Review Contest deux Cigar 1!!!!!!
- Thread starter Benzopyrene
- Start date
Benzopyrene
BoM June 08
Thats freakin sweet. Wish I had those skills!
indyrob
BoM Feb '06 & Sept. '08
No kidding...I wish there was a template like that....
Cigar 1 is a fairly nice looking Double Corona, looks to be the classic Cuban DC size of about 7 5/8 x 49. It's a little veiny, but silky to the touch with a nice looking triple cap. It is a beautiful memorial day here in Texas so I decided to head to my upstairs balcony to enjoy this cigar. I get a pleasant tobacco nose from this stick with hints of hay, the end clipped perfectly with a Xikar. The pre-light draw was sweet, but restricted.
Throughout the first couple inches of this smoke I got hints of sweetness, but the draw was firm and the amount of smoke was small so I was unable to determine any subtle flavors, I did enjoy being outside and smoking this mild/medium bodied smoke up to this point. The ash held fairly firm and was white/grey and flakey.
As I smoked the next couple inches the draw loosened slightly and I picked up more of the same sweetness, with an earthy, fine tobacco undertone, not terribly complex, but enjoyable still mild/medium in body. With a lingering tobacco finish.
The last few inches of this cigar lost its initial sweetness and developed into a medium bodied smoke, still mild in strength with earthy tobacco flavors and a hint of cocoa.
I enjoyed this smoke on this beautiful, but warm day here in Texas, overall it had a nice burn with a decent ash, a good flavor profile, and good construction. I would smoke this cigar again, and if it is the cigar I think it is, it has a place in my regular rotation. My only complaint about this smoke is the tight draw, I would dry box this smoke for a day or two before smoking it.
Thanks Benzo for an enjoyable smoke.
1. Appearance- Not the prettiest smoke around, but it looked good and was well constructed. Points - 13
2. Ash- Fairly sturdy white gray, slightly flakey. Points 9
3. Draw- A bit tight throughout. Points 7
4. Burn- No Burn Problems. Points 9
5. Smoke- Could have been thicker, but pleasant. Points 8
6. Flavor/Blend- I enjoyed the flavors and they progressed throughout. Points 18
7. Uniqueness- Very enjoyable smoke, fairly unique. Points 9
8. Finish- I enjoyed this smoke and it enhanced my day. Points 14
87
Throughout the first couple inches of this smoke I got hints of sweetness, but the draw was firm and the amount of smoke was small so I was unable to determine any subtle flavors, I did enjoy being outside and smoking this mild/medium bodied smoke up to this point. The ash held fairly firm and was white/grey and flakey.
As I smoked the next couple inches the draw loosened slightly and I picked up more of the same sweetness, with an earthy, fine tobacco undertone, not terribly complex, but enjoyable still mild/medium in body. With a lingering tobacco finish.
The last few inches of this cigar lost its initial sweetness and developed into a medium bodied smoke, still mild in strength with earthy tobacco flavors and a hint of cocoa.
I enjoyed this smoke on this beautiful, but warm day here in Texas, overall it had a nice burn with a decent ash, a good flavor profile, and good construction. I would smoke this cigar again, and if it is the cigar I think it is, it has a place in my regular rotation. My only complaint about this smoke is the tight draw, I would dry box this smoke for a day or two before smoking it.
Thanks Benzo for an enjoyable smoke.
1. Appearance- Not the prettiest smoke around, but it looked good and was well constructed. Points - 13
2. Ash- Fairly sturdy white gray, slightly flakey. Points 9
3. Draw- A bit tight throughout. Points 7
4. Burn- No Burn Problems. Points 9
5. Smoke- Could have been thicker, but pleasant. Points 8
6. Flavor/Blend- I enjoyed the flavors and they progressed throughout. Points 18
7. Uniqueness- Very enjoyable smoke, fairly unique. Points 9
8. Finish- I enjoyed this smoke and it enhanced my day. Points 14
87
Electric Sheep
Dsicle - BoM Dec 06
No template...it's all in my head! :smokingbo
Okay, here's my first attempt at a cigar review:
The first cigar in the contest was a large one, with a length of just over 7.5 inches and a ring gauge of about 50. The de-veined wrapper was a mottled light brown. It looked rustic and slightly rough, with the durability and feel of a thin piece of tightly stretched tanned leather. The foot revealed evenly bunched filler, and the head was finished with a classic triple cap. The cigar was firm throughout and had no soft spots or significant flaws in the construction.
The pre-light smell was sweet and grassy. The cap yielded easily to my Palio cutter, again showing evenly bunched filler. The draw was on the tighter side, probably due to the size of the cigar.
I toasted the foot of the cigar thoroughly, and upon lighting I was rewarded with a smooth caramel flavor. The initial ash was solid and gray, and showed some black speckles. The smoke rising from the foot was thick and grayish white, and each draw yielded an adequate (but not exceptional) amount of smoke.
The caramel flavor quickly gave way to a distinct honey flavor that lasted through the first third. The ash held well, falling off at one to one-and-a-half inch intervals, and the cigar burned evenly, without the need for touch-ups.
As I reached the second third of the cigar, the sweet honey flavor retreated, leaving a crisp aroma with prominent cedar notes along with other distinct flavors that I couldnt quite identify. Harshness threatened briefly during this third, but faded away quickly. The draw loosened somewhat, but the amount of smoke that was getting through still didnt match the voluminous output from the foot.
The final third brought slightly bitter notes, but they complemented the taste without overwhelming it. Dark-roasted coffee beans dominated the flavor, and at times the smoke tasted almost like chocolate-covered espresso beans. The draw approached perfection, with each pull providing a mouthful of rich, dense smoke. A subtle black pepper taste made a brief appearance during the final third, as did the honey flavors from the first third. Id been smoking the cigar for over two hours, and the effects of the nicotine were becoming apparent. With about an inch remaining, the cigar began to burn hot, though Id probably have nubbed it if it had been a shorter smoke. I had reached my limit, though, and let the cigar burn itself out gracefully.
I was very impressed by this cigar and the complexity of its flavor. The tight initial draw hindered my enjoyment somewhat, but it was probably due more to the large size than construction problems. The appearance was a bit rough, but aesthetically appealing. It didnt have the elegant, smooth appearance of a Davidoff, but its natural appearance served as a reminder of its hand-made origins.
I'm not a big fan of numerical ratings, but here's my attempt:
Appearance: 14
Ash: 9
Draw: 7
Burn: 9
Smoke: 9
Flavor/Blend: 19
Uniqueness: 9
Finish: 14
Total: 90/100
The first cigar in the contest was a large one, with a length of just over 7.5 inches and a ring gauge of about 50. The de-veined wrapper was a mottled light brown. It looked rustic and slightly rough, with the durability and feel of a thin piece of tightly stretched tanned leather. The foot revealed evenly bunched filler, and the head was finished with a classic triple cap. The cigar was firm throughout and had no soft spots or significant flaws in the construction.
The pre-light smell was sweet and grassy. The cap yielded easily to my Palio cutter, again showing evenly bunched filler. The draw was on the tighter side, probably due to the size of the cigar.
I toasted the foot of the cigar thoroughly, and upon lighting I was rewarded with a smooth caramel flavor. The initial ash was solid and gray, and showed some black speckles. The smoke rising from the foot was thick and grayish white, and each draw yielded an adequate (but not exceptional) amount of smoke.
The caramel flavor quickly gave way to a distinct honey flavor that lasted through the first third. The ash held well, falling off at one to one-and-a-half inch intervals, and the cigar burned evenly, without the need for touch-ups.
As I reached the second third of the cigar, the sweet honey flavor retreated, leaving a crisp aroma with prominent cedar notes along with other distinct flavors that I couldnt quite identify. Harshness threatened briefly during this third, but faded away quickly. The draw loosened somewhat, but the amount of smoke that was getting through still didnt match the voluminous output from the foot.
The final third brought slightly bitter notes, but they complemented the taste without overwhelming it. Dark-roasted coffee beans dominated the flavor, and at times the smoke tasted almost like chocolate-covered espresso beans. The draw approached perfection, with each pull providing a mouthful of rich, dense smoke. A subtle black pepper taste made a brief appearance during the final third, as did the honey flavors from the first third. Id been smoking the cigar for over two hours, and the effects of the nicotine were becoming apparent. With about an inch remaining, the cigar began to burn hot, though Id probably have nubbed it if it had been a shorter smoke. I had reached my limit, though, and let the cigar burn itself out gracefully.
I was very impressed by this cigar and the complexity of its flavor. The tight initial draw hindered my enjoyment somewhat, but it was probably due more to the large size than construction problems. The appearance was a bit rough, but aesthetically appealing. It didnt have the elegant, smooth appearance of a Davidoff, but its natural appearance served as a reminder of its hand-made origins.
I'm not a big fan of numerical ratings, but here's my attempt:
Appearance: 14
Ash: 9
Draw: 7
Burn: 9
Smoke: 9
Flavor/Blend: 19
Uniqueness: 9
Finish: 14
Total: 90/100
Altercall
I beat you all May '08 :)
Wednesday I took this light brown Double Corona up to the local B&M hoping to have a nice night with a couple members. When I pulled it out of the travel humi and looked it over, I noticed a couple of spots where the wrapper had chipped, but nothing terrible. It had a nice even color throughout. When I squeezed the stick to feel the roll, though, it felt like a rock. I slid my fingers down the cigar, still no give. Needless to say, I got worried.
I went ahead and clipped the cigar and near no draw. Worried, I went ahead and lit it. Lit nicely, but when I drew I got almost no smoke!!! Certainly not enough to get any flavor off of. I decided to give it just a minute to see if it would somehow open up on it's own, I don't know why, but I was hoping. After about 1/4 in I decided to poke it. I went up to the counter and grabbed one of the pokers.
As I slid the poker down the head I heard a terrible sound... That cracking, opening sound of when you make a terrible mistake and poke through the side. I look down to see the poker aimed straight through the middle of the cigar, but there was a hole crack in the side of the cigar. The cigar was rolled so tight that the pocked had caused the side to bust just 1 in down. I pulled the poker out an tried again. It felt like I hit a rock at 1 1/2 in so I pulled it out again. Still no draw. I figured I'd found the plug and I'd just power through. The third attempt I put some gusto in it and pushed it down to the end of the poker. Not once did it get easier. I did the same thing on the foot, to no avail. In all I poked the cigar 5 times (3 on the head and 2 on the foot) and still had no draw.
It this point I decided to just cut the cigar down past the crack and hope for any draw and flavor. As I cut past the crack, at about 2 inches in, I noticed the ridiculous pack on the cigar. It looked like a solid leaf! There was nowhere to get a draw through. I tried to get another draw, and of course, nothing. I cut another inch, the same thing, and another... The thing was packed like that throughout.
The other thing I noticed was 4 tree branches sticking out of the head. When I decided to ditch the thing I had some surgery on it. 8 stems!!! EIGHT!!! 4 were almost big enough to have their own ring gauge. This was by far the worst cigar I've ever had!!!
Rating: No Rating (If I have to put on it's a 0)
I went ahead and clipped the cigar and near no draw. Worried, I went ahead and lit it. Lit nicely, but when I drew I got almost no smoke!!! Certainly not enough to get any flavor off of. I decided to give it just a minute to see if it would somehow open up on it's own, I don't know why, but I was hoping. After about 1/4 in I decided to poke it. I went up to the counter and grabbed one of the pokers.
As I slid the poker down the head I heard a terrible sound... That cracking, opening sound of when you make a terrible mistake and poke through the side. I look down to see the poker aimed straight through the middle of the cigar, but there was a hole crack in the side of the cigar. The cigar was rolled so tight that the pocked had caused the side to bust just 1 in down. I pulled the poker out an tried again. It felt like I hit a rock at 1 1/2 in so I pulled it out again. Still no draw. I figured I'd found the plug and I'd just power through. The third attempt I put some gusto in it and pushed it down to the end of the poker. Not once did it get easier. I did the same thing on the foot, to no avail. In all I poked the cigar 5 times (3 on the head and 2 on the foot) and still had no draw.
It this point I decided to just cut the cigar down past the crack and hope for any draw and flavor. As I cut past the crack, at about 2 inches in, I noticed the ridiculous pack on the cigar. It looked like a solid leaf! There was nowhere to get a draw through. I tried to get another draw, and of course, nothing. I cut another inch, the same thing, and another... The thing was packed like that throughout.
The other thing I noticed was 4 tree branches sticking out of the head. When I decided to ditch the thing I had some surgery on it. 8 stems!!! EIGHT!!! 4 were almost big enough to have their own ring gauge. This was by far the worst cigar I've ever had!!!
Rating: No Rating (If I have to put on it's a 0)
WhiteLightning
This is WhiteLightning!
Ok Guys,
Here is my take on Cigar #1.
This cigar measured in at 7.5" by approximately a 50 ring.
During my inspection of Cigar #1 I noticed a small rip on the foot as well as some holes in the wrapper near the head. There was a small green blotch on the cap and a small blotch on the wrapper which looked like a sun spot. This cigar had a beautiful triple cap. This cigar also had 4 large veins which could have been a cause for concern. I was pleasantly surprised with the plume on this cigar. Wait for the picture later in the review.
The cap came off with ease with the aid of my Palio. The pre-light draw was a little firm, with some hints of hay, but I was not concerned yet.
Plume
Holes in the wrapper
My first few draws of Cigar #1 had a small blast of pepper along with some subtle hints of of oak and a long finish. This cigar started off leaving me wanting more and to see what other wonders were to come.
As I continued with Cigar #1 I noticed that the draw was not an issue and the cigar burned well producing decent clouds of smoke. The cigar was mild to medium bodied. The ash held well for almost 2".
This where everything started to go downhill. The flavors became almost nonexistent and the burn went askew. I didn't think too much of it at the time and repaired the burn and we were off again.
After the first third and making my way to the halfway point the holes in the wrapper reared their intention. The cigar started to tear and the burn went askew again and needed to be repaired once more. The cigar was being very inconsistent as the draw began to firm up. The burn had a mind of its own.
As I made it to the crack in the wrapper another crack started to appear near the foot. I didn't focus on this one as much because of the location and didn't expect it to affect the overall smoking of the cigar.
I continued to try and smoke this cigar after the halfway point. It was a daunting task between dealing with the wrapper issues, burn issues, draw issues, and lack of flavor.
I had to spare myself the pain of smoking this cigar with about 2.5" left. I think I did myself and the cigar a favor by putting it to rest.
Overall, this cigar left me tired from all the hard work and the desire to still smoke something. The only problem was that I didn't have another stick with me and then I didn't have any more time. Looking forward to cigar #2.
Appearance---------10/15
Ash-----------------8/10
Draw----------------7/10
Burn-----------------5/10
Smoke---------------7/10
Flavor/Blend----------13/20
Uniqueness-----------7/10
Finish----------------7/10
Overall---------------67/100
Here is my take on Cigar #1.
This cigar measured in at 7.5" by approximately a 50 ring.
During my inspection of Cigar #1 I noticed a small rip on the foot as well as some holes in the wrapper near the head. There was a small green blotch on the cap and a small blotch on the wrapper which looked like a sun spot. This cigar had a beautiful triple cap. This cigar also had 4 large veins which could have been a cause for concern. I was pleasantly surprised with the plume on this cigar. Wait for the picture later in the review.
The cap came off with ease with the aid of my Palio. The pre-light draw was a little firm, with some hints of hay, but I was not concerned yet.
Plume
Holes in the wrapper
My first few draws of Cigar #1 had a small blast of pepper along with some subtle hints of of oak and a long finish. This cigar started off leaving me wanting more and to see what other wonders were to come.
As I continued with Cigar #1 I noticed that the draw was not an issue and the cigar burned well producing decent clouds of smoke. The cigar was mild to medium bodied. The ash held well for almost 2".
This where everything started to go downhill. The flavors became almost nonexistent and the burn went askew. I didn't think too much of it at the time and repaired the burn and we were off again.
After the first third and making my way to the halfway point the holes in the wrapper reared their intention. The cigar started to tear and the burn went askew again and needed to be repaired once more. The cigar was being very inconsistent as the draw began to firm up. The burn had a mind of its own.
As I made it to the crack in the wrapper another crack started to appear near the foot. I didn't focus on this one as much because of the location and didn't expect it to affect the overall smoking of the cigar.
I continued to try and smoke this cigar after the halfway point. It was a daunting task between dealing with the wrapper issues, burn issues, draw issues, and lack of flavor.
I had to spare myself the pain of smoking this cigar with about 2.5" left. I think I did myself and the cigar a favor by putting it to rest.
Overall, this cigar left me tired from all the hard work and the desire to still smoke something. The only problem was that I didn't have another stick with me and then I didn't have any more time. Looking forward to cigar #2.
Appearance---------10/15
Ash-----------------8/10
Draw----------------7/10
Burn-----------------5/10
Smoke---------------7/10
Flavor/Blend----------13/20
Uniqueness-----------7/10
Finish----------------7/10
Overall---------------67/100
damn people i have been sick and smoked mine last night. my typing will be all fed up and i could taste a damn thing. so what i got was a well constructed cigar that burnt well. and ash stayed on for about two inches. i would love to give this one another go i was just trying to wait out this cold. i cant give it a number because of the inablility to taste it. sorry guys.
I have to post the pics with mine. My laptop was acting up, so I will get them posted in my review in a bit!
Benzopyrene
BoM June 08
You guys lucked out. I am in Houston and my review is in San Antonio. SO you have an extra day to get your reviews up. It Will be up tonight. Altercall.....so sorry yours sucked. I didnt do that on purpose!
Altercall
I beat you all May '08 :)
Sure you didn't... I know you hate me.:angerhead
J/K It's a risk you take with cigars. Someone was pissed off when they put that one together, though. It sucks that I got it, but it's better me than you, right. Oh, wait, it's the other way around...
I'm kinda hoping the rest of em are like that. The only way I'll be able to win against these guys is to have some kind of comedy or sympathy angle. Great reviews guys!
Benzopyrene
BoM June 08
Well, we are still missing quite a few reviews, but here we go with mine. Id like to present to you all the first cigar in our second review contest... The Bolivar DC Regional Edition to the Middle East 2007
This aromatic Double Corona had me saying wow from the first time I opened the box. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to smoke it, as I expected it to be overwhelmingly powerful. It had a nice sweet tobacco aroma pre-light, and the wrapper was smooth with a few blemishes, but nothing that made it unappealing. The ash was light grey and evenly cracked throughout the smoke. The draw was nice and deliberate, but I had a hard time getting smoke for about the first inch before it started to resemble universal studios with clouds coming out of every puff. The burn was nice and even throughout the smoke, and made for a nice relaxing evening on the balcony. The first third of the cigar had a distinctive Bolivar earthiness to it with a nice white pepper behind it and a touch of cane sugar. As I moved into the second third of this cigar the flavors began to merry even more and I found the flavors to be sublime. The cigar went out on me right at the final third, but when I re-lit it it picked right up where it left off. The final third added some nice hints of cocoa on top of the sweet earthy core. I found this cigar to be medium bodied and to live up to the standards of a good Bolivar. It finished nice and smooth without any harshness, and I can’t wait to see how these cigar taste in another 5 years.
a-13
a-9
d-9
b-9
fb-19
u-7
s-9
f-15
Total-90/100
Hope you guys enjoted this one. I know I certainly did. Now the real question I have is... Did any of you guys know what it was? Really???:stretchgr
This aromatic Double Corona had me saying wow from the first time I opened the box. I wasn’t sure I’d be able to smoke it, as I expected it to be overwhelmingly powerful. It had a nice sweet tobacco aroma pre-light, and the wrapper was smooth with a few blemishes, but nothing that made it unappealing. The ash was light grey and evenly cracked throughout the smoke. The draw was nice and deliberate, but I had a hard time getting smoke for about the first inch before it started to resemble universal studios with clouds coming out of every puff. The burn was nice and even throughout the smoke, and made for a nice relaxing evening on the balcony. The first third of the cigar had a distinctive Bolivar earthiness to it with a nice white pepper behind it and a touch of cane sugar. As I moved into the second third of this cigar the flavors began to merry even more and I found the flavors to be sublime. The cigar went out on me right at the final third, but when I re-lit it it picked right up where it left off. The final third added some nice hints of cocoa on top of the sweet earthy core. I found this cigar to be medium bodied and to live up to the standards of a good Bolivar. It finished nice and smooth without any harshness, and I can’t wait to see how these cigar taste in another 5 years.
a-13
a-9
d-9
b-9
fb-19
u-7
s-9
f-15
Total-90/100
Hope you guys enjoted this one. I know I certainly did. Now the real question I have is... Did any of you guys know what it was? Really???:stretchgr
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Great pick, by the way. My only disappointment is that it's not a easily available cigar.
Do you still have the bands from these review cigars? If so, would it be possible to get them at the end of the contest? I try to save the bands from the different cigars that I smoke.
Do you still have the bands from these review cigars? If so, would it be possible to get them at the end of the contest? I try to save the bands from the different cigars that I smoke.
Benzopyrene
BoM June 08
As a matter of fact I do have the bands. Remind me again when the contest is over. Cheers!
Greg
BoM October 2006
If you need extra bands, I have some :grin:
I smoked one of these a while back and was not impressed, at all. I think I may have to try another!
Thanks for the great reviews guys :thumbsup:
I smoked one of these a while back and was not impressed, at all. I think I may have to try another!
Thanks for the great reviews guys :thumbsup: