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Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Size: 7 x 58

Pre Light

The El Jefe is a pretty big cigar and is a few hour commitment to smoke.  The wrapper has a very oily sheen and is a milk chocolate color.  The cigar is heavy in the hand and is well packed from head to foot.  The aroma off the cold wrapper is of sweet manure with a slight spice.  On the cold draw I’m getting a pepper and coffee flavor.

1^st Third

After lighting up this large cigar it started off with a slight pepper but it quickly faded and opened into a sweet cocoa.  The smoke coming off the cigar is thick, white and creamy.  It just sits in front of your face.  The burn is wavy but under control.

2^nd Third

The cocoa flavor is there with a rich coffee flavor starting to come through to the fore front.  The burn is still a little wavy but is pretty manageable and is cool to the touch.

Final Third

The spice has kicked back up towards the end.  The light wood flavor also joined in with the cocoa and coffee picked up earlier in the cigar.  The burn stayed even throughout and didn’t need any relights.

Overall

I enjoyed the flavor and the construction was well done but to me I’m just not a fan of the huge cigars.  The price point on these isn’t bad on these for the size and quality of the cigar. I would love to try this blend in a smaller size to see if the flavors would be a little richer.

Keep em burnin’

Griff

This weeks cigar, the PDR 1878 Cubano Especial Capa Madura has be calling my name from the humidor for the last two months. It has a beautiful, smooth, chocolate brown Brazilian wrapper with very few, very small veins. The binder is a Dominican criollo ’98 and the filler is Nicaraguan and Dominican criollo. It has a beautiful pigtail finish as well. The aromas coming from the cigar are cocoa, hay and earth.

Before I light up, I pick up cocoa, grass and the slightest hint of salt in the cold draw. Once lit, the initial tasting notes are wood, grass, cocoa and hint of peppercorn. The smoke is fairly peppery right off the bat. As i continue to smoke, I notice the spice picks up quickly in foreground then fades into wood and cocoa notes. The aftertaste is earthy and rich. After an inch, the cocoa and wood balance with the pepper and it leaves a pleasant woody and earthy aftertaste with hints of peppercorn and sea salt. The retrohale is spicy and earthy to finish the first third.

Moving into the middle third, the spice continues to linger on palate. The slight saltiness, cocoa, wood and earth remain on the front of the palate. This cigar produces plenty of smoke that is spicy, earthy and rich. At the end of this third, the saltiness fades leaving cocoa and wood washing over palate and spice takes on a more subtle role.

Going right into the last third, the cocoa is the dominate note most and spice intensifies in the retrohale. The aftertaste is cocoa, wood and spice. The peppercorn spice still lingers throughout the mouth but is subtle. The earth returns adding to the richness of the cocoa. It is a very flavorful conclusion. The burn is practically perfect until the last inch or so but it adjusts without needing touch ups.

Every PDR 1878 Cubano Especial Capa Madura that I have smoked has been consistent both in flavor and quality of construction. The notes of cocoa, spice and earth with the underlying sea salt is a unique, yet pleasant combination that I enjoy from start to finish. Unfortunately, this was the last in my humidor. Looks like its time to get more!

I am sad to say that I will not be posting a review today. I just had so much thrown at me this week. I apologize once again for any inconvenience and I promise I will make it up to you all. God bless and I will see you all back here in two weeks.

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf

Binder: Nicaraguan, Connecticut Broadleaf

Filler: Nicaraguan, Connecticut Broadleaf

Size: Robusto 5×50

Pre Light

The wrapper on the latest released from My Father Cigars has a dark brown color to it with a very oily sheen.  The band may seem a little simple to some but I like it.  The aroma off the cold cigar is of sweet manure and a slight spice.  After slicing off the cap it opened up a free flowing draw with a wood and chocolate.

1^st Third

After an initial spice kick it gave way to the chocolate and wood flavors that I was getting on the cold draw.  The burn stayed relatively even although it did get a little wavy but corrected itself.

2^nd Third

There is a ton of creamy white smoke coming off the cigar with every draw.  The middle portion starts an earthy flavor to go along with the wood and chocolate flavors.  The cigar is still burning cool and somewhat even.

Final Third

The flavors of chocolate, wood and earth are met in the final third with a dull coffee flavor.  The burn stayed cool and even down to the end.

Overall

I enjoyed the La Duena.  It had lots of flavors and they all complimented each other.  Construction was well done and the price point.  Go out and check if your local B&M has received any of these yet and give em a try.

Keep em burnin’

Griff

Last year at IPCPR in Las Vegas, I had the pleasure of meeting Steven Ysidron, formerly of Savinelli. I was impressed with his vast knowledge of cigars and his vintage blends. But if that is not enough, what really stood out and impressed me was his incredible passion for the industry and life. Since his departure with Savinelli, I have been looking forward to sampling the wares from his latest venture, Epicurean cigars. Today, I bring you a review of the AG Azul. This cigar has a sun grown Habano wrapper, Honduran binder and filler from 2008 crops in Jalapa Valley and Esteli.

The Trabajador measures in at 5 by 54 and is encased in cedar with a black ribbon at the foot. The wrapper is a nice medium brown with very few small veins and a nice sheen of oils. It has an aroma of cedar, hay and a hint of cocoa. The cold draw has notes of cocoa and hay.

Upon lighting the cigar, my palate is met with cedar, spice and cocoa. As I continue to smoke, the spice intensifies, I also pick up leather and unsweetened cocoa. The spice lingers in the aftertaste and the retrohale has a fair amount of pepper. After about a half inch the flavors balance out and the leather, cocoa and pepper maintain a perfect balance.

Now into the second third, the cocoa picks up on the front of the palate, leather is mid draw and there is spice on finish. There is cedar lingering in the aftertaste and a very pleasant, aromatic spice in the retrohale. Towards the end of this third, leather becomes more noticeable and the spice subsides slightly.

In the finishing third of the cigar, leather still remains in the foreground and there is cocoa and cedar on finish. Spice tingles my mouth in the after taste and the retrohale maintains the peppery notes. Spice returns in last inch, washing over entire palate with leather and wood in aftertaste.

The AG Azul is home run from Epicurean. From start to finish it was a pleasant experience. I have smoked 5 or 6 of these since the tradeshow in Orlando and my experience each time has been consistent and highly enjoyable.