rockets or real

[terrantheman]

This is good Bob, nice idea! I always love watching blind reviews. For some of you reviewing when you write them please consider some of us who like paragraphs and please separate your thoughts and sections of the cigar. Sometimes I read these reviews and it like someone just vomitted a bunch of letters on the screen.

 

[danthebugman]

he described it as a poor mans lp, and i tended to agree. so without further ado.....stick number 2 in group 1 is...............187 esteban carerras. about $6 locally!!!

LP on a budget...very interesting.

Dan

 

[bigbwalls]

Round 2 - Cigar No. 2

This was the cigar that caught my eye amongst the four. It looks wonderful. As I have no idea of its size, I'd guess it's a 7x50 stick, wrapped in an extremely oily and dark wrapper. The wrapper is so oily in fact, it leaves a residue on the fingertips. The pigtail at the end adds a nice touch. The construction seems top-notch, being solid but with a little give when squeezed. The wrapper's smell is that of a spicy jerky -- leading me to believe this will be a delicious powerhouse.

After cutting the cigar, I was pleased with Cigar No. 2's smooth and open draw (unlike the draw of Cigar No. 1). The pre-light flavors are spicy tobacco. I'm already excited to light it up.


Right into the first third the cigar burns and draws well. Pepper, spice, and sweet tobacco dominate at this point. It's almost like a cracked black pepper -- very intense and strong. I'm getting that familiar zing sensation, a foreshadowing of what's to come... a spicy, full-flavored, powerhouse of a cigar. Just the kind of cigar I happen to love.

As Cigar No. 2 burns into the second third, it does require some touching up. The outside wrapper doesn't want to burn in some instances, but in my experiences this tends to happen with thick and oily wrappers. I don't dock it any points because the flavors continue to impress. The pepper has faded into the background, but the spice and sweet tobacco are still there. At this point I'm beginning to think, "I've tasted this before. It tastes like a LFD."


After the cigar tunnelled on me, a quick relight and we're into the final third. Up until the relight, the cigar had performed well. No big deal, its flavors more than make up for it. The pepper is back, along with roasted nuts. These flavors add a nice compliment to the sweet tobacco and always constant spice.

Cigar No. 2 looks and tasted like something from Litto Gomez. I could be wrong, and if I am I'd love to know who makes these because I'll definitely smoke it again. It had everything that I personally love in a cigar: strength, pepper, and spicy-sweet tobacco. Unlike Cigar No. 1, this one was a treat to smoke.

Thanks again, Bob.

 

[njstone]

Review: Cigar #2. Sorry again for the lack of pics, hopefully next time!

This is a nice looking maduro--very dark, if it weren't for the fact that it wasn't uniform in color it could almost look fake.

Preliminaries: This cigar looks like a Liga Privada #9, but the ring guage is wrong. Maybe a new LP? The cigar smells nice and spicy. Upon cutting, I got a major spicey twang on my lips ... oooh, I'm smoking this in the morning--is this going to be too strong? We'll see!

First Third: We started off great--lots of spice and sweet cocoa. I'll be honest, folks: this is one of my favorite combos in cigars! So far I'm loving this thing. At this point I have no idea what we've got here. I've never had a Cohiba Maduro, but I've heard they taste more Nicaraguan than Cuban, so maybe that's what this is. It could also be one of the new Liga Privada test blends--it's not a #9, but there are definately similarities here. There are times when it even reminds me of a Lito Gomez stick, though I'd exepct more fruitiness from one of his creations. Maybe it's a Nica/Dom blend, though.

The flavor profile doesn't change much in the first third, but honestly that's a good thing because I'm loving the spicy-sweet combo with ample cocoa. The body is about medium-full, but the strength doesn't seem to go over medium. It's a bit spicier than I normally go for in the morning, but since it's frickin' cold in MN right now it's actually about perfect. Good stuff!

Second Third: We're continueing with more of the same. The spice really isn't toning down much, which is a bit of a surprise but not an unwelcomed one. The construction is spot-on and we've having no real burn issues shy of a couple touch-ups due to it being a bit windy out.

This cigar has me puzzled. It doesn't taste like I imagine a Cuban Maduro tasting, even if they don't taste very Cuban. It tastes Nicaraguan, but not your classic Nica profile--not enough wood or coffee. So that rules out the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial (which is similar in the sweet cocoa). The My Father 1922 Le Bijou is woodier and more complex than this, but it's close. But I can't get away from thinking this might be a new LP blend.

Final Third: The sweetness is dying down a bit, but isn't totally gone. The spice is also ramping up a bit. This cigar doesn't have the complexity of a Liga Privada #9, but the basic profile is similar (that's a good thing ... I'm an LP ho!). At about the 2" mark I did have to purge it as it got kinda bitter. It was successful and I was able to smoke it to under an inch.

Final Thoughts: I really liked this cigar! It's similar to some other sticks that I really like (LP#9), and yet not exactly the same. It's a bit of a one-trick pony in that it's not overly complex (doesn't have layers of coffee on top of the cocoa and spice like the LP or JGRE) and not dynamic at all. But I did like the profile.

Score: 91

Rocket or Real: Real

Guesses: I'm stumped, so great job, lol! Honestly, it's so similar to a Liga Privada that I feel like it might be a newer and cheaper LP line. I do feel like it's probably a Nica/Dom blend. Again, not as complex or overall awesome as the LP#9, so I'm going with a cheaper stick.

I'm not sure what the price point is, but I can say that if these were at the $6 mark or less I'd pick some up, and if they could be found for $4 on sale I'd probably get a box! I would pick up a smaller size though (corona or robusto) because the one-trick-pony nature of the cigar could get a little boring in a stick this large.

 

[Burning Man]

This stick has a natural wrapper with skinny veins but not too many and some sun spots. It measures roughly 5 2/3rds and between 48 and not quite 50. The construction is solid with no soft spots. It looks to be slightly box pressed on two sides
I did a standard cut of the cap and got a pre light smell of fish guts for lack of a better description along with an outdoor musty smell. I light up using a long match and get a woody flavor right off the bat. The first 1/3 gives off a nutty flavor and a nice fermented tobacco taste. There is a good amount of smoke and the draw is great with an even burn. Then I pick up sweetness and a coffee with cream taste. Very nice!
The second third comes with a milk chocolaty aftertaste and consistent slightly sweet tasting smoke. Halfway through I get a grassy flavor in my mouth which goes from background flavor, to dominant taste, back to the background.
The last third of the stick is producing loads of thick smoke. Any little puff draws out loads of it! I'm now getting a toasty flavor with very little grassy taste and an intensity of the coffee with cream taste. As I near the nub clover honey and mild vanilla with a bit of pepper are the dominant flavors with honey and cocoa like aftertastes.
I really enjoyed this cigar! I'm a noob but I think this stick is some type of CC. Boli perhaps? I don't know but I think I would pay between 6-9 dollars for this smoke. I like it so much I hope it's dirt cheap and easily found but my gut tells me otherwise. This cigar's burn was great. I only fixed the burn once and that's because I'm rather compulsive when it comes to keeping it burning evenly. I smoked all the way down and enjoyed all of it.Thanks for the experience!:smokingme
Sorry about the lousy pics.

 

[njstone]

Review #4 will come soon, hopefully tonight. Possibly #3 tomorrow

 

[vivalanation734]

Stick 2 group 2.

Today's review is gonna be a quickie with no pics... but hey... I smoked it!

Right from the get go this things looks to me like an LFD... the Double Ligero Oscuro to be exact. This thing is dark dark red/brown with a crap ton of oil. The fermenting on the wrapper isn't even, but it gives it a nice mottled look.

First third: tons of spice and dark chocolate. Hints of wood. IN YOUR FACE flavor.

Second third: this thing has POWER. Not necessarily a lunchtime smoke (doh!) The spice and cocoa flavors did pick up, and I am also noticing a lot more floral notes (think dominican republic?). Every now and again, the cigar would be fairly bitter, but nothing too substantial to complain about.

Final third: holy nicotine, batman! This thing taste like dark chocolate, rich tobacco, spice, and still has those floral dominican undertones. This was much better than most dominican cigars I have ever had (if it is indeed dominican).

Final thoughts.... good cigar. It has a lot of characteristics I like and has solid flavors that are right up my alley. Would I smoke it again? Maybe... The floral notes I picked up were a big turn off, but not the end of the world. I hope I got this one right....

 

[Hayblet]

I love this thread wish I had cigar rolling skills to do something like this on another forum...

 

[mwlabel]

Group 2, Stick 2.

Drink: Water
Today's stick is a very dark brown, slightly reddish big muther with a TON of oil showing on the wrapper. It appears to be 7.25x50, with minimal veins and no soft spots.

The foot gives off a sweet tobacco aroma. It cut easily, and the pre-light offers a good draw and sweet tobacco.

It lit up easily, and the draw is excellent. The burn is razor sharp, and remained that way all through the smoke.

First third: Black pepper, leather, dark chocolate, and a rich tobacco. This thing is yummy! It is producing huge clouds of smoke, and the ash is bleach white, falling off in one inch chunks.

Second third: Same flavors. I have come to realize that at around the time the ash dives, there are a couple puffs of ammonia/bitter tastes.

This stick is fully body, and full strength. But, I just ate a hearty meal, so I'm good to go.

Final third: No new developments.

Final thoughts: This was a good, but not great, cigar. It had great flavors, but it was monotone and left me bored - especially considering the smoke time. Would I smoke it again? Maybe. Perhaps in a smaller vitola. I agree with Ryan in believing that this is an LFD stick. I haven't smoked enough to say which specifically, but this seemed to be of the same family.

Thanks again for the sticks, Bob!

 

[vivalanation734]

Update?

I should be smoking group 2 cigar 3 today if the rain here in central Florida doesn't ruin it.

 

[COYOTE JLR]

Cigar #3 Group #1

Stick number 3 was a pretty little stick. It had a very pleasant light brown wrapper with minimal veins. It was firm, uniform, and smelled lightly of hay and cinnamon.

I sat down at 3:10 and cut the stick with a Xikar X8 and tested the draw. It was very tight, but I did get a strong fruity flavor off of it. I put flame to foot and it took light easily.

All in all, I had a pretty good first impression of this stick...... but then I actually tried to smoke it.

In all fairness that first little bit was actually pretty decent. I got some flavors of nuts and hay and honey. It was quite light and different from what I usually smoke, but it was also very tight.

It actually stayed decent throughout the first third. The draw even loosened up a bit, but it's flavor never changed at all until it became sour.

By the time I got to the second third it was super sour and extremely unpleasant. I tried multiple purges and I tried cutting a little more off the end, but it just would not get any better. At one point the friend I was smoking with commented that the smoke had an almost green tint to it, and it appeared the same to me as well.

I really, really, tried to get through this cigar, but by the time I hit the final third without anything, but that extremely sour note, I had to chuck it. I finally snuffed it after 50 minutes of smoking, but that taste lingered with me for some time after.

I couldn't begin to guess what this cigar was or where it was from. I would try another one again sometime in case what I smoked was a fluke, but if I had another experience like the one I had already, I would not touch another one ever again.

The flavors in the first third were good though, so hopefully that's what they generally taste like and with better construction.

 

[bigbwalls]

Update?

I should be smoking group 2 cigar 3 today if the rain here in central Florida doesn't ruin it.

I was going to do the same but it's raining in PA right now too.

 

[hdroadglide]

waiting for clint to smoke #2 in group 2......

 

[hdroadglide]

and for group number 1, all who have smoked stick #3, you're stick was........juan lopez #1 from "10

 

[vivalanation734]

Cigar #3 group 2.

52 x 5.5 torpedo. First thought... this looks like a Tatuaje Cojonu 06. Great, dark, rough wrapper.

-1st third: Leather. Sweet spice. Slight pepper in the nose.

-As it progresses the sweetness turns syrupy and thick. Very enjoyable while still maintaining a rich tobacco core. Pretty earthy.

-Moving on, the dominant flavor is sweet cream and leather. Burn is perfect on this thing.

-2nd third: the earth and spice pick up, but the flavor of sweet cream still lingers on my palate.

-About halfway into the cigar I got a nice citrus note. Very enjoyable and refreshing. The aroma on this thing is strong, but smooth enough to enjoy. The overall flavors of this cigar are getting darker and richer.

-Final 3rd: very similar to the 2nd. Got some bitterness/tar, but nothing too major to make this cigar unenjoyable.

-Thoughts... great cigar... I'm still going to guess this is a Tat Cojonu 06, but with some age. It's very mellow for a tatuaje, but is very similar to what I remember the 06 tasting like. If I am wrong, my second guess is something Pepin for sure... maybe a Jaime Garcia Reserva?

 

[mwlabel]

Group 2, Stick 3.

Drink: Water
Today's stick is a handsome 6x52 torpedo. There is one prominent vein running along it, no soft spots, and it has a nice sheen to it. However, there is 1/4in x 1/4in section of wrapper missing (You can sorta see it in my pic. It is right next to my thumb).

The foot gives off a cocoa aroma. It required a firm cut, and the pre-light offers a good draw with notes of bitter cocoa and hay.

It lit up easily, and the draw is excellent. The burn is even, though it required some minor touch ups later on.

First third: Holy spice bomb, batman! The first few puffs are almost overwhelming. It has hints of cocoa, as well as hay and grass with a long finish. Very interesting. It is putting out large clouds of smoke. The ash is white, and falls off in one inch chunks. The spice has subsided by the first ashing.

Second third: Woody flavors are coming through with a finish that reminds me of maple syrup. Some new flavors pick up, with notes of nuts, as well as some meaty flavors. This is a very complex stick, and I'm loving it.

The stick is certainly full bodied, as well as full strength (which I did not realize until after finishing it... had to lay down for a while)

Final third: It is mostly a creamy coffee flavor now.
I had to call it quits on this stick early. I received a phone call with a family emergency.

Final thoughts: This was a very good cigar. The flavors and complexity screamed Tat or DPG to me. It reminded me a lot of the DPG Black I had smoked before, but I know that is not it. I would certainly recommend this stick to somebody looking for a full flavored smoke.

Thanks, Bob!

 

[bigbwalls]

Round Two - Cigar No. 3

Cigar No. 3's construction looks great. This torpedo features a dark wrapper with a nice, smooth sheen. Minimal veins run the length of the cigar, but they never interfered with its burn. It's a very solid and hefty cigar, barely budging when squeezed.

The end is clipped, and the pre-light draw doesn't give off much: flavors of standard tobacco and wood. A toasting of the foot and we're into the first third. Flavors of spicy-sweet tobacco and coffee are most prevalent. In the background I'm picking up notes of leather. The burn and draw are beautiful. Every puff releases a good amount of smoke and the burn is spot on and razor sharp.

As the cigar burns into the second third I'm most impressed with the cigar's burn line. It barely waivers and never needs a touch up. The ash holds on for dear life at almost two inches before plummeting into my lap. The flavors transition a bit in the second third -- it's heavy leather and coffee right now. It's a dark coffee flavor, very bold. The spice comes and goes in between puffs; It'll be there, then it's gone, then it comes back, so on and so forth. It's medium in strength, never getting into the full strength category but rather toeing the line.

As Cigar No. 3 burns into the final third the spice is all but gone. Leather and coffee notes are the stars of the show here. It was kind of sad to see the spice leave, but the dark coffee flavors more than made up for it. As Cigar No. 3 burnt to the nub it performed wonderfully. The burn and draw were spot on and the flavors were delicious. I have no idea what Cigar No. 3 is, but I'd bet money it's no rocket.

 

[Clint]

Cigar #2, Round 2

Prelight

Gorgeous, oily wrapper…Holy cow! And a nice, Flying Pig-esque pigtail as well. A few veins here and there, nicely packed…Just a nice cigar to behold. The foot end gave up sweet dates and plums.
Hated to snip that pig tail…Kinda like dismantling a beautiful hand made bow in order to unwrap a gift! Cold draw was just core tobacco…Nothing much else. Easy draw with just enough resistance.

First Third

Initial notes of lemon peel and leather out front, with solid, straightforward tobacco as a backdrop. The ash was loose and flakey…Dropped really early on. Spice and coffee drifted in and out.

Second Third

Ash continued to flair, but the burn and draw were good. The lemon peel turned into a spicy, citrus-like note…Much like the Mexican treat known as Tamarind.
The cigar produced ample smoke, with a nice aroma. Faint notes of coffee and chocolate darted in and out, with the Tamarind up front, and a core of heavy tobacco.

Last Third

The last third continued much like the second…Notes of Tamarind, and slight hints of coffee and chocolate up front, with strong tobacco in the background. The burn continued true, but flakey with a loose ash.

Closing

Don’t judge a book by its cover?!

Just a gorgeous looking cigar, but not very complex. The Tamarind flavor was very intriguing at first, but without any other flavors to accompany it, the overall profile was a bit flat. Not sure what was going on with the ash, but the construction seemed good.

 

[Clint]

Review: Cigar #2. Sorry again for the lack of pics, hopefully next time!

This is a nice looking maduro--very dark, if it weren't for the fact that it wasn't uniform in color it could almost look fake.

Preliminaries: This cigar looks like a Liga Privada #9, but the ring guage is wrong. Maybe a new LP? The cigar smells nice and spicy. Upon cutting, I got a major spicey twang on my lips ... oooh, I'm smoking this in the morning--is this going to be too strong? We'll see!

First Third: We started off great--lots of spice and sweet cocoa. I'll be honest, folks: this is one of my favorite combos in cigars! So far I'm loving this thing. At this point I have no idea what we've got here. I've never had a Cohiba Maduro, but I've heard they taste more Nicaraguan than Cuban, so maybe that's what this is. It could also be one of the new Liga Privada test blends--it's not a #9, but there are definately similarities here. There are times when it even reminds me of a Lito Gomez stick, though I'd exepct more fruitiness from one of his creations. Maybe it's a Nica/Dom blend, though.

The flavor profile doesn't change much in the first third, but honestly that's a good thing because I'm loving the spicy-sweet combo with ample cocoa. The body is about medium-full, but the strength doesn't seem to go over medium. It's a bit spicier than I normally go for in the morning, but since it's frickin' cold in MN right now it's actually about perfect. Good stuff!

Second Third: We're continueing with more of the same. The spice really isn't toning down much, which is a bit of a surprise but not an unwelcomed one. The construction is spot-on and we've having no real burn issues shy of a couple touch-ups due to it being a bit windy out.

This cigar has me puzzled. It doesn't taste like I imagine a Cuban Maduro tasting, even if they don't taste very Cuban. It tastes Nicaraguan, but not your classic Nica profile--not enough wood or coffee. So that rules out the Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial (which is similar in the sweet cocoa). The My Father 1922 Le Bijou is woodier and more complex than this, but it's close. But I can't get away from thinking this might be a new LP blend.

Final Third: The sweetness is dying down a bit, but isn't totally gone. The spice is also ramping up a bit. This cigar doesn't have the complexity of a Liga Privada #9, but the basic profile is similar (that's a good thing ... I'm an LP ho!). At about the 2" mark I did have to purge it as it got kinda bitter. It was successful and I was able to smoke it to under an inch.

Final Thoughts: I really liked this cigar! It's similar to some other sticks that I really like (LP#9), and yet not exactly the same. It's a bit of a one-trick pony in that it's not overly complex (doesn't have layers of coffee on top of the cocoa and spice like the LP or JGRE) and not dynamic at all. But I did like the profile.

Score: 91

Rocket or Real: Real

Guesses: I'm stumped, so great job, lol! Honestly, it's so similar to a Liga Privada that I feel like it might be a newer and cheaper LP line. I do feel like it's probably a Nica/Dom blend. Again, not as complex or overall awesome as the LP#9, so I'm going with a cheaper stick.

I'm not sure what the price point is, but I can say that if these were at the $6 mark or less I'd pick some up, and if they could be found for $4 on sale I'd probably get a box! I would pick up a smaller size though (corona or robusto) because the one-trick-pony nature of the cigar could get a little boring in a stick this large.

Was this cigar #2 from Round 2??

 

[Clint]

Group 2, Stick 2.

Drink: Water
Today's stick is a very dark brown, slightly reddish big muther with a TON of oil showing on the wrapper. It appears to be 7.25x50, with minimal veins and no soft spots.

The foot gives off a sweet tobacco aroma. It cut easily, and the pre-light offers a good draw and sweet tobacco.

It lit up easily, and the draw is excellent. The burn is razor sharp, and remained that way all through the smoke.

First third: Black pepper, leather, dark chocolate, and a rich tobacco. This thing is yummy! It is producing huge clouds of smoke, and the ash is bleach white, falling off in one inch chunks.

Second third: Same flavors. I have come to realize that at around the time the ash dives, there are a couple puffs of ammonia/bitter tastes.

This stick is fully body, and full strength. But, I just ate a hearty meal, so I'm good to go.

Final third: No new developments.

Final thoughts: This was a good, but not great, cigar. It had great flavors, but it was monotone and left me bored - especially considering the smoke time. Would I smoke it again? Maybe. Perhaps in a smaller vitola. I agree with Ryan in believing that this is an LFD stick. I haven't smoked enough to say which specifically, but this seemed to be of the same family.

Thanks again for the sticks, Bob!

Looks like we had similar notes! I am interested to see what this is.