What's new
  • BOTL UPCOMING MAINTENANCE

    Hi Everyone, as mentioned in my introduction post, BOTL needs quite a bit of updating, patching and whatever else I might come across. Over the next few weekends BOTL may be unreachable on occasion as I do migrations or updates, etc. Just be patient - we'll be back! I'll generally try to keep these maintenances until later in the evenings.

Rasshat reviews A, B, C going out

ChefBoyRG54

BoM Sept '14 & BoY 2014
Rating - 100%
218   0   0
Joined
Jun 16, 2013
Messages
14,409
Location
Sterling Hts, MI
Awesome reviews, fellas. Looking forward to the last three.
Ever done a blind review?
I have not. I'm not the best at picking up the flavor notes lol. Some sticks I can pick out some interesting flavored, other times I feel like I just get basic notes.
The great thing about it is that you focus more on the flavors and try to determine what you are smoking. Might I suggest you bone up now? Get a couple of sticks, read a few reviews on them, maybe watch a few video reviews, then, somewhat knowing what the tastes are, the flavors, the nuances, you can pick them up when you write your reviews. It may take a couple of try's, but you'll get it.
I think reviews, especially blind, help expand the palate. At least the identification since you're forced to focus more.

He doesn't know it yet, but he's qualified for round two :)
 

ChefBoyRG54

BoM Sept '14 & BoY 2014
Rating - 100%
218   0   0
Joined
Jun 16, 2013
Messages
14,409
Location
Sterling Hts, MI
Another nice review. Love the honesty about the experience. Can't win them all.

B is the Matilde Corona. A five pack can be had for $29.25 shipped at one place I frequent.

I'm glad erjaq sent me one because I sent four out here and one to Jim for his birthday since I had hoped he never had one :)

Glad you guys enjoyed, Sal needs a revisit! Great reviews. Nobody guessed it as anticipated.

C might be an even tougher guess
Wait a minute, are you not reviewing this one?

I call foul!!!

You owe us a review!!!
I will do a review of each. I just won't let that hold up the reveal since I already know and it makes no difference when I do mine :)
 
Rating - 100%
29   0   0
Joined
Jul 17, 2014
Messages
2,470
Location
Clarksburg, MD
Awesome reviews, fellas. Looking forward to the last three.
Ever done a blind review?
I have not. I'm not the best at picking up the flavor notes lol. Some sticks I can pick out some interesting flavored, other times I feel like I just get basic notes.
The great thing about it is that you focus more on the flavors and try to determine what you are smoking. Might I suggest you bone up now? Get a couple of sticks, read a few reviews on them, maybe watch a few video reviews, then, somewhat knowing what the tastes are, the flavors, the nuances, you can pick them up when you write your reviews. It may take a couple of try's, but you'll get it.
I've been reading reviews wherever possible for my last several smoke. It definitely helps. For instance hay is a flavor I never really would have named until a review called it out.
 
Rating - 100%
29   0   0
Joined
Jul 17, 2014
Messages
2,470
Location
Clarksburg, MD
Awesome reviews, fellas. Looking forward to the last three.
Ever done a blind review?
I have not. I'm not the best at picking up the flavor notes lol. Some sticks I can pick out some interesting flavored, other times I feel like I just get basic notes.
The great thing about it is that you focus more on the flavors and try to determine what you are smoking. Might I suggest you bone up now? Get a couple of sticks, read a few reviews on them, maybe watch a few video reviews, then, somewhat knowing what the tastes are, the flavors, the nuances, you can pick them up when you write your reviews. It may take a couple of try's, but you'll get it.
I think reviews, especially blind, help expand the palate. At least the identification since you're forced to focus more.

He doesn't know it yet, but he's qualified for round two :)
I'm no so sure about my qualifications, Ryan lol. Especially after the quality of the reviews I've read here.
 

Stogie_Bear

Chulo Savage
Rating - 100%
78   0   0
Joined
Aug 21, 2014
Messages
2,393
Location
Lakeland, FL, USA
Awesome reviews, fellas. Looking forward to the last three.
Ever done a blind review?
I have not. I'm not the best at picking up the flavor notes lol. Some sticks I can pick out some interesting flavored, other times I feel like I just get basic notes.
The great thing about it is that you focus more on the flavors and try to determine what you are smoking. Might I suggest you bone up now? Get a couple of sticks, read a few reviews on them, maybe watch a few video reviews, then, somewhat knowing what the tastes are, the flavors, the nuances, you can pick them up when you write your reviews. It may take a couple of try's, but you'll get it.
I think reviews, especially blind, help expand the palate. At least the identification since you're forced to focus more.

He doesn't know it yet, but he's qualified for round two :)
I'm no so sure about my qualifications, Ryan lol. Especially after the quality of the reviews I've read here.
Do it! Willing sponsor, right here! Should I run a round, Rasshat?!
 
Rating - 100%
56   0   0
Joined
Sep 4, 2014
Messages
894
Location
Valley Stream, NY
I'm no so sure about my qualifications, Ryan lol. Especially after the quality of the reviews I've read here.
Qualifications? We're all just a bunch of noobs man :)
Totally under qualified Newb right here (heck I just used "Apollo Creed in Rocky 4" and pumpkin pie to describe cigars) but challenging myself, learning something, and having a blast in the process!
 

ChefBoyRG54

BoM Sept '14 & BoY 2014
Rating - 100%
218   0   0
Joined
Jun 16, 2013
Messages
14,409
Location
Sterling Hts, MI
Ummm any rocky 4 is good by me. Unquestionably, the best rocky ever.

And stogie bear, you're more than welcome! Thus is a ton of fun. My Matilde review beginning now. Just turned down sex to do it(i think) so game on
 

3/5King

Shwing!
Rating - 100%
77   0   0
Joined
Feb 1, 2014
Messages
3,944
Location
Wouldn't you like to know, IL
I'm no so sure about my qualifications, Ryan lol. Especially after the quality of the reviews I've read here.
Qualifications? We're all just a bunch of noobs man :)
Yuuuuuup. This! Don't knock yourself Jcolon, everyone is a reviewer. All it is, is an opinion. There is no right review. I'm a Noob...big time. Maybe I just write well, but I have written a lot; stories, songs, poetry....I also talk a lot...that helps too haha. Your review will be held just as highly as everyone else's, just do your best at describing what you are experiencing...there's no way to be wrong with a review.

Matilde! I knew I smoked this one recently...what the hell..I don't remember it being as strong though. I'll have to pick up a few more for sure.
 

ChefBoyRG54

BoM Sept '14 & BoY 2014
Rating - 100%
218   0   0
Joined
Jun 16, 2013
Messages
14,409
Location
Sterling Hts, MI


Matilde Corona

Sexy band, tightest packed corona I've seen. Smells great, sweet but subtle. Sane on cold draw. Fresh, inviting, and smooth. Great construction, minimal veins, smooth wrapper with slight oil to the touch.

Let's roll


First impression
Someone said bread....yup! First draw brings loads of smoke with a chewy finish. Light spice in the retro with a toasty finish. A nice start not found in many sticks.

First third
Draw is great, open with little resistance how I like to roll.
I like the band on these a lot. Very simple yet intriguing. I ordered my fiver right before erjaqs arrived because if the look and setting the name a few times on here.
Smoke production is tremendous.
The flavors are swirling but there's a lot of action, hard to pinpoint, but the mix is very tasty with light spice. Nice!!!
The spice is so light and easy that retro is with ease. I can't bail the dominant flavor and it's aggravating me. It's dense and baked bread like but there's a compliment I can't place. Sourdough?

Watching wwe Monday night raw since tv sucks. I miss the degeneration x days of the late 90s. Never watch anymore, been years, but figured whatever.

The spice has re entered the party. Strange how it came and went and came all in first half inch. Might be the first time I've seen that. Burning almost razor sharp with a firm ash building.

A nice mild evening outside to enjoy with shorts and a sweatshirt on. Gave a nice purge to keep her fresh and continuing the journey.

Just the right amount of spice. Comes in nicely then leaves so I can enjoy a creamy rich finish. Still a bread like taste but it's beginning to morph.

Shit, raw is over and some bs came on...I hate tv. Thank god for dvr.

Spice is more dominant now. Roller coaster from puff to puff.

Sourdough might be spot on. Slightly tangy with a pungent bread flavor, light spice again, and a creamy smoke. Very enjoyable and definitely surprising for the price point.

Some reality show is on. I'm pretty sure reality tv is designed to make people dumb as can be. Hey, look at these idiots, idolize then, then you'll want to be like them...empty. Watch them do totally normal things, let's watch them suit on the couch and talk about drama, or let's watch these people go grocery shopping on tv...grocery shopping sucks, why do we want to watch that on tv? Puzzling, concerning, and I'm disappointed in society for making this junk popular. If you like reality tv, don't take offense, I'm just ranting about something I hate. I could go way deeper on this but I won't. Debate room maybe? I'm even willing to defend reality tv with sarcasm if you'd like so we have two sides :)

Potent caramel just came through. I mean, the clearest caramel flavor from a cigar I've experienced. Wow! This stick is a shocker(not the hand gesture).

Knocked ash off, still burning clean. Slight touch up needed right by a vein.

I settled on Family Guy. That should make me smarter...Quagmire did order JLH a rufie-colada do there's that :)

First third closes subtle. In like a lion, out like a lamb. Smooth transition. What's next?

Second third
rich, sweet caramel to start. Must of been a hint in the first third and now it's here. Slight, minimal spice to compliment it. Delicious. I puff again pretty quickly in fear that it'll disappear and it didn't!

I switch to bizarre foods on tv. Maybe I'll see something I ate in China. Working on planning another trip. Looking forward to it. Sitting in the office had been making me stir crazy. I'll document it a bit more this time with more pics for fun. Great country, beautiful landscape, excellent tradition, hospitable people.

Caramel still present with a tangy citrus? Lemon? Mysterious.

They're eating clams in Cambodia. The one thing I've ever passed up in China. I'm good on disease seeking...

Every puff brings diverging slightly different. I'm impressed. More it's creamy with spice, no caramel or tang.

He's eating 14 day old pork. Reminds if my century egg experience. Google it, it was as bad as it looks. My worst eating experience...EVER!

Now he's eating raw camel. I'd try that. Looks awesome.

What's nice about this stick aside from complexity is the smoothness. Nothing ever overpowers it. Balanced regardless of how different. Again, I'm impressed.

Now the spice is back in charge. Just the right amount. Ash holding on for inch.

Only spot lagging on burn is the vein spot but it keeps correcting at this point.

Now, zero spice as the second third is winding down. Creamy and rich with a woody taste.

Now he's in Cuba hunting lobster and smoking cigars. Baller lol

Final third
Expecting big things, let's see!
The smoke production is still heavenly.
Slowing early signs of some leather and cream. Rich tobacco flavor with heavy finish that lingers forever.
Burn slightly uneven lagging where that vein is. Prob will need a kiss of a torch shortly...yup.

A touch of minty/basil joins. Now buttered toast. What's happening? For $6 this shouldn't be this good. I remain impressed and immersed in the joy of this cigar.

A medium body throughout with medium full flavor I'd say.

Minty is still there a bit but visited by some cooking herb/seasoning.

I've definitely picked up more flavors in this stick vs anything I've smoked before. A lot of variance throughout.

Another minor touch up near the vein which is a little annoying since this will get docked for construction taking away from the overall experience. Not a big deal, but it's the one complaint.

Baking spice with a little sweetness. Cinnamony like a fresh baked tobacco cookie. Light spice on the tongue that came back.

A little tat building up at the end. I purged a lot but still there. Prob from the oiliness of the tobacco which I can feel on my fingers. Has a sheen to it that looks sexy.

Typical rasshat move, gave all mine away lol. Glad you guys enjoyed these as much as me.

Great start, great middle, great finish. What a nice stick. I'll call it a 91-92 lacking only perfect construction.

Get some of these

I'm taking a few more puffs after this but want to wrap up
 

ChefBoyRG54

BoM Sept '14 & BoY 2014
Rating - 100%
218   0   0
Joined
Jun 16, 2013
Messages
14,409
Location
Sterling Hts, MI
Ummm any rocky 4 is good by me. Unquestionably, the best rocky ever.

And stogie bear, you're more than welcome! Thus is a ton of fun. My Matilde review beginning now. Just turned down sex to do it(i think) so game on

You're hand must be ferious..
She didn't know but I took care of that while she put daughter to bed. Easier to pass up :) win win lol
 
Rating - 100%
29   0   0
Joined
Jul 17, 2014
Messages
2,470
Location
Clarksburg, MD
Ummm any rocky 4 is good by me. Unquestionably, the best rocky ever.

And stogie bear, you're more than welcome! Thus is a ton of fun. My Matilde review beginning now. Just turned down sex to do it(i think) so game on
This right here, ladies and gentlemen, is a man dedicated to his craft.
 

Ducttapegonewild

Actual Size
Rating - 100%
66   0   0
Joined
Dec 7, 2013
Messages
5,919
Location
Hurst Texas USA
I avoided the grill at all costs today, however, yesterday’s smoke had some excellent grill marks to it, I think that helped with the wow factor of it...

Rasshat blind "C"
Construction: Nice matte finish, smooth with very minimal veins
Prelight draw: I don't think my tastes are refined enough to discern any notable flavors
First third: Again, not able to pick out any dominant flavors, but I did notice a nice spicy after taste in the back of my throat. The smoke on this isn't too think, but it is a respectable amount. The retrohale is a bit peppery, but not to the extent it is unbearable. Black Sabbath's "The Wizard" is playing on the radio, maybe I should have picked Sabbath in Rassha's music edumacation contest. I do feel a little bad for Rasshat missing out on so much awesome music over the years. Mind you, I haven't listened to everything listed in the contest, but there is probably a vast amount. During the typing of this review, I decided to start playing Violent Femmes. Then I created a Radio Station based on their music in iTunes, now comes up some Jesus and Mary Chain... Jumping Jesus on a pogo stick! You need to get listening to music Rasshat, Man cannot, and should not, listen to just rap, or hip-hop, or metal, or country, or classic rock, or blues, or well, any genre...alone...

Anyhow, ADHD moment is done.... for now... Now, back to the review...

Slide into the second third smoothly, almost like racking that first round into a semi-automatic pistol, slides in smooth, and you know it's coming out with a bang... The ash rolls off with a little effort, which was followed by a quick purge. Still no dominant flavors, but there was a step up in the spice on the retrohale. There is still a respectable amount of smoke coming out of this thing. When I draw, it coats my mouth with an oil like taste, not unpleasant in the least, it is there for a few seconds, then it's "Gone Daddy Gone" (Violent Femmes song that's playing right now, while I type this, followed by "Punk Rock Girl" by the Dead Milkmen).

Throughout the first and second thirds, the burn line hasn't been too bad (god, can't even read my own writing), it gets a little wonky, then, after rotating it to wonky side down, it overcorrects, A true testament (another band you should check out if you're into thrash metal) to rotating your cigar while smoking.

Final third. I think that purging may have been this cigars downfall, it didn't have the time to build up the step up and slap your momma taste I was expecting at the beginning of the second third. Great, now during the typing of this, I turn the radio on to some metal, Brocas Helm, "Drink the Blood of the Priest" is on... Nice song.. Continuing, with the review... Take a draw, and WOW!!!! Just got a burst of flavor, I may have been wrong about this... Tasty bit here... Take a second draw to confirm I wasn't crazy, and bam! I guess I either drew at the right moment or I was imagining the flavor bomb.

Final thoughts: This cigar failed to wow me. I’m not saying it’s a dud by any means, just that it wasn’t a wow cigar. The first cigar in this series distracted me with the amount of work it took to deal with it, the second cigar was an absolute WOW!!! cigar in all senses, but this one, I just don’t see it. I will have to say that this cigar was rather consistent, it didn’t wildly fluctuate with flavors and spice throughout the smoke. It was within a very narrow band of flavor and spice.
Appearance: 19/20
Lighting and burning 12/15
Construction: 29/30
Taste 29/35
Total score: 89

My guess? I am going to guess that this is a well-aged Cohiba BHK because that is something Rasshat would do…

Again, Tapatalk was being a little bitchy so, no pictures again…
 
Top