Have you every wondered how to cleanse your palate? Well today I answer a recent question on how I cleanse my palate for my reviews. And you get to see who I am !
Cleansing your palate!
HIRAM & SOLOMON ENTER APPRENTICE
Name: Hiram & Solomon Entered Apprentice
Country of origin: Dominican Republic
Size: 6 x 56
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Shape: Gran Toro
Price: $12.50
Introduction:
Records dating as far back as the mid 1800’s describe the pre-meeting tradition where cigars were distributed to the Brethren so that they could enjoy a smoke during or after a gathering.
Even today, in many lodges, the practice of smoking cigars remains very much alive. This custom is considered a time for Brethren to relax, exchange ideas, and enjoy the simplicity and fellowship that is the very essence of Brotherhood.
It was during one of these gathering that two men by the names of WB Ed Kashouty and George Dakarat, would come together to begin a quest to create a top quality cigar geared towards Freemasonry. After a series of unlikely events, Kashouty and Dakarat would become acquainted with a gentleman by the name of Harry Rockafella. Harry Rockafella was a well-rounded individual in the Cigar industry, having already created an exemplary line of cigars. He would help Kashouty and Dakarat turn their dream into a reality. After discussing their quest to make a Masonic cigar, Harry Rockafella was off to the Dominican Republic to make it a reality. Working tirelessly to make Kashouty’s dream and Dakarat’s idea a reality, the Hiram and Solomon Cigar was born.
These cigars were sent to me from Hiram and Solomon Cigar Company. I will have the pleasure of trying their entire line which consists of the Entered Apprentice, The Fellow Craft, and the Master Mason, so keep a look out! These cigars are about $12.50 a pop. That is a pretty steep price tag, but before I make any kind of conclusion, let see what it can do. Let’s get in to it!
Before I get into the cigar itself, I wanted to take some time to review the box that Hiram and Solomon sent me. The Enter Apprentice box is a nicely made cedar box, I am not sure if it is Spanish cedar, but it is cedar. On the lid, there is a raised portion where the compass and square are etched. The raised portion portrays a stone giving homage to the stone masons of the past. Inside the box there is a prayer which I have posted below. It is a gorgeous addition to the overall experience that is Hiram & Solomon. These small details have really set this boxes a part from other that I have seen.
Appearance/Construction:
Today’s review is of the Enter Apprentice, the first step on your road to more light. The EA is a very nice looking stick, cloaked in a beautiful, slightly veiny Connecticut shade wrapper. It has tight but visible seams, a clean double cap, a clean foot, and a gorgeous band. The body is firmly packed with no soft spots. There is no discoloration or blemishes along the body or on the cap. You can tell time was taken to ensure the quality was top notch during the construction of this cigar.
Flavor/Taste & Aroma:
The body of the EA presented me with notes of earth, hay, and a slight sweetness. The cap cut cleanly, no issues with cracking. The pre-light draw was easy with notes of pepper and earth. I could also feel the oils off the head on my lips. I am hoping this is telling me there will be a creaminess to the smoke. Fingers crossed!
This cigar was pretty multifaceted in terms of flavors. The flavors never stayed the same and kept me guessing with every draw. Right off the bat, I was greeted with a very nice pepper mixed in with a slight sweetness on the long finish. Moving further in, the flavors really started to move around. Notes of earth and nut coated the inside of my mouth, finishing again with a subtle sweetness. The EA maintained large plumes of creamy smoke. Even though I was picking up such an array of flavors, they were all still rather mild, none of them too overbearing. Progressing into the 2/3rd and last third, notes of cedar and leather mixed with the same notes of nuttiness from earlier played havoc on my senses. About a quarter into the last third, cedar came on very strongly, taking complete control and finished out the cigar. The creaminess of the smoke was consistent the entire time. I was getting huge clouds of rich smoke that really enhanced the flavors.
Smoking Characteristics:
The EA performed well, it had a very appealing grayish ash that lasted to each transition point. The burn was a bit wavy, requiring a touch up in the 2/3rd as it started to get a runner. After the touch up, the burn went back to wavy, but never required any more attention. The body stayed cool to the touch, never over heating or giving me any type of bitter flavors. I had no tunneling, and the cigar’s burn rate was slow and lasted almost 2 hours.
Conclusion/Overall Impression:
The Enter Apprentice was a great stick, especially if you like your cigars on the milder side. The construction was excellent and the overall experience was pleasurable. I got a lot of different flavors, but I really had to work for them. If I had not taken the time to really analyze the flavors, I probably would have only picked up on the spice, earth and the creaminess which were still very nice on their own. I am really looking forward to trying the Fellow Craft and the Master Mason. As many of you travelers know, the Enter Apprentice is only the beginning, and your travels will only get better as you get closer to the sublime degree. We will see if that holds true for these cigars in the near future so keep a look out!
And as always, remember to keep it on the LEVEL!
Tony
To order some of these Cigars, head on over to their site:
http://hiramandsolomoncigars.com/index.php?p=home
Black Ops Connecticut *Quick Smoke*
Today I am bringing you another quick smoke review! I am enjoying these because I can get the info out to you more quickly. The victim today is the Black Ops Connecticut from Ghurka. It came wrapped in a nice, slightly veiny Connecticut wrapper. The Black Ops has a double cap, visible seams, and no tooth. The body was firm to the touch and I do not feel any soft spots. The aroma coming off the body were ones of hay and earth. The pre-light draw was smooth with notes of earth and soft leather. The 1/3rd greeted me yet again with notes of earth and a smooth tobacco followed by a short finish on the creamy, leathery side. The burn was razor sharp and revealed a very nice white ash that held on strong to about the midway point. Transitioning into the 2/3rd, the notes stayed about the same, with the exception of a nice pepper that moved in on the retro and stayed consistent all the way into the last third. The smoke output was great, releasing large plumes of smoke into the air. The burn lines were still razor sharp requiring no attention. The last third was much of the same, as I said before, but with a subtle cedar flavor that lingered nicely on the palate. The Black Ops Connecticut performed great in my eyes; it had a beautiful burn line, bright white ash, and big clouds of smoke. Even though this is technically a “bargain” stick, no corners were cut during the making of it. You can get these sticks from CI for around 50 bucks a bundle in the robusto vitola, which equates to about 2.50 a stick. The Black Ops Connecticut is a great deal for anyone looking for an everyday smoke that is on the mild side.
Until next time, always keep it on the level.
Tony
Don’t forget to follow me on Facebook and Twitter!
Paul Maldonado and THE MALDONADO DYNASTY
Recently I had the pleasure of speaking with a man who, even though he is new in the cigar world, has aspiration to take his brand worldwide.This man is none other than Paul Maldonado of the Maldonado Dynasty. From his ultra-luxury Cigar “The Mogul” to his ultra-luxury men and women’s apparel and accessories line, they are putting themselves on the map as a beacon of class and elegance . Please join me as we take a look into the past, present, and future of Paul Maldonado and the Maldonado Dynasty!
Paul, tell me a little about yourself, and what got you into the Cigar industry?
I am a traveler. I love to travel and discover this amazing place we call Earth; there are so many fascinating people, cultures, music, and food out there. It’s truly beautiful. I’m also very drawn to refinement and elegance, anything that has an essence of class and romance.
I’ll go further into how I got into the industry below but it all started when I took a trip abroad, I was taking a break from directing commercials and music videos. This trip changed my life.
What was the first cigar you ever smoked?
I was so young but I think it was a Romeo & Julieta; a very close friend must’ve known something about my future, she was so adamant about having me smoke a cigar and become acclimated with it. I swear, she had great foresight. Haha.
Did you like it? Why or why not?
I remember it felt right… And although that particular cigar didn’t blow my mind because it was on the milder side with little complexity – it was just great to sit around and enjoy a cigar with a great friend.
The Maldonado Dynasty, what is it and where do you want to take it?
The Maldonado Dynasty is a Global Luxury brand. That has always been my vision from the very beginning and that is precisely where I’m taking it to this day. What I see happening in the near future is the launch of our Elegant Men & Women’s fragrance, our Stylish Eye Wear and the expansion into the European and Chinese market.
Tell me about your Cigar, The Maldonado Dynasty “Mogul”, where is it made, why did you go with the blend you went with, and why you went with the “Mogul” name?
Our Ultra Luxury cigar “The Mogul,” is made at La Aurora, which is a dream come true for me personally. Ever since I entered the industry as a complete neophyte, I was drawn to Mr. Guillermo Leon and how he carries himself: a complete gentleman. At first, I thought we were much too young to really approach him to work with us but I told myself that eventually when the time was right, I would have my cigars made at La Aurora – and now I’ve achieved my goal.
This particular blend was chosen because I didn’t want to deviate too far from what I originally created at the other factory. The original “The Mogul,” cigar had a Brazilian wrapper, which was always my goal from the very start when I started researching tobaccos and their flavor nuances; it just sounded divine to me. So when time came to pick our blend, I told the old factory that my only contingency was, that it HAD to be a Brazilian wrapper. Of course they sent me sample after sample (with no Brazilian wrapper) but I felt something was missing every time, and when they finally had enough of me asking for more samples to try out, they said: “we have something you may like.” I remember when I first light and tried that cigar — it was just perfect! It tasted amazing; it burned beautifully; and it had a rich and complex flavor profile, which is what I wanted to begin with because the name “The Mogul,” embodies those very dynamic elements. That same day, I contacted the factory and asked what it was and they — perhaps begrudgingly —said it was a Brazilian wrapper… My original desire. And with the transition into La Aurora, I told Mr. Leon that I wanted to stay as close – if not, improve – on what we had originally and he advised on this particular blend that I decided on. He was right, and I’m very proud to enjoy “The Mogul,” everyday, that was after all, the plan; I want to be proud and confident in releasing something that my very own demanding tastes, approve of.
The name itself is a story I Love to tell: a good friend, whom happens to be a long-time collaborating cinematographer of mine – when I was directing more frequently – named it. I picked something similar to the name at first, but then realized it was taken. So for a while — at least 3 weeks — I was struggling to figure out what I was going to call our premier cigar; I know I had to set the tone and capture the essence of the direction The Maldonado Dynasty was going in, so it was imperative that I choose the perfect name. So after a few weeks of going over so many names, that same friend texts me on a Saturday morning, and asks: “Hey Mogul, what’s up?” Voila! I remember thinking: “That’s it!! That’s the name!” It just made sense to me on so many levels and I found it humorous, that my friend had given me that nickname all along – I like to joke around and say he must’ve known something I didn’t… Until this day, he feels a sense of pride in naming our premier cigar I’m sure and I really enjoy that I can captured such a personal experience in my life, into what launched The Maldonado Dynasty. So a Special thanks to you, Pete (aka Pietro).
You don’t only have your Ultra Luxury line of Cigars, but also a clothing line and other products, how did that come about?
When the idea of The Maldonado Dynasty came to mind, I was taking a break from directing and was traveling abroad to clear my mind and figure out what else I wanted to do with life. I recall after a couple months of considering other fields and actually fulfilling a dream of being an architect and designing a home our family owns, the image of the M. came to mind. For a while, I didn’t know what to make of it, but it just kept growing in my mind every day, until I had to finally draw it on a piece of paper and study it. I think I even designed it on the computer to get a cleaner image but I still didn’t know what it was.
Finally, while walking through a really luxurious mall, I came across a cigar shop and the idea of making cigars came to mind. Right after that — I came across a fragrance shop, and right then it clicked: this image that was on mind all this time, was a Luxury brand and I was going to make cigars, fragrances, and anything to do with Ultra Luxury. So that is where the clothing line: the Wilshire Blvd. Collection comes from; which is an homage to the city of Los Angeles and the tremendous influence this main boulevard has had in my life, and our soon-to-be-released Fragrance, and Eye Wear comes from. Like I stated, my vision was always to build a Global Luxury brand and handcrafted the finest for those with discriminating taste.
Was this always what you wanted to do? Or did you plan on a different route in life at first?
I recall growing up, I was always involved with music, drawing homes and floor plans, video production, and anything that had to do with refinement. I went to USC and studied film, after which I launched my own production company right away and did that for some time but I felt there was more – that I was supposed to do something bigger – so I started to walk the inevitable path of destiny: The Maldonado Dynasty. I’m happy I did, it’s been very fulfilling.
Where do you see the cigar industry going, and how do you think the Cuban embargo situation will affect non-Cuban cigar in America? Do you think it will bother it at all?
I am still too new in this industry to gauge where it’s going but I know the popularity in cigars is growing from my perspective.
I am actually very excited to have the embargo lifted because it will give people a chance to get past the stigma of forbidden fruit [Cuban cigars] and start trying extraordinary cigars that are of superior quality and taste. There are so many different factories in the D.R. and Nicaragua making Excellent cigars nowadays and unfortunately people miss out, because they have been programmed to think certain cigars are superior to others, rather than to try for themselves and discover the vast diversity of cigars out there. I know cigars made in the D.R. and Nicaragua will see a rise in popularity, people will learn how incredibly-delicious these cigars are.
When people think of The Maldonado Dynasty, and smoke your Mogul Cigar what do you want them to think?
Always Demand the Finest.
Any last words or special thanks?
I would like to thank you, Tony, for not only giving me a chance to be showcased on your new cigar site but for allowing us to celebrate and capture the birth of your son, Cassidy, with The Mogul cigar. I don’t know if people are aware, but you were away serving our country for the birth of your first two children and you FINALLY had the privilege of coming home to be there for your son’s birth. Wow. It’s these moments that I wanted to celebrate and capture, it makes it all worthwhile.
Plus, I want to give a very Special Thank You to the friends and family that have been with me through the hard times and the good times, witnessing how difficult it is to create and build something from the ground up. And a Thank You to all my Friends and Supporters who continue to be strong for us while we build – see you at The Affaire in the Hamptons.
To get your hands on a box of Paul’s Ultra-Luxury Cigars or his Ultra Luxury Men’s and Woman cloths, please visit his website at http://www.maldonadodynasty.com/The-Mogul-Cigar.html . YOU WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED!
Well folks there it is, until next time REMEMBER TO ALWAYS KEEP IT ON THE LEVEL!
Don’t forget to click on the links below to follow me on Twitter and Facebook!
Tony
JOYA RED
Name: JOYA RED
Country of origin: Nicaragua
Size: 6 x 52
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habana
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan (Jalapa, Condega, Esteli)
Shape: Toro
Price: $5.50
Introduction:
Today I get the pleasure of reviewing the Joya Red from Joya de Nicaragua, whose roots are embedded deep within the rich history of the Nicaraguan cigar industry. The Nicaragua Cigar Co. was established February 29, 1968 by two men, J.F. Bermejo and Simón Camacho. It was there they produced the Joya De Nicargua cigar, making it the very first premium handmade cigar in Nicaragua. Today, Joya de Nicaragua is still located in the city of Estelí, a city that has come to be known as the tobacco capital of the world. Now, as with any company who does great, when demand rises, the need for expansion arises, and in 1969 with the help of A. Oppenheimer & Co. Joya De Nicaragua cigars made its way into America. But that was not the only place they were heading! With the help of Comsys of London, the Joya cigar began to spread across Europe. Today, distribution of the Joya De Nicaragua line is handled by one of the most innovative companies of our time, none other than Drew Estates headed by Johnathan Drew. Pretty cool, huh? I would of never known I was smoking a piece of history had I not done the research! Now that you have been informed, let’s get into it!
Appearance/Construction:
The Joya Red comes to me today wrapped in a somewhat course, dark, veiny, oily wrapper with a slight red hue. The Joya Red’s body has a significant amount of veins running through it, a gorgeous triple cap, tight invisible seams, and has a little bit of give to the body. The band is an appealing red color with gold accent, I must say it looks very good on this stick. The Joya feels very nice in your hands and while you hold it, you can feel the quality of its construction.
Flavor/Taste & Aroma:
The Joya’s body graced me with notes of earth and hay. The foot brought me an aroma that I have never experienced before. It was a nice sweetness and the only thing that I could say it reminded me of was like a sweet horse grain. I know that sounds weird, but really that is what it smelled like. I like that smell, so to me it was enjoyable. The pre-light draw was very smooth, greeting me with notes of earth and a slight sweetness, very nice. After lighting, the first draw met me with notes of pepper and cedar. The pepper was very strong at this point, especially on the retro. Nice start, I am interested to see what it brings me after it warms a little. About an inch in now, the pepper has moved from the front to only being on the retro, and even then it is very light. Notes of nut have moved in, accompanying the cedar notes. These flavors stayed true up until right around the half way point. There, the nuttiness and cedar was joined by what I would call a cinnamon, it is a little peppery but sweet at the same time, and cinnamon is the closest flavor I could relate it to. The smoke is still very smooth, it dries your mouth a little bit, doesn’t completely dry your mouth but it is not chewy or thick either. In the last third, the cinnamon that I as picking up has dropped off just leaving me with the nice cedar and nutty flavors. The smoke has not changed, I was hoping that it would pick up into a thick chewy smoke that I feel would have been a great match for the flavors I was getting, but to no avail. After the cinnamon fell off, the cedar and nuttiness followed me to the very end.
Smoking Characteristics:
The Joya Red performed very well for me, it had a beautiful bright white ash, that would of held on to the midway point, but I accidently knocked it off trying to answer my phone. The burn line was a little wavy, but it stayed even, never needing any touch ups. The draw was excellent and the smoke output was great with big plumes of aromatic smoke. The only thing that kind of got on my nerves was how soft the body was getting. From the start, the body of the cigar got very squishy, not sure why but it was. It didn’t interfere with my smoking experience, but it got me thinking about what it could be. All in all very enjoyable, and a low maintenance smoke.
Conclusion/Overall Impression:
Overall, the Joya Red performed very well. For between 5-8 dollars a stick, I don’t see where you can go wrong, good construction, nice flavors, and no maintenance. I would absolutely buy more of these to put in my box. If you like the flavors that I profiled, and you have not tried these yet, I would suggest giving them a shot.
Once again, Thanks for stopping by and spending some time with me! And remember to keep it on the LEVEL!
Tony
MEAD INFUSION
Mead Cigar Infusion
- Distiller:Unknown
- Region: America
- Approximate Price:???
- Age:???
- ABV:???
- Appearance: Honey/Gold
WHAT IS MEAD?
Mead or honey wine is an alcoholic beverage created by the fermentation of water and honey. Mead’s alcohol content can vary greatly between mild and strong, and it can range between still and sparkling. Similar to grape wine, mead can be dry, semi-sweet, or sweet.
Mead is quite possibly the oldest alcoholic drink in history and may have been accidentally discovered when old tree stumps serving as homes for honey bees were flooded during the rains and the fermentation process took place naturally, only to be found and enjoyed by the people traveling through. It went on to become the preferred drink in the Mediterranean during the Age of Gold. In fact, the word “drunk” in classical Greek translates to “intoxicated with honey”. Honey itself has been held as a sacred food for thousands of years; interestingly it’s the only food found in nature that never spoils!
retrieved from: http://saphousemeadery.com/what-is-mead/
Nose:
The nose on this mead is very interesting. I have personally never had mead, so I am not really sure what it is supposed to smell like, but right now I am getting a very sweet honey note and that is about it.
Palate:
Surprisingly, I am not tasting any alcohol in this wine, even thought I know that it is in there. There is not much depth to this wine, just sweetness. The body is very thick, it actually reminds me of a plum wine, as they are very similar. The fruit that I am picking up is like a papaya, if you have eaten papaya then you know what I am talking about. Very interesting.
Finish:
The finish is very short, lasting less than about 30 seconds, and the flavor profile is the same as on the palate.
Conclusion:
The mead is a very interesting wine to say the least. The aroma is potent, so I am hoping that it made for a good infusion. Only one thing left to do, and that’s to get into it.
CIGAR :
The cigar that Mark used for this infusion is the Urbano Maduro. This cigar is a bundled cigar that you can purchase from Urbano Cigar Company. I have reviewed it before and I am familiar with the profile. If you would like to see the original profile, Type Urbano in the search bar above and check out the review.
Like always I am not going to be reviewing the cigar itself, but rather just changes in the flavor profile and effects the infusing may have had on the cigars construction. So let’s get into it!
THE GOOD STUFF:
Upon removal of the cello that encased the cigar, I immediately started to pick up a familiar aroma. The same sweet notes I got off the nose when reviewing the wine itself. The sweet aroma was very strong along the body of the cigar, accompanied by a wet hay and earth. The pre-light draw was very loose, I am attributing that to the infusion process. The original Urbano cigar was firmly pack with no soft spots, the infused cigar is loosely packed with a good amount of soft spot. I hope they do not affect the cigar later on down the line.
The first draw brought on strong pepper notes, much like the original cigar. The pepper was followed by a slight sweetness on the finish. As I got further into the 1/3rd the pepper feel off the front and moved its way onto the retro, where it stayed throughout the cigar. Getting closer to the 2/3rd, I started to pick up on a familiar leather, it seemed much stronger this time around, but I am not sure if the wine is the reason why. The very sweet finish was short, but noticeable for the time it was there. The biggest change was the amount of smoke that is coming off the cigar. I am guessing because of the more loosely packed body. Being so loose, the tobacco was burning much faster than the original, producing much larger clouds of smoke. As I transitioned fully into the 2/3rd a nice cedar joined the party. The ash was very flaky, it held on up to about the half way point, but it was ugly the entire time. After the ash feel, the problems started. First, a giant tunnel decide to come in and try to ruin everything for me. Luckily I caught it early enough that I could let it rest and fix itself. After the tunnel it was all downhill the cigar became very needy, constantly needing attention. I was constantly having to relight it. Because of all the touch ups and the tunneling, there was a constant bitterness that was just not pleasurable, ruining the rest of the smoke. When I first started to check the body of the cigar, I had a feeling I was going to have issues because of all the soft spots, and sure enough the problem reared their ugly faces.
So what did I think about the infusion? Well, the only thing that really changed was the much stronger sweetness on the finish. The smoke off the foot also changed, it was putting out a much stronger earth and sweet grain aroma. Of course there were big changes in the construction of the cigar. The constant expansion of the cigar, due to the higher levels of humidity, seemed to of stretched the body making the packing much looser, causing a faster burn, more smoke output (which was nice), and tunneling issue (sad face). I am not sure what humidity level Mark is using, but I think that a lower humidity lever for a longer infusion period of time, might help curb the construction issues.
Well folks, there it is! Mark might just be onto something! Just need a little fine tuning!
As always hope you enjoyed it, and remember to always keep it on the level!
Tony
Sancho Panza *Quick Smoke*
Good morning all! I had a little bit of time to get a quick smoke in this morning and I thought that I would share it with you. What I got for you today is the Sancho Panza in Caballero (corona). This Honduran 6.25 x 48 stick comes with a nice, light brown Connecticut wrapper, toothy body, and a nice double cap. On the pre-light draw, I was greeted with notes of earth and a slight leather. The Sancho Panza was a very consistent stick throughout. I honestly had no real transitions. From the beginning to the end, I was picking up flavors of cedar, a nice nuttiness, and a slight pepper on the retro. The flavors were mild to medium, depending on where you were in the smoke. At the start the flavors were mild, picking up to almost medium in the 2/3 and last third. I did have a slight tunnel in the 2/3, but with a little time to cool and a slight touch up we were back in business. All in all, not a bad stick. If you like the flavors I mentioned, give it a shot. I believe you can pick up a box of 20 for around 60 bucks. This stick has received all sort of praises, but to me there are better sticks out there for around the same price. I have a few more of these guys in my humidor, so I am going to give them some time to rest since I just got these in yesterday, and see what happens when I revisit them some time in the future. Until then ALWAYS REMEMBER TO KEEP IT ON THE LEVEL!
Tony
If you like the quick smoke concept let me know below. I will probably be doing more of them along with my normal reviews!
What’s the big deal about BIG ash?
So what is the big deal about big ash? Everywhere you look you see pictures of BOTL and SOTL with their big ashes, but what does it all mean? Is it really that big of a deal? Well, today we are going to look into just that, what does it all mean and what is your ash telling you? Let’s get into it!
As I said earlier, you see pictures all over the net of all these giant ashes, some as long as the cigar itself, but what is the bench mark for a good cigar? Well, within the cigar community 1 inch is the benchmark that has been set. Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with bigger ashes, but at a minimum 1 inch is what you want to reach. But why? Because I said so. Just kidding! It is because better quality leaves create a denser ash which stay on longer because it is a denser and stronger ash. Why does a longer ash matter? As the smoke travels through a longer ash, it is given the opportunity to cool, making the smoke cooler and smoother, thus enhancing your smoking experience. For example, have you ever been smoking a cigar and when the ash falls down the flavor profile completely changed? Well that is due to the smoke not being able to cool while traveling through the ash, therefore making the smoke hotter and changing the profile.
When my ash does fall, what should I be looking for? When your ash does decide to fall, hopefully after an inch, what you want to see is a nice cone shaped ash, and here is why. The leaf at the center of your cigar, that one that gives your cigar its flavor, is known as the ligero leaf and better quality cigars will have more of it. This leaf is made from the leaves at the top of the tobacco plant which will have the most flavor and will be the most bold due to them having a higher concentration of nicotine and all the things that make your cigar good. This youthful concentration makes the leaf burn slower than the leaf used on the outside of the cigar, thus creating a nice cone shaped ash.
What about the way the cigar is made, does that affect the ash? The ash of a cigar will tell you a lot about how a cigar was made. If your cigar was made with long, quality leaves than the cigar should have a solid, nicely stacked ash that will most likely go right past that one inch benchmark. But, if your cigar was made with torn or short leaves, than typically the ash will not be able to hold on past the one inch mark. You will have similar effects if your cigar was not rolled firmly enough, besides not reaching the one inch mark, you will experience flakiness and crumbling in the ash.
Everything that we have talked about above is very important when inspecting your cigar, but there is still one more story your ash is trying to tell when it displays its beautiful ash to you. That is the story of where it came from, well maybe not where it came from, but rather, what type of soil environment the tobacco was grown in. Soil contains many different chemical and mineral deposits, and all of these are carried into the tobacco leaf when the tobacco soaks up the water from the soil, causing different colors in your cigar ash. Take cigars that are made from central Cuban Remedios tobacco, this tobacco produces a near white ash. Unlike cigars made from Vuelta Abajo tobacco that produces a gray ash with white veins. The difference in the color is caused by the different mineral in the soil, Remedios soil is predominantly potassium, whereas Abajo Vuelta soil is full of different minerals in roughly even amounts. Anyone of these two colors are signs of a good cigar, it’s when you start getting cigars with more black than white, or all black ash, that you should start to worry. This means the tobacco was grown in a mineral poor environment, and the tobacco did not receive all the nutrients it needed in order to reach maximum performance. Ash like this will usually cause a very unpleasant taste and smell.
With all this being said, it doesn’t matter if you have the best leaves in the world rolled by the best roller in the world, if you mistreat your cigar while smoking you will never reach your one inch benchmark. Take care of your cigar while smoking, draw easy and don’t treat it like a drum stick banging it on everything. Be good to your cigar and your cigar will be good to you.
And there it is folks, why a big ash is such a big deal! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed it, and remember ALWAYS keep it on the LEVEL!
Tony
Villiger Colorado
Name: Villiger Colorado
Size: 5.5 x 54
Wrapper: Jalapa Colorado
Binder: Esteli Habano and Ometepe Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan
Shape: Double Robusto
Price: $9.00
Introduction:
The Villiger Colorado has been eye-balling me for the last two months as it sat in my humidor, almost screaming at me every time I opened my humidor. Well good buddy, today is the day you get your chance to impress me. Villiger Cigars North America is actually a sister company that was created in order to service the cigar enthusiast here in the United States. Villiger Sons Limited, the original company, was established in 1888 in a small town in Switzerland by the name of Pfeffikon, and is still located there today, acting as the company’s headquarters. The Villiger Cigar Company is definitely not a new kid on the block! Now that we have all of that out of the way, let’s get into it!
Appearance/Construction:
The Villiger Colorado is an absolute pleasure to look at. This Double Robusto is wrapped in a very appealing dark, oily, and slightly toothy Jalapa Colorado wrapper. It has a clean double cap, could be triple, I can’t really tell because the line are almost invisible. The body is slightly veiny with invisible seams and is tightly packed. The double band on this cigar is just like the cigar, very appealing. You can tell this cigar is very well made, as soon as you get it in your hands. TWO THUMBS UP!
Flavor/Taste & Aroma:
The aromas coming off the body of this beautiful stick were notes of dark chocolate and a slight nuttiness. After the cutting, a slightly tight pre-light draw, that I hope opens up, brought me notes of earth and a slight sweetness. The first draw after lighting, meet me with notes of pepper and a nice sweetness, the pepper being the most prominent. I was really expecting something a little different, but we will see what happens after we give the cigar a chance to warm up a little bit. Now about an inch in, the pepper has moved from being on the forefront, to really only being noticed on the retro. A very nice nuttiness and chocolate has moved in, along with a thickening of the smoke, making it very chewy and enjoyable. As I transitioned into the 2/3, the nuttiness that I was picking up has transformed into a nice woody flavor, the chocolate now being very subtle is only on the finish. A lot of transitions were going on at this point, sadly this would be the end of the transition. The wood flavors stayed strong throughout the rest of the cigar. There was a slight dark chocolate that came up every so often on the finish, but really this stick was all about the wood. The smoke stayed chewy and creamy enhancing the wood flavors. The flavors off the Villiger Colorado were mild to medium, and not very complex, but they were enjoyable.
Smoking Characteristics:
The Villiger Colorado, as I expected, performed nicely. On the pre-light draw, the draw felt a little snug, but as I got a little further into the cigar the draw fixed itself. The ash was an even salt and pepper that held on all the way to the half way point before falling in a large heavy ash that actually made a loud thud when it hit the ground. The Villiger had a nice burn rate, taking me just over an hour and twenty minutes to finish up. I did need to do a slight touch up in the 2/3rd, but it was nothing too bad and I actually didn’t give it a chance to fix itself. All in all a very well-constructed cigar, but hey, would you expect anything less from a company that has been around over a decade?
Conclusion/Overall Impression:
Well, The Villiger Colorado was everything that I was expecting from a company as old as they are. Great construction, suitable flavors, and great smoking characteristics. If you are somebody who loves woody flavors in your cigars, then I suggest you check this bad boy out. Personally, I feel that for the price and in this vitola, the Colorado just does not bring enough to the party! I wanted to get more out of it. The wood alone, even with chocolate every so often, was just not enough for me to say “Yup, I want more of these” the way, let’s say, the NUB Double Maduro did. Now I am not saying the cigar wasn’t good, because it was, just that I would like to try some of the other vitolas. I feel that in the right vitola, the wood and the more subtle chocolate would be enhanced and then I could be swayed to get a box!
So there it is my Brother and Sister! I hope you enjoyed it, and always remember to Keep it on the LEVEL!
Tony
Urbano Maduro (Short Filler)
Name: Urbano Maduro
Size: 5 x 50
Wrapper: Maduro
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican short filler
Shape: Robusto
Price: $ 1.00!!!!!!
Introduction:
Hello and welcome back! Today is going to be my first review in a new line of reviews that I am going to call Penny Pinching Cigars!! Now if you are like me, you love to smoke great premium cigars but don’t always have the money to smoke the Padron and the Opus X on an everyday basis. That is why I wanted to start the Penny Pinching Cigars review, because I am on a quest to find great tasting cigars with an even greater price tag! And today’s penny pinching cigar is the Urbano Maduro Short filler. On the Urbano website I could not actually find the short filler, but I did see the mixed filler. I am not sure if they are the same, but for today, the cigars are short filler because that is what the packaging says. Now, just because I am reviewing this stick from Urbano, don’t think that all they make are cheap sticks. The Urbano Cigar Company has a rich history of making handmade premium cigars, many with 90+ ratings. So I am sure if they can make a top of the line premium cigar, they could make a top of the line bundle cigar for us penny pinchers! So let’s get into it!
Appearance/Construction:
The Urbano Maduro comes to me today with a rustic looking, oily, dark Maduro wrapper. It is slightly veiny, and has nice tooth covering the body of the cigar. The foot is a little ugly, seems like it wasn’t cut cleanly and it looks like there is some leaf pushing out of the bottom, but nothing to freak out about. The body is firmly packed, no soft spots, tight invisible seams, and a nice double cap. A very nice looking cigar
Flavor/Taste & Aroma:
The fragrances come off the body and foot are ones of earthiness and a slight hay. The body also has a very subtle cocoa or chocolate aroma; a nice smelling cigar. The pre-light draw gave me notes of earth and hay. The draw was easy and smooth, which I hope stays true during my time spent with this cigar.The first light greets me with flavors of pepper and slight sweetness on the finish. The draw, as I expected, is very nice requiring no effort to get nice plumes of smoke. As I moved further into the 1/3rd, the pepper has fallen off, being replace with a sweet leather and a nice tobacco flavor. The smoke on the draw, being very rich and creamy, compliments the leather flavors very well.Transitioning into the 2/3rd the biggest change was the smoke. The creamy, rich smoke that I was first greeted with disappeared, leaving just a leather and a nice tobacco. At about the half way point the Urbano transitioned away from the leather and was replaced with a very subtle nuttiness. Unfortunately, the nuttiness did not last long. Leaving me with simply a nice tobacco flavor that lasted through the 2/3rd and all the way to the very end. In the last third, a slight pepper did creep in on the finish and was very noticeable on the retro. The smoke also made a comeback becoming very creamy in the last third, just like it was in the 1/3rd. The Urbano finished up with nice tobacco flavors, and a very nice creamy smoke. Not too bad.
Smoking Characteristics:
The Urbano Maduro was a pleasure to smoke. It had a very nice draw, burns line were straight, and burned at a very nice rate. At no point did I feel like I had to work to keep this bad boy alive. Hell, at one point I walked away for probably about 3 minutes and when I came back it was business as usual, like I never left it alone. The ash was a nice salt and pepper color, holding on to the half way point before falling off. All in all a very well-constructed cigar.
Conclusion/Overall Impression:
So in the end, the Urbano Maduro had nice flavors, mild to medium at best, very good construction, great smoke output, and at a buck a stick, it’s certainly a great deal. This would be great humi filler cigar, to give to any moocher friends who really don’t know much about cigars, or to smoke while you are outside finishing up your honey-do list. I would definitely purchase a bundle of these to have, I don’t really see how you could go wrong, but now it has me thinking… if their bundle stick are this good, how good are their premium line?
There it is brother, the first Penny Pincher Review! Keep a look out for more to come!
And always remember to keep it on the level!
Tony
Contact Info:
Urbano Cigars
Tony's Cigar Corner 