Joya de Nicaragua Antano 1970 Belicoso

November 28, 2021: This cigar is a 6 x 54 belicoso. It's a Nicaraguan puro. It looks identical to its elder cousin, the Gran Reserva Belicoso, which I reviewed last week and the Churchill 1970, which I reviewed a month or two ago. I was very interested to compare them. The Gran Reserva is supposedly aged five years. 

Appearance and Construction: The cigar is a well constructed, solid, belicoso. The wrapper is medium brown and mottled, suggesting a bit of ageing, albeit not as much as the Gran Reservo.

First Puff: Smooth

Draw and Burn: Draw was easy with no major resistance. Burn was fine; a minor wave at the end but no touch up required.

Flavour and Complexity: Flavour was similar to the Gran Reserva. The cigar had a very pleasant medium roast coffee with a dried fruit taste, like apricot. It was very pleasant. 

Body: Hovered around medium throughout. 

Strength: No strength to speak of. Standing up after 100 minutes I could feel some effects, so there was some strength, but nothing perceptible while smoking.  

Finish and Aftertaste: Finish was long and delicious. Aftertaste was clean and had the pleasant dried fruit quality. 

Aroma: Deep and rich. Very pleasant.

Ash: held on nicely for 30 minutes per ashing.

After one hour.

Balance and Consistency: Consistently good. No transitions, unlike the Gran Reserva which started mild and ended more intense. But flavour, body and strength were perfectly balanced throughout. 

Time smoke: 100 minutes. Difficult to let it go.

After 95 minutes. So tasty that I was reluctant to let the cigar go.

Overall: "Balance" is the word that comes to mind. Flavour, body and strength all fitted together very well. The citrus 'twang' was an interesting flavour component. The cigar was consistently good. It burned and drew without issue. Very satisfying. 

January 9th, 2022: This was a dud. Plugged throughout. I kept struggling with the draw hoping that I would pass the knot. But there was no knot; the cigar was badly rolled throughout. My friend, smoking another sample from the box, had no such problem. His cigar burned perfectly and he reported that it was very nice. These things happen. But Joya seems to have this issue more than others: Red, Black, both boxes have these badly rolled cigars.

The tell-tale spike of a badly rolled cigar.

April 2nd, 2022: This cigar was very good. It made up for the dud of January 9th above. It was smooth, medium bodied during the first two thirds and built up to a nice level of strength in the final third. Flavour was cocoa and dried fruit. Aftertaste was clean but finish was medium at best. Draw was a little resistant: it took a few puffs to extract a good volume of smoke. Burn was fine. One of the most satisfying aspects of this cigar was the aroma: it was rich and prevalent. Balance, as discussed above, comes to mind: flavour, body, aroma, transition to greater strength. I eked almost 90 minutes to the nub. Very satisfying. 

May 22nd, 2022: This was an excellent example of the blend. Flavour started out mellow and mild to medium. Draw and burn were almost perfect. But the final third was the star. By a bit past the midpoint the cigar really shone: complexity, body and a bit of strength all increased to create a very satisfying package. 110 minutes to the nub. 

Excellent balance of body, flavour without too much strength in the final third.

August 13th, 2022. This was a dud. It was soft and squishy, despite being stored at 69% humidity. I assume that it was badly constructed. The spiked ash confirmed my suspicion. Flavour was dull and thin. Body was weak. Draw was difficult. By the end of the final third draw was almost plugged. I binned it. 

3rd April, 2023. I was not inspired to return to this brand after the previous construction issues. Hence the long interval. This cigar began with a difficult draw, but within a millimetre the cigar opened out and the first third was delicious with the sweet, fruity flavour, which I have described above. The second third became plugged again. Draw was difficult. The final third opened out, draw was easy and smoke was full, even though the cigar was squishy. Flavour returned and a bit of strength ensued. Altogether, around 90 minutes, with some interesting transitions and draw challenges. Quite satisfying.  

July 18th, 2023: This cigar was hard. It felt like it was over packed, but it drew quite nicely. The cigar started out quite pleasantly: good draw, fairly even burn, the typical fruity flavour, no spice or pepper. The final third was a disappointment. Flavour dissipated to a rather empty vegetal, much like the cigar of August 13th, 2022. I binned the cigar before the nub at around 65 minutes. Pleasant for the first two thirds, but not satisfying.

Alec Bradley Black Market Churchill

November 23rd, 2021: This is the second vitola of this cigar that I've tried. The first is the Special Perfecto. Both exhibited the same sour aftertaste, which suggested the need for more ageing. I've also tried to Esteli Black Market, which is a much smoother, albeit stronger, version. 

Appearance and Construction: 7x 50. The cigar is well made, feels weighty in the hand and looks good. It has a paper sleeve as well as a band. I suppose that the sleeve protects the cigar. But I wonder whether it might slow the ageing process. In any event, it's a gimmick that adds nothing to the cigar.

According to Neptune, the binder is Ecuadorian Sumatra and the filler is a mix of Panama and Honduras tobacco. Only the wrapper is Nicaraguan. 

First Puff: A nice blast of pepper and an introduction to the sourness which appears from time to time throughout the cigar. 

Draw and Burn: Slightly resistant draw, but no major issue. Burn was almost perfect. No touch up required. However I noticed that, upon ashing, there remained a conical spike of glowing cinder, which is not the hallmark of good construction. 

Flavour and Complexity: The flavour at best is a rich, dark roast, but it is marred by sourness. Towards the end of the first third, sourness was prominent and not at all pleasant. It didn't last long; maybe a few puffs. For most of the cigar, the sourness was part of the flavour profile, sometimes prominent, sometimes just a hint. By the time I reached the nub, sourness had dissipated and the cigar revealed its potential. It suggested that the cigar would benefit from ageing as the flavour at its best is quite complex. 

It's interesting to note the comments on Neptune, where the cigar is rated 4.5. "Nothing wrong with this cigar", "solid taste, not bitter", "surprised how good this was", "smoked BM for four years and have never been disappointed". All of these comments suggests that a bit of age will improve the cigars.

One of the virtues of the Churchill vitola is coolness. The smoke is cool through the first two thirds. When flavour is good, this long, cool, filter enhances flavour. Again, more ageing will benefit the remainder of the box. 

Body: Medium to full body. 

Strength: No strength to mention in the first two thirds. Quite a nice kick in the final third.

Finish and Aftertaste: Long finish, but somewhat dirty due to the sourness. I could taste it the next day. 

Aroma: Excellent, rich, complex aroma. As with the Perfecto, aroma was one of the most attractive qualities of the cigar.

Ash: Pure white ash which held on very nicely.

Balance and Consistency: The sourness was an imbalance. When the sourness was a background feature, the cigar was quite pleasant. When it was absent, at the nub, the cigar was satisfying. But when it dominated, it was not.

Time smoke: 90 minutes

Overall: This is a promising cigar. It needs to age. It is similar to the Perfecto vitola. Both suffered from sourness (although I called it bitterness in the Perfecto review. I need to make up my mind. Is it sour, like a lime, or bitter, like dark, unsweetened, chocolate?) However, the Perfecto suffered less from this flavour defect. 

I took the sleeve off the Perfectos and put the naked cigars in a humidor. I might do the same with a few Churchills to see whether this evens them out. Verdict: not particularly satisfying although the nub was good and with age, the cigar should improve.

Upon reaching the nub flavour smoothed out and sourness dissipated.

August 24th, 2022: After nine months I was expecting an improvement. I was disappointed. The cigar drew and burned well, but flavour was too much burnt toast. There was a modicum of sweetness and plenty of spice and aroma was occasionally pleasant, but these qualities didn't compensate for the overall dirty, burnt taste. I puffed on dutifully for 90 minutes. Not satisfying. 

Joya de Nicaragua Antano Gran Reserva Belicoso

The Joya Gran Reserva Belicoso is a 6 by 54 torpedo. This was an interesting cigar with a mild Cuban like flavour and aroma in the first two thirds, developing into a more full bodied cigar in the final third. 

Appearance and Construction: A very solidly constructed cigar, heavy in the hand. The wrapper is a beautiful colorado shade.

First Puff: Very smooth. No harsh introduction.

Draw and Burn: Draw was a bit resistant throughout. There were times when several puffs were necessary to get a decent draw. Burn was adequate. A couple of touch ups were required.

Flavour and Complexity: Flavour was a deliciously smooth Pinar del Rio Cuban flavour, similar to the fake Cohibas that I reviewed recently. During the final third, flavour intensified to a medium roast spicy flavour, which was well complemented by an increase in strength.

Body: Light body for the first half or more, increasing to a full body in the final third. 

Strength: No strength to speak of until the final third, at which point strength increased conspicuously.

Finish and Aftertaste: Finish was a bit short. I rarely put the cigar down to rest for long. I expected this would lead to a maximum of 70 minutes. But I was gratified that the cigar lasted 90 minutes, largely due to the increase in strength. 

Aroma: Delicious, smooth, complex aroma. I could easily have mistaken the cigar for a Cuban.

Ash: A bit flaky. 

Balance and Consistency: The first third or two were a bit lacking in body at times. But the final third made up for this.

Time smoke: 95 minutes.

Overall: A very interesting cigar: the transition from mild, light roasted coffee flavour to a medium roast, full bodied cigar in the final third kept my attention. Quite satisfying and good to the nub. 

This was a cigar that came to life in the final third.

February 14th, 2022: No transitions to speak of. Mild to medium body. Flavour was the same dried apricot, light roast as the previous. Quite pleasant. Burn was fast and even. Draw was easy. Aroma was delicious and rich. Finish was reasonably long. But there wasn't much flavour in it. An increase in strength or spice in the second half, as occurred with the previous cigar, would have satisfied more. 75 minutes to the nub. Pleasant. But not satisfying.

AJ Fernandez New World Puro Especial Short Churchill

 

1. November 4th, 2021: The is is the second vitola of the New World Puro Especial in my collection. The other is the Toro (6.5 x 52). The Short Churchill is 6 x 48, a size which I had initially feared might be a little small for my taste. As it happened, the smaller cousin to the Toro provided almost as much burn time and was quite as satisfying. 

Appearance and Construction: Beautiful, slender, even construction.

First Puff: A nice initial blast of intensity which heralded an impending delight.

Draw and Burn: Both excellent. No resistance and no need for touch up. I let the cigar go out and needed a relight, but that was more likely due to my own neglect.

Flavour and Complexity: The flavour much resembled both the New World Navegante and the Toro vitola of the Puro Especial: a smooth, leathery, earthy, almost maduro flavour. Complexity was satisfying.

Body: Medium body for the first two thirds and fuller body during the final third.

Strength: Moderate. There was definitely some strength but it was nicely balanced.

Finish and Aftertaste: Good long finish and satisfying aftertaste.

Aroma: Excellent rich aroma.

Ash: Held on for about 20 minutes per ashing.

Balance and Consistency: An excellent balance of body, flavour and strength.

Time smoke: 95 minutes

Overall: Delicious all the way to the nub. Very satisfying.

2. December 13th, 2021: This cigar was incredibly rich, smooth, complex and balanced. It was full bodied and slightly spicy. Draw was a little resistant. Burn was wavy but self-correcting. Aroma was rich and intense. Finish was long and aftertaste was clean.

Balance between flavour, body, aftertaste and aroma was excellent. Overall, this was a very satisfying 90 minutes. 

3. January 5th, 2022: Much the same as the previous sample. This is a small cigar compared with the Toro, the Churchill or the Gordo. But 

It's so full of flavour that

It's easy to savour and

lasts well over 80 minutes, probably 90 minutes or more. Finish is long and quite clean, despite intensity. Flavour was the same as the previous two cigars with a slight hint of spice throughout. There's also a little bitterness in the flavour, but not unpleasantly. It adds to the complexity. Some people describe flavour as creamy. I guess they mean that the flavour is smooth and full. This cigar was certainly smooth and full bodied throughout. Overall, this is a cigar to savour: very balanced, very satisfying. 

4. February 10th, 2022: This cigar was so slow burning that it stretched out for 110 minutes. Draw was perhaps a bit resistant, but not obstructive. Flavour as above: hint of spice and slight bitterness in patches, otherwise smooth, full bodied, balanced, burn sharp enough. So far, four out of four have been good. High marks for consistency. Satisfying.

At the one hour mark.

5. March 16th, 2022. Another excellent cigar: full bodied with plenty of pepper in the final third. Flavour was complex and rich throughout with excellent long finish. The cigar was well balanced and consistently delicious. Aroma was deep and rich.  Draw was a bit resistant, just as no.4 above, but not obstructively. Flavour was so rich and the cigar was so well packed that it was satisfying to sip. 115 minutes, letting the cigar go out to attend to business. Very satisfying. Compared with the Toro, this vitola is superior. It is more consistently delicious from 

Rich, intense, full bodied. Very satisfying.

6. May 23rd, 2022: This cigar started out deliciously: full bodied with excellent draw, burn and aftertaste. But by the second half, bitterness began to overwhelm. The final third was dirty, burnt toast bitter. Burn started to go awry in the final two inches. I nonetheless smoked it almost to the nub, but this is the first, out of six, which was not particularly satisfying. 110 minutes. 

At the 45 minute mark: still delicious with very long finish and spicy aftertaste. But bitterness soon overwhelmed. 

7. August 4th, 2022: Heavy in the hand, well packed, dense construction but resistant draw. Very smooth, full bodied start, ramping up spice and dirt in the second half, reminiscent of the recent My Father Fausto that I had, but not as dirty; far easier to finish. Also not as dirty and tasting of burnt toast as the sample I smoked on May 23rd. Quite satisfying, 95 minutes. I should try the Toro again and compare the ending. 

8. August 31st, 2022: Not as heavy or as resistant in draw as the previous cigar. This cigar was full bodied all the way with plenty of pepper and spice. Flavour was dark roast and, as with the previous cigar, a little burnt and dirty, but quite easy to enjoy to the nub. Satisfying and 90 minutes. 

A very solid, full bodied, cigar.

9. November 9th, 2022: Another full bodied specimen.  The cellophane was yellowed, showing the age of the cigar, now one year in my humidor. The cigar started off cool, smooth and mellow, yet with a mellow spiciness. Draw was satisfactory, burn was a little irregular. Towards the final third, spice ramped up and the cigar became quite strong and peppery, evidencing much ligero. The cigar was nonetheless tasty enough to finish to the nub. Aroma was excellent. 90 minutes and very satisfying. 

10. December 22nd, 2022: Started out smooth and full bodied, one of the most refined and exquisite full bodied cigars in my collection. But the final third was bitter and unbalanced. I still smoked it to the nub. 90 minutes and quite satisfying.

11. April 6th, 2023: Much the same as the previous cigar, the first inch was exquisite: rich, complex, smooth and full bodied. I kept thinking, "this is as good as a cigar gets". After that first inch a touch of bitterness crept in and was present until the end. It wasn't bitter or unbalanced as was the case with the previous cigar. It was still quite enjoyable. Draw was tight. It took a few puffs to get the thing going. Burn was impeccable. Strength was probably more than I would care for: the night was disturbed with vivid dreams. Overall, 90 minutes and quite satisfying. 

Delicious first inch, followed by a hint of bitterness, but still exquisite flavour.

July 19th, 2023: A strong, peppery first few puffs, followed by a more mellow, deep, dark roast flavour with deep, rich aroma. At its best this is a great full bodied cigar. Draw was a bit tight but burn was sharp. Towards the final third the cigar became a bit bitter, pepper ramped up and that deep, rich, flavour dissipated to a more peppery vegetal tar ball. I still smoked it close to the nub. Quite satisifying at 95 minutes, but lacking in consistency. 

February 7th, 2024: Strong, full bodied. Opened with a blast of pepper. The first third smoothed out and was the best. Pepper returned in the second half. Full body plus. Excellent draw and perfect burn. I still smoked the cigar to the nub. 80 minutes. Quite satisfying.