged before being applied. The roll of the cigar is well done, and there is a nice weight to it. However there were two small pockets/soft spots around the mid way point of the cigar.

Air Bender Maduro - Foot

Flavor & Notes: The cold draw on the Air Bender Maduro has the taste of smoky molasses, and wood. The foot of the cigar is nondescript outside the classic tobacco aroma to the nose. Once the cigar is lit a rich chocolate that borders on the dark side quickly develops along with some leather notes that fade before we finish the first third of the smoke. The second third of the cigar some of that pre-light molasses begins to develop and increases in intensity along with some notes of espresso. The last third of the cigar takes turn toward earthy components with some spices through the nose and a nice short finish.

Air Bender Maduro - First 3rd

Smoking Characteristics: The La Flor Dominican Air Bender Maduro has a gorgeous white ash that hold for about 30% of the cigar at a time. The draw of the cigar was ideal, and the burn while slightly off from time to time remained crisp most of the time. The aroma reminded me of roasted nuts.

Air Bender Maduro - Second 3rd

Conclusion: When I first smoked these at Nat Sherman I was amazed at how much the cigar changed with the Maduro wrapper. As I smoked each one after that I wondered if it was for the better especially in the final third. It is considerably different and darker, but I find myself craving the sweetness of the regular release. I am not saying this is a bad thing, but between the two I like the Habano considerably more. For those who wish the Air Bender was stronger I believe they will gravitate toward this release.

Air Bender Maduro - Last 3rd

Rating: 88
Price: $350.00 MSRP Case de Tobacco

Design personalized gifts at Zazzle.

According to the website,

All of our cigars are grown from Cuban seed tobacco grown in Esteli’ Nicaragua.  All cigars are comprised of long filler and binder leaves finished with a Habano Claro sun grown wrapper from Ecuador, or if a maduro, which is a puro, consisting of a blend of long filler and binders wrapped in a Nicaraguan Maduro wrapper.

This cigar is blended to deliver medium body taste while maintaining an unparalleled smoothness. These flavorful blends exhibit complex tobacco flavors of  rich coffee, dark chocolate and earthy tones.

The question remains though, should one give in to Temptation?

Cigar: Temptation
Size: 5 x 50 (Robusto)
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Medium
Cigars Smoked For Review: 1*

Temptation Maduro

Appearance and Construction: The Temptation wrapper is a typical looking maduro to the eyes. There are some oils present, and a fair amount of tooth as well. In the hand the wrapper feels coarse and thick  under the fingers. Under close inspection there ere a few soft spots and a tear in the wrapper near the cap that looks like it it happened during rolling. It’s part of the triple cap so it shouldn’t effect the burn (and it didn’t), but does effect the aesthetics of the product. The over-sized band features colors of blue, black and silver which made it difficult to photograph.

Temptation Maduro Foot

Flavor & Notes: The cold draw on the Temptation Maduro is both earthy and woody with some underlying sweetness. The foot of the cigar reminds me of maple, with a touch of spice. Once the cigar is lit there is a bit of bitterness to the smoke, but nothing that is too over powering and of course some of that classic Nicaraguan spice. The first third of the cigar has some leather notes that dominate the first third and tease with some coffee that grows stronger as we reach the second third. As the coffee takes hold in the middle of the smoke there a developing sweetness that reminds me of burnt sugar as it caramelizes. The last third loses the sweetness and what remains is some earthy notes and coffee on the finish.

Temptation Maduro 1st Third

Smoking Characteristics: The cigars are supposedly rolled by level 9 torcedors so I expected more. I had to touch up the cigar on numerous occiassons and I know it was wasn’t due to a storage issue as my humidors are up to spec. While annoying this isn’t catastrophic as this is what lighters are made for. The ash was light gray in color and held for half the cigar even with the touched up needed. The draw was a bit loose, but it still burned nice and slow which was a plus. The aroma was non eventful til the last third when a nice sweetness filled the air.

Temptation Maduro 2nd Third

Conclusion: Despite construction issues the cigar was really tasty, but I had to work a little bit harder then I would like on keeping it burning properly. This is the drawback to one sample. Did I get a bad stick or is it a regular production flaw. I would still take a chance on these and succumb to Temptation again in the future.

Temptation Maduro Last Third

Rating: 88
Price: $7.00

* Normally we don’t do a review based on one cigar, but since one sample was sent we based the above on that one sample.

At IPCPR it was announced that Fuente was releasing the Short Story in a Maduro format. The release which is limited to 1,000 boxes has begun to ship to stores. It follows in the footsteps of others in the Hemingway line, so there is hope that these will be a regular limited edition yearly release.

The story on the Fuente Hemmingway according to Carlos Fuente Jr.,

“My grandfather made Perfecto cigars; they were very popular during the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s. When I was growing up we made perfectos by hand, but as time went by there were fewer and fewer cigar makers rolling perfectos. As the cigar makers grew older, they retired, they passed away. It took a real master to make a true Perfecto cigar.“

“As a child I was fascinated with that shape and the really difficult art of the craft that the Perfecto cigar represents. So when we first came to the Dominican Republic in 1980, I thought we should start making those shapes again. At that time nobody was making shaped cigars. I wanted to bring back that old world style, just to keep the art, the tradition, the craft, alive.”

“Today we make an entire line of Perfecto cigars. These cigars are something special for our fellow cigar smokers to enjoy.”

“Hemingway cigars have a very warm place in my heart and in my memories. It is very pleasing for me to remember watching these shaped cigars being made by my grandfather, and to think that these cigars are now made in our factory in the Dominican Republic, that is very fulfilling. I hope that you enjoy the Hemingway cigars and what they mean to our family.”

Cigar:Short Story
Size: 4 x 48 2/49 (Perfecto)
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Strength: Medium
Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

Short Story Maduro

Appearance and Construction: The Short Story by Fuente is a nice looking 4 inch perfecto. The Maduro wrapper has a slight tooth to it and some faint oils present as well. The cigar is well rolled right to the tip. The band of the cigar is the new look for the Hemingway and Don Carlos lines. The gold is brighter and has some more details to it. This minor change gives the cigar a more regal appearance for whatever that is worth. In the hand the smoke has no soft spots and a nice weight considering it’s size.

Short Story Maduro Foot

Flavor & Notes: This cigar smells more like a box of Godiva chocolates then a cigar. The Short Story Maduro has an exquisite bouquet of chocolate to the nose and an abundance on the cold draw. Once lit the cigar serves up some basic notes of tobacco until you work past the nipple of the perfecto. Once past the nipple the cigar develops some slight mild spices and an abundance of chocolate notes. As we enter the middle section of the cigar snotes of nuts really begin to take hold as the chocolate moves to the background. The last third of the cigar returns the realm of chocolate notes with a leather finish.

Short Story Maduro 1st Third

Smoking Characteristics: The one thing that stood out about all else was the wonderful aroma of the Short Story Maduro. The burn of the cigar was ideal, as was the draw. The ash didn’t hold as well as I expected or wanted, so at times this small cigar has the tendency to burn hot without the ash if you work it to hard.

Short Story Maduro 2nd Third

Conclusion: One of the best Hemingway cigars I have smoked from Fuente was an aged Work of Art Maduro. Sadly, the Short Story version did not even come close to comparing. Perhaps it is because the cigar comes of as being a little young. Some time in the humidor should help these cigars but for now it didn’t do it for me.

Short Story Maduro Last Third

Rating: 87
Price: $6.10

The Core Maduro joins the Natural which was released earlier this year. Those along with the New Wave Connecticut are the only cigars from the company in regular production, but the other cigars have been met with much fanfare. The Elencos is produced in limited numbers as is the Short Run. The latter changes blends from year to year while the former doesn’t have enough of the components to produce year round. Also due later this year is the Limited Edition 2011.

In the creation of the Maduro line, Ernest Perez Carrillo toyed with a few variations of the maduro wrapper before settling on broadleaf grown in the Connecticut River Valley in 2008-2009. He chose it over Mexican Maduro and Brazilian Maduro, but personally I hope Mr. Carrillo revisits the Brazilian variety in the future as it is one of my favorite wrappers.

The cigars which will retail from $5.25 to $9.30 before local taxes are available in the following sizes:

• No. 4 (5 .5 x 42)
• Encantos (4 7/8 x 50)
• Regalias Real (5 5/8 x 46)
• Club 52 (5 7/8 bx 52)
• Churchill Especial (7 1/8 x 49)
• Predilectos (6 1/8 x 52 – Torpedo)
• Golosos (6.25 x 60)
• Monumentos (7 3/8 x 56)

Cigar: EP Carrillo Maduro
Size: 5 7/8 bx 52 (Toro / Club 52)
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Ecuador Sumatra
Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua
Strength: Medium
Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

EP Carrillo Core Maduro

Appearance and Construction: Looking at the Broadleaf wrapper on the EP Carrillo Maduro there are some differences in contrast. One has to wonder leaf was wet and massaged before being applied. The cigar is well rolled with a nice cap placement. Under close inspection there is some tooth to the stick, and some light oils. The foot of the cigar is a bit spongy but there are no soft spots to be found. The band of the cigar is the classic EP Carrillo variation with colors of red, gold, yellow, beige and black.

EP Carrillo Core Maduro Foot

Flavor & Notes: The foot of the cigar has an abundance of rich molasses to the nose and some pepper as well which is heavenly to say the least. One the third and fourth inhale I pick up notes of manure which is one of the best compliments one can pay a cigar. Once the cigar is clipped the cold draw serves up notes  dark chocolate and a sweetness which reminds me of a jelly ring. In the background there are notes of earth and cedar. If the prelight ritual is right I am in for a very complex smoke. The first third of the cigar has notes of coffee and dark chocolate with something sweet tries to fight for recognition. Just before the 2nd third is reached the sweetness becomes a subtle cherry that compliments the other notes well.  As the second third of the cigar progresses the cherry sweetness becomes stronger giving this cigar a classic maduro profile. In the background there is shortbread (thanks Stogimus Prime and Jerry Cruz for helping me put that into words) with coffee on the finish. The last third becomes slightly bitter but not over powering, as there is still a faint cherry that slowly gives way to leather that lingers on the finish.

EP Carrillo Core Maduro First 3rd

Smoking Characteristics: A well constructed smoke that burns really well and stood lit from start to finish. The medium to dark color ash holds on well with minimal flake. The first ash fell off about half way through while resting in the ashtray and the next ash remained until past the band. The draw ideal with just enough resistance to keep it burning slow. The aroma of the smoke was woody and it complimented the notes well.

EP Carrillo Core Maduro Second 3rd

Conclusion: The cigar industry has lost its way when it comes to Maduro cigars as they are no longer the sweet smoke they traditionally were. Lately, it has become all about strength and it has scared a lot of people away from the cigar. EP Carrillo attempts the right the ship with the maduro and I worry that it will get lost among smokers of today. Those who liked what a maduro had to offer have moved away and they might be scared to pick this cigar up. Those who love the strength will find fault in the smoke. This however is one for the ages and is as classic as they come. Easily in the running for cigar of the year the EP Carrillo Maduro is as timeless as they come.

EP Carrillo Core Maduro Last 3rd

Rating: 94
Price: $6.45

According to the Perdomo website;

Similar to a wine maker’s special reserve, our Perdomo Lot 23 fillers and binders are grown exclusively on the same plot of land on one of our most prestigious farms in Esteli, Nicaragua. Planted in September then harvested in January, these exquisite tobaccos are fermented for one year, then bale-aged for a minimum of three years. The result? A remarkable premium cigar line at extremely modest prices.

Cigar: Perdomo Lot 23
Size: 5 x 60 (Punta Gorda)
Wrapper: Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Medium
Number Smoked: 3

Perdomo Lot 23

Appearance and Construction: I opted for the maduro cigars in the Lot 23 because I wanted something a bit sweeter like a traditional maduro rather than the strong maduro cigars that dominate the market today. The Lot 23 wrapper is grown from Cuban seed and has a few thin veins and a plethora of oils visible to the naked eye. The cigar is well rolled with a decent weight to it and no soft spots. The oversized band has a nice artists rendition of the Perdomo farms and is truly a work of art that has long been a favorite of mine.

Foot of the Perdomo Lot 23

Flavors & Notes: The cold draw of the cigar was a bit sweet, but really non distinct. Sadly the foot of the cigar only offered a trace of molasses and I was expecting so much more for a cigar that was as old as the one I used for review. Once the cigar was lit, the flavors started out a little chalky which was a tad disappointing to say the least. Quickly the chalky nature of the stick dissipates as the first third develops notes of coffee that is as well-defined as I’ve come across. As the second third is breached some sweetness begins to develop and it compliments to coffee notes. The last third has some spice and coffee with a short finish that was enjoyable.

First third of the Perdomo Lot 23

Smoking Characteristics: The burn of the cigar was nice, although at times slightly uneven on one side of the cigar. It managed to self correct to the point it never got out of hand which was a nice thing. The draw was ideal with a decent ash albeit slightly flaky. The cigar produce a nice amount of smoke with an aroma that was creamy at times and cedar at others.

Second third of the Perdomo Lot 23

Conclusion: While the cigar was enjoyable it lacked a lot diversity. One would think a cigar I had aging for 2 years would have smoked differently then the two I bought at a local shop but sadly the difference was none existent. For me though the cigar wasn’t in my wheelhouse and I am not sure when I would buy another. It’s not because the cigar was bad, just I don’t know it wasn’t for me I guess.

Final third of the Perdomo Lot 23

Rating: 88
Price: $93.99 a box of 20 at Famous Smoke Shop

I got these from a friend while hanging out recently and I was extremely hesitant to smoke them. A lot of cigars that were new to me have disappointed over the last few months and have left me jaded. Would this cigar buck the trend or continue down that same path?

Cigar: Emilio AF1
Size: 5 x 50
Wrapper: San Andreas Maduro (Mexico)
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Strength: Medium
Cigars Smoked For Review: 3

Emilio AF1

Appearance and Construction: The Emilio AF1 features a dark Mexican Maduro wrapper that has some minor oils present. The cigar is rolled well, with a simple looking cap. In the hand the cigar is very firm with a decent weight to it and no soft spots. There are minimal veins present and a slight tooth as well. The band is black and gold and states Emilio AF1.

Emilio AF1 Foot

Flavor & Notes: Prior to cutting the foot I got lost on the nose from the foot of the cigar. There is a caramel, raisin present that is very enjoyable. Once I clipped the cap with my Xikar Scissors the cold draw served up some well-defined cocoa with a touch of caramel notes. I was definitely intrigued at this point, and could not wait to smoke these. I decided to go the traditional route and lit the cigar up using a cedar strip and thankfully my sample lit nice and easy. As I progressed through the first third I was treated to some cocoa notes that developed from the get go. They were joined by a slight raisin, and coffee note as well. As I enter the second third of the cigar coffee notes slowly become the focal point as some nut notes develop. The cocoa lingers in the background, but it isn’t as developed as previously. As we enter the final third of this cigar some rich chocolate notes develop with some lingering spice and a relatively short finish.

Smoking the first third of the Emilio AF1

Smoking Characteristics: The San Andreas Mexican Maduro can burn a bit funky, or at least that is my experience with the wrapper. The Emilio AF1 did not experience such a problem on any of my samples. Although it burned slight jagged it never got worse than the photographs show on any of my samples. The draw was idea and the cigar produced a nice volume of smoke with an enticing aroma. The ash was a light medium shade of gray to the naked eye and held on for a third at a time.

Smoking the 2nd third of the Emilio AF1

Conclusion: Lately I have gotten a lot of samples of new cigars that left me wondering when the next Tatuaje, or illusione would emerge. It looks like Emilio Cigars could be that brand. The AF1 took 2 years to reach the market as Gary Griffith wanted to make sure to do it right. In June 2011 the cigar will come out with a Oscuro wrapper and be known as the AF2. There is also another cigar in the works for the near future from another major player in the cigar world but that is all that has been disclosed. Emilio is going to be the next major boutique brand to work its way into the mainstream and you can take that to the bank.

Smoking the last third of the Emilio AF1

Rating: 93
Price: $7.50

I nubbed this beauty!

Disclaimer: A friend of mine gave me a few samples of the Emilio AF1 as a gift and these samples were not paid for. I also recently began speak to Mr. Griffith to rep his cigars as an independent in the Northeast after the review was written.

The Oliva Grand Maduro eventually became the Series G and underwent a band change as well as a blend change. The Costa Rica wrapper that adorns this cigars was eventually replaced by a Connecticut Broadleaf.  According to various Oliva reps on twitter these cigars are approximately 5-9 years old and the tobacco is even older than that. Definitely an interesting find, but I was curious to how it would smoke.

Cigar: Oliva Grand Maduro
Size: 5.5 x 54
Wrapper: Costa Rica Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Strength: Full
Cigars Smoked For Review: 5

Oliva Grand Maduro

Appearance and Construction: This dark Maduro cigar had some crystals on the wrapper, but surprisingly it was lacking visible oils as I removed it from the cello.  The roll of the cigar was nice, but the cap had a lot of creases on my samples. The band which was eventually changed to that of the Oliva G was a nice trip down memory lane, but I prefer the redesign over the original. In the hand the cigar had no soft spots, was well-balanced and had a light weight.

Foot of the Oliva Grand Maduro

Flavor & Notes: The pre-light draw has some wonderfully rich molasses notes that envelope the palate like some rich maple syrup while the foot of the cigar has similar notes but much more reduced. Once the cigar was lit, I was amazed at how smooth the cigar was with its subtle notes of cocoa that slowly become more of a rich chocolate that is joined by some coffee notes. As I enter the second third of the cigar I begin to pick up a nice cinnamon note on the retro-hale as the cigar picks up some in strength. The chocolate notes are gone, but the coffee remains. The final third of the cigar isn’t as smooth but the notes are a subtle chocolate, coffee and earthy finish.

Smoking the first third of the Oliva Grand Maduro

Smoking Characteristics: The cigar was a slow burning perfecto that lasted me 2 hours on the nose. This aged cigar featured a nice thin carbon line that slowly revealed a white ash that was firm. I lost the first ash at the half way point, and didn’t ash again til I put the cigar down for good. The cigar produced a nice amount of smoke that has a nice cinnamon aroma especially in the second third. The draw was perfection.

Smoking the second third of the Oliva Grand Maduro

Conclusion: Rarely will I review a cigar that isn’t available any more, but lately people have been asking me what the oldest cigar in my collection is. If this is indeed 9 years old, it would make it the oldest in my collection. You can order these via Cigar Inn if you wish, and despite the score I plan to pick up a few more due to the age of the smoke. The first 2 thirds were delicious, but the roughness of the final third left for an ordinary conclusion to the cigar.

Smoking the finall third of the Oliva Grand Maduro

Rating: 88
Price: $8.50

According to the press release sent out by Abe, “In commemoration of our 15th Anniversary this year, we commissioned the Padron Family to make a special size exclusively for our stores. Jorge Padron’s face lit up when we told him our idea of a 6×60 Anniversary Cigar. What’s better than a Padron Anniversary Cigar, A BIGGER Padron Anniversary Cigar! This monster stick bellows smoke like a chimney. The sheer amount of tobacco used in this cigar creates a bold experience differing from the other vitolas in this line. All tobacco used in this limited production series is aged for four years, creating a smooth and complex flavor. There was less than 500 boxes produced of this limited edition, so don’t waste a second and get a part of cigar history today! ”

We review the Natural on March 31st, and today we offer our opinion on the Maduro.

Cigar: Padron 1964 Anniversary SI-15
Size: 6 x 60
Wrapper: Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Medium
Cigars Smoked For Review: 1

Padron 1964 Anniversary SI-15 Maduro

Appearance and Construction: Sometimes with a Padron it is very hard to tell the difference between the Maduro and Nautral wrappers by eye. That is not the case with the SI-15 as the Maduro, is very Maduro. A dark chocolate wrapper that is imperfection free adorns the 1964 series and is rolled to absolute perfection. The cigar is heavy in the and and the foot of the cigar reveals a nice bunching with the darker tobacco creating a center swirl. Studying the wrapper closely there are some magnesium spots present which is usually the sign of good things to come. Between the fingers there are no soft spots to speak of.

The foot of the Padron 1964 Anniversary SI-15 Maduro

Flavor & Notes: Prior to cutting the foot I made like a bloodhound and got a good scent of strong cedar to the nose with a faint hint of earth lingering. Once the cap was clipped with my Xikar scissors I was treated to a draw that consisted of cedar, earth and a first, eucalyptus. Once lit the notes are tradition Padron, although slightly muted due to the size. The first third consists of leather as the canvas with a sprinkling of wood, cocoa and a slight spice through the nose. As we enter the second third, the Padron SI-15 Maduro becomes a bit sweeter. The leather canvas slowly fades and the notes of cocoa begin to shy with a touch of espresso and a slight cedar on the finish. The final third continues to serve up notes and cocoa with a slight spice on the long enjoyable finish.

The journey begins with the Padron 1964 Anniversary SI-15 Maduro

Smoking Characteristics: Like the natural this cigar produces some amazing volume of smoke. Make sure when you do smoke it that you are in a well ventilated are. The burn line of the Padron 1964 Anniversary SI-15 is crisp, but it did burn slightly uneven at an angle. I used my last match to light the cigar, so thankfully it never needed to be touched up. The ash held on for each third dropping off just before or after I took a picture. The draw was idea and the smoke had a nice cedar like aroma.

Approaching the 2nd third of the Padron 1964 Anniversary SI-15 Maduro

Conclusion: The Maduro didn’t smoke like a 60 ring. The notes of the cigar popped, and it didn’t feel as big as the Natural. This had to be a subconscious thing as they were identical in size. Normally I reach for the Natural in the cigar, but the Maduro was just incredible. As a person who doesn’t reach for a 60 ring by choice I would definitely smoke this again which shocks me.

The final third of the Padron 1964 Anniversary SI-15 Maduro

Rating: 94
Price: $18.50 From Smoke Inn