Liga Privada No. 9 Toro

March 24th, 2021 This was the second dip into the box of twelve cigars. The first one I tried shortly after arrival in mid-December, last year. It was so disgusting that I threw it away before the halfway mark; it had no flavour or body. Finish was short. Everything about it was a wipe-out. I had just smoked a Ratzilla, a week before, which was equally disappointing and so my opinion of the brand was at the low end of the scale. I sold the remainder of the Ratzilla box to friend and put the No. 9s at the back of my humidor cabinet where I promptly forgot about them. That is, until yesterday. I thought I should venture back in. I was not disappointed.

Wrapper not at all oily and not as dark as I had expected.

I opened the box. The first cigar I palpated felt a bit dry. I transferred it to another humidor. The second one felt a little more supple. I selected it. It had very little dry aroma, but on closer inspection, it gave a sweet, mild scent; nothing overpowering.

Light up was a blast of flavour. I breathed a sigh of relief. Everything was good: flavour was rich; a cocoa - coffee blend. Body and finish were full and long. There was a tad of resistance at the beginning. 

Construction: A solid, chunky, 6" by 52 which felt substantial in the hand. The structure is interesting; from the Drew Estate website:
Capa (wrapper): Connecticut Broadleaf #1 Dark
Capote (binder): Plantation-Grown Brazilian Mata Fina
Tripa (filler): Select Honduran and Nicaraguan Cuban Seed
Strength: Medium – Full

Draw: If there was anything to fault, it was the draw during the first third which was a bit resistant. But this is a quibble. Towards the middle, the cigar opened up delightfully, producing volumes. Smoke was cool throughout. I smoked the nub to about half an inch without feeling heat.

Burn: Good burn throughout, not razor sharp but not too wavy. I needed a relight at the last two-inch mark. But that was no detraction.

Flavour: Dark coffee with a hint of cocoa. Interesting that pepper and spice were absent for the first half but presented in moderation in the second half. This is a smooth balanced cigar, without any dominating flavour.

Body: Medium to full, building to full in the final half/third.

Strength: Medium strength building to strong. I felt a mild sweat in the tropical evening during the final inch or two. It was not unpleasant.

Finish: Good long finish, permitting a leisurely smoke.

Aroma: Excellent, rich and complex aroma.

Consistency: Consistently good throughout: no disappointments along the way.

Time smoke: Around 110 minutes - just under two hours.

Overall: Bliss! This was Drew Estate as good as I have ever smoked; a solid, chunky, rich and complex smoke from start to finish.

Slightly wavy burn, but nothing requiring correction.

August 23rd, 2021. Another dud. This was the third dip into the box of twelve. The cigar was rather dry to touch but not too dry; it had a little give. But that was not its problem. It was plugged. You can see the plug jutting out from the cigar in the photo below. That triangular tip in the picture was much longer immediately after i tapped the ash off. Burn was razor sharp. So if you attempted to preserve the ash, you wouldn't see the plug. But you'd notice it. 

A plug, in the shape of a cocoon made this cigar a disappointment

The upshot of the plug was a very tight draw until the second half. I think it also distorted the flavour profile. There was also a vinegary sourness which was very strong at the outset. It  dissipated after the first centimetre but  reappeared from time to time during the first half making the cigar quite harsh. 

The cigar had moments of tastiness, much like the Alec Bradley Black Market: a dark chocolatey, rich flavour. But it was not smooth or balanced. Body and strength hovered around the medium level until the second half after which, the cigar started to perform.

During the second half, the cigar picked up both body and strength. Flavour became much smoother. The acrid, vinegar flavour abated. Strength picked up; I broke into a mild sweat, but thankfully that passed. Flavour became more complex and interesting. I began to savour the cigar as it was approaching the last inch; a rather frustrating experience. The cigar underperformed until the end, when it started to please. Then it was time to put it out. 85 minutes. Overall: frustrating. 

March 23rd, 2022: I ventured back to this cigar after nine months. This one was quite pleasant. There was flavour and body with a rich, creamy smoothness and an elegant aftertaste. Flavour was much as described above: a dark roast maduro with a hint of cocoa and a sweet spiciness like Cayenne pepper.

Body was medium until the final third, during which intensity increased to full body.

Almost 100 minutes of very fine, balanced, maduro flavour.

I didn't notice any strength until I had finished and stood up and walked indoors. My legs wobbled a little and dreams were vivid. (For some reason I was in a war zone trying to reach safety. I wonder what that was about?)

The only defect with the cigar was a couple of cracks. This cigar had been in my humidor, well maintained at around 70%, so the cracks were a bit of a mystery. 

Overall this was a very refined, balanced, cigar with adequate flavour and body, easy draw and straight burn. 98 minutes. Very satisfying, much like the one I smoked one year ago, almost to the day.

At the 70 minute mark.

October 12th, 2023: After a slightly rough start and a crooked burn, this cigar became a knock-out performer. Draw was slightly tight, but adequate. Aroma was exquisite and flavour was mellow, rich and complex dark roast throughout. Body was medium plus and delicious to the nub. Two hours. Very satisfying. 

The wonky burn soon straightened out.

Partagas Series D no.4

1. March 11th, 2021 This is a classic robusto. I hadn't tried one for six or seven years and had forgotten what a gem it is. I left the box sitting in my humidor for more than two months, untouched, concerned that it might be a little young; the date stamp on the box is May 2020. Surprisingly, it wasn't young at all. This was a perfect medium to full bodied hour-long Cuban smoke. Couldn't get any better.

Construction: Perfect 5x50 robusto with a slightly oily, wrapper and solid construction. 

Draw: Perfect draw, excellent smoke production. No excess heat, not even at the nub. 

Burn: A bit wavy to start, but self-correcting and thereafter perfect.

Flavour: Delicious, smooth, Cuban flavour, with a touch of pepper and becoming creamy in the second half. At first a little milder than the RJ Wide Churchill, but soon becoming a flavour bomb.

Body: Started mild to medium body but developed to a rich and satisfying full body.

Strength: A good medium strength - never overpowering.

Finish: Good, long finish

Aroma: Excellent, complex aroma.

Consistency: Consistently good. No weak spots.

Time smoke: Sixty five minutes

Overall: Very satisfying to the nub.

Good to the nub.

2. August 19th, 2021 This one wasn't as rich and creamy as the first one. It was still pleasant, but not as satisfying as the previous sample. There was no discernible pre-light aroma; not a good sign. It didn't develop into the flavour bomb of the first sample; possibly not as well packed. Nor was the wrapper noticeably oily. I doubt that oils would have dried out over the last five months as it was kept in its box in stable humidity.  Aroma popped out from time to time and finish was quite long and pleasant. There was a hint of creaminess in the second half. But it was not consistent. The cigar was quite strong, despite its medium body. But flavour was a bit lacking. 55 minutes. 

3. October 15th, 2021: As with the August sample, this one lacked body and strength. I gobbled it down in 50 minutes. The comments from August could well apply to this cigar: pleasant but not satisfying. 

4 and 5. January 14th, 2022: I shared one with a friend, (or should I say, we shared two!) Mine was a bit resistant in draw. His was fine. Mine had a very pleasant rich, delicious flavour, with an occasional puff of sourness, (such as characterizes the Joya Red Canonazo which I reviewed). But mostly, body was adequate and the flavour was good: a medium roast with a little bit of pepper and good to the nub. 60 minutes. Satisfying. 

6. May 20th, 2022: This cigar started off with more than optimal resistance. Flavour was a bit muted, with the sour thinness of the Joya Red, mentioned in the January sample, above. There was nothing Cuban about it. After about an inch the draw opened up and the cigar took on a more medium to full body and flavour become more complex. The sourness was still there, but it was a much more complex flavour than the Joya. Aftertaste was complex too. The final inch was sour, but there was more strength and complexity than the first inch. Around 70 minutes. Quite satisfying but not quite there.

7. August 14th, 2023: This one was plugged. It felt a bit heavy in the hand. Draw didn't resolve and the cigar started cracking and falling apart at the nub. Flavour and body resembled the La Auroro 107 Sumo Robusto, however, I've never had a construction issue with a La Aurora. The cigar last more than an hour, however it wasn't satisfying by any means. Considering the price of these cigars now, the 107 Sumo Robusto is a far better option.

8. December 5th, 2023: An excellent example of the blend; as good as it gets. This one was quite heavy in the hand, rich, complex Cubanesque flavour, excellent aroma, decent burn and adequate draw. If only they were all like this.Very satisfying

. 

Alec Bradley Magic Toast Gordo

This is a cigar with a deep, earthy, espresso flavour but marred by bitterness at various stages throughout the smoke . The box was too dry on arrival with resulting cracks in several cigars. It has taken a few months to bring the rest back to optimal humidity.

1. March 6th, 2020 This was a promising cigar but it had a few disappointments: first, it suffered intermittently from bitterness, secondly, it was plugged and third, it came apart at the end.

The box is interesting: raw wood with the moth insignia on the label and burnt into the outside of the box, along with curious insignia inside the lid.

Construction: A nice weight in the hand, a beautiful Honduran wrapper and Honduran/Nicaraguan binder and filler. The wrapper is remarkable. It is a deep brown mottled with black stains. I expected that this would be a sign of good ageing. Read on....

Beautiful mottled wrapper

Draw: Sadly, the cigar was plugged. I tried to skewer the centre with an awl, but had little success. Despite the tightness, smoke output was adequate. 

Burn: Burn started out even. A few irregularities self-corrected. But then something strange happened: the wrapper started to blister at one point and the ash began to flake. I hoped that this aberration might correct, but it developed into a small crack in the wrapper. Was the cigar too dry? I don't think so. It had been in my humidor a couple of weeks before smoking. After ten or fifteen minutes, the crack extended to the head of the cigar and the remaining third fell apart. 

The crack started with a blister, then a small crack with the final third falling apart.

Flavour: Flavour started out bitter for about the first half inch. Then it mellowed out, resembling the RP Grand Reserve with excellent complexity and richness. Bitterness interceded from time to time, but was nonetheless tasty throughout. Let's see whether a few more months lingering will diminish the ammonia. I'll take some out of the cellophane wrappers and move them to a humidor, where they can breathe more. 

Aroma: Dry aroma was strange: sort of vinegary. But alight, there was a good, rich, complex aroma. 

Body: Full bodied throughout, with good, long finish.

Strength: Quite strong from time to time but not overwhelming. 

Consistency: Flavour and burn were inconsistent. The first half inch was bitter. The next half inch was rich and complex. Then bitterness returned. I've mentioned the burn, above. 

Time smoke: 105 minutes, despite sacrificing the last inch. 

Overall: To be kind, I would say this is a promising cigar. Flavour might improve with a bit of ageing and consistent humidification. 

2. April 14th, 2021: I was keen to try this one again after a few gripes in the first sample: cracking and bitterness. I was pleased to note that the bitterness of the previous cigar had developed into a much smoother, dark chocolate flavour. Bitterness was gone. Flavour was deep, rich, complex, full bodied, strong to very strong. Resistance was a bit excessive in the first third but opened up nicely to an easy draw by the middle. The final third had a blast of pepper which was a bit unpleasant but that soon subsided to a smoother ending. This cigar was a bit too moist but still burned evenly. There was no hint of cracking, as occurred in the first sample. This was a very full bodied, at times overwhelming, but ultimately very meaty cigar. 100 minutes to about an inch of the nub.

3. May 22nd, 2021: Quite smooth, but marred by an inch-long crack at the head, which impeded draw. This cigar was thinner than the others in the box. Ring gauge would have been more like 56 than 60. 

Flavour was deep and rich with a good long finish. Body and strength were full. Flavour was mostly smooth, dark coffee, without bitterness until the final third which was peppery, rough and little bitter. 

Burn was uneven. There was a significant canoe at the foot which corrected with a touch up at the first inch. By the last third, the crack had unravelled the cigar. I left it at an inch and a half. 90 minutes.  

4. July 24th, 2021: Having sat in a humidor for five months, the cigar was now consistently re-humidified, mildly spongy to the touch and quite weighty in the hand. No pre-light aroma to speak of. 

Draw was initially tight, as was the case with previous cigars, however, after thirty minutes, or about an inch and a half, it opened up. By the middle of the cigar it was producing good volumes of smoke.

Burn was dreadful. One large vein seemed reluctant to burn, lagging the rest of the cigar. It required three minor touch-ups.

Flavour was much the same as previous cigars: deep, rich espresso flavour with a bit of bitterness in the first and final thirds, much more mellow in the second and a vegetal taste in the final third which lacked complexity. The mellow second third was the best part, but that was marred by difficult draw.

Aroma was excellent; the most complex part of the cigar. This was a cigar that released an almost continuous  stream of smoke despite sitting in the ashtray. It was most enjoyable between puffs. 

Strength was never dominating. Body was pretty much full throughout. Finish was long enough. Overall, this was a moderately satisfying cigar. 90 minutes. 

No problems with cracking.

5. March 14th, 2022: This was a medium bodied, dark roast cigar with a bit of age, somewhat resembling the Jaime Garcia Reserva but without as much body or complexity. The cigar was loosely packed and burned quickly. The final third was a bit of a disappointment as flavour and body dissipated to mild. Burn was erratic in the first third but corrected well enough. Overall, the cigar barely lasted 70 minutes. It was pleasant, at best.

  

Rocky Patel Fifty Toro

September 2020: The Rocky Patel Fifty Toro is a premium cigar, selling for as much as $20 per stick in the US. That's a lot. I've tried three of this cigar over the course of the last few weeks. The best, by far, was the second of three, shown in the picture below. Note the ultra-oily wrapper. You can see the sheen on the left side of the cigar. In fact, the photo barely did justice to the oily texture. The cigar was rich and satisfying. It burned consistently and drew easily. Body was medium, finish was long, strength also medium.

 

The first one I smoked was probably a bit dry. I could feel its rib-like binder. The third one I smoked was fine, but not particularly well packed. It lasted an hour. But the body was medium; the finish was not as long as number 2. I managed an hour out of it. But I would expect a bit more for a Toro. 

Rocky Patel cigars are known for their good construction and easy draw. They also tend to bitterness, often towards the middle section. Cigardude observes this phenomenon in his review of Edge Lite:

I found the flavor of the cigar to be a little harsh once lit, with a bitter aftertaste that followed each puff. The initial taste of the smoke was good but the constant nagging of the aftertaste seemed to quickly take away from the experience.

http://www.cigarreviewdude.com/rocky-patel-edge-lite-review.htm

This flavour impairment is referred to as 'alkalinity' by a reviewer on the neptune.com website, reviewing a RP Royale Toro

 

I've smoked quite a few RPs and I've noticed quite a bit of inconsistency in quality within the same batch. When they're good, they're really good. No bitterness. Complex flavour. Rich aroma. When they disappoint they never completely disappoint. They still beckon a return in hope of rediscovering that paradigm example. The cigar in the photo above was such a paradigm.

 

October 2020 A month later: I selected one with the most oily wrapper I could find. It started well with a rich chocolatey flavour. But the flavour soon dissipated with the middle of the cigar quite bland. I have found this phenomenon frequently in RP cigars - an empty middle. Without blaming the cigar, it might be that the cigars were not stored optimally or that they are beyond their optimal smoke-by-date.  

March 18th, 2021 Five months later I ventured back to this disappointment. It was quite good. It started off as a rich, chocolatey, slightly creamy, but complex Esteli flavour. At the midpoint a blast of something dirty, which soon smoothed out and became more of a woody, leathery, slightly spicy maduro flavour. It was medium bodied throughout and quite satisfying. 85 minutes, or thereabout.

September 1st, 2021: First third: mellow and fairly tasty but light in body. The refinement resembled the Oliva Melanio but without body. Second third: flavour and body picked up a little but soon dissipated. Final third: flavour and body seeped away leaving a mere vegetal flavour. Finish was light throughout but dirty towards the end. Aroma was occasionally rich. Strength was mild. It was as though this cigar has passed its use-by date. It had its moments, but not satisfying. 65 minutes.

 

Don Pepin Garcia Original Toro-Gordo

1. December 9th 2020

This is a Nicaraguan Puro from the My Father company; looks, tastes and smells like a Nicaraguan Puro. It is similar to the Alec Bradley Nica Puro and the Black Market Esteli with perhaps a little more strength. Probably closer to the Rocky Patel Grand Reserve although not quite so spicy.

Construction: flawless construction with oily dark, colarado maduro wrapper. Perhaps a bit lightly packed, resulting in a less than consistent burn. Ash was rather fine and wouldn't hold longer than an inch.

Draw: easy, light draw. Not much resistance. A bit hot towards the end.

Flavour: The Nica puro flavour: chocolatey/espresso with a little pepper from time to time building in strength to the end.

Aroma: rich and complex.

Consistency: flavour was consistent throughout with a few acrid moments which would likely dissipate with a bit more ageing.

Burn: not the best burn. Two minor touch-ups required.  

Finish: long finish

Body: full body at the outset, alternating to medium and back to full at the end

Strength: quite strong but not overwhelming. I find this to be one of the most appealing qualities of the cigar.

Time smoke: 80 minutes

Overall: satisfying, except that the nub became hot and difficult to finish.

2. January 9th 2021 One month to the day, I tried a second cigar from the box. Construction was impressively solid as if the humidification was bang on. Burn was razor sharp, but draw was a bit resistant. Flavour was a light chocolate Nica Puro flavour, towards the end it became a bit bitter, as with the cigar from last month, suggesting that more age might be required. Body also hovered around medium. Strength also was medium, giving no pronounced nicotine effect. As with last month's sample, smoking time was 80 minutes and overall verdict was: quite satisfying.

It looks quite rough with thick veins and not very oily.

 Pronounced veins, but very solid construction.

3. April 3rd, 2021. This was one of those cigars that started with such an impressive blast of flavour and smoothness that I was thinking: 'Hmmm, I should probably order another box when the current box is finished." However, several flaws emerged in construction and flavour, which made me think twice.

This was a solid, impressive cigar that feels substantial in the hand. Ageing improved it for the first half. It was smooth and delicious, with rich aroma and full body. Draw was a little difficult at times in the second half and burn was irregular, requiring a couple of touch ups, as with the first sample. The second half became hot at times and draw was occasionally difficult. Flavour dissipated to the bitter vegetal before returning to a more complex and peppery flavour towards the end. Maybe a little more ageing might be of benefit. Strength was medium at first, building to pleasantly strong. The strength was one of the most pleasing qualities. I like the sort of strength where you can feel the nicotine but it doesn't bowl you over - like the AJ Fernandez Oval has done, on three occasions so far.

Overall, quite tasty and satisfying, but marred by poor construction, difficult draw and lapses of flavour. 85 minutes to the nub. This box has been with me for four months now. Let's see whether a few more months will mellow out the remaining members of the box.

4. June 7th, 2021: Quite pleasant but medium body and strength at best. There was no pronounced vegetal bitterness and burn was razor sharp. Draw was too resistant until about the middle, after which the cigar opened up nicely. 

Flavour was quite pleasant and balanced: milk chocolate with a touch of pepper. Finish was medium, requiring a faster consumption time than might otherwise have occurred.

Aroma was pleasant with occasional whiffs of complexity. 

The major defect of the cigar was its burn time: only 66 minutes to the nub, perhaps due to the light weight of the cigar, perhaps due to the fact that I've maintained the humidor a little dryer. That might also explain the lack of strength. On the other hand, it might be due to the construction of the sample. Overall, quite pleasant, but not satisfying.

5. November 15, 2021: This cigar performed much better than that of June 7th. It was firm and well packed, showing no sponginess when squeezed. But draw was easy and burn was consistently even. It was also quite oily, casting a nice sheen in the light.

Off to a very rich, strong start.

Flavour was rich, clean, peppery and quite full bodied and complex during the first inch. Aroma started off deep and rich. With almost a year in the humidor I felt that perhaps the cigar had come of age. But it mellowed out considerably after the first inch and became a rather common Nicaraguan Puro. There was a hint of vegetal flavour from time to time during the second third, so perhaps there is more scope to age. Finish was long and allowed for a relaxed smoking pace. 

The band is especially colourful, with Cuban flag on the right.

During the final third body picked up to full body again, as did spiciness. Finish became tarry, but I didn't taste much of it the next day. Overall, quite satisfying. 95 minutes.

Good to the nub. This cigar lasted 95 minutes. Verdict: satisfying.

November 14th, 2022: After two years in storage the cigar performed nicely. It was full body from the outset, with a discernible pepper and deep, rich chocolatey flavour. The only drawback was slightly tight pack, which required a more than comfortable draw. The last third was a bit disappointing; the choco flavour dissipated and flavour was less complex. Nontheless, 90 minutes and quite satisfying. 

Another year on, not much change; perhaps a greater depth in the first half, but the final third was still a bit thin, as was the previous iteration.

AJ Fernandez San Lotano Oval Gordo

No. 1. November 23rd, 2020

What a strength bomb!

I smirk at reviewers who baulk at strength. What is a cigar without a bit of punch. Phil Kohn reaches for his crash helmet, lest he fall and break his furniture. 'A smaller vitola might have been better', says he. Not me! Well, I've met my match. The San Lotano Oval Gordo was strong from the start and builds into a strength bomb. I tried listening to a podcast during the hundred minutes of this stogie. But I felt myself drifting in and out of consciousness: words fluttered by. I sat reeling in my chair and ended with a sweat such as I can't recall for months or years. (That night, at one a.m., I woke feeling most unsettled in the gut, sat up, went back to sleep after ten minutes, but felt drained the next day. Nicotine overdose!)

Am I exaggerating? (Does Kohn exaggerate?) Yes, a bit (Yes, probably a bit). The flavour and complexity of the cigar were excellent. But I must confess. I've met my match in this cigar.

Vitola: 6.5 X 60

Origin: Nicaragua

Strength: Strong, strong, STRONG Neptune rates it as medium. Not the one I tried.

Wrapper: Colorado Maduro, a lovely dark brown

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua and Honduras

Construction: I marvel at the beauty of this cigar: smooth, medium brown wrapper, one large, elegant vein, a dainty light spot.

Draw: Perfect: just enough resistance, excellent smoke output throughout.

Flavour: Delicious and complex with spice building gradually to end with a spice bomb.

Aroma: Excellent, rich and complex.

Consistency: Perfect.

Burn: Almost perfect burn. No major touch up required. A bit wavy but always correcting.

Ash: Delicate, easy to dislodge with a slight twitch.

Finish: Long

Body: Full

Strength: Strong, stronger and strongest.

Time smoke: 100 minutes. I put it out an inch before the end, head swimming and sweat overpowering.

Overall: This cigar needs a good, airy environment in which to enjoy it. It's a wonderful full bodied cigar. I probably took it too fast.  I'm a bit in denial: I've read elsewhere that this is a medium bodied cigar. How was mine so overpowering in the final third? Let's see what the remaining 19 in the box bring.

No. 2. December 12th 2020

More strength than flavour. The second sample from the box was not as strong as the first: but still dizzyingly strong, and probably more strength than flavour and complexity. It was still an enjoyable 95 minutes, but body and flavour were a bit lacking. Let's give it a little more time and see whether the profile balances more.

No. 3. March 27th, 2021

What a difference a few months made: at least for the first half. The cigar was much improved since No. 2, above. It began with a delicious pepper burst which subsided into a smooth, balanced, rich and flavourful, medium to full bodied, cigar with satisfying long finish. Draw was easy and burn was a bit wavy but corrected easily. It was thoroughly enjoyable for the first hour with no sign of overwhelming strength - until the last third. Then flavour became much more peppery and strength built - and built and built until I began sweating and my head started spinning. Flavour deteriorated to pepper and not much else. The final two inches were overwhelming to the dizzying proportions of the previous two samples and subsided to mere strength without much flavour. I left the cigar an inch before the nub. Overall, quite a journey - from delicious, complex and balanced to overpowering. Let's see whether another month or two will ripen away the overbearing strength in the last third. 90 minutes.

What dreams may come: I left it at an inch and a half. I was sweating and feeling dizzy. I staggered to my room, where the air conditioning soon remedied the sweats and went to bed. That night, I had the most vivid dreams. I woke up a few times during the night, feeling mildly dyspeptic, but each time remembering the strange dreams. It was as though the volume on dream clarity had been turned up. In one dream I was at a conference which was going twenty four hours around the clock. I sat down on a sofa during a session of the conference and woke up a sleeping figure, almost sitting on his head. He turned out to be the president of the United States. It wasn't Uncle Joe. It was someone more like Wilbur Post (the (human) star of Mr Ed). With a moderate nicotine dose, I sleep quite soundly. What dreams occur do not linger in the consciousness with great vividness. The high potency Oval seems to bring on a strange psychotropic effect.

4. August 21st, 2021: I approached this cigar with trepidation. It's a monster and the previous one kept me awake all night. After nearly five months I was keen to see whether the strength had toned down. It had. It still packed a punch. After one hour I broke into a slight sweat but that soon dissipated and I smoked the cigar to the nub.

The first inch was delicious, cool and intense. I puffed through the first inch in just over ten minutes, wondering how long this cigar would remain so good: complex, balanced, smooth, intense. Not long. After the first inch the intense, balanced, flavour subsided and became less multi-dimensional. It was still a good, full bodied, strong, cigar with excellent aroma and tasty, clean, long finish. It did not degenerate into a pepper bomb, as per no. 3, above. Strength was a bit more than desirable in the second half. But there was no head-spinning. Ageing seems to have made it tolerable, even pleasant.

Total time: 100 minutes

Verdict: Satisfying.

January 29th, 2022: Fairly flavoursome during the first third, but nothing on the robusto; not the same richness or complexity of flavour as the robusto demonstrates. The coolness of the length of the cigar was a plus. Aroma was excellent. The burn was adequate and the draw was easy. But by the second third, strength started to accumulate and, by the final third, to dominate. Flavour began to dissipate markedly. All that remained of flavour in the final third was a vegetal pepperiness. 

Conscious of the previous harsh dreams I had experienced after smoking this vitola, I abandoned the cigar at 80 minutes, at around the beginning of the final third. But the die had already been cast. That night I dreamed the most vivacious dreams. It was like a movie marathon of vivid dreams, each followed by a short period of waking. I dreamed that I had woken up. Then woke up and found that my prior waking was in fact dreaming. I dreamed that I was walking down a  street marvelling that the brilliant realism of the dream, as if praising the CGI effects of a film.

What this cigar reveals is how different vitolas of the same brand can be. The Gordo and the Robusto are like two different blends. Strength, body, flavour all all quite different from Gordo to Robusto. In terms of balance, the Robusto wins hands down. 

 

L'Atelier Lat 56

January 23, 2020: This another of the 'My Father' cigar company range. It is beautifully constructed with a fine, habano wrapper and a delicious, musty, dry aroma. Despite the size of the cigar it is fairly lightly packed. The cigar very much resembled the Rocky Patel Grand Reserve, with the same defect, a bitter ammonia taste. The box from which the sample came was marked, "Aug 2020", suggesting that it's a little young. The cigar is rated 94 by Cigar Aficionado, so there's hope that it might improve with a little ageing. 

The band is impressive.

Cute pigtail is a bit of a gimmick. 

Vitola: 6.5 inch x 56 

Construction: Binder and filler from Nicaragua, wrapper from Ecuador. The wrapper is described by CigarDojo as, "Ecuadorian Sancti Spiritus, a hybrid between Pelo de Oro and Criollo tobacco, grown by the Oliva Tobacco Family in Ecuador." It is clear brown, without any aging spots. 

Draw: Easy draw, at times a little too easy. The cigar is lightly packed and sometimes it required a few puffs to produce a decent amount of smoke.

Flavour: Similar to that of the Rocky Patel Grand Reserve, but mild to medium, occasionally creamy, developing more body in the second third, but marred by an ammonia bitterness, and developing a little pepper towards the end. 

Finish: short to medium. Nothing of the satisfying long finish that sustains a good cigar.

Aroma: Pleasantly rich aroma throughout

Body: medium, never reaching full body, but building body from the second third.

Strength: mild to medium, never reaching full strength.

Consistency: best in the second third. The final section was marred by ammonia and lacked body. It became a bit boring.

Burn: One or two minor touch-ups required.

Time smoke: 90 minutes

Overall: Moderately satisfying. I would hope that this cigar will improve with a little ageing. 

April 24th, 2021

Much improved after a few months of fallow. Dry aroma was a deliciously fragrant sweetness, which reminded me of a cigar rolled from Dominican tobacco at a cigar-rolling exhibition in Hong Kong, more than thirty years ago. It's remarkable how a scent can stay in the memory for decades. But here it was: a perfume to remember.

The first inch was probably the best; very smooth and balanced albeit quite mild but with good body and finish. The remainder of the cigar was quite good, much better than the first specimen. But it's difficult to put my finger on the balance. Let me try:

Draw and burn: quite a bit of resistance, despite the lightness of the cigar. Burn was fine, requiring no touch up until the very end.

Flavour: quite mild, milky chocolatey flavour with a light peppery touch throughout, making a very balanced mild to medium flavour.

Body and finish: at least medium body, possibly full body, if that's possible in a mild cigar. Finish was long throughout. This long finish was probably one of the most notable and satisfying qualities.

Strength: there was definitely some power in the cigar, nothing overwhelming, but quite potent.

Aroma: the aroma was good with occasional wafts of 'delicious'.

Consistency: there were a few moments where flavour petered out, but overall, this was a very pleasant cigar, much improved from the first, with fine balance.

Time: 90 minutes, as with the first.

Overall: Good to the nub. Quite satisfying.

June 6th, 2022: After more than a year, this cigar showed vast improvement in the first third. It was medium bodied and complex in a very refined and subtle way. However, strength ramped up in the second third, making the cigar unbalanced. At the beginning of the final third strength abated and the subtlety of the first third briefly returned. This didn't last long and the nub was a bit overwhelming. 

I left the cigar at 100 minutes. Satisfying, but not as great as it would have been if the cigar had maintained its medium bodied subtlety of the first third. Perhaps a little more ageing might even the cigar out. I didn't notice any yellowing of the cellophane. Alternatively, this cigar might be too big for me. Maybe the shorter vitola would be better, however, the price is for a box of 15 and not quite worth it.

At the one hour mark: some excellent complexity but not consistent. 

November 18th, 2023: Another year and a half did the trick. This one was sublime: an excellent, rich Habano flavour, moving from medium in the first third to spicy and full bodied in the final third, but without any bitterness or harshness, having a delicious, long finish and an exquisite aroma. Draw was easy but a few touch ups required. 110 minutes. Very satisfying.

December 2nd, 2023: This one had some of the qualities of the previous, but it was by no means as rich nor did it have the complexity, body or exquisite aroma of the previous. I was just about to buy another box, but I will defer on that. Try one or more and see where the balance lies.

March 16th, 2024: This one was good: rich, complex and delicious Habanesque  - a bit vegetal in the middle, but otherwise, very satisfying at around 90 minutes.

Rocky Patel Super Ligero Robusto

 

1.October 28th 2020: A remarkable, bold, consistent, slow burning, full bodied, rich, complex, delicious cigar. There, I've said it all. What more is there to say?

'Ligero' means 'light' in Spanish. You would imagine that 'super light' would mean super mild. Not so. According to Wikipedia,

Ligero (pronounced "lee-HAIR-oh") is a type of tobacco leaf found near the top of each tobacco plant. Slower to mature than the seco and viso leaves found at the middle of the plant or the easy-burning volado leaves at the bottom, ligero leaves are characterized by a coarse texture and produce smoke with a potent, spicy taste. Ligero leaf is selected for the manufacture of heavy, full-bodied cigars, being rolled at the very center of the filler bundle owing to its slow-burning nature. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ligero

The cigar has received lots of interesting reviews. 

Cigardojo: 

"It’s hard to explain, but it’s basically like taking any strong flavors you can imagine and combining them into a ball—alcohol burn, sharp pepper, raw nicotine, burnt toast—it’s just strength, as a flavor. This blast of dark flavor doesn’t last long, it quickly evolves to show more depth. ... Once the cigar starts to settle into its comfort zone (1″), I’d peg it as medium body, medium strength, medium+ flavor. 

… the flavors are not dark and overwhelming with pepper, as you may imagine – it’s quite smooth actually. 

https://cigardojo.com/2015/07/rocky-patel-super-ligero-cigar-review/

Phil Kohn:

"Yeah, it was a spice bomb to start with. But it has branched out with some delectable flavors and complexity."

"The balance is spot on now. The spiciness is strong but I like it that way. I love the oomph that red pepper gives a blend."

"The Rocky Patel Super Ligero is cruising now. High complexity. A boat load of flavors. Great balance. And a perfect long finish."

https://kohnhed.com/2015/10/01/rocky-patel-super-ligero-cigar-review/

I agree with all of those quotes. 

2. October 2020

Flavour: Good from start to finish: rich, satisfying and reminiscent of that bundle of unbranded cigars I bought a Tegucigalpa Airport in early 1985. Smoking this robusto brought back decade-old memories of a very full body, deep complexity, but without harshness. The Rocky Patel Grand Reserve approaches this quality, but is not as consistent as this specimen.

Consistency: Totally consistent. No transitions to mention. Good and strong/smooth at the start and remained the same until the end.

Burn: Perfect. No retouches despite the claim the ligero burns less evenly than other leaves.

Finish: Long.

Body: Full. I guess long finish and full body go together.

Strength: Medium. I never found the cigar to be overwhelming. Of course this might be due to the age, which I have no idea of knowing. It will be interesting to see how further samples compare.

Time smoke: A generous 75 minutes

Overall: Very satisfying.

3. November 2nd. Three days later: Another stick from the batch. Flavour was a little rougher, suggesting that ageing might smooth it out, but it was still rich and enjoyable. The roughness was in the form of a little bitterness, possibly ammonia. Aroma was still rich and excellent. Strength picked up towards the end then levelled off. Draw was fine. One minor touch up required. Time was a 85 leisurely minutes, remarkable for a robusto. 

4. November 11th This is becoming one of my favourites: body is full, strength is a bit less than full, complexity is full, deep and rich. It's the sort of aroma that you can enjoy while the stogies sits on the ash tray between puffs. Aroma is a quality that is under-represented in cigar reviews. But just as with wine, the aroma of a cigar is at least half of the experience. 

Draw is easy with occasional resistance, ma non troppo. Burn is a little wavy, but it corrects itself well enough. There's a little ammonia on the finish, which might well benefit from storage - if I can discipline myself to store them. All three that I've smoked are good to go now. So storage will be difficult. Finish is long enough to leave the cigar for a minute or two between puffs

84 minutes

Haydn Quartets

Op. 50 no. 5, 'The Dream'

Marvellous finale

Op. 20. no. 2

Superb slow movement: Capriccio - Adagio - Cantabile: a unison introduction with a dramatic recitative, mellowing into the tuneful cantabile. It's so interesting that I listened to this movement twice to try and untangle the three sections. 

The Menuet emerges nicely from the slow movement. The finale is one of Haydn's great fugues, this one in four parts which characterize op. 20. This one is a jaunty little number with a rousing, climactic ending.

Op. 20 no. 4

This is one of the finest of the 68, dramatic and profound. The first movement is marked Allegro di Molto. I'm listening to the Festics Quartet.  They play more andante than allegro. 

5. November 30th: Might have been the windy night, but this cigar didn't live up to the previous few. I selected one that I had removed from its cellophane wrapper on arrival. It felt somewhat lighter than the others. Unlike the previous sample, this one only lasted 60 minutes, still good for a robusto. Finish was much shorter. It was pleasant; there was strength and complexity but not as oily and rich. It tasted as though it had been aged a few years. In fact, it was only a  month. It would have been better without the wind. Verdict: not satisfying.

6. 6th December 2020: After a less than satisfying experience with this cigar a week ago, I decided to ramp up the humidity in my humidor a few percentage points. I selected a stogie from the same batch as the disappointment of November 30th. What a difference a bit more humidity made: the rich, powerful body returned with a vengeance. Perhaps the extra humidity was a bit too much; the burn was irregular and the first two thirds were a bit too strong with a touch of acridity. But the final third was a dream; smooth, creamy and full bodied. The aroma throughout was first rate complexity. So this would appear to be a cigar that needs a little more humidity. But not too much. Perhaps it would benefit from a little more age. Definitely a power house at the right humidity. 90 minutes. Verdict: strong, lush and satisfying

 Burn and ash were a little uneven and flaky. A few touch-ups corrected the irregularities.

7. January 22nd, 2021: Conscious that this cigar performs better with higher humidity, I selected a slightly squashy specimen from the humidor. Burn was perfect. Remarkably, this little 5 x 50 lasted 80 minutes, similar to others from the same box. Flavour was a little irregular: sometimes a whiff of flavour, sometimes a bit bland. Aroma was always excellent. Overall, quite satisfying, but nothing of the calibre of the first few I smoked from this batch. 

8. March 2nd 2021: Similar to the cigar of January 22, above but only 60 minutes burn: a little earthier, maduro flavour with sometimes a hint of vegetal quality that might benefit from ageing. Again, a bit disappointing that the complexity of the samples from October, last year, did not manifest. Still, quite an enjoyable smoke.

9. March 31st, 2021: This was an excellent specimen. It was oily, it was fragrant pre-lighting, it was firm and moist. Flavour and body were most agreeable. There was nothing vegetal. It was very satisfying to the nub. I'm not sure how long I took to smoke it. I was sitting by the courtyard in U Sathorn, in Bangkok, after an excellent recital of the Schubert String Quintet.

10. April 23rd: This cigar was not as oily or fragrant as that of March 31st, but nonetheless rich and complex. There was a hint of bitterness and bitter, vegetal flavour, but nothing unpleasant, suggesting that more ageing will benefit this cigar. I doubt I can restrain myself from finishing the box before that optimal period, as these are one of my favourite full bodied cigars. 70 minutes listening to Megan Kelly, Alan Dershowitz and other lawyers discussing the Chauvin case. 

11. May 10th: Strong, full bodied throughout, long finish, deep, rich flavour with still a hint of bitterness, deep rich, complex aroma, one or two touch-ups, strong throughout. The long finish was remarkable: oily and rich, perhaps a bit tarry. I can still feel a lingering residue the day after. Aroma touched on very complex. 

I've read the bitter tinge described as the flavour of sweet tea. I wouldn't say 'sweet', but the bitter aftertaste resembles the aftertaste of black tea. This cigar was a little on the heavy side. Over the course of 11 entries, it is apparent that this is a cigar that varies quite a bit from stick to stick. It is also apparent that it's one of my favourites and I have ordered a box of the Toro size. Although I'm a bit concerned that I have bitten off more than I can chew, as the robusto is quite a handful. This one came in at 80 minutes.

12. September 15th, 2021: The first few puffs were full of characteristic pepper. After the spice calmed down the cigar became surprisingly mellow; full bodied, dark roast, but the pepper dissipated. Finish was long but a bit dirty. Strength was medium. Burn was all over the place. A touch up was required around the mid point. After that, no burn issues.

By the second half, the dark roast had transformed to burnt roast, or burnt toast. Still no memorable spice. But strength began to ramp up, compensating for the dissipation of flavour. I began sweating mildly. The cigar was still enjoyable, in its rough way. 

Complexity throughout was lacking. This is probably the greatest disappointment of the cigar. It is somewhat mono-dimensional: dark roast coffee to burnt toast with a dirty aftertaste. 

Just towards the nub the cigar became more interesting. Spice returned, burnt toast reverted to dark roast albeit with a dirty aftertaste. It was most enjoyable. However, after 70 minutes I had had enough of this dirty little morsel. Overall, quite satisfying. 

13. December 21st, 2021: Much like the cigar above: full bodied, dark roast, mellow with a slightly dirty finish in the second half. Burn, however, was fine; no touch up required. The second half did not transform to burnt toast. It remained dark roast. There was no noticeable strength buildup. Unlike the September sample, this cigar was quite complex, with a much more refined flavour profile; dirt was minimal. 68 minutes. Quite satisfying. 

Sharp burn, solid cigar yet easy draw

After one hour: quite delicious, complex dark roast with a slightly dirty aftertaste

 June 15th, 2022: This little powerhouse started with flush of bitter, dark roast, burnt flavour but soon mellowed out to a much smoother, more balanced complexity. Aroma was deep and rich; probably the most satisfying component of the package. The final third returned to the bitter burnt toast, but was still quite palatable. Given the intensity of the cigar, it lasted a good 90 minutes. Quite satisfying. 

September 22nd, 2023: What a flavour bomb: totally smooth, yet full body and dark roast espresso - as dark as you can get. Aroma was rich and intense. Around 60 minutes. Very satisfying.