Blind Cigar Reviews

Welcome to the Review Section of the Blind Cigar Review - PIF!

This is where people will be posting the reviews they have done on cigars recieved in the Blind Cigar Review - PIF.

The criteria for the review is the following: To do a "blind" review of a cigar. :whistling:

I would recommend taking review notes about the cigar as you are smoking it and then comeing back and posting your review. After you have smoked your cigar, look at the band that was sent (and hopefully hidden). When you post your review, please list the cigar at the top of the review. I will do my best to update this thread with links to each cigar's review, so we can have a little database of cigar reviews.

Some people may review cigars better than others; this isn't a place only for those people who can write good reviews. It is a place to share your experience of this unknown cigar. Some things you may want to comment on are appearance, smell, ash, size, shape, taste, your setting ... you can even include pictures if you would like. :thumbs: Rod has recently included a Cigar Review picture gallery, so make sure you post your pictures into an album on CP and make it part of the Cigar Review galleries.

Some helpful reference links:

Five Steps to Blind Tasting a Cigar
Cigar Tasting 101
Cigar Reviews, A Collection of Tips and Hints
Refining Your Palate
Tasting Primer, How Too
Factors that may affect the taste of a cigar.

Enjoy!
- C

Guinea Pigs:
Ginseng, tigger, CasaSoho, Jeff1101, cuppajack, BurntTounge, CgarDan, Mr Wolf, stevehawk, insight, AngryFishH, Mark Twain, bilder, grateful1, denverdog, bfreebern , NullSmurf, Satchmo, Newfie, Jeff1101, stevehawk, smellysell, davidr2340, tomthirtysix, mmburtch, Phlicker, ckeller52, jfields, wanlail, Treamayne, Boogs34, rob300c, Blue Dragon, Insight, Michal, Enerjay, Blue Dragon, tkoepp, cuppajack, brickhouse, wanlail, Putz Muligan, Mr. Mac, humboldtflyer, ChiTown_Huck, tkoepp, Mr. Wolf, bilder, smoke76, tsmckenney, CigarStone, mr.mac ...


Cigars Reviewed:
Arturo Fuente Cuban Belicoso SG, Arturo Fuente King B, AVO #2 Maduro, Bauza Piramide, CAO Soprano, Carlos Torano Signature Churchill, Cigar International Blue Label (Matasa), Cusano Corojo '97, Diamond Crown Maximus #5, Don Tomas Classico Natural, ERDM Choix Supreme, Ghurka Legend Robusto, Graycliff Professionale Toro, Illusione 88 - Robusto, K. Hansotia Blend 101, La Flor Coranado, La Flor Dominicana Reserva Especial Figurado, La Gloria Cubana Wavell Maduro, La Libertad, Marcus Daniel Sun Grown "Affluence", Maria Mancini Magic Mountain, Montecristo #2, Montecristo Especial '99, Montecristo Petit Edmundo '06, Padilla Edicion Especial 2006 Achilles, Padilla Hybrid Robusto, Padron 5000 Maduro, Partagas PSD No. 3 EL 2006, Rocky Patel Edge Missle, Rocky Patel OSG Torpedo, Rocky Patel Vintage 1990, Romeo y Julieta Cazadore, Sancho Panza Double Maduro La Mancha, Tatuaje Regios, Tatuaje ER "Zona del Este", Vegas Robinia Unicos, Victor Sinclair Series '55' Cameroon (yellow), Zino Platinum Scepter Low Rider

Copyrighted material removed by author.

Thanks for kicking off the blind reviews my friend. I have had mixed impressions myself from this cigar. I have some friends in Reno that swear by this cigar. The first batch seemed to smoke differently than these, and I wanted to hear an unbiased review. I knew you would give it an honest shot.

Thanks again!
- C

Thank you, Cory, for giving me the opportunity to kick this baby off.

Even though this was not a great cigar, I appreciate the opportunity to experience something new. Every experience has value. :thumbs:

I'm looking forward to tigger's review of his mystery stick.

Wilkey

Excellent review Wilkey, even more so due to the lack of enjoyment.
Definately an art you should be proud of.

Brian

I was very eager to try Ginseng's Mystery Cigar and get a review done, so I went home a lunchtime, poured a glass of water, and had at it. The charger for my digital camera is MIA in my recent move, so I took some pics with a disposable camera. I'll post them when they're developed.

When those pics show up, you'll see that I'm being honest about my foolishness...I took notes as I smoked the cigar, then looked at the band.

Initial Impressions:

This is a nice-looking pyramid. It has a slight box-press. The foot and body have the aroma of fine Havana tobacco. It looks like there's a little bit of tooth in the beigeish-colored wrapper, which has small veins throughout. Construction looks and feels solid - no soft or hard spots, and it weighs well in my hand.

It clipped cleanly, and drew well, with rich tobacco flavor and aroma. The foot toasted easily and evenly, turning a dark gray color.

The smoking of it:

First Inch or so-
The first few smooth draws through the first inch provide sweet, earthy cocoa flavors, reminicent of some Monte #2's I've smoked. It initially seems medium bodied.

Second Inch or so-
It's picking up strength, with coffee (a not unpleasant bitterness) and light tangy flavors throughout. Cocoa also remains, with a slight note of cinnamon/spice starting to creep in. The ash is a bit flaky, but holding up well. Its tangy finish lingers in my mouth. It's building to the heavy side of medium or light side of heavy in body. Very gray ash remains - this is no doubt Cuban tobacco. I'd be very surprised if it were anything but a Montecristo #2...it's too heavy to be an Upmann or Diplomaticos, it's clearly not a Cohiba, and the wrapper is too light to be a "maduro."

Third Inch or so-
It starts out much the same as the 2nd inch, but with more of everything. The tangy finish has built to a citrus flavor...there's almost a tart berry taste to it.

I'm not much of one for smoking through my nose, and when I try it with this cigar, all I get is strength.

The ash falls off around the third inch.

Fourth Inch or through the end or so-
This is like smoking dessert. Strong coffee/espresso, cocoa and spice flavors abound, with the light citrus/berry flavors building some. It's strong, full bodied, and delicious. The burn isn't razor thin, but it doesn't need any help until near the end, where a little touch-up seems like a good idea. I burn it down to around an inch, where its strength is too much for my empty stomach.

The Unveiling
It's quite full -bodied, but this has to be a Monte #2, and a fine example of one at that. No doubt in my mind. Whatsoever. I'm taking out my knife, and slitting open the paper that contains the band, ready to find the small brown and white band. I'm opening the paper up...WHAT?!?!?!? The band is too big! There's a gold "R" where the fleur-de-lis belongs!

It's a Vegas Robaina Unicos. It's been several years since I've had one. I'd forgotten they even existed.

Thank you Wilkey, for a great smoking experience on my back porch. And to Blue Dragon for concocting the Blind PIF idea. I hope CasaSoho enjoys participating half as much as I have.

I'm off to find some food now. Nah, I think I'll order a box of VR's instead. After all, why eat when you can smoke?

TGP

Nice Review Tigger! Cory this was a great idea you had :thumbs:

Great review, Tim! What a fun read.

That Unicos came from code ROA ENE06 so it's fairly young by most accounts. Still, this one has excellent potential. From what I've heard, this compares quite well to the 2006 Monte 2's.

One of my first Habanos boxes was the VR Familiar and that little stick turned me on to the marca in a bad way. There isn't a bad one in the line. Just ask "Mr. Famoso," Strayvector.

I'm glad you enjoyed!

Wilkey

Very nice review!

The pics always add another dimension to the reader.

Brian

Nice reviews!!

Very nice job on the reviews. It is going to be tough to live up to the standard that you two have set.

True. I mean what can you possibly have to say about smokin' a Backwoods Dark 'n Sweet?

tigger said:

True. I mean what can you possibly have to say about smokin' a Backwoods Dark 'n Sweet?

Click to expand...

Tim,

The least you could have done was send him the "Rum Soaked."

Wilkey

Ginseng said:

tigger said:

True. I mean what can you possibly have to say about smokin' a Backwoods Dark 'n Sweet?

Click to expand...

Tim,

The least you could have done was send him the "Rum Soaked."

Wilkey

Click to expand...

I'll just do my review right now then:

Backwoods cigars were introduced nationally in 1981 and were an overnight success. Their unique structure and look -"WILD & MILD" as it was called, with a frayed end, tapered body and unfinished head, had great appeal to me.

I identified the cigar's image with the cowboy smoke from America's wild west. The rustically designed airtight foil pouch, added to that look and, importantly maintained the cigar's high moisture level.

The cigars' unique style, taste, aroma and package has made Backwoods the number one selling all natural cigar in the world.



I've never smoked anything with a shagged foot before, this is going to be great!

CasaSoho,

I like your style. :thumbs:

Wilkey

I like Backwoods :blush:

Wilkey -

The Dark n' Sweet is the mystery cigar. I figured the rum scent would be a dead giveaway, so I just included that as one of the other two in the pass. I'm not a complete cheapskate, you know.

And I will cop to buying a package of the dark ones every few years for backpacking and the like. :blush:

Upon opening the Priority Mail box received from tigger last Friday; I was immediately fired up over the cigars he knocked off my wish list as part of the PIF. The two banded cigars provided me with enough faith that his mystery selection would be more than worthy of my Saturday birthday line up. After returning from lunch at one of my favorite restaurants I was primed up for a good cigar. I had brought along a Casa Fuente CG with me to the restaurant; however their outdoor patio was closed despite the excellent sunny autumn weather we were experiencing. It was now nearly 4 o'clock and I had yet to light up as planned. I mixed what will likely be the seasons' last Mojito for myself and a Jack and Coke for the wife and we made our way out the patio for a smoke in front of the fire pit.

While reaching in to the humi for the night's mystery stick (5 7/8 x 50) I noticed the color of the wrapper was nothing like any of the other sticks sitting next to it. Although it was equally saturated in color to some, appearing no lighter or darker; it was of a completely different hue than the rest. More gray in appearance. Not so much that I would have identified the color variation on its own, but unmistakable when grouped with other cigars. The wrapper was silky smooth to touch and very sponge like after I applied a small amount of pressure between my finger tips. The feel didn't worry me too much as the triple capped cigar appeared to be very well constructed and a pre-light draw yielded good results.

After a flawless cut with my new Palio cutter recieved that morning (thaks to my wife and Mark at Cigarmony for helping her out), I toasted the foot with my X-Tend lighter before fully lighting. This was the last time I would pick my lighter up. The initial draws were very easy and brought forth a straight tobacco taste, though muted, very mild. I was unable pick up on a flavors beyond pure tobacco and it was here where I began to form a very premature opinion of what this cigar could be that would really cost me later.

Surprisingly the first ash fell off the foot of the cigar a little under a inch in to the smoke. Though the cigar continued to burn well and exhibit excellent smoke volume. It was after the initial ash drop that this cigar began to show some complexity, picking up hints of black pepper. I had originally noted some sweetness within the smoke, however after some help from the wife I had determined it was coming from my Mojito rather than the cigar.

As the cigar progressed it became increasingly hot on the lips, the wife complained that hers were tingly and cool after a draw and I picked up on a little of the same sensation. I would say this is partly the responsibility of a loose filler and I should share some of the blame with the rate the cigar was smoked at. It was towards the end of the cigar that the flavors really started to show through the tobbacco. That straight forward tobacco taste was still there for sure, however it was now complimented by an increasingly spicy black pepper, ceder, roasted red pepper and another flavor I had trouble identifying. I seem to recall people using terms like hay and barnyard, particularly in referencing Habanos.

I could not quite bring this cigar to the nub that I wanted as the flavors eventually did fall to the power of the heat. So rather than toss this young warrior to the stink of the trash or elements of the lawn, I gave it a proper send off, freeing its spirit through the hot ashes of the fire. At this point I start to play the guessing game on what I had just smoked. It's too bad I already made up my mind, quite possibly prior to even smoking it. After tigger had knocked 2 items off my wish list, I couldn't get it out of my head that 3rd cigar must be of the same intention. Although milder and more well rounded, the initial draw of straight tobacco reminded me much of the flavor within the Quintero Brevas. Not to say the mystery cigar was comparable to a $2 machine made cuban, it certainly was of a higher caliber, I just noticed similarities in this one flavor aspect. The ash was dark, not quite as dark as most Habanos I have tried, but dark enough I couldn't rule it out. Hell, I probably saw it as being darker than it was I was so convinced at this point that tigger went ahead a knocked one of the 8 remaining Habanos marcas off my wish list, really less than that when you disqualify the machine made. When my preconceptions were mixed with a completely unfamiliar cigar, I think I started to judge on everything beyond the cigar itself. I clearly missed the boat on several clues that should have brought me elsewhere. The most important being the type of spicy pepper taste I personally have only experienced in NCs. I think it also very possible that missed out on certain flavors as a result of looking for traits that would back up my initial thoughts. I would certainly like to give this cigar another try without trying to make it something it wasn't. I think this experience speaks to the tricks your mind can play on you if you don't go in with a clean slate. And despite the cigar arriving unbanded, I still had the information of the cigars that traveled with it and who the sender was. I think these outside factors could fade in time, with further reviews and further experiences through out the cigar world. I am far from trying even half of what is out there. I'm sure those who have experienced more are able to exhibit more conviction with so little unknown to them. The only redemption felt after freeing the band from the envelope was that this was a brand I had yet to try and that I had not missed the mark on something I smoked before. So, as I reached in to the envelope, here is the band that emerged... :0
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Graycliff Professionale Toro
- I capped the night off with a Graycliff Espresso I had in my humi (courtesy of marsheldon). I found both to be good smokes, preferring the flavors of the espresso. I would and will smoke both again. :thumbs:

Very nicely done!

Enjoyable reading, thanks Casa.

You guys are setting a high bar - well done!

Brian