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Forum Blend Reviews

Rob1110Rob1110 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,454
Since Alex requested it and nobody else started it yet, I figured I'd get a new thread going on the forum blend to get everyone's opinion on them. If you've gotten your cigars and smoked one, post your review here. If you already reviewed them somewhere else, please copy and paste here to make it official.

Today I smoked my first forum blend and I chose the Sumatra because that was my first wrapper choice and I was stoked that my vote made it. Now, keep in mind that I just got these cigars in yesterday, so this one was fairly fresh when I smoked it.

The construction was beautiful with no prominent veins, cap applied evenly and no lumps, hard spots or soft spots. Dead on. The initial smell was a little off but I didn't let that sway me. One thing I've learned is that you can go into a cigar shop and smell until your heart's content, but you don't know how good that cigar is gonna be until you light up. I opened it up with a punch and the draw was just right.

Upon lighting, there was a sweetness with some wood and cocoa undertones. This sweetness eventually faded to an underlying sweet, almost sugar cane note that persisted throughout the cigar. The wood and cocoa notes continued throughout along with occasional spice and young tobacco. There was a slight burn at the back of the throat every once in a while which made me think the tobacco or cigar itself may be a bit young and need some aging. The burn line was perfectly even throughout the entirety of the smoke and the cigar gave off volumes of smoke and flavor. I'd put it in the medium category as I had it in the morning on an empty stomach and about 2/3s of the way through, I started getting a slight buzz.

Bottom line: This was a great cigar and I was very impressed, though not too surprised (the guys at c.com offer quality products). At the price point Alex gave us, give these babies a little rest (I wanna say 6 months or better) and they'll be incredible smokes. Would I have another? Hell yeah, I'll probably have 8 or 9 more, depending on whether or not I'm generous enough to give any away. Would I recommend them? Highly. Sorry to anyone on here who didn't get any. See if someone will trade you for one.
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Comments

  • hawaiianbasshawaiianbass Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 123
    I smoked one of each the day I got them.

    The sumatra had an underlying sweetness on the palate with a cinnamon like spicyness through the nose. About halfway through almost all of the spice disappeared and the sweetness took over. The draw and burn were perfect throughout and the stick last about 90 minutes.

    The maduro had similer characteristics but the overall experiance was different than the sumatra. Right after the light my palate was hit with sweetness that was almost too much but it tapered off pretty quickly. The sweetness stayed throughout the stick and a little spice poked its head in every once in a while. Like the sumatra the draw and burn were perfect and it lasted about 90 minutes.

    I definatly would like to get more of these.

    CK
  • j0z3rj0z3r Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 9,403
    Well I'm liking this so far. Yesterday I lit up the Sumatra. First I gave it a thorough inspection and found excellent construction with a firm fill and no soft spots, a neatly applied cap and, after taking my Xikar cutter to it, a perfect draw that offered just enough resistance to keep the cigar from smoking itself. The light was easy and complete, the burn was spot on until about halfway when a minor touch-up was needed to a section of wrapper that had stopped burning. The flavor was very favorable to me, I picked up on some light pepper that was neither understated nor overwhelming, a slight sweetness that complimented the pepper and some nice nutty notes that worked well overall.

    Today I had the maduro, same results as to the inspection. The burn on this one was a bit more uneven but it did not suffer any major defects. I would have to smoke one of each simultaneously to give a breakdown, but the maduro seemed very similar to the Sumatra in most regards except for the flavors inparted by the maduro wrapper.

    If I had to state a preference, I would give a slight nod to the Sumatra as I think the blend works a little better with that wrapper. Both, however, were pretty good and I could definitely get behind this cigar were it to be put into production.

    Nicely done guys, and thanks Alex for making this happen.
  • gmill880gmill880 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 5,947
    Nervously wrings hands waiting for the Big Brown Truck ...
  • bigharpoonbigharpoon Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,909
    I had one of my forum blend sticks tonight, I just couldn't wait any longer. I went for the Natural.

    As has been said the cigar is absolutely beautiful. That EcSu wrapper has such an inviting luster. The cut, draw, light, burn were all flawless. I wish all cigars were made this well.

    The first impression I got was a thick, lingering sweetness that held to my palatte like molasses with a long finish. Eventually the finish became shorter and it wasn't too long before I got a little spice. That stayed for a while and then the sweetness returned but not as much as before. It mellowed for a while and maintained an easy sweetness with occasional spice and something else that might have been a flavor I couldn't identify or maybe tobacco.

    It was pretty smooth but certainly could use a little more smoothing out. It was easy to tell it needs a little resting time to really show off but still you can get a real good grasp for what's in there and I think they will be real tasty soon. Overall I'd say sweet that mellows as you progress and underlying spice that comes to the front now and then.

    I enjoyed it quite a bit and it was a real treat to smoke a cigar I had a hand in developing. I think I'll smoke at least 9 more of these.
  • gmill880gmill880 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 5,947
    I had to burn one tonite. Did the maduro and loved it ...especially for what they let these go for. Plenty of smoke , very very good meaty peppery flavor . On a side note , my wife , who doesn't smoke, took two puffs off this one. First I couldn't believe she volunteered to do this!!! Second she liked it !!! What the ...are you kidding me !!! She said it had a very good pepper flavor and she thought it smelled great . Now I've got to count my cigars and start watching her a little more closely hahaha ...
  • PuroFreakPuroFreak Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,132
    gmill880:
    I had to burn one tonite. Did the maduro and loved it ...especially for what they let these go for. Plenty of smoke , very very good meaty peppery flavor . On a side note , my wife , who doesn't smoke, took two puffs off this one. First I couldn't believe she volunteered to do this!!! Second she liked it !!! What the ...are you kidding me !!! She said it had a very good pepper flavor and she thought it smelled great . Now I've got to count my cigars and start watching her a little more closely hahaha ...
    Oh watch out man! Thats dangerous territory! I screwed up because a buddy of mine was over one night and we were smoking some Tatuaje's. He was smoking a Reserva SW and I was having an El Truifador and she decided they smelled good and she wanted to take a puff of each to try them out. Now she is hooked on Pete's smokes! She doesn't smoke often at all, but I had to go get her a couple of the Reserva's and a couple of the houseblends at my local shop.
  • gmill880gmill880 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 5,947
    PuroFreak:
    gmill880:
    I had to burn one tonite. Did the maduro and loved it ...especially for what they let these go for. Plenty of smoke , very very good meaty peppery flavor . On a side note , my wife , who doesn't smoke, took two puffs off this one. First I couldn't believe she volunteered to do this!!! Second she liked it !!! What the ...are you kidding me !!! She said it had a very good pepper flavor and she thought it smelled great . Now I've got to count my cigars and start watching her a little more closely hahaha ...
    Oh watch out man! Thats dangerous territory! I screwed up because a buddy of mine was over one night and we were smoking some Tatuaje's. He was smoking a Reserva SW and I was having an El Truifador and she decided they smelled good and she wanted to take a puff of each to try them out. Now she is hooked on Pete's smokes! She doesn't smoke often at all, but I had to go get her a couple of the Reserva's and a couple of the houseblends at my local shop.

    Dangerous indeed Puro my man ...dangerous indeed ...
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    i have a lock on my humidor. i keep the keys on me at all times.
  • laker1963laker1963 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 5,046
    kuzi16:
    i have a lock on my humidor. i keep the keys on me at all times.


    And Puro has a gun... She's just a girl...

    Or you could tell her "i stay out of your purse, you stay out of my Humidor".

    I do feel your pain tho Puro... even tho it's your own fault...if you hadn't let her try "Pete's stick" well maybe she wouldn't have loved it...DUH.
    LMAO

    Sorry bro' I just had to. I mean you laid it out there, and it was just hanging, and nobody seemed like they were gonna, so I just had to spike that puppy. :)
  • PuroFreakPuroFreak Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,132
    laker1963:
    kuzi16:
    i have a lock on my humidor. i keep the keys on me at all times.


    And Puro has a gun... She's just a girl...

    Or you could tell her "i stay out of your purse, you stay out of my Humidor".

    I do feel your pain tho Puro... even tho it's your own fault...if you hadn't let her try "Pete's stick" well maybe she wouldn't have loved it...DUH.
    LMAO

    Sorry bro' I just had to. I mean you laid it out there, and it was just hanging, and nobody seemed like they were gonna, so I just had to spike that puppy. :)
    HAHA Yea, I saw that coming and was just WAITING for it. Nice play!
  • brc81brc81 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 249
    I've been able to try one of each. Both were good. I enjoyed the natural one alot more. Will let the remaining 8 rest. Overall, I'd say the natural could probably find its way into my regular rotation if it were to become regularly available.
  • rwheelwrightrwheelwright Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,294
    My friend Mark smoked one last night. He really enjoyed it. He is going to smoke the maduro today.
  • alienmisprintalienmisprint Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,961
    Just got done with the Maduro. I have to say I am very suprised at how well it smoked considering it only sat in my humidor for a day and a half. Here's my attempt at a review:

    The cigar looks perfect, very dark with a sheen to it and perfect construction. It has a nice heft to it and feels very solid. Upon lighting, it is instantly sweet and smooth, with a nice finish. The draw is perfect for me, just enough resistance so it isn't like sucking through a straw but in no way inhibits the smoke. I picked up some brown sugar and even a little caramel on it throughout the cigar, but especially so in the first half. There is also a distinct flavor of roasted nuts on the finish, a very pleasant taste. The burn was a little uneven to begin with, but by about a third of the way in, it had corrected itself and never required any touch-ups or re-lights. It produces volumes of thick smoke, and has a nice, chewy texture. The ash is very firm and held for a little over an inch. Just over halfway in, the flavors seem to level out a bit and although are still very sweet, the caramel and brown sugar isn't as prominent now. It still has an excellent flavor, but its a little harder to discern the little nuances. I smoked it down to the nub, and throughout it was very smooth and at no point harsh. It may get better with some age, but honestly I enjoyed it quite a bit as is. I would definately purchase a box of these, no doubt about it.
  • LukoLuko Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,004
    alienmisprint:
    Just got done with the Maduro. I have to say I am very suprised at how well it smoked considering it only sat in my humidor for a day and a half. Here's my attempt at a review:

    The cigar looks perfect, very dark with a sheen to it and perfect construction. It has a nice heft to it and feels very solid. Upon lighting, it is instantly sweet and smooth, with a nice finish. The draw is perfect for me, just enough resistance so it isn't like sucking through a straw but in no way inhibits the smoke. I picked up some brown sugar and even a little caramel on it throughout the cigar, but especially so in the first half. There is also a distinct flavor of roasted nuts on the finish, a very pleasant taste. The burn was a little uneven to begin with, but by about a third of the way in, it had corrected itself and never required any touch-ups or re-lights. It produces volumes of thick smoke, and has a nice, chewy texture. The ash is very firm and held for a little over an inch. Just over halfway in, the flavors seem to level out a bit and although are still very sweet, the caramel and brown sugar isn't as prominent now. It still has an excellent flavor, but its a little harder to discern the little nuances. I smoked it down to the nub, and throughout it was very smooth and at no point harsh. It may get better with some age, but honestly I enjoyed it quite a bit as is. I would definately purchase a box of these, no doubt about it.
    Great review of the maduro alien and if I had any kind of talent for a review, that's about what my assessment of it would have been. I'm about a half-inch into the ecusuma and I dare say I think by the end I'll be liking it even better than the maduro. Of course this has a week on it, and the maduro I smoked had a few hours.
  • alienmisprintalienmisprint Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,961
    Luko:
    alienmisprint:
    Just got done with the Maduro. I have to say I am very suprised at how well it smoked considering it only sat in my humidor for a day and a half. Here's my attempt at a review:

    The cigar looks perfect, very dark with a sheen to it and perfect construction. It has a nice heft to it and feels very solid. Upon lighting, it is instantly sweet and smooth, with a nice finish. The draw is perfect for me, just enough resistance so it isn't like sucking through a straw but in no way inhibits the smoke. I picked up some brown sugar and even a little caramel on it throughout the cigar, but especially so in the first half. There is also a distinct flavor of roasted nuts on the finish, a very pleasant taste. The burn was a little uneven to begin with, but by about a third of the way in, it had corrected itself and never required any touch-ups or re-lights. It produces volumes of thick smoke, and has a nice, chewy texture. The ash is very firm and held for a little over an inch. Just over halfway in, the flavors seem to level out a bit and although are still very sweet, the caramel and brown sugar isn't as prominent now. It still has an excellent flavor, but its a little harder to discern the little nuances. I smoked it down to the nub, and throughout it was very smooth and at no point harsh. It may get better with some age, but honestly I enjoyed it quite a bit as is. I would definately purchase a box of these, no doubt about it.
    Great review of the maduro alien and if I had any kind of talent for a review, that's about what my assessment of it would have been. I'm about a half-inch into the ecusuma and I dare say I think by the end I'll be liking it even better than the maduro. Of course this has a week on it, and the maduro I smoked had a few hours.
    Yeah man, I can't wait to smoke the Sumatra, but I am going to put it off till tomorrow. I have a Padron Anniversary to smoke on for tonight, lol.
  • alienmisprintalienmisprint Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,961
    Just finishing up the Sumatra now. It was similar to the Maduro, but still very different. Here is the review:

    Like the Maduro, the Sumatra is a beautiful cigar. Excellent construction, not a flaw in sight. It has a very attractive sheen to it as well, with a nice heft to it with no soft spots. Also just like the Maduro, the draw is perfect and produces a ton of thick white smoke. The pepper is a bit more pronounced than in the Maduro, but not overpowering in any way. It is still sweet, but not as sweet as the Maduro. I did pick up a slight molasses flavor on this one, very nice. I also got a hint of coffee a couple of times, but for the most part I can best describe it as a toasty and creamy taste. I think this one needs a little age moreso than the Maduro does, but like the Maduro, it is pretty damn good with only three days on it. This is another one I would buy a box of, especially if the price wasn't too bad. I smoked this one down to the finger-burning point, and wished there was a little more, lol.

    All in all, the forum blends are both excellent sticks IMO. I really hope these go into some kind of production, even if it is limited.
  • gmill880gmill880 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 5,947
    Just finished the Sumatra ...Very very tasty cigar ..hints of toast and nuts ...the pepper did not seem as pronounced to me anyway. Lots of smoke and built beautifully. Nubbed it for sure but I think I prefer the Maduro a little more but love both smokes. Can't wait to see what 3-6 months do to these. On a side note my second bundle arrived today ...YESSSS !!!
  • bbc020bbc020 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,422
    A friend and I tried the sumatra as well tonight. I got the same toast and nuts with a nice blast of sweetness in the middle of this stick. The construction was perfect and it burned nice and slow.
  • rwheelwrightrwheelwright Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,294
    gmill880:
    Just finished the Sumatra ...Very very tasty cigar ..hints of toast and nuts ...the pepper did not seem as pronounced to me anyway. Lots of smoke and built beautifully. Nubbed it for sure but I think I prefer the Maduro a little more but love both smokes. Can't wait to see what 3-6 months do to these. On a side note my second bundle arrived today ...YESSSS !!!
    I got myself a few more bundles. Can't say how many I got though. I'd probably get some death threats! However, I do hope that Alex is able to put these into production.
  • Alex SvensonAlex Svenson BlogAdministrator, Everyone, ForumsAdministrator, Moderator, Owners, Registered Users Posts: 1,204
    I am loving reading these. If you remember the tobacco discriptions and what we chose, we thought these would be very sweet on the palate and sure enough, we were right. I also like the lesson in here on wrapper. Both blends have the same filler and binder but just a different wrapper. you can really see how much the wrapper effects the cigar.

    Now for the real question, do we want to make any changes? Is it too sweet, too strong, not strong enough??? Lots to think about. Keep smoking and let me know. We can go back to the ingredients and make some tweaks if everyone has similar opinions.
  • j0z3rj0z3r Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 9,403
    Alex, I think if we could cut the sweet down a bit and kick the strength up just a notch, possibly increase the pepper a bit, then we'd be golden. Aside from that, I really enjoy the blend as it is.
  • gmill880gmill880 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 5,947
    j0z3r:
    Alex, I think if we could cut the sweet down a bit and kick the strength up just a notch, possibly increase the pepper a bit, then we'd be golden. Aside from that, I really enjoy the blend as it is.

    I love the blend as is but would not be opposed to a tad bit more pepper as Joe said ...but I would definitly buy a couple of boxes of Maduros just the way they are !!!
  • LukoLuko Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 2,004
    j0z3r:
    Alex, I think if we could cut the sweet down a bit and kick the strength up just a notch, possibly increase the pepper a bit, then we'd be golden. Aside from that, I really enjoy the blend as it is.
    This is exactly what I would ask for too. I like both a bunch, but cutting back on the sweet just a tad and more spice would be perfecct for me.
  • JFJF Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 54
    j0z3r:
    Alex, I think if we could cut the sweet down a bit and kick the strength up just a notch, possibly increase the pepper a bit, then we'd be golden. Aside from that, I really enjoy the blend as it is.



    I agree. It needs a more intense flavor, and some more pepper to balance out the sweetness. The Sumatra I love, the Maduro not nearly so much. It was great at the beginning, but kinda faded into a difficult-to-describe unpleasant tangle of flavors about halfway through. It might just need more rest time than the Sumatra, mind you.
  • alienmisprintalienmisprint Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 3,961
    Guess I have to be the oddball here, but I really dig the maduro as is. I like the body on them both, as they are medium so you can smoke one pretty much whenever, no worries about having to eat first. And you can give them to less experienced smokers without having to watch them turn green. I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I am going to be bragging on these, lol. As far as the sumatra, I just think it needs a little more age, but other than that I am good with it as is too.
  • gmill880gmill880 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 5,947
    alienmisprint:
    Guess I have to be the oddball here, but I really dig the maduro as is. I like the body on them both, as they are medium so you can smoke one pretty much whenever, no worries about having to eat first. And you can give them to less experienced smokers without having to watch them turn green. I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I am going to be bragging on these, lol. As far as the sumatra, I just think it needs a little more age, but other than that I am good with it as is too.

    Thats kinda what I said Tony ...I'd buy a couple of boxes of maduros just as they are ...the maduros are my favorites but both are really good ...
  • Rob1110Rob1110 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 1,454
    I still haven't tried the maduro yet, but I loved the sumatra - though as I said, I think it'll be much better with some age. I actually liked the sweetness of the flavor profile and found that's part of what made it so distinctly different than any other cigar out there. While I wouldn't be opposed to a touch of pepper, I kind of feel like you almost get that in the sumatra wrapper but a little more wouldn't hurt, I also feel the uniqueness of this blend comes from the sweet notes not typically seen in other blends.

    All in all, I have to say we did a bang-up job for a bunch of first-timers. If we do make changes, I wouldn't want to change too much that it loses it's identity. In terms of strength, I think we got just what we asked for: a medium-bodied cigar that would appeal to full-bodied, full-flavored, avid cigar smokers, as well as the newbie.
  • laker1963laker1963 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 5,046
    Rob1110:
    I still haven't tried the maduro yet, but I loved the sumatra - though as I said, I think it'll be much better with some age. I actually liked the sweetness of the flavor profile and found that's part of what made it so distinctly different than any other cigar out there. While I wouldn't be opposed to a touch of pepper, I kind of feel like you almost get that in the sumatra wrapper but a little more wouldn't hurt, I also feel the uniqueness of this blend comes from the sweet notes not typically seen in other blends.

    All in all, I have to say we did a bang-up job for a bunch of first-timers. If we do make changes, I wouldn't want to change too much that it loses it's identity. In terms of strength, I think we got just what we asked for: a medium-bodied cigar that would appeal to full-bodied, full-flavored, avid cigar smokers, as well as the newbie.


    OH MAN...if these aren't in my mailbox in the morning I am going to be the biggest b itch...

    I was dreaming about these things last night !! I woke up and couldn't remember what they tasted like. :(
    Bad dream.
  • tankbonniestankbonnies Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 191
    I had the Sumatra last night and LOVED it...Great construction, no flaws and burned for 80 minutes w/o having to re-light.....Great cigar...Would buy a box in a hearbeat....Looking forward to trying the maduro now.
  • brc81brc81 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 249
    I'm not sure how I'd change either. I'm not a huge pepper fan so adding more might not go over so well for me.

    Alex, maybe you could give us a list of options on what changes could be made and how they might effect it.
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