Felipe Gregario Centenario B

[earnold25]

Dark Brown wrapper, but not quite dark enough to be a maduro I'd think. There was one noticeable large vein, but still a nice looking wrapper.

It was a bit spongy and soft to the touch, but I didn't feel any hard spots.

Pre light draw was VERY loose.

First Third:
It lit up pretty nicely. Initial tastes to me were creamy, maybe toast? also hints of nuts. It produced a nice amount of smoke, but it wasn't very dense. A few puffs into it, the trouble started. Draw was terribly loose. I puffed and puffed and just couldn't get any substantial smoke. Also, the burn started to go way off. It was snaking about an inch up one side.

Second Third:
After clipping and relighting (purged as well), the nuttiness seemed to pick up. Also noticed some grassiness. Cigar went out again. Purged and relit. Started to tasted some bitterness, possible ammonia as well. Draw still an issue.

Last Third:
I ended up putting it out. It got way harsh and I was a bit PO'd that it was so hard to smoke.

Conclusion:
Well, overall, this cigar was fairly mild. The construction wasn't very helpful the snaking and terrible draw probably detracted from the flavor as I was puffing and puffing to try to get it to keep burning (or burn at all).

So, based on what I could taste, I'd say this was a fairly well balanced cigar, probably good in the morning. Not really my cup of tea though.

 

[jmatkins]

The only one I had was terible on the draw.

 

[jwintosh]

thanks for the review. i was recently gifted several of these. not sure which one i smoked,,,interesting size - like a 4 x 50. it was pretty good. i agree with the nut flavors. no probs with the draw or harshness, on the lighter side of medium. maybe a good cigar for fishing, or yard work,,,, thanks again!

jeff

 

[ZugbugPete]

Is this the Gregorio 'original' line (blue band)? If so, I'd agree that they're "ok" but that's about it... The dominicana's (white band, the word "dominicana" under the shield) are a MUCH smoother, fuller flavored (yet milder bodied), creamy as can be, delicious smoke that my wife (my biggest critic on the "reek-iness" scale) says has a "very pleasant after-aroma". The yellow band (Felipe II ?) has much more spice, like a cross between the stereotypical Honduran wrapper and the stereotypical Ecuadorian-Sumatran wrapper.
Anyhow, the blue band was rated highly in CA and CI, but in the words of another, "I don't roll up the magazine reviews and smoke 'em" -- I could take or leave that label, personally.

I will say, though, try out the Pelo de Oro label -- full bodied with the twang characteristic of Costa Rican tobaccos (never had an ISOM, but what I'm told is that it's comparable... I'll gladly accept donations so I can verify that...:headroll: )

Speaking of bombs, someone bombed me BIG today with 6 sticks I've been craving pretty bad - but their info was covered up by the delivery confirmation sticker thing! No note inside or anything, so, err, the Uni-Bomber hit me hard! All I could find from the delivery confirmation number was that it was mailed from Texas, and which zip code (which I unfortunately left written down on the kitchen table downstairs, and I'm too lazy to get it before sending this post... Besides, I'm practically hijacking this thread as it is, so I'll start a new one of my own).

So... right... Gregorio's a decent smoke if free - other than that, try the other lines, in particular the 1st generation Pelo de Oro strain Cuban seed wrapped (whew, what a mouthful!) Pelo de Oro label, or the somewhat similar, yet medium-to-full bodied "Power" label.

Sorry for the hijack, if that's what I did...
ZugbugPete

 

[kirscovitch]

another nice review, but never had em or even seen em.

 

[ZugbugPete]

Apologies - I just read the "Centenario B" as the subject line... oops... I agree that there's nothing special here, either. They do get better (or at least smoother/ burn better) with age, though I only have ~10 months on them, but if you put a dress on a pig it's still a pig... Not that these are dog-rockets, but they're not top-of-the line smokes, either.

At MSRP, they're pricey, considering what you get... MSRP of $9(USD) is way too high for me, but at ~$3 a pop (at CI, at least according to http://www.cigarcyclopedia.com/uploads/cms/comparison_shopper_prices.html) it's a decent smoke.

I will say, they're inconsistent in density/ "packed-ness" of tobacco and in quality of binder or wrapper, as some are squishy as a wet sponge, some as hard as a rock (all from the same 5-er, all humidified the same), and some had veigns or even stems as thick as a toothpick! Again, they DO get better with age on 'em, but you can't expect stems of that size to disappear with age... Just my opinion, of course - different smokes for different folks.

Being on a "felipe kick" lately, I got a fiver of the Centenario Liga B's (the toro size) and another 5-er of ... oh, some other centenario, the horn-shaped beli-torpedo, like liga E or F?... I forget the frontmark... from c-bid. Nothing bad with them, it's just they're not my cup o' joe. The flavors I got were mostly a charred wood/ campfire flavor with some nondescript sweetness for the first third or so, the second third built some vanilla-spice (sounds odd, but it was ok) in the first half of it (to the half-burn mark) and then suddenly produced this abundant maple syrup flavor that, while tasty, knocked my socks off with flavor (not body, just flavor) and seemed out of the clear blue, which made me literally say out loud, "Huh?? ". It wasn't burning hot or getting acrid, which was my first thought - it was just the flavor profile of the stick.

If the flavors married and/ or changed more gradually from foot to head, or if they didn't pack it like a can of sardines, I suspect I'd enjoy the smoke far more. Again, just one person's opinion... different smokes for different folks.

Hope this is of use to someone out there, somehow... perhaps an English class on "how to draw out a few sentences into half a book"...
Just my 2 cents worth, ZugbugPete

 

[acaffey]

I think the only smoke that I care for from FG is the Fusion - I think it's actually pretty good.

 

[ZugbugPete]

I think the only smoke that I care for from FG is the Fusion - I think it's actually pretty good.

I've never had that one or even seen it:dunno: . Now the RP fusion is good... but FG - I'll have to look that one up... YAY for more FG's! :blob:

Just two cents worth from a guy with access to too many smileys...
ZugbugPete

 

[acaffey]

I've never had that one or even seen it:dunno: . Now the RP fusion is good... but FG - I'll have to look that one up... YAY for more FG's! :blob:

Just two cents worth from a guy with access to too many smileys...
ZugbugPete

http://www.felipegregorio.com/fusion.htm

 

[Rank_Tyro]

I had a Serie Especial Boa last week, and I thought it was pretty bad. It was bad enough that I would say the odds of trying anything from that bears the Felipe Gregorio band are pretty slim.

The taste was awful until that very last puff, and the amount of smoke off of the draw was very small.

Then there was the muskrat they wrapped up in the middle of the "Boa"......

 

[CWS]

Years ago went to a Big Smoke in Vegas and got a Felipe Gregorio with a white label. Now maybe it was all the cigars we had smoked by that point but both my son and I really enjoyed it. I have yet to find that cigar since.

 

[acaffey]

Years ago went to a Big Smoke in Vegas and got a Felipe Gregorio with a white label. Now maybe it was all the cigars we had smoked by that point but both my son and I really enjoyed it. I have yet to find that cigar since.

Did it look like one of these?

 

[tobby4]

never seen em or had em..

 

[CWS]

Did it look like one of these?

Top one. Yep.

 

[acaffey]

Top one. Yep.

I think they have some at my B&M. I'll stop by and check.

 

[acaffey]

Traffic was horrible so I didn't venture the shop - I'll take a look tomorrow. I am almost certain that hey had both the robusto and the churchill in this line but I could be wrong.

 

[CWS]

Traffic was horrible so I didn't venture the shop - I'll take a look tomorrow. I am almost certain that hey had both the robusto and the churchill in this line but I could be wrong.

I dont think I ever looked for it in a B&M. As a California boy most of my stuff comes online. I know we looked pretty hard then gave up. Even bought a box from CI but was different.

 

[acaffey]

Chuck - (From Perelman's Pocket Cyclopedia of Cigars, 2006) No longer listed. This cigar has been discontinued but is still available in diminishing quantities, but is still listed as current on the Felipe Gregorio web site. Handmade in the Dominican Republic.

I checked 3 B&Ms here that carry Felipe Gregrio and none of them had the Dominicana, and one even called FG and they told him that they were no longer available for order by their retailers by the box. It was a smaller shop, so they may not be a "favored nation", but you know...

 

[CWS]

Chuck - (From Perelman's Pocket Cyclopedia of Cigars, 2006) No longer listed. This cigar has been discontinued but is still available in diminishing quantities, but is still listed as current on the Felipe Gregorio web site. Handmade in the Dominican Republic.

I checked 3 B&Ms here that carry Felipe Gregrio and none of them had the Dominicana, and one even called FG and they told him that they were no longer available for order by their retailers by the box. It was a smaller shop, so they may not be a "favored nation", but you know...

Explains why I couldnt find em online. Thanks for looking.