RTDA Smokes and Reviews

OK. I thought I would create a thread to share my experiences and reviews of the newly released cigars from the 2005 RTDA tradeshow in New Orleans. I will try to include bands and pictures where possible.

Rocky Patel Edge Lite

Rocky Patel has taken the wildly successful Edge and toned it down for the milder cigar smoker. He has maintained the same filler and binder, but has put a beautiful light tan Connecticut shade wrapper on it. The wrapper is applied masterfully, with few veins and no "jump out at you" seams. The nose reminds me of the Edge (earth, manure, coffee), but much more subdued. The pre-light draw is excellent in this nice torpedo.

The cigar lit very easily with a Rocky Patel torch and maintained the open draw. Smoke production in my sample was great, though the draw was very tight and smoke production down in my Mate's sample. The burn was dead on and the smoke was very cool throughout the experience. The ash was white and very firm. My sample was very well constructed. Would have to smoke more to make an overall statement.

The taste was much like the pre-light nose...subdued. There were hints of that great Edge flavor, but it was greatly muted by the Connecticut wrapper. The Conn-shade wrapper did provide some creaminess that was missing before, but it seemed to clash with the bold flavors of the binder and filler instead of just smoothing it out. Regardless, there were earthy notes and some black coffee in the cigar. All in all, not a bad tasting cigar, but not for me. I like the Edge maduro and will stick with it.

The Edge Lite is going to be offered in 4 sizes. A robusto (5 x 50), toro (6 x 50), torpedo (6 x 52), and a double corona (7 1/2 x 52). It is offered in boxes of 50 and presented unbanded like the Edge. I think this cigar will find a niche with smokers wanting a lighter smoke. The price points are in line with the Edge. I believe all cigars will be retailing in the $5.00 range. Release date is almost immediate. They should be shipping this month.

Overall, I rate the new Rocky Patel Edge Lite Torpedo a B .

More cigars and reviews to come soon. :thumbs:

Edited per LC-Smoker's request.

cigardawg said:

The nose reminds me of the Edge (earth, manure, coffee), but much more subdued.

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Cow or Horse??? :whistling: :whistling:

Diesel Grinch said:

cigardawg said:

The nose reminds me of the Edge (earth, manure, coffee), but much more subdued.

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Cow or Horse??? :whistling: :whistling:

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Chicken - higher soluble nitrogen content!

Hey Scot, can I offer a suggestion/request. I think alot of people (icluding myself) may use this thread to learn about new products, etc. Could you post some release/shipping dates and MSRP's for these if you know them!

Thanks!!

IgwanaRob said:

Diesel Grinch said:

cigardawg said:

The nose reminds me of the Edge (earth, manure, coffee), but much more subdued.

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Cow or Horse??? :whistling: :whistling:

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Chicken - higher soluble nitrogen content!

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Actually, if you must have specifics...cow.

cigardawg said:

Edited per LC-Smoker's request.

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Thanks Dawg!!

For number 2 in the series, I smoked something a little different. There was a company at the RTDA called Tabacalera del Oriente. They are out of Peru and have released a line of 100% Peruvian cigars. This is the San Martin line.



San Martin Robusto

This was a very nice robusto cigar, measuring around 5 inches by 48 ring gauge. I have already passed on the literature to the store owner that I represented, so I don't have it in front of me. The wrapper was a medium-tan color. There were no large veins and the seams were tight. The pre-light nose was actually similar to a Habano, very earthy and peety. The pre-light draw was open and easy...just right.

The cigar lit easily and the flavors exploded right off the bat. The draw stayed just right and each puff coaxed great mouthfuls of medium-to-full bodied smoke from the cigar. The cigar burned dead even throughout, no touch-up required. The smoked stayed cool all the way down. The ash was medium-gray and a little flakey. Some soft spots formed during smoking, but these did not hurt performance. This cigar was well constructed. I must mention that my Mate smoked the little 4" perfecto in the line. It performed just as well as the parejo. Very well constructed cigar. :thumbs:

The taste from this cigar was pleasantly surprising. I was honestly a bit skeptical...didn't know what a wrapper from Peru would be like. I found it much to my liking. The taste was earthy and peppery on initial lighting. This eased into a woody/earthy mixture that had light herbal and citrus notes. The cigar was rich and had a long finish. The flavor profile stayed pretty consistent, with some additional wood coming out after the 1/2 way mark. This was a very enjoyable cigar. My Mate said the perfecto was a little fire-cracker, so I can't wait to try it.

Really cool when a new cigar is constructed as well and tastes as good as this one. I have to give this cigar an A-.

The San Martin should ship within the month. They have the stock to almost immediately fill orders. These cigars come in boxes of 10 and there are 5 or 6 different sizes. They range in price from $5 to $8. I think these cigars will do well if they can make it into people's hands. I know I'll be getting a box as soon (or before) they hit the shelves.

IgwanaRob said:

Chicken - higher soluble nitrogen content!

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One of Fuente's secrets for success is the use of bat **** on their farms. They have people harvesting it from caves in the DR and bringing it to the farm in bulk.

Isn't there an island off the coast that they basicly mine guano on. 100,000 years of seagull droppings go pretty deep.

this thread went downhill quick! :laugh:

Caribe Cigars, the makers of Camacho, released three new cigars this year. The first that I smoked was the Camacho Black Label. This was also the cigar for which they were holding a naming contest. Currently, this cigar is just the Camacho ?????.



Camacho Black Label Monarch (Robusto Size)

This cigar had a nice dark wrapper, darker than most Camacho Corojos that I have seen. It had a very strong pre-light nose...lots of earth, peet, manure. It smelled very young and very strong. The wrapper had only a couple of veins and the seams were very well applied. The pre-light draw was a little firm, but not really enough to worry me.

The cigar lit up with some work. The ligero in the center just did not want to light. Once I finally got it lit, the draw stayed on the firm side and smoke production was not what I wanted out of it. The cigar also burned very unevenly, requiring me to try to touch it up on several occasions. Also, the cigar's draw became tighter the longer I smoked it. This cigar was work to smoke. The smoke was cool throughout, however. The ash was dark gray and a bit flakey. The cigar formed some soft spots during smoking. Not the best constructed cigar at the show by a stretch.

The initial taste from this cigar was an absolute explosion of black pepper and earthiness. The pepper was almost overwhelming during the first two puffs. It finally settled down and the powerful earth flavors became predominant. It was like a double espresso for a bit before settling down. The earth flavors stayed, but some espresso/coffee flavors joined in. At the 1/2 mark, the cigar lost some of the earthiness and smoothed out, the flavor profile becoming much more enjoyable.

I think the construction problems that I experienced and the fact that this cigar certainly needs to age some contributed to my mixed experience. As the cigar exists today, I have to give it a B-.

This cigar is going to be available almost immediately, but only to stores willing to do the 12-15 box buy-in. I was not able to recommend it to my store owner. The sizes and prices points are more or less identical to the Camacho Corojo.

The next in the series is the new product from Torano. This cigar is called Virtuoso.



Torano Virtuoso Encore

This robusto-sized cigar had a very dark, almost maduro wrapper. I don't have the literature in front of me, so I don't know the origins of the tobacco. I'll try to edit this when I have the info. There were only a couple of minor veins and no visible seams. The cigar was packed solid, but the pre-light draw was easy. The pre-light nose was of fresh mulch and earth with some coffee and maybe vanilla in the background.

The cigar lit easily and the draw stayed open and easy. Smoke production was right on, with each puff creating billows of thick, rich smoke. The cigar burned sharp all the way through, never requiring a touch-up or correction. The smoke was cool and pleasant, never getting hot. The ash was very white and firm, staying on the cigar an inch or more at a time. This was a quality constructed product, like just about everything that Torano makes.

The taste is what caught my attention on this cigar. The flavors were medium-to-full bodied, around the same strength as the 2004 Tribute. It started off with heavy coffee and earth, the coffee flavors keeping to that pleasant bitterness. If you are a black coffee drinker, you know what I am talking about. The earthiness provided some sweetness. At about the 1/3 mark, the cocoa flavors kicked in, creating a very nice ensemble with the coffee and earth. The cocoa flavors reminded me of that present in a PSD 4. They were yummy. As the cigar moved past 1/2 way and into the home stretch, the earth actually increased and a charred taste made its way into the mix. All in all, an excellent tasting cigar. :thumbs:

The Torano Virtuoso is scheduled to start shipping by the end of September. Should be in stores during the first part of October. It will be released in 4 sizes: Encore (4 3/4 x 52), Forte (5 1/2 x 56), Maestro (7 x 50), and the Crescendo (6 1/2 x 54 Torpedo). Retail will be from $6 to $7.50 before taxes. I enjoyed the sample that I smoked very much. I rate it an A- .

What about the new Davidoff???? I'm dying to know if it's anything like the Real <<7>> of last year...

I tried 1 the other day and these are very good smokes...better than the Real <<7>> IMHO. See the review I posted:

Davidoff 2005 LE Review

ggiese said:

What about the new Davidoff???? I'm dying to know if it's anything like the Real <<7>> of last year...

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Shortly after returning from the RTDA, I had the opportunity to finally smoke the La Aurora 1495 sample that I had been given.



La Aurora Serie 1495 Churchill

This was a big, rustic looking cigar with a mottled, chocolate wrapper. There were a couple of sizeable veins, but the seams were almost invisible. The pre-light nose was of coffee and leather with a backing of earth. The pre-light draw was a little firm, but nothing to be concerned with. Nice looking cigar.

The cigar lit easily with a torch, but the draw opened only a little. I had to work a bit on this one as the firm draw and length of the cigar did not go hand in hand. None the less, smoke production was adequate, each puff producing sufficient semi-thick, but rich smoke. The burn was very even, never requiring any touch-ups or corrections. The ash was white and firm, staying on the cigar for an inch or more at a time. The burn was cool for the most part, though a little warm at the end as I had to work hard to draw. I let it rest a bit and th heat went away.

I really like the flavor of this cigar. It reminded me of a cross between the 100 Anos and the Africa. Upon lighting, there was a burst of earth and leather, with some fine bitter coffee thrown in. The earth and coffee became predominant and the leather became more of an afterthought. After a inch or so, some sweet spice was noted (cardamon, clove, ... not sure). This spice jumped in from time to time for the remainder of the smoke. The earth and coffee hung around, though near the mid-point the leather intensified. As the end approached and it got hot, it "bittered-out" some, but once I let it rest, it went back to the delicious earth/coffee/leather combo that was the trademark. Yummmmmmy.

I liked this cigar very much. I wish it had had a better draw. I will most like be looking for this cigar when released. I believe it is scheduled to be shipped in late September, but it may be later. There are, I believe, four sizes to be released (same as the original Africa sizes) that will retail from $6 to $10. For the sample that I smoked, I rate it an A- .

I am quite enjoying these reviews as I have been very curious about some of these cigars since I have heard about them. Thanks for the great reviews. Please keep them coming. :thumbs:

I really can't wait to try the La Aurora 1495. I love almost everything from them. Can't wait...that review made me want it even more. :thumbs:

-Fetter

Next in the series of smokes from the RTDA is the La Fontana Consigliere from Caribe Tobacco, the makers of Camacho. I smoked it while waiting for my Ashton rep to finally meet with me. Here is what I thought.



La Fontana Consigliere

This cigar was a great looking perfecto, one of my absolute favor shapes. The wrapper was a light tan and was very well applied. There were no large veins and the seams were tight. The cigar had no soft spots and appeared to be well packed. The pre-light nose was very mild, mostly coffee and peat. The pre-light draw was great, nice and easy.

This cigar lit right up and had a fantastic draw right off the bat. Smoke production was outstanding...each puff practically hiding my head in a cloud of thick smoke. The burn was dead even, never requiring a touch-up or correction. The cigar burned cool throughout the smoking experience, never getting hot. The ash was very white and firm, requiring me to forcibly knock it off when I did ash it. Construction was absolutely top-notch.

Taste is where this cigar failed. It started off with some decent earth and coffee, but there was a papery quality to the cigar as well as some distinct bitterness on the light. I chalked this up to initial flavors and kept smoking. The cigar did become a bit more creamy as expected from the wrapper, but the bitterness just hung around. Frankly, the finish was worse than the smoke, leaving a bad/bitter taste for a bit after each puff. The papery quality increased, not only being bitter in flavor, but drying my mouth out as well. I smoked it to the 1/2 way mark to see if it would improve. It just got worse. I put it down without finishing it.

I am usually a fan of Caribe products (at least Camacho), but this was not winner. Beautiful cigar and great construction, but a taste I could not abide. It might be right for someone's palate, but definitely not mine. This cigar will be released, I believe, in September and will be available in 3 different perfecto shapes. Pricing will be in the mid-range, from $4 to $6. The sample that I smoked gets rated a B- . The only reason it didn't rate worse was the construction.

Remember; if it's not Scottish, it's CRAP!!!! :laugh:

(sorry...couldn't resist)

OK, since the cigar in my last review sucked, let's move on to one that definitely did not. Now, some of you out there in cyber-cigar-land might remember me posting that I don't like Perdomo products and that I think most Cameroon wrapped cigars are bland. Well...I happy to eat some crow. :0



Edicion de Silvio Cameroon Grovey

The Grovey and one other size are the only two releases in the Edicion de Silvio that have Cameroon wrappers. Perdomo states that they are using a Grade A, 12 year old wrapper. Whatever the truth of this, this toro-sized cigar looked fantastic. A nice light brown, leathery looking wrapper. There were some minor veins, but the seams were almost invisible. The pre-light nose was of wood and leather with a nice backing of earth. There was a bit of spice there too, but I couldn't place which. The pre-light draw was heavenly, nice and easy.

As I sat listening to the Perdomo salesman tell me about the new lines, I clipped and lit this cigar. It flamed easily and lit evenly across the foot. The draw remained open, just perfect for this size cigar. With each puff, I was rewarded with thick mouthfuls of rich smoke that just hung in the air around me after I expelled it. Fantastic. :thumbs: The burn was dead even, never requiring me to even think about it. The smoke was cool throughout, never warming up even at the nub. The ash was white and firm, with the tiny bumps on the ash from the toothy Cameroon wrapper. Absolute perfect construction.

OK, now we get to the taste. Remember, I think Cameroon wrappers are bland. This cigar started with big flavors of cedar, leather, and coffee. There was a backing of spice...closer to cinnamon than anything else. After the first inch or so, the leather faded and was replaced by just a touch of earthiness to perfectly balance the cedar and coffee. The smoke was medium-to-full bodied, but there was no bite at all and no nicotine build...just an incredibly smooth smoke. At the 1/2 way mark, the coffee increased and the cedar faded to a milder wood. Once again, the earth changed to balance the two. I smoked it down until I couldn't hold it anymore. Out-freakin'-standing!

I don't really mind eating crow when the cigar tastes this good. If I had one of these sitting next to an Opus, I'm not sure of which I would smoke. Would have to depend on my mood. Of the cigars that I smoked at the RTDA (and after), this was the best. NOTE: I still have many to smoke. I rate this cigar an A+ . If you get the chance, try this cigar. I hope you like it as much as I did.