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  • 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 time 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.

rockets or real

Jwrussell

April '05 BoM
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Great reviews guys! One thing I might change if I were to do something like this would be to have all the reviews emailed/pm'ed to me to be posted en masse. Reason: to keep others reviews from influencing others.

Love the concept, though!
 

hdroadglide

BoM x 2, BoY 2011
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so while we're waiting on the last two reviews of the first cigar, thought i'd get ahead of the game and get round two out. (or before i smoke them)
these are different sticks. one thing, i only had two 5 finger bags, so the other two are in regular bags. when someone gets the five finger, post a pic so the others will know what the correct order is. yeah, it may not be ideal, but hey, you're getting to smoke free cigars so no bitching!!!
so how's about smoking a few and let's hear your opinions!!!! and jason is right, no looking at other people's papers. do your own work!!!
 
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I'm planning on lighting up #2 when I get home from work today. Should I go ahead and post the review, or wait until the other two from number one are done? Just so I know...
 

strife

Watcher of the Sky
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LINY
This is tits to follow! Thanks, I find myself anticipating the next review even more so than I do the next episodes of Smallville!
 
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Greenfield, CA
Well brace yourselves bros this is my first review ever! Since there was a call to include some newbs and I need some exposure to the different types of smokes I volunteered. I apologize for lagging. This was a week filled with exams and distractions.
It was such a nice day I decided to go to the park and enjoy the cigar there. The stick is very dense and solid. No one skimped on product here. In the sun I could see a nice soft sheen on the wrapper. Heeding the warnings from the two previous reviews I had a solid lunch before lighting up and I decided to use a Vcut because of the comments about a tight draw. I figured that if I get a bit deeper into the smoke I will have less issues. Pre-light I get that nice stuffy barn type smells that signal the start of a good smoke.
The first puff gives me an instant buttery taste in my mouth. A very soft, faint spiciness is in the background. The smoke is not very dense but very tasty. As I continue puffing a very clean, straightforward tobacco flavor begins taking over and the faint spice slowly comes to the foreground. I have had to puff constantly to keep this smoke going. Canoeing and funny burning had me lighting up another match every so often to even things out. It was necessary to re light after the first ash. I began increasing my puffs for fear of it going out.
Getting to the middle of the stick I caught some sweetness to go with the spice that now had a peppery taste. By now I am really feeling the nicotine kick as I have been puffing a great deal. I knew that this would be strong but even though I had prior knowledge it still didn't prepare me for the experience. The problem is that the stick tastes good and I continue puffing though I decide to do more re-lights to keep from having to take a puff every 30 seconds. I am detecting floral notes and a nuttiness that I just can't place, almost like overdone pine nuts with an earthy flavor.
The last third of the stick is really floral and semi-sweet with a comeback by the spice. The aftertaste is very pleasant and has a toasty flavor. After running out of matches I use a torch to re-light and finish the cigar in a little over two hours. I had to pace myself after a furious start. The last 1/4 was very spicy but not enough to turn me off.
This was a tasty smoke but definitely not one for the faint of heart. If you still have the training wheels on the bike don't sign up for the Tour de France. My tolerance in nowhere near where it needs to be to smoke this Cigar regularly. I enjoyed the flavors but I would have to search out a less potent but similar tasting blend. If this is not a full strength stick, I'm afraid to try one that is!
As for the brand I couldn't say. Many smokes look like this one although I doubt most pack the punch this badboy does. It was a flavorful, yet painful experience. :cbig:
 

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hdroadglide

BoM x 2, BoY 2011
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very good. looking for honest opinions.
randy, let it rip whenever you're ready. while i prefer that each of you give your unadulterated reviews, in order for the viewing public to stay involved, i'd like to keep it moving!
 
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South Haven, MI
Ok, #2 measures in a 6 inches and a 50 ring gage, much more in my wheel house. Sunny outside and 43 deg F (6 deg C, ehh), again I have a Dr. Pepper. The wrapper is a nice chocolate color with a few small sun spots. Some veins are present, but shouldn't be a problem. The stick is firm with no soft spots, seams are tight. Very nice looking. I’ve not found many sticks that I don’t like the smell of. This one is wonderful, full earthy sweetness over the top of the tobacco. There is something else there but I can’t seem to pick it out. Oh well, enough with sniffing, time to fire it up.

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Clipped the end and was rewarded with a nice even draw. Taste of earthy sweetness. On the first couple do draws after lighting, I could almost swear that I got a distinct saltiness with the ample smoke. However, it didn’t last. For that matter was it there to begin with? Have to say that I loved the first third. Wonderful tastes, just a tingle in the back of the throat, from a little spice.

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The construction and burn were wonderful. Razor sharp burn for the first half and then it started to waver a little, nothing that required any attention or correction. No re-lights, and it held a very decent ash length, despite a 15-20 mph wind.

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The second third didn’t find anything new, just a continuation of the excellent start. Do you ever wish that you were interrupted and had to put down a stick. I wish my experience would have stopped at this point. However, at the half way point the flavors started to become muted and seemed to disappear during the final third. I’m at a loss to explain it?

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Smoke time: 1 hour and 45 minutes
Final Thoughts:

The first half of the stick was good enough to ensure that I will try at least a couple more. The hope being that I had a bad stick and that the ones that follow will be good from start to finish. If that is the case, this stick could find a place in my regular rotation depending on the price point. In the range of $2- $5 I could see it being one of a couple of everyday smokes. If in the $6-$8 range I believe I could still find some humi space for it. If on the other hand it turns out that the experience is repeated…. I might still have some room for it as a winter time smoke if the price is right. Something I don’t feel bad about throwing in the bin at the half-way point, because I’m too damn cold and need to go inside.
 
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I'm loving this, Bob! Who said old ass grandpa types can't come up with good ideas??

I'm anxious to see what #1 turns out to be. (These all sound better than the sticks I've been reviewing lately.)
 
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I smoked stick number 2 just a little while ago. Loved it. I'll post up my review this evening when I've got a good chunk of time to write everything out.
 
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Ok, #3 measures in a 5 inches (I think, forgot to measure it, was too excited to smoke it and I forgot) and a 46 ring gage. It is cloudy and overcast outside and 47 deg F, no beverage today. The wrapper is a nice light tan/cream color. The wrapper appears to be very tight. The cigar is beyond firm, as it has no give to it what’s so ever when slight pressure is applied. The stick has a wonderful barnyard aroma to it.

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Clipped the end and as expected there were draw issues. I clipped a little more for a slight improvement. The pre-light draw was uneventful, didn’t get much of anything. On light up and during the first third the predominant flavor was of straw or hay. There was a slight hint of leather. Smoke production was light, again probably due to the tight draw.

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You could actually see the foot of the stick expanding as it was heated. This caused some cracking issues, but it burned through them without much trouble. Burn issues continued throughout the rest of the cigar.

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The second third didn’t find anything new, just a continuation of the same flavor profile and more cracking of the wrapper.

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The last third started the same as the rest, however a bitter taste soon developed and I had to put it down.

Smoke time: Stopped after 1 hour and 10 minutes
Final Thoughts:

This stick had nothing to offer me. I wouldn’t even use it as a yard-gar.
 

mwlabel

BoM July '13
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Midwest!
Package just arrived! I was very confused for a few minutes! lol. I'm gonna spark up the first one tonight!
 

mwlabel

BoM July '13
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Midwest!
Review of Stick #1, round 2:
Appearance: Well, she's not gonna win any beauty contest. This 7x40 stick is rough looking. The wrapper is starting to come off slightly, and is cracking at the foot. There is a messy triple cap, and a small patch. However, there is minimal veins. It is packed very, very, VERY firm. I could probably use it as a small hammer.

Foot aroma: Smells very sweet, raisins perhaps?
It cut very cleanly. The pre light draw is the tightest draw ever. Actually, "no pre-light draw available" would be more accurate.

Lit easily.

... And that's all she wrote. I was literally unable to draw any smoke from this stick whatsoever. I tried clipping it a second time, nothing. Once more for good measure, nothing. No smoke. The stick burned by itself for a little while (razor sharp burn... go figure), maybe 1/2 an inch.

Final thoughts: Can't determine anything about this stick since I couldn't smoke it.
Picture:
 
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