Secret Santa/BARBARINO -Unbanded Reviews-

[3/5King]

I've got 14 Sticks on deck that need reviewing...both from Santa and ItsBarbarino, so let's enjoy it in one thread right? All things unbanded will be happening all under one proverbial roof. I'll start the party off with ItsBarbarino's -stick D-

 

[3/5King]

It's BARBARINO Blind Review D

Corona- triple capped

The wrapper is a charred brown with a few rustic veins. The leaf shimmers with oil in a few spots and is sprinkled with crystals as well.

Mostly even pack, a little loose at the foot.

The foot has a sweet smell that reminds me of gingerbread.

That ginger bread sweetness comes through the cold draw and I get a somewhat cookie dough flavor on the finish.....maybe I just want s cookie...

Sparky sparky....oh and the cigar took a great cut.

So I've burnt through the first inch which with most cigars is like hacking through the jungles of Vietnam looking for a nice smooth patch of dirt to set up camp... Slightly creamy, the sweetness has again carried through to be a major part of the profile. I'm reminded a little bit of sweet basil. The burn line is doing great and the draw is perfect. As I say this the burn line wonks a little. The retro has a nice amount of spice but smooth enough to push a good amount of smoke through.

The sweetness is falling off and the spice has really picked up (these cigars always seam to make me a liar) I'm picking up an earthiness behind the new found uptick in spice. The profile is slightly medicinal but it's not a bad thing. This stick is medium body (shawzy getting in some licks! Sorry, watching my Hawks as I write this.. I love a good scrap!) so, medium body and some full size flavors. I love the gritty burn that has developed through the retro as I get into the middle of this stick. The sweetness is still a part of the profile... It's like a sweet, creamy pepper bomb... Rounded out by earth and a medicinal finish.

This stick has turned into a spicy Bomb. Which I love, side note; I also love wasabi, horseradish, garlic, strong mustard.... So it fits my senses nicely. The sweetness cowers in the background. The cigar has burned fairly well with only a few touch ups required but nothing that is taking away from my enjoyment. The strength picks up a bit in the final third. It's a nice uptick and the stick has become peppery, gritty...delicious.

Awesome smoke. Top notch other than a few burn issues, it really impressed. The pepper and strength grew through the duration and a few more flavors fell into line as I worked my way down to the nub.

Thank you for the chance to review this stick brother!

Smoke time: 1hr 20mins

Score: 90/100

 

[Jmphotog]

Great review curious to know what stick this is

 

[3/5King]

A S.S. Review..... I'm going to slap this A S.S. with my lighter and take it for a ride...

Torpedo- stuffed to the gills.

Grayish brown wrapper with one prominent vein running the length.

This stick is dry; crackling and popping with the slightest squeeze. I split the top inch or so...son of a... I don't think it will cause me any problems

I wanted to show you how much I cut off the tapered end, as your own personal experience might differ from mine just by cutting more or less than I do. This will give you an idea of where I'm at.

Cold draw doesn't give away much about the profile but the draw is nice and free.

So the burns a little wonky guys... Due to the split but we're going to power through this ASS one way or another...

I get a nuttiness up front and a confectioners type sweetness on the finish. It's got a good amount of spice burning up the senses on the retro as well. The ash is speckled with tooth, that is hard to see on the unburned wrapper. The draw is beautiful, smoke production is about at a 6/10. We're now leaving the split (I just realized how hilariously fitting this cigar having a split is...) "thank you, come again" in Apoo's (Simpsons) voice.

Man does this thing have some sizzle out the nostrils. Nutty/sweet/spice bomb. It's got a decent amount of strength to it... Definitely full strength. If you're fully retroing, your eyes are going to water, unless you were born without tear ducts... Which would be sad, but you won't cry over it..

There's a bit of body developing in the mouthfeel of the smoke. The profile is peppery through yer nose and a powdered sugar sweetness on the finish. Let's see if I can't pull any other flavors out of this ASS in the second third.

The smoke production has picked up big time and Has become a bit gritty, adding a bit of wood to the profile. This stick is an N Bomb! I usually wouldn't ever have to slow down the speed at which I smoke but this one is testing my tolerance....Santa's not messing around..

Of cigars I've had over this past year this is one is going in the TNT category.. Which I consider a hard category to be placed in on my chart. Still copious omounts of eye watering pepper (except for the man with no tear ducts...sorry bro) still sweet through the finish. The body has doubled from the start. The top of my head is tingling... Thank god I ate a King's portion of chili and elbow macaroni before I began this adventure. Still burning like a gem. I'm about to enter the end of the ASS.. Haha, so wrong but so funny. Blame SANTA!

I'm starting to get spice on the top back portion of my mouth. Those who are N sensitive, don't smoke cigars daily or haven't eaten in awhile, I heed you fair warning. There's a bit of orange creamsicle on the finish...love that. Lips are getting a bit of lingering burn on the backside. I might just put this as the strongest smoke I've had all year. Really curious to what this beast might be.

This stick finished with an extremely consistent flavor profile through the whole duration. The body and strength built and built all the way to the nub. The spice seemed to follow the same path, although it was pretty much a bomb from the beginning. If you like your cigars to kick your ASS, then put this stick on your wish list.

Thank you Santa for kicking my Ass with your ASS!

Burn time: 1hr 20mins

Score: 90/100

 

[Ducttapegonewild]

A S.S. Review..... I'm going to slap this A S.S. with my lighter and take it for a ride...

Torpedo- stuffed to the gills.

Grayish brown wrapper with one prominent vein running the length.

This stick is dry; crackling and popping with the slightest squeeze. I split the top inch or so...son of a... I don't think it will cause me any problems

I wanted to show you how much I cut off the tapered end, as your own personal experience might differ from mine just by cutting more or less than I do. This will give you an idea of where I'm at.

Cold draw doesn't give away much about the profile but the draw is nice and free.

So the burns a little wonky guys... Due to the split but we're going to power through this ASS one way or another...

I get a nuttiness up front and a confectioners type sweetness on the finish. It's got a good amount of spice burning up the senses on the retro as well. The ash is speckled with tooth, that is hard to see on the unburned wrapper. The draw is beautiful, smoke production is about at a 6/10. We're now leaving the split (I just realized how hilariously fitting this cigar having a split is...) "thank you, come again" in Apoo's (Simpsons) voice.

Man does this thing have some sizzle out the nostrils. Nutty/sweet/spice bomb. It's got a decent amount of strength to it... Definitely full strength. If you're fully retroing, your eyes are going to water, unless you were born without tear ducts... Which would be sad, but you won't cry over it..

There's a bit of body developing in the mouthfeel of the smoke. The profile is peppery through yer nose and a powdered sugar sweetness on the finish. Let's see if I can't pull any other flavors out of this ASS in the second third.

The smoke production has picked up big time and Has become a bit gritty, adding a bit of wood to the profile. This stick is an N Bomb! I usually wouldn't ever have to slow down the speed at which I smoke but this one is testing my tolerance....Santa's not messing around..

Of cigars I've had over this past year this is one is going in the TNT category.. Which I consider a hard category to be placed in on my chart. Still copious omounts of eye watering pepper (except for the man with no tear ducts...sorry bro) still sweet through the finish. The body has doubled from the start. The top of my head is tingling... Thank god I ate a King's portion of chili and elbow macaroni before I began this adventure. Still burning like a gem. I'm about to enter the end of the ASS.. Haha, so wrong but so funny. Blame SANTA!

I'm starting to get spice on the top back portion of my mouth. Those who are N sensitive, don't smoke cigars daily or haven't eaten in awhile, I heed you fair warning. There's a bit of orange creamsicle on the finish...love that. Lips are getting a bit of lingering burn on the backside. I might just put this as the strongest smoke I've had all year. Really curious to what this beast might be.

This stick finished with an extremely consistent flavor profile through the whole duration. The body and strength built and built all the way to the nub. The spice seemed to follow the same path, although it was pretty much a bomb from the beginning. If you like your cigars to kick your ASS, then put this stick on your wish list.

Thank you Santa for kicking my Ass with your ASS!

Burn time: 1hr 20mins

Score: 90/100

Okay, let me see if I've got this right... You took a piece of A S.S. to begin with, then, you realized there was an A S.S. crack. Once you started with it, the fact that it was a sweet A S.S. was not lost. The smoke from the A S.S. was not that high, but it was smokey regardless.

So, all in all, you like A S.S.? Would you recommend everybody get a piece of A S.S. as soon as possible?

 

[3/5King]

Okay, let me see if I've got this right... You took a piece of A S.S. to begin with, then, you realized there was an A S.S. crack. Once you started with it, the fact that it was a sweet A S.S. was not lost. The smoke from the A S.S. was not that high, but it was smokey regardless.

So, all in all, you like A S.S.? Would you recommend everybody get a piece of A S.S. as soon as possible?

Yep

 

[3/5King]

Barbarino Unbanded -E-

Short quick smoke roughly 3.75X38

Mottled milk chocolate, semi toothy wrapper.

Sweet tobacco through the cold draw (excellent draw)

Lite this little bastige up and I doubt I have any nose hairs left after letting out the first retro.. It's calmed down now after a half inch. Burn line is razor so far. Profile starts me off with charred oak, I'm getting a licorice rope sweetness in the background and black pepper. You can taste the sweetness on your tongue and lips after the smoke leaves.

This little whipper snap packs a bit of punch for its size. You can definitely taste the Ligero. The flavor profile is staying consistent so far at half way but it is developing a richness as the body picks up speed.

I'm coming into the 7th inning stretch and the profile is beginning to morph a bit. The spice filled retro has reached water works level....the dam has been breached my friends. The smoke is getting nice and gritty (I'll have to explain what I mean by that once I feel I can properly articulate it without sounding like an asshole) the sweetness has become abrupt and the charred oak now leaves a twang on my tongue after the finish... I love the word twang. Perfect little smoke so far.

The strength has picked up and the heat is bringing with it some sting to the back of my lips and a tingle to the top of my tongue. I love it when my nostrils get beat up by a nice and strong retro, it's like a little war being waged that I never win. It's one of those retros that make you shake your noggin back and forth like someone just dropped a sack of bricks on your head. This stick is a dirty dog and just what I'd want from a quick smoke. Burns perfect, smokes perfect and spices you up, making you forget your worries for a little while. The nub is gritty, sweet, spicy delicious.

Loved it Brother, thanks!

Smoke time: 45 minutes

Score: 91.75 (because I can)

 

[Ducttapegonewild]

Nice reviews Dave

 

[ENV]

Anyone going to reveal these?

 

[ChefBoyRG54]

GreaT reviews

 

[3/5King]

The weekend is the worst for this place.

 

[rdomfoto]

so, message from Santa: the SSA is a Don Carlos #2.

oh, you still have to guess.

 

[ChefBoyRG54]

I wouldn't have expected the dc2 to be so strong.

 

[3/5King]

I wouldn't have expected the dc2 to be so strong.

I agree but it also might have to do with how long I leave the smoke in my mouth and how slowly I exhale and retro it while doing a review. It's around 3-4 times slower than normal which causes me to have higher N uptake. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

 

[ChefBoyRG54]

I agree but it also might have to do with how long I leave the smoke in my mouth and how slowly I exhale and retro it while doing a review. It's around 3-4 times slower than normal which causes me to have higher N uptake. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

You must be a difficult guy to hold conversation with while he's smoking a cigar

 

[3/5King]

Nah. Not at all, smart ass. (Off topic; I feel uncomfortable with my now limited smiley selection...I need options man! I miss my kings crown smiley)

 

[3/5King]

BSS-Santa's blind #2

A fatty Toro that's stuffed to the max. This puppy's got some weight to it.

Triple capped.. a lumpy habano oscuro? With multiple veins trailing about.

Smelled like a chicken dinner when I was toasting the foot...

I've changed the beginning of my reviews to start at about the half inch mark. Let's me get my bearings and allows the cigar to pull any wild hairs it might have in its ass, out.. I'm getting tart black cherry... Medium body...(just put on white strips-Icky Thump- to go along with this smoke) the burn line is wandering but hasn't broken free of its leash yet. The stick brings a stout retro along with it. There's a tangy sweet finish going on that I can't make out any individual flavors just yet. The draw is perfect. Almost reminds me of the New Holland Dragons Milk.

The profile is becoming a bit creamy as I'm finishing up this first third. Switched it up to some Young Bloodz on Pandora. The tangy sweetness is dropping off quite a bit on the finish and replacing it, a spicy, tart, charred brandy. Mannnnnn these ads/commercials are buzz kill...interrupting my chi...I like where this stick is moving. The sour brandy note needs something... It's a bit transparent at the moment. Although I'm not, not enjoying it. I'm just looking for some more layers which it seems to be building towards. This stick seems to be rolled with quality tobacco though. The burn and draw are perfect which is a major component in the enjoyment one gets out if a quality smoke.

I like the second third as its starting to bloom into a profile that fits my palette. The mouthfeel is becoming velvety and the tangy characteristic has made way for a sweet cream and pepper blend. The retro is spicy as a mofo but the strength hangs on at medium. As I round second and stretch it out for third, I'm getting an evergreen note mixed with sarsaparilla root. The retro is intense and the burn is wavering behind its awesome power lol. On my last pull, I definitely picked out floral on the senses. I'm finally getting the complexity I was looking for. Minor touch up, just because I'm impatient.

I switched it up to some Delta blues for the finish, Eric Clapton hits the spot. The profile is a pepper Bomb.... Spicy as hell in the last third. If I sip on it, I can detect that foral essence. I feel I've had this smoke before but can't pull anything out of the hat yet. This stick (for me) finishes way better than it started. It's getting really gritty towards the nub, just how I like it. I know I've smoked it... Medium strength full body. Delicious finish. So I am supposed to guess but my mind just stares into darkness and comes back with nothing... It's peppery like a Pepin but the tangy sweetness doesn't fit. And the finish is so familiar yet I can't place it....spill the beans Santa!

Smoke time 1hr 30mins

Score: 90

 

[ChefBoyRG54]

Great review Dave. Liga oscuro?

 

[ItsBarbarino]

Hey Dave, just saw these, great reviews! I'll reveal when I get home tonight!

 

[3/5King]

Great review Dave. Liga oscuro?

Thanks Ryan. That could be. The stick was heavy enough for it lol. Ligas are some heavy sticks and they do have that sweet twang if I remember but I don't remember as much pepper with Liga and I would think it'd be stronger? Idk we shall find out.