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Wrapper: Mexican

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Size: 5 ½ x 54

Pre Light

The Mexican wrapper on this cigar has a marbled brown wrapper with a slight oil sheen on it.  The cigar has double bands like the original Mi Amor but the colors on the second band on inverted.  The cigar has a peppery barnyard  aroma on the wrapper.  After doing a punch cut to the head of the cigar a nice open draw is revealed.  I get a sweet peppery taste off the cold draw.

1^st Third

The cigar opens with a very light pepper on the palette and then gives way to notes of chocolate and earth.  The draw is perfect giving off lots of creamy smoke with every puff.

2^nd Third

The pepper has disappeared in the middle portion of the smoke but the flavors of chocolate and earth are still the focal point.  As I reach the middle of the cigar the chocolate flavor turns into more of a chocolate covered cherry flavor.

Final Third

The flavors stayed the same the rest of the way forward and all the way down to the end the cigar but out massive amounts of white smoke.

Overall

I enjoyed the original line of this cigar a little better than this one but I still enjoyed it.  The flavors were good and construction was flawless.  I like most stuff coming out of the La Aroma de Cuba lately and this one is no different.

Keep em burnin’

Griff

Wrapper: Candela

Binder: Sumatra

Filler: Panama, Honduran

Size: 6×50

Pre Light

Well I guess we all knew this was coming.  Today was St. Patrick’s Day and what else would I smoke today?  The Filthy Hooligan has a slight oily sheen on the wrapper with only one large vein running down the one side of the cigar.  The wrapper has a grassy and pepper aroma to it and I get the same smells off the foot.  I did a punch cut on this cigar and it opened up a nice and easy draw.  The flavors on the cold draw are grass, cream and wood.

1^st Third

The cigar didn’t open up with much pepper like I was thinking it was with the aroma I was getting off the cold wrapper.  The one side of the cigar seems to be burning a little faster than the other but not to out of control.  The cigar is putting off lots of smoke and is burning cool.  I’m getting a creamy flavor along with a dry grass.

2^nd Third

The middle portion of the cigar starts off with a light wood flavor to go along with the creamy flavors from the first third.  The cigar is still burning unevenly and when I went to remove some ash I noticed that the center of the cigar is hard as a rock and bright orange.  We’ll have to see what happens with this.

Final Third

The grassy flavors start to show again along with some pepper in the final third.  The problem with the burning didn’t really affect the cigar.  I still burned unevenly and needed to be touched up a few times but nothing major.

Overall

I didn’t necessarily love the cigar nor did I hate it. To me it was just an average smoke.  I have to be honest the only time I smoke candela cigars is on St. Patrick’s Day so I don’t really have a lot of experience with them to judge it against other candela cigars.  I’ll have to give more a try to see how the measure up against each other.  But if you can find a few give them a try and let me know what you think.

Keep em burnin’

Griff

If you’ve been following me on social media in the last few weeks, you may have noticed me smoking a bunch of cigars with a velvety chocolate brown wrapper and a band labeled “Dante”. This is a yet to be released cigar that I have enjoyed almost daily. The Dante is a boutique cigar rolled in Miami using some fine Aganorsa Leaf. It comes in five sizes: the Canto I: the Imp (4×44), Canto II: short Belicoso (4 1/2×52), Canto III: Robusto (5×52), Canto IV: Toro (6 1/2×52) and the Canto V: Asmodeus (5 1/2×46). They feature a San Andres Mexican Maduro wrapper and binder and filler from Esteli, Nicaragua. I have tried each size in multiples, but today I am bringing you a review of my favorite size: The Imp.

The wrapper is a rich chocolate brown. It is smooth, velvety with a slight sheen of natural oils. The aroma off the wrapper and foot is of earth, cocoa and hickory. The cold draw tastes of earth, cocoa, hay and natural tobacco. Immediate upon lighting, my tongue is met with the heat of pepper with a woody aftertaste. Pepper is the most powerful note as I continue to smoke with hints of cocoa and wood. Cinnamon remains to warming the palate mixed with an almost bready note. The smoke is very rich and warm.

Into the middle third, the spice balances out nicely. I notice a salty note amongst the pepper, leather and cocoa which adds to the heartiness. Cocoa and leather lingers in the aftertaste. The retrohale still spicy and rich. The smoke smells incredible.

In the remainder of the Imp, spice returns from start to finish of the draw mingling with cocoa and wood. The wood and leather notes evolve into a robust and savory flavor of hickory. It has a hint of sweetness too. The hickory begins to dominate the palate with pepper a very close second. These notes switch back and forth until the finish.

From the first Dante Canto I Imp that I smoked, my palate was wowed. The quality of leaf, construction and draw are impressive. This cigar nailed my palate perfectly. It’s very rich and hearty. It made me want to reach for the beef jerky and a nice smoky porter. This cigar is definitely full of flavor. I love how the pepper hits the palate in the beginning but balances to the savory smoky hickory in the finish. This cigar retails for 8-12 depending on size and in my opinion is worth every penny. For more information on Dante visit dantecigars.com

My symptoms are puking often, not being able to keep food down, and very thirsty.  Sorry guys it hit me last night. I really should keep a stack of reviews for emergencies like today. Sorry to disappoint again everyone.