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Acer's Simple Cigar Reviews

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I find that when the draw of a cigar tightens up and the flavors start getting nasty I can usually solve that problem by trimming 1/4" or so from the cap. I don't know if it's a cause or an effect, but there's usually tar blobs there, and removing them fixes everything right up. Nothing worse than getting those on your lips out tongue, though.
(y)i didn't even try that approach, ill give that a shot next time i have a plug.
 
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Crowned Heads Headley Grange

This cigar started out pretty mild, and reminded me of the various Altadis post-cuban brand smokes I used would get in sampler packs years ago. It started to open up towards the middle with more nutty and floral notes which was nice. I looked it up on a few websites and was surprised that they all said medium to full. I'd humbly disagree, this one starts out mild and then hits mild/medium. I did discover that milder smokes are nice if you want to keep one in your teeth for awhile. I hotboxed big sections of this. If I ever take up golf I'll have to remember this cigar.

Beginning - a little too mild, not much of anything going on
Middle - opened up with nutty and floral characteristics by the first 1/3.
End - more of the nutty characteristics. Enjoyable smoke if you like things a little more mellow.
Rating - 8/10.
 
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dunbarton mi querida

ah, this brings back memories. This is a liga privada folks. this is my first dunbarton stick, and after smoking this I'm convinced something about the ligas has changed since Steve's departure and the swisher acquisition. everything from the flavors that instantly triggered my memory down to the ring of oil that appears right by the cherry. if you've smoked a swisher liga lately, you'll notice that oil ring is nowhere to be found. and what's better, this cigar is 10 bucks for a single. I'll definitely be buying more of these.

in smelling the cigar before lighting it, I smelled less barnyard on my last trip to a local farm in the middle of the summertime. This cigar should come with a straw maze. After lighting, I was hit with a nice pepper blast. It took awhile to adjust to the heat, but once I did the flavors in the first third were pure liga privada circa early part of last decade. can't say if it was a 9, t52, or one of the many unicos, because it was none of the above, the flavors are unique but the resemblance is definitely there.

as the cigar transitioned into the 2nd third, it got a little more chocolaty than i ever remember the ligas getting, which was nice. i always enjoy a good chocolate note. the burn was a little bit uneven and required a touchup here and there, and the ash was a bit flaky, but I never really care about that, even though it was a noticeable difference from the legendary razor sharp liga burn from days of yore. took it down to the nub and I'll be back.

body - full
strenghth - average++, felt a pretty strong buzz by the end but not sick.
9/10
 
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southern draw rows of sharin robusto

This was a really unique medium bodied cigar, and my first experience with Southern Draw. To my dismay it is box pressed. There are two types of people in the world, those whose lips form a circle when they pucker them and those whose lips form a square. I am in the first category, and the second category doesn't actually exist. That is why I prefer normal, non-box pressed cigars. Box pressing is really only there to give the cigars a certain appearance, and should be done away with. But just my opinion, I'm sure others would disagree, and I digress.

The first third had a buttery mouthfeel, and some really unique flavors including, stay with me, crayola crayons. (and similar to "barnyard," i mean that in a good way.) Next time you smoke one of these, look for it, and if you notice it think of how happy you felt when you were a kid and got the big box with the sharpener. The crayon note was a great compliment to the perfect early June evening just after sundown, listening to the faint sound of kids at the beginning of their summer break coupled with the white noise of machinery in the distance. I also noticed a hint of a of brown liquor note here and there; it's a cigar so I'll go with rum.

The 2nd third got even more buttery, and I picked up hints of buttered popcorn and almond butter. I was thinking I found a hidden gem that could be "my thing," but then I pulled out my phone, read some rave reviews, and realized the cat is out of the bag and I'm actually late to the party. Kind of like when I heard Green Day for the first time and thought they could be "my band," and then I learned all of the other kids had heard them and liked them too.

Sadly in the final third, things got a little bit more "raw." After giving it 5-10 minutes to redeem itself, it didn't, and I decided to let it go out. I should clarify that it wasn't terrible in the final third, I could have easily finished it had it been a lesser cigar, but I didn't want to spoil the very pleasant initial experience. I see so many final thirds in the ashtrays at B&Ms I think a lot of guys just skip them customarily. The burn had been razor sharp up to that point as well, but shortly before I put it out it needed a touchup. No telling if it would have needed more. Bottom line, good stuff, and I'll definitely be buying a few more of these and hoping I get a few that hang in there until the nub.

Body: Medium
Strength: Low
Rating: 8/10
 

Cigary43

Just Another Ashhole
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I think we've all tried discount cigars with the Brand Name because we think "brand names" are really good.....not so as there are really good premium cigars in the $5 to $9 range while some of these discount cigars can be 5 for $46.....not a good deal really. Taste subjective so if you like it and you're comfortable.....that's all that matters.
 
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I think we've all tried discount cigars with the Brand Name because we think "brand names" are really good.....not so as there are really good premium cigars in the $5 to $9 range while some of these discount cigars can be 5 for $46.....not a good deal really. Taste subjective so if you like it and you're comfortable.....that's all that matters.
 
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Dunbarton T&T sobremesa

Another amazing stick from Dunbarton. I've been wanting to try these for years but they are hard to find in stores, and I have been reluctant to purchase anything online until recently. It was nice to finally have the opportunity. Another stick that bears a resemblance to the Ligas of yore, but maybe a bit more refined. Started off with notes of coffee, leather, and nuts. Very complex, it seemed to give me a different flavor with each draw. One second the coffee and leather would dominate, the next it would be the nuts. In the final third a bit of cocoa got thrown in the mix. The burn was razor sharp and I took this one down to the nub. and it was outstanding all the way there. Dunbarton is quickly on their way to being tied with Tat as my favorite domestic brand, as the Ligas once were. Really excited to try the other marcas.

Body - Full
Strength - Average
Rating - 9/10
 
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drew estate liga ferral flying pig

so i splurged on a box of these after I was forced to buy a new car a few months ago. they were my favorite stick from the 2013 era, and i got them based on that memory alone. I was disappointed after smoking the first one as I thought they were a little too strong for me after all these years, or perhaps the quality had gone down by a bit, I couldn't tell. They weren't "bad," and I smoked 4 of them in the first month trying to make myself like them, but just couldn't get there.

I tried to sell the remaining cigars and I would have sold them for a steal. A few ppl offered me extreme lowballs or expressed interest and then ghosted me, and to them I offer my sincere gratitude because I just fired one up yesterday and these are friggin amazing. I wanted to see if a few months of age impacted the flavor before listing them on the trade forum that I now have access to, and to my surprise there was a complete change. No longer for sale, you snooze you lose. :LOL:

I think I've just seen my first case of cigars that needed a "few months to rest." I've heard this mentioned before and I don't understand the mechanics at play. Isn't the tobacco aged at the factory? And ppl who age cubans let them sit for years, not 4 months. What does letting them sit for a few months accomplish exactly?

Whatever it is, these cigars seen to be a perfect example of that phenom. At first they were just a little too edgy, with ripe burnt espresso/coffee flavors all the way down. They are still intense, but more mellow and complex at the same time. The flavors play nicely together and aren't clashing like they did 4 months ago. At the price these cost, it would have been nice if they would have been a home run right out of the box, but that's life.

I also have to wonder how many other sticks that I haven't liked would have been great with a few months of rest... the world may never know.

There aren't a lot of transitions with ligas, and this one is no different. Just balls to the wall grassy, earthy, musty flavors the whole way down. I got a bit of leather and nuts here and there. Didn't get as much coffee as I did a few months ago when they were "too young," but it's there faintly. There was a pepper blast initially, but it faded after a few minutes.

Glad to see these are still a smoke bomb. At times I could see clouds of smoke hovering over by my driveway from this beast (20-30 feet away.) Just be warned that your eyes can be a little irritated the next day after smoking one of these.

I will also add that these are spirit cousins to the Dunbarton Mi Querida, and it would be hard to choose between the two in the future.

Body - Full+
Strength - Average
Rating - 9/10
 
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Drew Estate BOTL

Solid stick. I noticed similarities to other entries in the DE catalog, such as the Undercrown or Nica Rustica. First third was dominated by basic tobacco flavors with a bit of coffee thrown in. As it burned I took note of the DE bleach white ash and generous smoke output, although it wasn't enough smoke to have my eyes hurting the next day *cough* Ferral Flying Pig *cough*.

In the 2nd third a faint bit of nuttiness showed up. Perfect construction with the razor sharp DE burn on display. Things did go down a step in the final third, not enough to ruin the experience but I did notice a few off flavors beneath the surface there at the end. All the same, it was a decent no frills smoke.

Body - Med/Full
Strength - Average
Rating - 7.5/10
 
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CH Four Kicks Black Belt Buckle

I really enjoyed this cigar. my second experience with Crowned Heads (i think) and the best by far, and another great cigar from my newb trade with @Rupe . it was a nice example of a cigar with the ripe vegetal note that seems to remind me of carrots, with maybe a bit of apple if you use your imagination. hell, let's just call it a "V8 splash" note. this could possibly be the non-cc version of "twang."

that plus roasty tobacco flavors in the first third, and not many transitions in the 2nd or final third which is fine by me. no pepper tingle, creamy mouthfeel, perfect construction, with a razor sharp burn all the way down. medium bodied (in a good way), with average nicotine content. awesome stick, I'll be buying more of these.

body - med
strength - avg
Rating - 9/10

Pic of the razor sharp burn in the final third:
DE5633BF-F9B5-447C-B313-04D597FE1B39.jpeg
 
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illusione epernay

been hesitating to post this. another dud. this came with my newb trade, so it was purchased in a different state than my last illusione. burn issues from the start, then it plugged up and wouldn't light even with a flame right on it. didn't taste great to begin with, and tasted horrible as I was trying to keep it from dying. put it out in an old cup of coffee after 15-20 minutes. i remember liking the old illusione 88's back in the day. they weren't my favorite but they were decent sticks. unless i have been extremely unlucky in getting 2 illusione duds in a row, i'd say they have gone downhill. at least you know these reviews are honest.

rating - dud
 
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illusione epernay

been hesitating to post this. another dud. this came with my newb trade, so it was purchased in a different state than my last illusione. burn issues from the start, then it plugged up and wouldn't light even with a flame right on it. didn't taste great to begin with, and tasted horrible as I was trying to keep it from dying. put it out in an old cup of coffee after 15-20 minutes. i remember liking the old illusione 88's back in the day. they weren't my favorite but they were decent sticks. unless i have been extremely unlucky in getting 2 illusione duds in a row, i'd say they have gone downhill. at least you know these reviews are honest.

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you are doing something wrong. Epernay is a better cigar than everything on your list, hands down. you may also be running your humidity too high. I have smoked boxes of epernay and many other illusione and had zero issues with plugs. I also suggest blind taste test so you aren’t reviewing the label or copying the youtube top 20 reviews you are running through.

(edited the ahole out)

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@acer999

You really can't review a cigar that didn't burn well. Simply opening up the draw with a cigar awl or long, small awg drill bit would have given you a completely different experience.
 
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:LOL: i figured this would happen...

i gave illusione props as a "boutique" brand i used to like back in the day in my review on May 3, and i know they are often rated highly, but I was really surprised to have 2 poor experiences in a row. what is the point of reviewing anything if you don't call out the bad experiences? why would there be anything wrong with my humidor when everything else burns fine?

(edited the ahole out)
:LOL: so you're indirectly insulting me by saying you called me an ahole but then edited the original post? clever...
 
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:LOL: i figured this would happen...

i gave illusione props as a "boutique" brand i used to like back in the day in my review on May 3, and i know they are often rated highly, but I was really surprised to have 2 poor experiences in a row. what is the point of reviewing anything if you don't call out the bad experiences? why would there be anything wrong with my humidor when everything else burns fine?



:LOL: so you're indirectly insulting me by saying you called me an ahole but then edited the original post? clever...
I think illusione is past boutique at this point . Im not sure what else it could be other than your humidity level. Never had or heard of illusione draw issues EVER. I assume your running at 65%???


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dunbarton t&t umbagog

another fantastic stick from dunbarton. i kept with the "theme" of the cigar by smoking it the night before a fishing trip. umbagog is apparently a lake Steve Saka enjoys fishing on, and the cigar's rugged appearance is true to that. gotta have a little fun every once in awhile.

great earthy flavor in the first third. a bit of a vegetal note coming through, the carrot flavor I get every now and again. more of a medium bodied stick than the other offerings I have tried from DT&T, with nothing to remind me of Steve's former cigar line at a different company. It put off a ton of smoke at first, although the smoke level reduced to normal as the cigar progressed.

pretty consistent thru the second third, with a bit of a cocoa flavor making an appearance, and the cigar became a bit more intense in the final third with more of the cocoa flavor coming through.

the cigar maintained a razor sharp burn all the way down with a perfect draw, and has been sitting in my humidor since May at 63-65 humidity. the pic will serve as a friendly retort to anyone who wants to cast baseless aspersions about my humidor when I have the occasional dud.

96FD30B3-7E14-42F4-A257-C346C8773914.jpeg

i will note I probably enjoyed this cigar a bit less than the other dunbarton sticks I have tried. if i was buying a box I'd probably opt for mi querida or sobremesa. although that is a bit like saying i like lemon pie less than pumpkin and chocolate. great work from Steve and the cast and crew at Dunbarton t&t.

Body: medium
Strength: average
Rating: 8.5/10
 
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Crowned heads Tennessee waltz

A great stick from crowned heads with a unique flavor in the beginning. A nice tobacco base in the first third, with unique notes of burnt toast (in a good way) and paper, like the smell of one of those old bookstores that used to be in every shopping mall. The burn was razor sharp with a perfect draw, and the cigar put off an average amount of smoke. The unique flavors started to fade in the 2nd third, and I’m not sure if it was the cigar transitioning or me growing accustomed to them. A nice, quality tobacco flavor became prominent in the second half of the cigar. In the last third, it needed a few touchups on some uneven spots, but nothing to complain about, and the draw stayed consistent. It seemed a little strong on the nicotine but not too strong. I had a bit of a buzz towards the end, but didn’t feel uneasy. Great cigar with some unique flavors, excellent construction, and nothing offputting. I enjoyed it and would recommend anyone trying a few of these out.

Body: Medium full
Strength: Average++
8.5/10
 
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Crowned heads Tennessee waltz

A great stick from crowned heads with a unique flavor in the beginning. A nice tobacco base in the first third, with unique notes of burnt toast (in a good way) and paper, like the smell of one of those old bookstores that used to be in every shopping mall. The burn was razor sharp with a perfect draw, and the cigar put off an average amount of smoke. The unique flavors started to fade in the 2nd third, and I’m not sure if it was the cigar transitioning or me growing accustomed to them. A nice, quality tobacco flavor became prominent in the second half of the cigar. In the last third, it needed a few touchups on some uneven spots, but nothing to complain about, and the draw stayed consistent. It seemed a little strong on the nicotine but not too strong. I had a bit of a buzz towards the end, but didn’t feel uneasy. Great cigar with some unique flavors, excellent construction, and nothing offputting. I enjoyed it and would recommend anyone trying a few of these out.

Body: Medium full
Strength: Average++
8.5/10
I remember when those first came out and could only be bought from stores in TN. It sounds like they are still close to the original. I might stop by JR's on pay day and see if they still have some.

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that's a good idea. i use a cuban crafters perfect cutter. i am NOT a fan of a certain cigar reviewer on youtube, you know the one, but i have watched a few dozen of his videos because they autoplay after cigar videos I do like. the one thing he sold me on was the cuban crafters cutter. excellent quality, and i love how I can just put a cigar in there and it takes off the perfect amount. i'm probably set in my ways there, not sure I could do an angled cut using one of these cutters.
I've had one for years. It has cut hundreds of cigars without a hitch. I've had some cutters that cost more than double and I passed them on. The CC cutter has always been in my arsenal though. I wouldn't trade it for any other.

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