Poor Man's Cigar Review thread

Hmm...I might have to try a Tat P4 Mike, thanks for the review! :thumbs:

John, definitely worth a try. I'll be picking up a box soon for an everyday smoke along with the Quinteros.

I have to say, this is turning into a brilliant thread - you're really putting together good, useful reviews. Excellent job.

Intereting thread. On New Years Eve at the urging of my friend who owns a B&M I tried an Oliva series G Maduro perfecto (I think). It's $3.20 and was one of the best smokes I've had. Granted that's not saying much and I certainly couldn't describe it but I'll give it the quick and dirty version. It was full of beautiful white smoke that lingered, nice flavors but not overpowering for the newbness in me. I don't like a lot of spice flavor and this was just about the right amount. Not bitter at all even in the end when it was burning my fingers and the smoke I was drawing was hot. This may end up being my first box purchase.

Marco-Polo said:

I have to say, this is turning into a brilliant thread - you're really putting together good, useful reviews. Excellent job.

Click to expand...

Marco, thanks for the input. Glad you're enjoying them.

Bu11dog said:

Intereting thread. On New Years Eve at the urging of my friend who owns a B&M I tried an Oliva series G Maduro perfecto (I think). It's $3.20 and was one of the best smokes I've had. Granted that's not saying much and I certainly couldn't describe it but I'll give it the quick and dirty version. It was full of beautiful white smoke that lingered, nice flavors but not overpowering for the newbness in me. I don't like a lot of spice flavor and this was just about the right amount. Not bitter at all even in the end when it was burning my fingers and the smoke I was drawing was hot. This may end up being my first box purchase.

Click to expand...

Not sure if I've had the Maduro, but the natural is also good. I may just review that in detail quite soon. For the price, try a Quintero or Tat P as well.

wavescrashing said:

Bu11dog said:

Intereting thread. On New Years Eve at the urging of my friend who owns a B&M I tried an Oliva series G Maduro perfecto (I think). It's $3.20 and was one of the best smokes I've had. Granted that's not saying much and I certainly couldn't describe it but I'll give it the quick and dirty version. It was full of beautiful white smoke that lingered, nice flavors but not overpowering for the newbness in me. I don't like a lot of spice flavor and this was just about the right amount. Not bitter at all even in the end when it was burning my fingers and the smoke I was drawing was hot. This may end up being my first box purchase.

Click to expand...

Not sure if I've had the Maduro, but the natural is also good. I may just review that in detail quite soon. For the price, try a Quintero or Tat P as well.

Click to expand...

Remind me next time we herf Mike, to bring you one of these Oliva G Maddies. Beyond the Band turned me on to them. Not too shabby.

[/quote]

Remind me next time we herf Mike, to bring you one of these Oliva G Maddies. Beyond the Band turned me on to them. Not too shabby.
[/quote]

John, I have one of these in the "soon to be reviewed" rack in my humi. I believe it's a churchill, but I haven't taken a good look at it yet.

Onyx Reserve
Size/shape: Churchill
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan, Peruvian
MSRP: $4.05
Length: 7
Ring Gauge: 50
Manufactured: handmade
Strength: Medium-full bodied

This cigar had an extremely rough dark wrapper with light brown splotches, a rough cap, and large veins. The overall appearance was pretty bad.

Pre-light, the draw was tight with an aroma of dark chocolate and a flavor of slightly sweet chocolate with a hint of pepper.

After torching the foot, the draw was still tight and it wasn't producing a whole lot of smoke. There were hints of pepper and earth with a rich coffee flavor.

A third into the cigar, a tiny bit of sweetness snuck in, the earth went away, and the coffee was dominant. So much so, that at one point I was left with a bitter taste at the roof of my mouth (kind of like a dark black harsh coffee with no sugar). The draw was still a bit tight a thick white ash that would consistently hold for about an inch. The burn became uneven almost immediately.

Halfway, a hint of chocolate and woodiness appeared. The spice was gone and the coffee lightened up, giving the cigar a smooth balance at this point. The draw opened up, but the burn was still uneven. By this point,it nearly went out 3 times.

Last third, the spice came back a bit. Coffee was the strongest flavor (but wasn't overpowering) with a hint of woodiness on the palate. It's a lot smoother than at the beginning. At the very end, the burn evened out and a hint of sweetness came back. This was by far the best part of the smoke.

Overall, this was a decent smoke that delivered some complexity and richness, but until the last third was unbalanced. Once it smoothed out, I tasted the potential, but wouldn't call this an everyday smoke. It is described by many as a full-bodied smoke, but it struck me more as a medium-bodied cigar. I was also craving a thicker smoke throughout the entirety of this stick. I think it'd be safe to say that I'd burn a five pack throughout the year in hopes that age and humi-time improve the draw and overall experience.

Oliva Serie V
Size/shape: Lancero
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Sun Grown
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan long-filler
MSRP: $4.90
Length: 7
Ring Gauge: 38
Manufactured: handmade
Strength: full bodied

This cigar had a smooth quad cap with large veins and a smooth wrapper with light visible oil. Good overall construction.

Pre-light, the draw was slightly tight with a flavor of dark chocolate and a hint of spice.

After lighting, the draw was still a bit tight, but it was producing a lot of thick smoke and rich flavor, which consisted of a bit of pepper with a smooth woodiness.

During the first third, the draw opened up to reveal a hint of leather that jumped in with the hint of pepper and the smooth woodiness. So far, the flavors balanced perfectly. The burn was uneven at this point with a flaky light gray ash that held for 3/4 of an inch at best.

Halfway, Hints of chocolate and sweetness appeared. The spice intensified a bit at this point. The woodiness was still the most dominant flavor, but didn't give the flavor a harshness like other overpowering flavor do at times. The draw gave a bit of resistance, but didn't take away from the stick at all; The burn was still even.

Last third, I tasted a hint of creaminess and the woodiness intensified, but you could still taste the pepper. It all blended nicely. The burn and draw were perfect. I had to relight once towards the very end.

Overall, this was a fantastic cigar with rich complex flavors that found a nice balance and complimented each other well. One thing I found interesting was that I didn't taste the hints of coffee that is often described for the flavor profile of this smoke. It had a thick rich smoke and for the price, I could enjoy one of these everyday.

Thanks for the review on the Onyx Reserve Churchill. I smoked the mini Belicoso(box pressed) all the time, so it was a shocker to see that cigar. I have never had one with a wrapper that bad! Maybe you might consider giving a mini belicoso a try?

Keep up with the reviews! Us poor guys could use a link to some cheaper, yet high quality, stogies. :thumbs:

Oliva Serie G Maduro
Size/shape: Churchill
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
MSRP: $3.15
Length: 7
Ring Gauge: 50
Manufactured: handmade
Strength: Medium bodied

This cigar had a nice amount of oil on the wrapper with large veins, a patch job, and a decent cap. It wasn't too firm (you could definitely feel a bit of sponginess). Overall the appearance/construction was decent at best.

Pre-light, the draw was perfect with a tiny hint of spice on the lips, sweet tobacco, and a chocolate aroma.

After torching the foot, the draw was perfect, producing nice thick smoke. The smooth sweet chocolate flavor was detectable from the first puff, along with a hint of spice.

A third into the cigar, the chocolate flavor was dominant, the spice became a bit stronger, and a hint of coffee popped in. The draw was still fantastic, but the burn was pretty uneven with a flaky light-gray ash that held for just over an inch at a time.

Halfway, the flavors of spice and coffee stayed consistent with the first third. The chocolate had a slight bitterness like a very dark chocolate every few puffs, but wasn't harsh. It only added to the smooth balance and complexity of this stick. The draw was still perfect and the burn, still slightly uneven.

Last third, the sweetness, spice, and chocolate lightened to just a hint of a taste. Coffee was the most dominant flavor, but was smooth and didn't leave a harsh aftertaste like others with a strong coffee taste. A nutty undertone developed at this point as well. Towards the very end of the last third, the coffee and dark chocolate became a bit harsh every few puffs.

Overall, this was a smoothly balanced and complex cigar. 99% of this big ol' churchill was a treat to smoke. In a blind test I'd assume this would be an $8-10 stick. The draw was perfect and the flavors complimented each other very well. My only real complaint would be the burn which stayed uneven throughout the entirety of the smoke. This could definitely be an everyday stick; a real bang for the buck!

I always keep 5 or 6 of these boys in my humi. I have to say for the price these are FANTASTIC smokes! Thanks for the reviews, keep 'em coming!!

La Floridita Premium Maduro
Size/shape: Corona
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Dominican/Nicaraguan
MSRP: $2.40 (most often found much cheaper in bundles)
Length: 5 1/2
Ring Gauge: 42
Manufactured: handmade
Strength: medium bodied

This cigar had a nice cap with small veins and a smooth, dark, and oily wrapper. Great overall construction.

Pre-light, the draw was just right with a hint of spice and straight-forward tobacco. It gave off somewhat of a spicy herbal aroma.

After lighting, the draw was perfect, producing a fair amount of smoke. I could immediately taste a earthy woodiness flavor with a smooth toasty aftertaste. Unlike the pre-light flavors, there were no hints of spice.

During the first third, it was still drawing well, but was burning uneven with a firm white ash that held for about an inch. The woodiness turned into a bit of a grassiness mixed with the earthy taste. A hint of sweetness was also detected.

Halfway, the sweetness was gone, there was now a hint of pepper, and the earth was the dominant flavor. At this point I started getting a creamy aftertaste from the earth and woodiness (that strangely enough, started to dry my mouth out). The burn was still really uneven.

Last third, the pepper was gone, the woodiness was gone, and the dominant earthy taste had a hint of leather. Towards the end of the stick, I picked up on a metallic flavor that was bitter to say the least.

Overall, this was a strange stick that jumped between enjoyable, decent, and unbearable flavors. The complexity was definitely there, but the balance on the other hand was lacking. Maybe with some humi time I'd smoke another a year or two down the road, but this one went down rough. Surprisingly, the aftertaste isn't too bad. This cigar is easily identifiable as a bundle stick IMO.

I've tried the La Unica. The one I tried was awful. It tasted like ammonia and I put it out less than halfway through. It left such an awful taste in my mouth that I didn't have another cigar for days. Maybe it's just me or a really bad stick, but the fact that these type of cigars exist and catch suckers like me and continue to be in business makes me mad. But who knows, maybe they have a cult following of botls that love ammonia and sulphur.

The Ashton benchmade is pretty good for the price. It's a good change of pace cigar and I don't mind having to put it down early.

The Tatuaje P is good also. Very spicy and tastes like a much more expensive cigar.

I bought a box of the Quinteros after I read your review. The jury is still out on these. I think they have potential if I let them sit awhile.

The Oliva is great, but then I like all the Olivas.

I do wish I could find a cheap cigar as good as the Padron 2k. None I've tried are as consistently good as those. But I'll keep looking. That's half the fun.



Love the reviews. Keep them coming!

This is a great thread and I've really enjoyed reading all your reviews. The Oliva G Maduro is one of my cheap go to sticks and your review of it was pretty much right on. Keep it up!

Teaser said:

I've tried the La Unica. The one I tried was awful. It tasted like ammonia and I put it out less than halfway through. It left such an awful taste in my mouth that I didn't have another cigar for days. Maybe it's just me or a really bad stick, but the fact that these type of cigars exist and catch suckers like me and continue to be in business makes me mad. But who knows, maybe they have a cult following of botls that love ammonia and sulphur.

The Ashton benchmade is pretty good for the price. It's a good change of pace cigar and I don't mind having to put it down early.

The Tatuaje P is good also. Very spicy and tastes like a much more expensive cigar.

I bought a box of the Quinteros after I read your review. The jury is still out on these. I think they have potential if I let them sit awhile.

The Oliva is great, but then I like all the Olivas.

I do wish I could find a cheap cigar as good as the Padron 2k. None I've tried are as consistently good as those. But I'll keep looking. That's half the fun.



Love the reviews. Keep them coming!

Click to expand...

Keep reading and hopefully I'll find one for ya!
I think if you rest the quinteros you'll be pleasantly surprised. I've never smoked them off the truck. Thanks for your input.

Cerdan Chamberlain
Size/shape: Toro
Wrapper: Connecticut
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican, long filler
MSRP: $1.60
Length: 6
Ring Gauge: 48
Manufactured: handmade
Strength: medium bodied

You can read the story on the history of the cigar here

This cigar had a decent cap with small light veins and a smooth wrapper with light oil. Good overall construction.

Pre-light, the draw was good with a hint of slightly sweet tobacco. The aroma was that of a light tobacco.

After lighting, the draw was great, producing a nice amount of smoke. The flavor was dominantly sweet with nuttiness and a creamy aftertaste.

During the first third, it was still drawing very well and was burning very evenly with a solid light gray ash that held for nearly an inch and a half. The flavor was still very smooth and mild with the similar sweet and nutty tastes as after lighting.

Halfway, the sweetness was more identifiable as a cinnamon flavor and a creamy taste replaced the nuttiness. The burn was still flawlessly even with the perfect draw. Not very complex so far, but it has a smooth balance.

Last third, the sweet cinnamon died down a bit, the nuttiness still hadn't popped back up, and there were a few puffs that gave off an earthy flavor with a hint of bitterness. The burn stayed perfect throughout. The construction was also spot-on until the end when the head started to unravel and burn hot.

Overall, this a very smooth and balanced stick. There are two flavors that really stand out more than anything, so I wouldn't tag it as a complex cigar, but my goodness, for the price, it's definitely worth trying. Even for a few dollars more, it'd still be a good deal. If you're a mild-medium bodied guy, this is a go to stick for you. I'm considering a box myself even though I'm a full bodied kind of guy. Another thing....when was the last time you had a 26 year old cigar (and for that price)?

Thanks for the review of the Oliva G. I had one yesterday for the first time and found it to be VERY tasty, especially for $3.50. Definately a candidate for everyday smoke for me.

Martimus00 said:

Thanks for the review of the Oliva G. I had one yesterday for the first time and found it to be VERY tasty, especially for $3.50. Definately a candidate for everyday smoke for me.

Click to expand...

Glad you enjoyed. Check out some of the other recommendations on my reviews.

Cupido Criollo Doble Natural
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan, long filler
MSRP: $3.66
Length: 5 1/2
Ring Gauge: 50
Manufactured: handmade
Strength: medium bodied

This cigar had a decent cap with a lot of small dark veins. It had some sponginess to it when squeezed. Nice overall construction and it does help that I like the perfecto shape.

Pre-light, the draw was just right with a flavor of slightly sweet cinnamon. As far as the aroma, I couldn't really detect anything more than a light tobacco scent.

After a quick and painless torching, the draw was great, producing a nice thick smoke. I was getting floral notes and a woodiness with a sweet flavor.

During the first third, it was still drawing perfectly and was burning a bit uneven with a firm layered light gray ash that held for half an inch (it would've held a lot longer if I hadn't clumsily knocked it onto my crotch. The flavor was rich with the woodiness specifically tasting more like cedar at this point. The floral notes were still there, but the sweet taste died out for the most part. A bitter finish started to jump out every few puffs.

Halfway, a hint of spice popped in, the cedar and flowers were still present, and the bitter finish was still there, but it was not a harsh finish at all. The burn became increasingly more uneven, but the draw was outstanding.

Last third, the spice and cedar were the dominant flavors, the floral notes weren't detectable, and a bit of a coffee aftertaste would pop in every few puffs. The spice really blended into a cinnamon flavor at this point, although there was no sweetness. The construction was holding up quite well up to this point and the burn had finally evened out!

Overall, this was a complex, balanced, and flavorful stick. The dominant flavors changed at each stage, yet it maintained a nice balance and never became harsh. Considering this cigar could be had for a lot less than msrp, it really is a steal. This could easily be an everyday stand-by. If you haven't tried it, I encourage you to give it a whirl.