It's nice seeing another BOTL from the ol' MS. I think you're the second BOTL I've seen from there. The first one, he just up and poof'd after moving from MD to MS. And yeah, I know. The weather sucks here. Wife (fiancee at the time) was originally from Canada and wanted to move back. That and the fact that there wasn't any decent work available in central MS that I knew of after my time in the Army, what're you going to do, right?
If my little corner of Southaven counts as MS, there's another one right here. But, really, I might as well be in Memphis. Although I've heard some say that Memphis is really the largest city in Northern Mississippi...
5-28-14 been in humidor since 9-28-11
My Father El Hijo (5.5 x 52 box pressed)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano (2009)
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Blender: Jamie Garcia, Don Pepin Garcia
This cigar was released in August 2011 to help celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Smoke Inn. It was the third release of a four cigar “Microblend Series” that came out quarterly. The first was the Tatuaje Anarchy. The second was the Padron 1964 SI-15. The fourth was Arturo Fuente Solaris. Each of these blends was made in extremely limited quantity. There were just under ten thousand El Hijos made for 650 boxes of 15.
El Hijo translates to “the son” with is fitting for the theme of the company. This is a short run that is effectively the offspring of the original My Father blend, making the name even more fitting. The blend is pretty much the original My Father blend with a different wrapper. The wrapper on this cigar is a special limited harvest from 2009.
The El Hijo is good looking cigar despite the wrapper being a bit rustic and veiny. Part of the reason is the quality of construction. Everything is neat and tidy. The seams are difficult to find over the length of the cigar and even the cap is relatively difficult to see. However, when the seams are found they look to lay flat. The cap is smooth and perfect. The foot of the cigar is left a little shaggy. Its not a “true shaggy” foot because it is clipped to a specific length, but there is almost a quarter inch of the foot not covered by the wrapper.
The Bands are intricate. The main band is the standard My Father brand band. The secondary band features the name of the cigar in black on a dark brownish orange background.
in the hand the cigar feels silky smooth. The box press is not very sharp and it is very comfortable to hold. The smell of the cigar is light but it is barnyard. A moistening of the cap has little to offver but a very mild sweet and a touch of spice. It does feel oily on the lips and tongue. The bands do not come off nicely; a minor fact , but one that is a pet peeve of many. A clip with a double guillotine brings a draw that is almost too firm. It is still manageable, yet still very firm. It has an earth and licorice flavor when cold.
Lit with a soft flame
The first few puffs that are all filler and binder are musky and a bit sweet. There is also a hint at black pepper. This initial flavor only lasts about three puffs. Then the wrapper starts to burn. A sweeter more mouth watering flavor emerges on the initial flavor. The sweet is on the caramel side but very mild and refined. A toasted wheat bread note is there in the middle flavor and so is a light roasted note. Through the nose there is a musky leather with some spice. The finish, witch actually starts in the middle flavor is a black pepper. The finish fades both in and out gradually. It hangs on a little longer than what would be ideal. Throughout, the smoke has a very light dose of the pulpy texture that Nicaraguan tobacco has. Though the draw continues to be an issue, it is not bad enough to stop, and it does not need to be run through with a draw poker.
The ash holds on for well over an inch and a half. This is just about the beginning of the middle third. The black pepper notes have faded dramatically. The Pepper is now mostly a hint. The earth notes pick up and the sweet is still very subtle and on the caramel side. The toasted bread notes in the first third have picked up a nutty tone. The retrohale is mostly the same but the finish has picked up some of the earth and some of the caramel. Each puff has subtle transitions that are quite enjoyable and encourage holding and savoring the smoke. This does promote the light spice notes that remain and this rounds out the balance of the cigar quite nicely. The burn is not flawless but issues seem to fix themselves quickly. The draw is still the same.
The final third is more woody and leather. It is very smooth with the only texture being a slight pulp in the finish. Through the nose it has not changed. This has tied the cigar together from the first to last third. It is a steady point in a more complex cigar. As the final third moves along the spice picks up slowly. By the time it is a nub a warm spice lingers and is most of the flavor. The finish becomes dry.
if you like my reviews please see my blog. If you want to see what im up to between reviews and get micro reviews of cigars and beer then follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
6-2-14 been in humidor since 3-18-14
Room 101 Master Collection Two Papi Chulo (4 x 42)
Wrapper: Criollo
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua
Blender: Matt Booth
This cigar is the second installment of the Master Collection series, and it is a very different cigar than the Master Collection One. This is not the same cigar with a different wrapper. The only thing that the two blends really have in common is that each collection features the same sizes.
The Master Collection lines of cigars is designed to be the premium cigars within the Room101 brand. They are released in Silver and Gold color schemes for the One and Two respectively.
The philosophy of the Master Collection Two is noted during its release in Room101's statement:
“Paper Chase Incorporated is proud to offer you a product witch is the direct result of five years of ball busting work, sacrifice and investment of the monetary, spiritual an psychological nature encapsulated in this piece of handcrafted art that you are about to ingest by fire
While you enjoy this product is a calm moment, know that you are indulging in the most physical representation of the American dream. A young team of creative an industrious minds have taken a stand to make something of themselves”
This is a small cigar. The “Papi Chulo” (translates roughly to “pimp daddy”) vitola is smaller than a corona, making this an outcast in the modern over the top huge cigars. The band is gold on gold with a cherry blossom embossed in the the center. The wrapper looks thick making the seams very visible. The color of the wrapper is a dark tan with a fair amount of smaller veins running in every direction.
The cigar feel heavy for its size and it has a very firm feel to it. There is some tooth to the wrapper giving it a very mild sandpaper feel to it. The smell is sweet and hay with a hint at what could be spice. A moistening of the cap has an oily feel with a sour note. Once cut with the double guillotine a woody and raisin flavor comes through a draw with near perfect resistance.
Lit with a soft flame.
the first few puffs are mushroom and cedar with a very mild pepper. Through the nose is where most of this comes through. The initial flavor is a bit earthier. As the cigar settles in there is a strange quality of flavors. Unlike many cigars where the spice lingers into the finish, this cigar has most of the spice on the middle flavors and it fades as the finish kicks in. the initial flavors are graham cracker and malt with the spice fading in early. The spice fades into a general warmth that is similar to the smell of slate. The finish is earth and mushrooms. This is all very unique.
One thing to be noted at the beginning of the middle third is that the cigars seems to smoke slower than it should. It burns very slowly but somehow also puts out a ton of smoke. The flavors in the middle third are sweeter over all. The malt flavors are very well balanced with the graham cracker and the pepper. There is little “journey” to this point in the cigar but there is no need because the flavors are well done and the cigar is very small. The only downfall is that the cigar tends to go out fairly easily.
The final third brings on warmer flavors with a cinnamon-like sweetness taking over and the graham cracker intensifying. Through the nose is a stronger hint at spice but never quite reaches it. It is still very balanced.
Burn to the burn
time: 1 hour 40 minutes
But in reality it is less than that. Two times the cigar went out and this slowed things down quite a bit.
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Nica Rustica El Brujito (6 x 52)
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf mediums
Binder: Mexican San Andreas Negro
Filler: Nicaraguan (Estali, Jalapa)
Blender: Johnathan Drew, Steve Saka
The Nica Rustica line of cigars was released by Drew estates in August of 2013 with only one production size and an MSRP of $6.95 US. This makes the cigar one of the less expensive DE cigars out there. This was no accident. There are clear efforts to cut cost without cutting quality. One of the most notable cost cutters is that this cigar is initially shipped to retailers in a crate of 50, but when the time comes to replenish the stock, there is the option to purchase them as bundles of 25 to just refill the box. This helps eliminate some of the stigma that comes with the “bundled cigars,” without losing many of the advantages of being a bundle.
The name of the cigar comes directly from the name of the tobacco used in making the cigar. The Nicaraguan strain is called officially called “Nicotna Rustica” and it is considered one of the strongest strains of tobacco as far as nicotine content goes. Despite the powerhouse tobacco, DE claims it is only medium-full and according to their website: “...it is blended to be rustic – un-polished, un-refined, for hard core tobacco lovers."
This is either for "lovers of hard core tobacco," or "hard core lovers of tobacco."
This line is a tribute line of cigars. It it paying tribute to the city of Estali, the birth place of Drew Estates. The symbol of El Brujito (witch doctor or shamen) is on the front of the box and is the name of the cigar. It is also a symbol the people of Estali hold dear. In 1984 the mayor of Estali picked this symbol to represent the city. Its origins can be traced back hundreds of years. Its oldest incarnation was found on a rock that dates to the Pre-Columbian era in what is now Estali. Some estimates put the rock carving at 2000 years old. The shaman used to use tobacco in rituals and ceremonies to promote friendship and communication with the spirit world.
The wrapper, contrary to speculative belief, is not the same wrapper that is on the LP No.9. It is the same type of tobacco grown in the same area, but there are some differences. One of the most notable is color. The LP No.9 uses Connecticut Broadleaf Darks, where as this uses Mediums. There are other differences in how it is grown though they seem similar based off of region and seed. DE has so much control over how the tobacco is grown because they do not by leaves from the farm, or even just the plant. DE buys the farm. This way they can control the process from start to finish.
As many people associated with DE have pointed out, Nica Rustica is not just a good name because of they type of tobacco, but because of how it looks. The tobacco is thick and is covered in veins. The seems are clear and obvious. The cigar has a reddish hue to it. The pigtail cap, because of how thick the wrapper leaf is, looks slapped on there. The rustic look of the cigar itself is completed by the unfinished foot.
The band is a deep yellow with mostly black lettering and the name of the cigar in red across the front of the band. On one side of the band, in Spanish, it reads “Made with pride by the artisans of Estali, Nicaragua.” and on the other side, also in Spanish (rough translation): “this product guaranteed to be of the highest quality and smoking Satisfaction is ensured. A fine blend for strength as well as complexity
The Nica Rustica has as rustic feel to it as well. The wrapper is a bit lumpy and slightly rough. There is also a fair amount of give when gently squeezed. It has a very rich barnyard smell. A moistening of the cap has light barnyard but fairly heavy sour flavors. Once clipped with a double guillotine an easy draw with coco and earth notes is present. The draw has almost too little resistance.
An attempt to toast the foot with a soft flame succeeds mostly in setting the bunched up unfinished wrapper leaf on fire. The toast does not so much “toast” but immediately lights the cigar... poorly. It is initially a very uneven light. This is corrected with a bit more fire and a little more puffing. However, this does create a hot light causing the initial flavors to be a bit on the bitter and harsh side. Once the cigar settles down a bit, and with a good purge, he flavors are dark and roasted leaning to a naturally sweet coffee. This is not to be confused with a sugar sweetened coffee. There are spicy notes that linger long into the finish witch itself is very long. Through the nose it is all spice with a fairly heavy “burn.” As with almost all Drew Estates products, the Nica Rustica produces huge volumes of smoke, and that's always fun.
The middle third is about the same but the coffee is less sweet. The finish is very long. One thing to note is that this particular cigar does have a tendency to go out if not puffed on frequently. It forces the smoker to its pace, not a natural smoking pace. For the slow smoker, this means speeding up. It is slightly distracting. It has gone out twice by the middle third starts. The burn is also slightly uneven even when puffing at the pace set by the cigar.
The final third is more roasted flavors but they tilt to the earthen side. The spice is still there and a hint of wood shows up in the room note and in the finish. This is about as complex as it gets. The balance is not really there. The flavors are good and they are interesting but they do not seem to melt together. The finish is unbelievably long for a medium bodied cigar. This makes it fairly off-putting. The burn through the nose does not match the otherwise earth tones of the rest of the cigar.
This is how the cigar ends.
Burn to the nub
time: 2 hours 25 minutes
As far as “hard core tobacco lovers” goes I would say that it is more for the people who like a fuller cigar but if you just truly love tobacco this is still a decent bet. There are some interesting flavors of tobacco. It is a classic tobacco taste. This could have been higher rated if a good burn and balance was there. However, according to DE, it was not supposed to be refined or balanced. In that sense, it achieved all of its goals. Maybe some age will do it some good as well.
if you like my reviews please see my blog. If you want to see what im up to between reviews and get micro reviews of cigars and beer then follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
Great review Kuzi, thanks!"One thing to note is that this particular cigar does have a tendency to go out if not puffed on frequently. It forces the smoker to its pace, not a natural smoking pace. For the slow smoker, this means speeding up."Don't let this alone turn you off to trying one, Kuzi is a notoriously slow smoker If you're not a "slow" smoker, I doubt you'd have an issue. I agree also with the smoke production...love it.
I enjoyed the nica rustica, although I couldnt nub it when I smoked it. It got a little strong at the time. I did have similar burn issues too. It likes to be smoked a little quicker. Do you think this is from the hearty tobacco that's used? The flavors and smoke output were fantastic though. I enjoy that classic tobacco flavor and the nica has a lot of that from start to finish.
6-17-14 been in humidor since 6-2-14
Corbine Toro (6x50)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaragua Jalapa Corojo
Filler: Ligero Jalapa, Seco Jose, and Viso Jose
Blender: Corbine Brown
Ever heard of this cigar? It is a very limited run cigar; so limited that only 25 have been made. It is from George Rico's Deli Custom Blending Kit and was blended by Ccom's forum member ShadowInTheMoon.
When the kit is ordered, 17 tobaccos are sent to your door as 3 wrappers, 3 binders, and 11 fillers. All of these are sent out as puritos, or single leaf cigars designed to taste what each leaf's flavors are. You get two of each leaf to try and narrow down and then to smoke together just for fine tuning. Two sizes are available, the 6x50 toro or the 5x54 robusto. For the fillers, the toro can have 3 whole leaves broken down into halves if requested and the larger ring gauge robusto can have up to 4 leaves or 8 halves. Once the decisions are made you send it back and 5 or so weeks later your custom blend arrives at your door.
The expectation of quality is exceeded on first glanced. The cigar comes double banded with a color scheme of orange, white and green with gold accents. The bands are embossed and look very professional. In the center of the main band is the name of the cigar. In this case “Corbine” is written in gold script. The wrapper is a deep tan and has a fairly lumpy look to it. The binder seems to be thick and has prominent veins because they are noticed through the wrapper leaf. The tripple cap is smooth and constructed well.
The cigar feels solid in the hand and has a good heft to it. The slightly lumpy look is in the texture as well. It is not distracting in any way. The smell is fresh tobacco and barnyard. Both of the bands have a slightly heavy application of glue. This leads to a small chip taken out of the foot when the footband is removed. Moistening the cap starts with a dry grass flavor and leaves a sour and *** on the lips and tongue. After a cut with a double guillotine there is a slightly firm draw with a nice licorice and earth flavor.
lit with a soft flame
The first few puffs are fairly sweet up front on the side of a sharp mushroom. There is a slight musky wood that fades to the Nicaraguan signature wood/spice and pulpy texture. The wood notes dominate as the cigar settles in. Through the nose it is mostly damp wood and spice that is boarder-line burn.
The actual burn of the cigar is nice. It is not perfect but there has been no need to touch up in the first third. It smokes with a medium body with mellow flavors that are good for a medium body.
The middle third has the same profile as the beginning third with only an uptick in intensity. This is good for some of the flavors but not as much for other flavors. The earth notes seem to take on a slightly pungent character. This does throw it out of balance slightly. The sweet wood note on the initial part of the draw is quite nice. The finish in the mid third lingers much longer than the initial third. The texture of the finish is slightly pulpy and slightly off.
The final third is a warmer smoke and has taken on a more medium-full body. Through the final third this warmth turns to a slight harsh. This could be on account of the cigars youth. This cigar is, after all, less than two months old. About where the band was there are some minor burn issues that need attention. The hotter burn and the youth force a slower smoke to keep the harsh down.
This is how the cigar ends.
Burn to the nub
time: 2 hours
this needs a few tweaks but for a first time blend i would say it has some good potential.
Thanks for doing this review kuzi. I have been excited to read the review. I think for my first ever blend and still being new-ish to cigars (less than 8 months) it didnt turn out too badly and i would not know where to begin with a reblend. At least i really like them and thats what counts most. I expect these cigars will be brought out only at special occasions and some of them will get some real age on them. Maybe in a year or two ill shoot you antoher one and see how it turns out.
Thanks for doing this review kuzi. I have been excited to read the review. I think for my first ever blend and still being new-ish to cigars (less than 8 months) it didnt turn out too badly and i would not know where to begin with a reblend. At least i really like them and thats what counts most. I expect these cigars will be brought out only at special occasions and some of them will get some real age on them. Maybe in a year or two ill shoot you antoher one and see how it turns out.
no problem. i enjoyed doing it. Blending a cigar even with limited tobacco selection is a great way to learn the process. it really makes you think about what you are doing.
6-26-14 Been in humidor since 8-12-13
La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Maduro (6.2 x 54)
Wrapper: Brazilian Maduro
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Blender: Litto Gomez
The La Flor Dominicana Air Bender came out in 2010 and almost immediately there was speculation that there would be a maduro version. There were a few teasers that there would be one but that it would be regular production. The first sign was in the OYA maduro sampler. This all maduro sampler had two cigars in it that at the time had never been released as a madro: The Coronado, and the Air Bender. This first glimpse of an Air Bender maduro was brief but made an impression. The Air Bender Maduro in the OYA Maduro Sampler is rumored to have a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper, and that is different from other incarnations of this cigar.
In 2011 LFD released an Air Bender Maduro at the IPCPR in a Humidor Box called “Casa del Tobaco” featuring a blend and size that is very similar to the blend being reviewed here. This cigar was a one time release that lead to even more speculation. The next year, LFD announced that it would be releasing another limited run Air Bender Maduro with a Brazilian Maduro wrapper. This one would be in a torpedo shape and would only be available to TAA retailers. it seemed more of a reality that it would go "regual production."
Finally, in 2013, LFD released the Air Bender Maduro as a semi-regular production cigar. It still comes in one size the 6.2 x 54 toro. This size is the same as the original release Air Bender Guerrero. The current incarnation of the Air Bender Maduro is sold in standard LFD packaging and has no special band. The cigar is easy to overlook and only a careful eye will see the maduro indication on the box.
Even the cigar itself is not all that different looking than the original Air Bender. It is, of course, darker, but not by much and had a bit of a red hue to it. The original Airbender was not very light to begin with, and the chisel tip is even darker than the original wrapper. (This is because the chisel vitola uses a higher priming on the wrapper leaf than the other vitolas.) Though Darker than the original Air Bender this is still lighter than the one in the OYA sampler, giving the rumors of the OYA sampler having a different wrapper leaf some merit. If lining up some of the incarnations of the Air Bender, the wrapper leaves from dark to light would appear as follows: OYA maduro version, current incarnation of the maduro, original chisel tip, original of any other vitola. Besides the shade of the wrapper, it is very similar to a standard Air Bender.
The cigar feels solid and heavy in the hand. When gently squeezed there is no give at all in any spot. The smell of the unlit cigar is a classic barnyard maduro smell with maybe a tiny hint at wood. The lick on the cap is earthy and sweet but in a very mild way. After the clip with a double guillotine there is an excellent draw with light earth, wood and clove flavors.
Light with a soft flame
the first few puffs are a soft spice with light cedar notes. The cedar notes are also seen in the retrohale. There are definitive coco undertones and coffee impressions throughout. There are elements of the original Air Bender, namely the cedar ans spice notes. But there are elements that are not found in the original such as the coco and dark earth notes. Very early there are some minor burn issues that may or may not be due to the light. A quick touch up easily fixes this. When puffing, the smoke output is very heavy. When resting the cigar looks as if it has gone out.
As the cigar settles in, spice notes come out mostly on the back end and in a fairly subtle fashion. The dark earth flavors work very well with the spice. It makes the mouth water. The mouth feel is not very thick witch is usually a staple for all LFD cigars.
The middle third brings many of the same flavors but there is more of a coffee note especially in the finish. The dark earth flavors seem to dominate and all of the cedar and wood notes that are in the natural version of the Air Bender have faded away. The finish is long and mildly coffee and earth. It is very well balanced but the lack of major change keeps the “wow factor” down.
The final third has a bit of desiccant quality unlike the first third that made the mouth water. The flavor profile is still much the same and the body is picking up. It has now moved into the low end of full body. The smoke is heavy and the subtle sweetness of a maduro is creeping in. As the cigar moves along it is less and less like the original Air Bender and more of a classic LFD maduro profile including the thicker mouth feel. Aside from a few burn issues that needed corrective lights the cigar ends this way.
The Air Bender Maduro is a decent cigar but the original Air Bender is both more complex and interesting. This did not have the depth of flavor that most Litto Gomez blends do nor does it have much of a “journey” either. The flavors it has are good, but a larger cigar that takes a long time to smoke needs more changes to keep it interesting. This would benefit from a smaller format, like a robusto or a lonsdale.
if you like my reviews please see my blog. If you want to see what im up to between reviews and get micro reviews of cigars and beer then follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook
Matt, I'm happy to see this review after talking about it on V-herf last week. I was really curious how your mild-medium accustomed palate would react to an LFD.
LFD always has been consistently fine construction and draw for me and are generally just pleasurable to smoke, but a few of the blends I've tried have been a little too one-note. Well, maybe more like playing the same chord over and over again. Kind of like watching Platoon. How many times can you repeat Barber's Adagio for Strings? It's beautiful, and I'm a big fan of Barber, but you reach a point of overkill. It sounds like this might be the case with a larger cigar, too. I certainly noticed it on the DL Digger, which was just a novelty because of its size, at least to me. It would have been better if it were smaller, which is why I smoke the DL in the chiselito.
At any rate, it's interesting to see that the Maduro adds some characteristic notes but doesn't really improve the cigar. I really enjoy the airbender; I might have to smoke one tonight if my job interview goes well.
yeah... the cigar was a bit much for me. and since i smoke slow it was taking forever. i dont want to have that one note for about 3 hours. i need some complexity over the course of the cigar or a smaller smoke. i have not had a regular air bender in a while but i have a few with some good age on them and maybe i should give them a shot again. i seem to remember liking them more and there being more complexity.
I've always liked LFD and I know several places where I can get some. Was wondering why CI and CCom don't carry any LFD anymore though. Most of the LFD lines have been out of stock for the past few years, I think.
Nice review Kuzi. I've always found it interesting that so many cigars get a maduro version, despite the cigar not being originally blended for a maduro wrapper. In those instances, I seldom find the maduro version to be better. It seems every maduro that I really enjoy is a cigar that was specifically blended to be a maduro. That said, this is going from casual memory. Maybe I'll start taking note and actually testing that theory.
wwhwang:
I've always liked LFD and I know several places where I can get some. Was wondering why CI and CCom don't carry any LFD anymore though. Most of the LFD lines have been out of stock for the past few years, I think.
Umm, they have most of the LFD in stock right now. Airbenders are a little low, but everything else is pretty much available including Mysterios.
Thanks for the review! I've been wondering about these since I love the airbender chisel! But I've been hesitating on pulling the trigger...I guess I'll have to give it a go
Nice review Kuzi. I've always found it interesting that so many cigars get a maduro version, despite the cigar not being originally blended for a maduro wrapper. In those instances, I seldom find the maduro version to be better. It seems every maduro that I really enjoy is a cigar that was specifically blended to be a maduro. That said, this is going from casual memory. Maybe I'll start taking note and actually testing that theory.
Definitely agree with this, by and large "______ maduro" is a flop for me or unremarkable at best. 5 Vegas gold and Park Ave come to mind first. The exception to this rule was the mow puro authentico maduro, I liked that one a lot.
No clue they had a maduro release. The Airbender is by far my favorite LFD. Disappointing that it fell a little flat. Sounds like it's worth a try though.
No clue they had a maduro release. The Airbender is by far my favorite LFD. Disappointing that it fell a little flat. Sounds like it's worth a try though.
it is worth a shot. they are a bit expensive... i think this one was $12 or $13.
they dont seem to sell well so who knows if they will continue.
No clue they had a maduro release. The Airbender is by far my favorite LFD. Disappointing that it fell a little flat. Sounds like it's worth a try though.
it is worth a shot. they are a bit expensive... i think this one was $12 or $13.
they dont seem to sell well so who knows if they will continue.
I have a shop that has had the Casa de Tabaco for a couple years. They leave the cigars hidden inside, so no one buys them. I've always appreciated knowing they are there and just being aged for me for when I'm in the mood for one!
7-8-14 been in humidor since 5-15-14
Villiger La Libertad Perfecto (54 x 5.25)
Wrapper: Peruvian grown Havana seed
Binder: Peruvian grown Nicaraguan seed
Filler: Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) Ligero , Nicaraguan Ligero
Blenders: José Gabriel Maragoto G. and Adaberto Ruizcalderon
Villiger is not a company that many people think of when it comes to the "big names" in the cigar world. However, the company claims to make 1.5 Billion cigars a year and distribute them globally. This number does include both handmade premium long filler cigars and machine made cigars. It has only been recently that the company has produced handmade cigars. To celebrate its 120th anniversary in 2008 it releases its first long filler hand made cigar: Villiger 1888.
La Libertad has only become available in the USA recently, making its debut in the 2010 trade show. Before that point it had been featured in many international publications receiving high ratings, creating a demand in the US. However, there were some serious changes in the blend before it hit the US shores. In Europe it was and still is mainly a Honduran blend of tobaccos with a Cuban seed Honduran Wrapper, Jamastran Binder and fillers from Honduras and Nicaragua, and it is blended by Nestor Plasencia.
The above is a blend that is successful in Europe, blended by a known and successful blender in his Honduras Factory using tobaccos that are in style in the USA. What is released in the US is a very different cigar using tobacco that the American palate is not accustomed to and blended by people that many American smokers have not heard of. Why the decision to drastically change the blend was made is unclear. The result should be a cigar that showcases the flavors of Peruvian tobacco with a bit of wood, spice and bite from the Dominican and Nicaraguan ligeros.
The cigar has a primarily red black and gold band with a box of white sporting the name of the cigar under the gold logo. The short perfecto has a very classic look to it with a long gradual taper from point to point, seemingly never flattening out. Though the cigar looks like it is crafted well the tobacco itself looks rustic. There also seems to be a little damage to the wrapperin the form of a very small crack along one of the seems. This does not look to be a construction issue but rather an over handling issue.
The cigar feels very smooth to the touch and offers very little give when gently squeezed. There is a classic barnyard smell to it but there are some wood elements as well. Moistening the cap leaves an oily feel on the lips with a slightly creamy slightly sour flavor that is mild. Once cut with the double guillotine there are heavy licorice notes with a nice draw.
A light with a soft flame goes quickly on the point of the perfecto. The first puffs are very woody and slightly fennel seed. A soft spice develops very early that can only be described as a very gentle cayenne pepper. Through the nose there is a bit of a musk and the slightest note at the licorice. For the first third or so the spice seems to build with every puff but never becomes overwhelming.
The middle third loses some of the spice but the other flavors are still there. Most of the real enjoyable flavors like the fennel seed are in the long finish. There is a touch of harshness here and there on random puffs. It does not linger. It does start to smoke a little on the hot side in the middle and the warm smoke is bringing out the fennel more. The burn has not been even the entire time and corrective lights are needed. This is slightly distracting. It seems to be in part to the construction.
The final third picks up on heat. The smoke is hotter. This brings out more harsh but the warmth works with the fennel. It may not be the best cigar or the most complex, but it is unique and there is something to be said for that. It is a good cigar for understanding what Peruvian tobacco is all about. The cigar is enjoyable, despite the numbers below.
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7-16-2014
Camacho Old vs. New
Havana and Criollo.
Camacho Havana Figurado (6 x 54 Torpedo) Been in humidor since 8-24-13
Wrapper: Honduran Grown Criollo
Binder: Honduran Corojo
Filler: Honduran Corojo
Camacho Criollo Robusto (5 x 50) Been in humidor since 2-22-14
Wrapper: Honduran Grown Criollo
Binder: Honduran Corojo
Filler: Honduran Criollo, Dominican Piloto Cubano
In late June of 2013 Camacho Launched its new branding. The new “Bold Standard” was not just new packaging and labels, but a total overhaul of everything Camacho. Many of the lines of cigars that Camacho had on the market were cut out of the portfolio in an effort to focus on six core lines. The cigars that were left (Corojo, Corojo Maduro, Connecticut, Triple Maduro, Diploma and Havana (now Criollo)) got new bands, and all but the Triple Maduro and the Connecticut were re-blended to fit within the “Bold Standard” paradigm.
The re-branding of the Havana line is supposed to be a subtle change focusing mainly on bringing some sweetness to balance out the Criollo wrapper. The new wrapper and binder are very similar to the old Havana blend, but the fill deviates quite a bit. There is still Honduran tobacco, but it is now Criollo, not Corojo. Dominican Piloto Cubano has also been added to the mix to help bring sweeter notes in.
This review of both cigars will be done simultaneously. That is: both cigars will be smoked at the same time to really see the differences. There will be a direct comparison and all flavors will be in terms of, and in comparison of the other cigar. This may not be a perfect comparison in blends because of age different ages of the cigars and differences in Vitola. These variables are noted, but there is an understanding that the overall flavor profile of any line of cigars is approximately the same, making a comparison of these two cigars reasonable.
The Havana is an older cigar. Though the cigar has a humidor date of 8-24-13, it is probably significantly older being that this was purchased from a retailer trying to run down their stock of “old style” Camachos. The newer Criollo was purchased from the same retailer a few months later.
The new Criollo is darker; a quality that is strange being that this is supposed to be a similar wrapper but older. Usually in this situation, the older one is darker because tobacco darkens as it ages/ferments. This darker color despite age, could be due to different fermentation, priming, crop variation or many other reasons. The vein structure on both of the cigars is very similar. The construction on the Havana seems not quite as good as on the Criollo. This can be best seen on the seems. On the Havana, they do not seem as tight, and though the caps are a very different style, the cap on the Criollo looks a bit more neat. This is by a small margin, but it seems clear when next to each other.
Of course, the branding is different. The Havana is classic shaped cigar band of metallic gold with yellow lettering and styling depicting the previous Camacho logo. The Criollo has an ultra modern band of bright yellow with a high contrast black bearing the new Camacho scorpion logo.
The texture of both of the cigars is slightly oily and slightly fuzzy, but slightly less fuzzy on the Havana. The lick on the cap of the Havana has an oily feel with a light slightly sour note. It is all very light. The Criollo is less oily and with a more earthy flavor of sour. A cut with a double guillotine on the torpedo cap of the Havana produces a very easy draw. There is very little resistance where as the double guillotine cut of the Criollo (producing the same size cut in circumference), produces a draw that is significantly firmer. The flavor of both of the draws are similar, with licorice and rich earth, but the Havana is a bit lighter and woodier.
Both are lit with a soft flame.
The Havana starts with a dose of classic Camacho spice with undertones of wood. Through the nose there is a good amount of burn with more wood flavors. The Criollo has a very similar start but there are two key differences, the Criollo is spicier and the Havana and the Criollo has a retrohale that includes a meaty-sweetness and mushroom. The differences of the initial flavor are subtle. The basic flavor elements of spice and wood are in both, but the new blend has a bit more depth of flavor. This begins with the spice. On the old blend the spice is thin and black pepper with the wood notes easing in. Those flavors are balanced but subtle and quietly enter and exit the palate. The new blend has the black pepper that eases in but it picks up a hint at hot cinnamon as the wood notes transition in. This wood note lingers on the palate well into the finish and is made approachable by subtle sweetness.
As the cigars settle in, the Havana develops a sweetness that leans to the sugary side in comparison to the rounder darker Belgian candy sugar style of sweetness of the re-blend. The old blend still retains the sharp black pepper that sneaks in, peaks, and sneaks out while the new blend has black pepper from the moment of the initial draw that develops into the warm cinnamon and exits. The retrohales also develop. In the Havana, the burn through the nose that was on the light has now settles into a lighter spice with dry earth/wood undertones. The retrohale is definitively sweeter on the new blend and has lost some of the mushroom notes if favor of a more herbal quality. A little over an inch in to both cigars and the Criollo has a rounder and more complex feel to it.
The burn on both cigars at this point is not perfect, however neither is in need of a touch-up. The ash on the old blend is a bit more flaky in appearance but holds tight whereas on the new blend it appears to be a more dense ash that falls more often.
The middle third of both cigars do not change that much but the differences seem to be more noticeable. The Havana is thinner and has fewer flavors overall. Those flavors are “Classic Camacho” and edge to a more autumn feel where the Criollo has more depth and roundness. The cigar seems bolder and simultaneously more refined. The old blend is closer to harsh than the new blend, though “harsh” is probably the wrong word. It is, in reality, just a sharper one dimensional spice. The new blend coats the mouth with flavor where as the old blend is more of a passing flavor.
At the beginning of the final third an interesting note is observed: The smoke from lit foot the Havana is significantly more blue than that of the Criollo. The Havana is burning faster than the Criollo keeping the thirds of the cigar aligned though there is an inch of difference at the beginning.
The Havana is starting to produce warmer smoke on the draw where as the Criollo is consistent. This consistency also translates to the flavors as well. There is less development over the stick and less build in body. They smoke feels thicker in the old blend for the first time around this point. The retrohale does not share this quality of growth in the Havana. It is a fairly static element within the cigar. In the Criollo, the retrohale becomes less sweet, making it less interesting as in the first two thirds but more dynamic over the length of the cigar. There are no further developments to either cigar.
The old blend has the classic Camacho blending style. It is an interesting look at what Honduran puros are all about. The re-blend has many of the same elements and stays within the realm of what Camacho was and is. The new Camacho Criollo is rounder and has more depth of flavor while maintaining a better balance. The new blend is also a touch fuller in body, living up to the marketing of “The Bold Standard”
This was a positive re-brand/re-blend overall.
on a side note, smoking two medium-full cigars at once can really put you down.
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Great review as always. Have only had one Camacho, the Triple Maduro, a while back but really like the new look they went with. Will definitely have to give some a try and nice to see that at least for this one they made some improvements and it wasn't just an on the surface thing.
Comments
My Father El Hijo (5.5 x 52 box pressed)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano (2009)
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Blender: Jamie Garcia, Don Pepin Garcia
This cigar was released in August 2011 to help celebrate the 15th anniversary of the Smoke Inn. It was the third release of a four cigar “Microblend Series” that came out quarterly. The first was the Tatuaje Anarchy. The second was the Padron 1964 SI-15. The fourth was Arturo Fuente Solaris. Each of these blends was made in extremely limited quantity. There were just under ten thousand El Hijos made for 650 boxes of 15.
El Hijo translates to “the son” with is fitting for the theme of the company. This is a short run that is effectively the offspring of the original My Father blend, making the name even more fitting. The blend is pretty much the original My Father blend with a different wrapper. The wrapper on this cigar is a special limited harvest from 2009.
The El Hijo is good looking cigar despite the wrapper being a bit rustic and veiny. Part of the reason is the quality of construction. Everything is neat and tidy. The seams are difficult to find over the length of the cigar and even the cap is relatively difficult to see. However, when the seams are found they look to lay flat. The cap is smooth and perfect. The foot of the cigar is left a little shaggy. Its not a “true shaggy” foot because it is clipped to a specific length, but there is almost a quarter inch of the foot not covered by the wrapper.
The Bands are intricate. The main band is the standard My Father brand band. The secondary band features the name of the cigar in black on a dark brownish orange background.
in the hand the cigar feels silky smooth. The box press is not very sharp and it is very comfortable to hold. The smell of the cigar is light but it is barnyard. A moistening of the cap has little to offver but a very mild sweet and a touch of spice. It does feel oily on the lips and tongue. The bands do not come off nicely; a minor fact , but one that is a pet peeve of many. A clip with a double guillotine brings a draw that is almost too firm. It is still manageable, yet still very firm. It has an earth and licorice flavor when cold.
Lit with a soft flame
The first few puffs that are all filler and binder are musky and a bit sweet. There is also a hint at black pepper. This initial flavor only lasts about three puffs. Then the wrapper starts to burn. A sweeter more mouth watering flavor emerges on the initial flavor. The sweet is on the caramel side but very mild and refined. A toasted wheat bread note is there in the middle flavor and so is a light roasted note. Through the nose there is a musky leather with some spice. The finish, witch actually starts in the middle flavor is a black pepper. The finish fades both in and out gradually. It hangs on a little longer than what would be ideal. Throughout, the smoke has a very light dose of the pulpy texture that Nicaraguan tobacco has. Though the draw continues to be an issue, it is not bad enough to stop, and it does not need to be run through with a draw poker.
The ash holds on for well over an inch and a half. This is just about the beginning of the middle third. The black pepper notes have faded dramatically. The Pepper is now mostly a hint. The earth notes pick up and the sweet is still very subtle and on the caramel side. The toasted bread notes in the first third have picked up a nutty tone. The retrohale is mostly the same but the finish has picked up some of the earth and some of the caramel. Each puff has subtle transitions that are quite enjoyable and encourage holding and savoring the smoke. This does promote the light spice notes that remain and this rounds out the balance of the cigar quite nicely. The burn is not flawless but issues seem to fix themselves quickly. The draw is still the same.
The final third is more woody and leather. It is very smooth with the only texture being a slight pulp in the finish. Through the nose it has not changed. This has tied the cigar together from the first to last third. It is a steady point in a more complex cigar. As the final third moves along the spice picks up slowly. By the time it is a nub a warm spice lingers and is most of the flavor. The finish becomes dry.
Burn to the burn
time 2 hours 25 minutes.
Burn: 8
Draw: 8
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 9
Construction: 9
Balance: 10
Feel: 10
overall: 9.0
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Room 101 Master Collection Two Papi Chulo (4 x 42)
Wrapper: Criollo
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua
Blender: Matt Booth
This cigar is the second installment of the Master Collection series, and it is a very different cigar than the Master Collection One. This is not the same cigar with a different wrapper. The only thing that the two blends really have in common is that each collection features the same sizes.
The Master Collection lines of cigars is designed to be the premium cigars within the Room101 brand. They are released in Silver and Gold color schemes for the One and Two respectively.
The philosophy of the Master Collection Two is noted during its release in Room101's statement:
“Paper Chase Incorporated is proud to offer you a product witch is the direct result of five years of ball busting work, sacrifice and investment of the monetary, spiritual an psychological nature encapsulated in this piece of handcrafted art that you are about to ingest by fire
While you enjoy this product is a calm moment, know that you are indulging in the most physical representation of the American dream. A young team of creative an industrious minds have taken a stand to make something of themselves”
This is a small cigar. The “Papi Chulo” (translates roughly to “pimp daddy”) vitola is smaller than a corona, making this an outcast in the modern over the top huge cigars. The band is gold on gold with a cherry blossom embossed in the the center. The wrapper looks thick making the seams very visible. The color of the wrapper is a dark tan with a fair amount of smaller veins running in every direction.
The cigar feel heavy for its size and it has a very firm feel to it. There is some tooth to the wrapper giving it a very mild sandpaper feel to it. The smell is sweet and hay with a hint at what could be spice. A moistening of the cap has an oily feel with a sour note. Once cut with the double guillotine a woody and raisin flavor comes through a draw with near perfect resistance.
Lit with a soft flame.
the first few puffs are mushroom and cedar with a very mild pepper. Through the nose is where most of this comes through. The initial flavor is a bit earthier. As the cigar settles in there is a strange quality of flavors. Unlike many cigars where the spice lingers into the finish, this cigar has most of the spice on the middle flavors and it fades as the finish kicks in. the initial flavors are graham cracker and malt with the spice fading in early. The spice fades into a general warmth that is similar to the smell of slate. The finish is earth and mushrooms. This is all very unique.
One thing to be noted at the beginning of the middle third is that the cigars seems to smoke slower than it should. It burns very slowly but somehow also puts out a ton of smoke. The flavors in the middle third are sweeter over all. The malt flavors are very well balanced with the graham cracker and the pepper. There is little “journey” to this point in the cigar but there is no need because the flavors are well done and the cigar is very small. The only downfall is that the cigar tends to go out fairly easily.
The final third brings on warmer flavors with a cinnamon-like sweetness taking over and the graham cracker intensifying. Through the nose is a stronger hint at spice but never quite reaches it. It is still very balanced.
Burn to the burn
time: 1 hour 40 minutes
But in reality it is less than that. Two times the cigar went out and this slowed things down quite a bit.
Burn: 9
Draw: 9
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 9
Construction: 9
Balance: 10
Feel: 9
overall: 9.1
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Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf mediums
Binder: Mexican San Andreas Negro
Filler: Nicaraguan (Estali, Jalapa)
Blender: Johnathan Drew, Steve Saka
The Nica Rustica line of cigars was released by Drew estates in August of 2013 with only one production size and an MSRP of $6.95 US. This makes the cigar one of the less expensive DE cigars out there. This was no accident. There are clear efforts to cut cost without cutting quality. One of the most notable cost cutters is that this cigar is initially shipped to retailers in a crate of 50, but when the time comes to replenish the stock, there is the option to purchase them as bundles of 25 to just refill the box. This helps eliminate some of the stigma that comes with the “bundled cigars,” without losing many of the advantages of being a bundle.
The name of the cigar comes directly from the name of the tobacco used in making the cigar. The Nicaraguan strain is called officially called “Nicotna Rustica” and it is considered one of the strongest strains of tobacco as far as nicotine content goes. Despite the powerhouse tobacco, DE claims it is only medium-full and according to their website: “...it is blended to be rustic – un-polished, un-refined, for hard core tobacco lovers."
This is either for "lovers of hard core tobacco," or "hard core lovers of tobacco."
This line is a tribute line of cigars. It it paying tribute to the city of Estali, the birth place of Drew Estates. The symbol of El Brujito (witch doctor or shamen) is on the front of the box and is the name of the cigar. It is also a symbol the people of Estali hold dear. In 1984 the mayor of Estali picked this symbol to represent the city. Its origins can be traced back hundreds of years. Its oldest incarnation was found on a rock that dates to the Pre-Columbian era in what is now Estali. Some estimates put the rock carving at 2000 years old. The shaman used to use tobacco in rituals and ceremonies to promote friendship and communication with the spirit world.
The wrapper, contrary to speculative belief, is not the same wrapper that is on the LP No.9. It is the same type of tobacco grown in the same area, but there are some differences. One of the most notable is color. The LP No.9 uses Connecticut Broadleaf Darks, where as this uses Mediums. There are other differences in how it is grown though they seem similar based off of region and seed. DE has so much control over how the tobacco is grown because they do not by leaves from the farm, or even just the plant. DE buys the farm. This way they can control the process from start to finish.
As many people associated with DE have pointed out, Nica Rustica is not just a good name because of they type of tobacco, but because of how it looks. The tobacco is thick and is covered in veins. The seems are clear and obvious. The cigar has a reddish hue to it. The pigtail cap, because of how thick the wrapper leaf is, looks slapped on there. The rustic look of the cigar itself is completed by the unfinished foot.
The band is a deep yellow with mostly black lettering and the name of the cigar in red across the front of the band. On one side of the band, in Spanish, it reads “Made with pride by the artisans of Estali, Nicaragua.” and on the other side, also in Spanish (rough translation): “this product guaranteed to be of the highest quality and smoking Satisfaction is ensured. A fine blend for strength as well as complexity
The Nica Rustica has as rustic feel to it as well. The wrapper is a bit lumpy and slightly rough. There is also a fair amount of give when gently squeezed. It has a very rich barnyard smell. A moistening of the cap has light barnyard but fairly heavy sour flavors. Once clipped with a double guillotine an easy draw with coco and earth notes is present. The draw has almost too little resistance.
An attempt to toast the foot with a soft flame succeeds mostly in setting the bunched up unfinished wrapper leaf on fire. The toast does not so much “toast” but immediately lights the cigar... poorly. It is initially a very uneven light. This is corrected with a bit more fire and a little more puffing. However, this does create a hot light causing the initial flavors to be a bit on the bitter and harsh side. Once the cigar settles down a bit, and with a good purge, he flavors are dark and roasted leaning to a naturally sweet coffee. This is not to be confused with a sugar sweetened coffee. There are spicy notes that linger long into the finish witch itself is very long. Through the nose it is all spice with a fairly heavy “burn.” As with almost all Drew Estates products, the Nica Rustica produces huge volumes of smoke, and that's always fun.
The middle third is about the same but the coffee is less sweet. The finish is very long. One thing to note is that this particular cigar does have a tendency to go out if not puffed on frequently. It forces the smoker to its pace, not a natural smoking pace. For the slow smoker, this means speeding up. It is slightly distracting. It has gone out twice by the middle third starts. The burn is also slightly uneven even when puffing at the pace set by the cigar.
The final third is more roasted flavors but they tilt to the earthen side. The spice is still there and a hint of wood shows up in the room note and in the finish. This is about as complex as it gets. The balance is not really there. The flavors are good and they are interesting but they do not seem to melt together. The finish is unbelievably long for a medium bodied cigar. This makes it fairly off-putting. The burn through the nose does not match the otherwise earth tones of the rest of the cigar.
This is how the cigar ends.
Burn to the nub
time: 2 hours 25 minutes
As far as “hard core tobacco lovers” goes I would say that it is more for the people who like a fuller cigar but if you just truly love tobacco this is still a decent bet. There are some interesting flavors of tobacco. It is a classic tobacco taste. This could have been higher rated if a good burn and balance was there. However, according to DE, it was not supposed to be refined or balanced. In that sense, it achieved all of its goals. Maybe some age will do it some good as well.
Burn: 8
Draw: 8
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 9
Construction: 9
Balance: 8
Feel: 9
overall: 8.6
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Corbine Toro (6x50)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaragua Jalapa Corojo
Filler: Ligero Jalapa, Seco Jose, and Viso Jose
Blender: Corbine Brown
Ever heard of this cigar? It is a very limited run cigar; so limited that only 25 have been made. It is from George Rico's Deli Custom Blending Kit and was blended by Ccom's forum member ShadowInTheMoon.
When the kit is ordered, 17 tobaccos are sent to your door as 3 wrappers, 3 binders, and 11 fillers. All of these are sent out as puritos, or single leaf cigars designed to taste what each leaf's flavors are. You get two of each leaf to try and narrow down and then to smoke together just for fine tuning. Two sizes are available, the 6x50 toro or the 5x54 robusto. For the fillers, the toro can have 3 whole leaves broken down into halves if requested and the larger ring gauge robusto can have up to 4 leaves or 8 halves. Once the decisions are made you send it back and 5 or so weeks later your custom blend arrives at your door.
The expectation of quality is exceeded on first glanced. The cigar comes double banded with a color scheme of orange, white and green with gold accents. The bands are embossed and look very professional. In the center of the main band is the name of the cigar. In this case “Corbine” is written in gold script. The wrapper is a deep tan and has a fairly lumpy look to it. The binder seems to be thick and has prominent veins because they are noticed through the wrapper leaf. The tripple cap is smooth and constructed well.
The cigar feels solid in the hand and has a good heft to it. The slightly lumpy look is in the texture as well. It is not distracting in any way. The smell is fresh tobacco and barnyard. Both of the bands have a slightly heavy application of glue. This leads to a small chip taken out of the foot when the footband is removed. Moistening the cap starts with a dry grass flavor and leaves a sour and *** on the lips and tongue. After a cut with a double guillotine there is a slightly firm draw with a nice licorice and earth flavor.
lit with a soft flame
The first few puffs are fairly sweet up front on the side of a sharp mushroom. There is a slight musky wood that fades to the Nicaraguan signature wood/spice and pulpy texture. The wood notes dominate as the cigar settles in. Through the nose it is mostly damp wood and spice that is boarder-line burn.
The actual burn of the cigar is nice. It is not perfect but there has been no need to touch up in the first third. It smokes with a medium body with mellow flavors that are good for a medium body.
The middle third has the same profile as the beginning third with only an uptick in intensity. This is good for some of the flavors but not as much for other flavors. The earth notes seem to take on a slightly pungent character. This does throw it out of balance slightly. The sweet wood note on the initial part of the draw is quite nice. The finish in the mid third lingers much longer than the initial third. The texture of the finish is slightly pulpy and slightly off.
The final third is a warmer smoke and has taken on a more medium-full body. Through the final third this warmth turns to a slight harsh. This could be on account of the cigars youth. This cigar is, after all, less than two months old. About where the band was there are some minor burn issues that need attention. The hotter burn and the youth force a slower smoke to keep the harsh down.
This is how the cigar ends.
Burn to the nub
time: 2 hours
this needs a few tweaks but for a first time blend i would say it has some good potential.
I was thinking about that while reading your closing comments. I wonder if they will let you make modifications if you order them again?
Blending a cigar even with limited tobacco selection is a great way to learn the process. it really makes you think about what you are doing.
La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Maduro (6.2 x 54)
Wrapper: Brazilian Maduro
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Blender: Litto Gomez
The La Flor Dominicana Air Bender came out in 2010 and almost immediately there was speculation that there would be a maduro version. There were a few teasers that there would be one but that it would be regular production. The first sign was in the OYA maduro sampler. This all maduro sampler had two cigars in it that at the time had never been released as a madro: The Coronado, and the Air Bender. This first glimpse of an Air Bender maduro was brief but made an impression. The Air Bender Maduro in the OYA Maduro Sampler is rumored to have a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper, and that is different from other incarnations of this cigar.
In 2011 LFD released an Air Bender Maduro at the IPCPR in a Humidor Box called “Casa del Tobaco” featuring a blend and size that is very similar to the blend being reviewed here. This cigar was a one time release that lead to even more speculation. The next year, LFD announced that it would be releasing another limited run Air Bender Maduro with a Brazilian Maduro wrapper. This one would be in a torpedo shape and would only be available to TAA retailers. it seemed more of a reality that it would go "regual production."
Finally, in 2013, LFD released the Air Bender Maduro as a semi-regular production cigar. It still comes in one size the 6.2 x 54 toro. This size is the same as the original release Air Bender Guerrero. The current incarnation of the Air Bender Maduro is sold in standard LFD packaging and has no special band. The cigar is easy to overlook and only a careful eye will see the maduro indication on the box.
Even the cigar itself is not all that different looking than the original Air Bender. It is, of course, darker, but not by much and had a bit of a red hue to it. The original Airbender was not very light to begin with, and the chisel tip is even darker than the original wrapper. (This is because the chisel vitola uses a higher priming on the wrapper leaf than the other vitolas.) Though Darker than the original Air Bender this is still lighter than the one in the OYA sampler, giving the rumors of the OYA sampler having a different wrapper leaf some merit. If lining up some of the incarnations of the Air Bender, the wrapper leaves from dark to light would appear as follows: OYA maduro version, current incarnation of the maduro, original chisel tip, original of any other vitola. Besides the shade of the wrapper, it is very similar to a standard Air Bender.
The cigar feels solid and heavy in the hand. When gently squeezed there is no give at all in any spot. The smell of the unlit cigar is a classic barnyard maduro smell with maybe a tiny hint at wood. The lick on the cap is earthy and sweet but in a very mild way. After the clip with a double guillotine there is an excellent draw with light earth, wood and clove flavors.
Light with a soft flame
the first few puffs are a soft spice with light cedar notes. The cedar notes are also seen in the retrohale. There are definitive coco undertones and coffee impressions throughout. There are elements of the original Air Bender, namely the cedar ans spice notes. But there are elements that are not found in the original such as the coco and dark earth notes. Very early there are some minor burn issues that may or may not be due to the light. A quick touch up easily fixes this. When puffing, the smoke output is very heavy. When resting the cigar looks as if it has gone out.
As the cigar settles in, spice notes come out mostly on the back end and in a fairly subtle fashion. The dark earth flavors work very well with the spice. It makes the mouth water. The mouth feel is not very thick witch is usually a staple for all LFD cigars.
The middle third brings many of the same flavors but there is more of a coffee note especially in the finish. The dark earth flavors seem to dominate and all of the cedar and wood notes that are in the natural version of the Air Bender have faded away. The finish is long and mildly coffee and earth. It is very well balanced but the lack of major change keeps the “wow factor” down.
The final third has a bit of desiccant quality unlike the first third that made the mouth water. The flavor profile is still much the same and the body is picking up. It has now moved into the low end of full body. The smoke is heavy and the subtle sweetness of a maduro is creeping in. As the cigar moves along it is less and less like the original Air Bender and more of a classic LFD maduro profile including the thicker mouth feel. Aside from a few burn issues that needed corrective lights the cigar ends this way.
The Air Bender Maduro is a decent cigar but the original Air Bender is both more complex and interesting. This did not have the depth of flavor that most Litto Gomez blends do nor does it have much of a “journey” either. The flavors it has are good, but a larger cigar that takes a long time to smoke needs more changes to keep it interesting. This would benefit from a smaller format, like a robusto or a lonsdale.
Time 2 hours 50 minutes
Burn: 8
Draw: 10
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 9
Construction: 9
Balance: 9
Feel: 8
overall: 8.8
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LFD always has been consistently fine construction and draw for me and are generally just pleasurable to smoke, but a few of the blends I've tried have been a little too one-note. Well, maybe more like playing the same chord over and over again. Kind of like watching Platoon. How many times can you repeat Barber's Adagio for Strings? It's beautiful, and I'm a big fan of Barber, but you reach a point of overkill. It sounds like this might be the case with a larger cigar, too. I certainly noticed it on the DL Digger, which was just a novelty because of its size, at least to me. It would have been better if it were smaller, which is why I smoke the DL in the chiselito.
At any rate, it's interesting to see that the Maduro adds some characteristic notes but doesn't really improve the cigar. I really enjoy the airbender; I might have to smoke one tonight if my job interview goes well.
they dont seem to sell well so who knows if they will continue.
Villiger La Libertad Perfecto (54 x 5.25)
Wrapper: Peruvian grown Havana seed
Binder: Peruvian grown Nicaraguan seed
Filler: Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) Ligero , Nicaraguan Ligero
Blenders: José Gabriel Maragoto G. and Adaberto Ruizcalderon
Villiger is not a company that many people think of when it comes to the "big names" in the cigar world. However, the company claims to make 1.5 Billion cigars a year and distribute them globally. This number does include both handmade premium long filler cigars and machine made cigars. It has only been recently that the company has produced handmade cigars. To celebrate its 120th anniversary in 2008 it releases its first long filler hand made cigar: Villiger 1888.
La Libertad has only become available in the USA recently, making its debut in the 2010 trade show. Before that point it had been featured in many international publications receiving high ratings, creating a demand in the US. However, there were some serious changes in the blend before it hit the US shores. In Europe it was and still is mainly a Honduran blend of tobaccos with a Cuban seed Honduran Wrapper, Jamastran Binder and fillers from Honduras and Nicaragua, and it is blended by Nestor Plasencia.
The above is a blend that is successful in Europe, blended by a known and successful blender in his Honduras Factory using tobaccos that are in style in the USA. What is released in the US is a very different cigar using tobacco that the American palate is not accustomed to and blended by people that many American smokers have not heard of. Why the decision to drastically change the blend was made is unclear. The result should be a cigar that showcases the flavors of Peruvian tobacco with a bit of wood, spice and bite from the Dominican and Nicaraguan ligeros.
The cigar has a primarily red black and gold band with a box of white sporting the name of the cigar under the gold logo. The short perfecto has a very classic look to it with a long gradual taper from point to point, seemingly never flattening out. Though the cigar looks like it is crafted well the tobacco itself looks rustic. There also seems to be a little damage to the wrapperin the form of a very small crack along one of the seems. This does not look to be a construction issue but rather an over handling issue.
The cigar feels very smooth to the touch and offers very little give when gently squeezed. There is a classic barnyard smell to it but there are some wood elements as well. Moistening the cap leaves an oily feel on the lips with a slightly creamy slightly sour flavor that is mild. Once cut with the double guillotine there are heavy licorice notes with a nice draw.
A light with a soft flame goes quickly on the point of the perfecto. The first puffs are very woody and slightly fennel seed. A soft spice develops very early that can only be described as a very gentle cayenne pepper. Through the nose there is a bit of a musk and the slightest note at the licorice. For the first third or so the spice seems to build with every puff but never becomes overwhelming.
The middle third loses some of the spice but the other flavors are still there. Most of the real enjoyable flavors like the fennel seed are in the long finish. There is a touch of harshness here and there on random puffs. It does not linger. It does start to smoke a little on the hot side in the middle and the warm smoke is bringing out the fennel more. The burn has not been even the entire time and corrective lights are needed. This is slightly distracting. It seems to be in part to the construction.
The final third picks up on heat. The smoke is hotter. This brings out more harsh but the warmth works with the fennel. It may not be the best cigar or the most complex, but it is unique and there is something to be said for that. It is a good cigar for understanding what Peruvian tobacco is all about. The cigar is enjoyable, despite the numbers below.
Burn time: 1hour 40 min
Burn: 7
Draw: 9
Taste: 8
Aftertaste: 9
Construction: 7
Balance: 9
Feel: 9
overall: 8.3
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Camacho Old vs. New
Havana and Criollo.
Camacho Havana Figurado (6 x 54 Torpedo) Been in humidor since 8-24-13
Wrapper: Honduran Grown Criollo
Binder: Honduran Corojo
Filler: Honduran Corojo
Camacho Criollo Robusto (5 x 50) Been in humidor since 2-22-14
Wrapper: Honduran Grown Criollo
Binder: Honduran Corojo
Filler: Honduran Criollo, Dominican Piloto Cubano
In late June of 2013 Camacho Launched its new branding. The new “Bold Standard” was not just new packaging and labels, but a total overhaul of everything Camacho. Many of the lines of cigars that Camacho had on the market were cut out of the portfolio in an effort to focus on six core lines. The cigars that were left (Corojo, Corojo Maduro, Connecticut, Triple Maduro, Diploma and Havana (now Criollo)) got new bands, and all but the Triple Maduro and the Connecticut were re-blended to fit within the “Bold Standard” paradigm.
The re-branding of the Havana line is supposed to be a subtle change focusing mainly on bringing some sweetness to balance out the Criollo wrapper. The new wrapper and binder are very similar to the old Havana blend, but the fill deviates quite a bit. There is still Honduran tobacco, but it is now Criollo, not Corojo. Dominican Piloto Cubano has also been added to the mix to help bring sweeter notes in.
This review of both cigars will be done simultaneously. That is: both cigars will be smoked at the same time to really see the differences. There will be a direct comparison and all flavors will be in terms of, and in comparison of the other cigar. This may not be a perfect comparison in blends because of age different ages of the cigars and differences in Vitola. These variables are noted, but there is an understanding that the overall flavor profile of any line of cigars is approximately the same, making a comparison of these two cigars reasonable.
The Havana is an older cigar. Though the cigar has a humidor date of 8-24-13, it is probably significantly older being that this was purchased from a retailer trying to run down their stock of “old style” Camachos. The newer Criollo was purchased from the same retailer a few months later.
The new Criollo is darker; a quality that is strange being that this is supposed to be a similar wrapper but older. Usually in this situation, the older one is darker because tobacco darkens as it ages/ferments. This darker color despite age, could be due to different fermentation, priming, crop variation or many other reasons. The vein structure on both of the cigars is very similar. The construction on the Havana seems not quite as good as on the Criollo. This can be best seen on the seems. On the Havana, they do not seem as tight, and though the caps are a very different style, the cap on the Criollo looks a bit more neat. This is by a small margin, but it seems clear when next to each other.
Of course, the branding is different. The Havana is classic shaped cigar band of metallic gold with yellow lettering and styling depicting the previous Camacho logo. The Criollo has an ultra modern band of bright yellow with a high contrast black bearing the new Camacho scorpion logo.
The texture of both of the cigars is slightly oily and slightly fuzzy, but slightly less fuzzy on the Havana. The lick on the cap of the Havana has an oily feel with a light slightly sour note. It is all very light. The Criollo is less oily and with a more earthy flavor of sour. A cut with a double guillotine on the torpedo cap of the Havana produces a very easy draw. There is very little resistance where as the double guillotine cut of the Criollo (producing the same size cut in circumference), produces a draw that is significantly firmer. The flavor of both of the draws are similar, with licorice and rich earth, but the Havana is a bit lighter and woodier.
Both are lit with a soft flame.
The Havana starts with a dose of classic Camacho spice with undertones of wood. Through the nose there is a good amount of burn with more wood flavors. The Criollo has a very similar start but there are two key differences, the Criollo is spicier and the Havana and the Criollo has a retrohale that includes a meaty-sweetness and mushroom. The differences of the initial flavor are subtle. The basic flavor elements of spice and wood are in both, but the new blend has a bit more depth of flavor. This begins with the spice. On the old blend the spice is thin and black pepper with the wood notes easing in. Those flavors are balanced but subtle and quietly enter and exit the palate. The new blend has the black pepper that eases in but it picks up a hint at hot cinnamon as the wood notes transition in. This wood note lingers on the palate well into the finish and is made approachable by subtle sweetness.
As the cigars settle in, the Havana develops a sweetness that leans to the sugary side in comparison to the rounder darker Belgian candy sugar style of sweetness of the re-blend. The old blend still retains the sharp black pepper that sneaks in, peaks, and sneaks out while the new blend has black pepper from the moment of the initial draw that develops into the warm cinnamon and exits. The retrohales also develop. In the Havana, the burn through the nose that was on the light has now settles into a lighter spice with dry earth/wood undertones. The retrohale is definitively sweeter on the new blend and has lost some of the mushroom notes if favor of a more herbal quality. A little over an inch in to both cigars and the Criollo has a rounder and more complex feel to it.
The burn on both cigars at this point is not perfect, however neither is in need of a touch-up. The ash on the old blend is a bit more flaky in appearance but holds tight whereas on the new blend it appears to be a more dense ash that falls more often.
The middle third of both cigars do not change that much but the differences seem to be more noticeable. The Havana is thinner and has fewer flavors overall. Those flavors are “Classic Camacho” and edge to a more autumn feel where the Criollo has more depth and roundness. The cigar seems bolder and simultaneously more refined. The old blend is closer to harsh than the new blend, though “harsh” is probably the wrong word. It is, in reality, just a sharper one dimensional spice. The new blend coats the mouth with flavor where as the old blend is more of a passing flavor.
At the beginning of the final third an interesting note is observed: The smoke from lit foot the Havana is significantly more blue than that of the Criollo. The Havana is burning faster than the Criollo keeping the thirds of the cigar aligned though there is an inch of difference at the beginning.
The Havana is starting to produce warmer smoke on the draw where as the Criollo is consistent. This consistency also translates to the flavors as well. There is less development over the stick and less build in body. They smoke feels thicker in the old blend for the first time around this point. The retrohale does not share this quality of growth in the Havana. It is a fairly static element within the cigar. In the Criollo, the retrohale becomes less sweet, making it less interesting as in the first two thirds but more dynamic over the length of the cigar. There are no further developments to either cigar.
The old blend has the classic Camacho blending style. It is an interesting look at what Honduran puros are all about. The re-blend has many of the same elements and stays within the realm of what Camacho was and is. The new Camacho Criollo is rounder and has more depth of flavor while maintaining a better balance. The new blend is also a touch fuller in body, living up to the marketing of “The Bold Standard”
This was a positive re-brand/re-blend overall.
Old blend, Camacho Havana:
Burn: 9
Draw: 8
Taste: 8
Aftertaste: 8
Construction: 9
Balance: 8
Feel: 9
overall: 8.4
New blend, Camacho Criollo:
Burn: 9
Draw: 8
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 9
Construction: 9
Balance: 9
Feel: 9
overall: 8.9
on a side note, smoking two medium-full cigars at once can really put you down.
if you like my reviews please see my blog. If you want to see what im up to between reviews and get micro reviews of cigars and beer then follow me on twitter (@KuzisCigar) or Facebook