Mark Twain
Call me Ishmael.
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2006
- Messages
- 1,626
1.) Master Series Honeyboy ... Perfecto 4.5x38 -Infinity
I chose my lower deck this morning to review the smallest stick.
This is a nice looking vitola from the Avalon range, a few green spots but nothing to worry about. Reminded me somewhat of the Hemingway Short Story. The cut was effortless, pre-draw had an earthy taste, the draw itself was very easy, just right.
Cigar
I torched the little stick and found a pleasant draw, lots of smoke. The burn was a little uneven for about 1/4 of an inch but it soon corrected itself and burnt even for the duration of the smoke. The nose was mild, the taste a combination of earthy, grassy and nutty, quite pleasant. The ash was white and quite firm.
Burn1
Burn2
Just before the half way point I caught a tinge of fruity but it didn't last too long, perhaps with a bit of age the fruity taste will linger a little longer.
Burn3
The ash fell off just at the halfway point revealing a perfect cone. The taste was very pleasant at this stage, earthy, grassy and a little more nutty.
Burn4
Burn5
Burn6
I thoroughly enjoyed this stick and ended up smoking down to the nub.
Burn6
Finial
According to the French/Swiss rating, I gave it an 18/20 which equates to a 90/100. Well deserved in my opinion.- Infinity
2.) Cuppajack
For the final review of the Avalon Cigars panel I smoked a cigar from their “Master’s Series:” a short and stubby perfecto from the “Honeyboy” line named the “Honeyboy Edwards.” At 4.5 inches and a girth greater than the listed 38-ring the Honeyboy fits in between the Short Story and the Best Seller to use some better-known short perfectos as comparison. To further this comparison the stick is also wrapped in Cameroon leaf, though it is some of the more rustic Cameroon tobacco that I’ve seen. Toothy, veined, and spotted this stick wouldn’t win any traditional beauty contests, but the roll felt even and firm and it sure took to flame well. I was happily blazing away from the very first puff, with none of the wonky burn and draw issues that I often see in other cigars with this shape. Initial flavor impressions were a distinct honey-sweetness and chilies, though there was an underlying bitterness that lingered on the pallet. I should add that I’m not a huge fan of Cameroon wrappers and while the distinct flavor of Cameroon leaf that I dislike was understated in this stick it was still present.
The burn-line cruised through the “nipple” and into the widest section of the stick without issue, and the flavors developed in body and strength to a pleasing medium-full. Unfortunately the bitterness I was experiencing also became more pronounced as the body developed. I suspect I may have been over-smoking the stick as the draw was a tad too firm and I was smoking fast. I think this stick would benefit from a tall-glass of something brown and a more languid pace. After the first third the profile really came alive and the bitterness began to subside as I forced myself to take my time with the stick. It was still smoking too hot, but the sweet and spicy tones intensified and I began to pick-up on some floral and citrus notes (orange blossom?)
The draw remained tight, but the stick demonstrated the finest construction of the three Avalon Cigars I’d smoked with a firm, white ash and a razor steady burn-line. The profile, despite the lingering bitterness, was balanced and meaty with a nice complexity that held my interest through the brief 4.5 inches. The Stick scored a mark-low of 11.3, which was attributed to the too-tight draw and off-notes in the flavor profile. Again, I think the Cameroon wrapper negatively impacted my opinion, however this was one of the more-agreeable Cameroon sticks I’ve smoked recently and if you are a fan of medium-full bodied smokes and Cameroon leaf I would recommend the Honeyboy Edwards. The stick is listed with an MSRP of $9.25, and I’ll defer to a Cameroon connoisseur on if the stick is worth that price tag.-Cuppajack
3.) -MiamiCubano
The next up for the on-going series of Avalon Cigar reviews is the "honeyboy."
Specimen - Honeyboy (Avalon Cigars)
Specs -
4.5 x 38 (Figurado)
Wrapper - Light Cameroon
Binder/Filler - Unsure, but presumably the same as the "Ebony" blend.
Also, supposedly aged via "pecan" aging
Out of a possible "25" on the scoring sheet, this one received a 13.5 This was the lowest scoring of the bunch and, actually, the one I was looking the most forward to trying. This one looked much like it was attempting to emulate a short-story in shape, but was worlds apart in terms of flavor profile. It is a stick that looks very nicely made, and had a very nice feel to it. Initial aromas were of a slight barnyard description, but not so firmly in the ISOM sense of that term. After clipping this, the pre-light draw was surprisingly tight. Almost very, very slightly plugged, but it made for a tougher than normal draw. Initial tastes were of earthiness, woodiness and grass/hay. No real spice here, no real pepper, no deep tones of cocoa or leather. Just forest, earth and hay. I don't know what attributes the "pecan aging" is supposed to impart, but it is apparently lost on me. It is definitely more in the medium-bodied category of the sticks these boys sent, but it's not a medium-to-full kind of stick as described on Avalon's site. Those flavors never develop throughout the stick and, for essentially the entire life of this little stick, the flavor profile stayed very one-dimensional (i.e., with the flavors being those described above, and never straying from that profile at all). It's not at all a bad-tasting stick...decent in fact...just not complex at all, nothing developing, nothing fading in and out...it just being a very earthy stick and staying so throughout.
Outside of the very slight plug issues this one had, it did burn evenly and held its light gray to whitish ash nicely for a stick of this size.
Final picture
This is all going to come down to price point on this one too. What does this one go for? If it is a cheapy, it might be worth it. For those wanting a step up from a truly mild cigar, this would be it. For those wanting complexity and a fuller-body to their sticks, this one probably should be avoided.
-MiamiCubano
4.) Avalon Cigar Review - PSTAN
First installment of a review of three cigars, one from each of the Masters Series.
The Masters Series lineup and description from the Avalon Cigar website.
1st Cigar: HoneyBoy Edwards, 4-1/2 x 38
Initial impression: Very firm feel, the wrapper has numerous veins and a few water spots. The end cap is the “flat style” and the foot of the cigar has an additional wrapper on the end to help tie the Figurado shape together with the body’s wrapper. The unlit aroma is mild, mixture of tobacco and leather, no hints of black or white pepper. It smells good enough to make me start to salivate in anticipation of lighting it up (two weeks and no cigars thanks to sinus and allergies). This cigar does feel “heavy handed” for its size. The unlit draw is on the medium/firm side and yields a mild creamy tobacco flavor.
Now to enjoy a smoke with a glass of water to keep the mouth moist during the lunch hour.
1st ¼: Not much smoke, uneven burn and a little bitterness until the burn gets into the larger OD of the cigar. The bitterness fades but the smoke amount doesn’t increase. The burn edge ranges from sharp to broad and slightly uneven. What smoke is being made is now creamy tobacco. The ash is firm and ranges in color from mostly light grey to splotches of dark grey with cracks. The burn becomes uneven but corrects itself by start of 2nd 1/4.
Foot
2nd ¼: Nosing smoke is mild, a little creamy with a distinct aroma that I
can’t place, the flavor is still a creamy tobacco. Starting to produce more smoke but is getting warm. The burn is uneven again but the burn zone ranges from sharp to medium. I ashed it which left a small/medium size cone with a good burn sharp zone.
3rd ¼: Flavor remains the same however the smoke is getting warmer so I let is rest for a little bit and it cooled but became a little ashy/bitter tasting. Time to purge which brought the cigar back to the flavor it was before, creamy tobacco. Towards the end of the quarter the ashy/bitter flavor starts to return. Ashed again, mostly flat with a very small cone remaining with an uneven sharp burn zone.
4th ¼: Smoke cooled down enough between puffs but became somewhat sharp/acidic to the lips with a slightly uneven burn.
Overall construction of the cigar was on the rough side and the flavor always returned to a consistent creamy tobacco after ashing and a purge. The cigar burned slow and it lasted me 50 minutes. This may become a better cigar with a little more age on it and maintained at a higher humidity level, my coolidor is at 65RH. In terms of price comparison this one is more along the lines of a $5 to $7 cigar.
5.) Honeyboy- Tkoepp
The first third started out fine, but then the pecan flavor came through and it was too much. Did not enjoy the cigar’s flavor and had to put it down early.
6.) Honey boy- Mark Twain
This was the last cigar I smoked in the review process. It is a short perfecto shape and a complete departure from the other two Avalon Juke series cigars that I smoked. The construction was good. It had a nice bunch and a fairly smooth wrapper. The draw was easy and the nipple tip made for an even burn.
Cigar
The smoke was flavorful and had a very fragrant smell from the moment I light it. My first impression was a nice fruity taste that remained consistent throughout the smoke. The finish was smooth and really made the cigar stand out. I noticed a light taste of sweet orange peel on the finish that lingered for a good length of time.
Burn
I found this cigar to be very consistent in construction, burn characteristics and flavor. I believe that this consistency paved the way for an enjoyable smoking experience that was unique and memorable.
Score: 19 out of 20 possible points.
I chose my lower deck this morning to review the smallest stick.
This is a nice looking vitola from the Avalon range, a few green spots but nothing to worry about. Reminded me somewhat of the Hemingway Short Story. The cut was effortless, pre-draw had an earthy taste, the draw itself was very easy, just right.
Cigar
I torched the little stick and found a pleasant draw, lots of smoke. The burn was a little uneven for about 1/4 of an inch but it soon corrected itself and burnt even for the duration of the smoke. The nose was mild, the taste a combination of earthy, grassy and nutty, quite pleasant. The ash was white and quite firm.
Burn1
Burn2
Just before the half way point I caught a tinge of fruity but it didn't last too long, perhaps with a bit of age the fruity taste will linger a little longer.
Burn3
The ash fell off just at the halfway point revealing a perfect cone. The taste was very pleasant at this stage, earthy, grassy and a little more nutty.
Burn4
Burn5
Burn6
I thoroughly enjoyed this stick and ended up smoking down to the nub.
Burn6
Finial
According to the French/Swiss rating, I gave it an 18/20 which equates to a 90/100. Well deserved in my opinion.- Infinity
2.) Cuppajack
For the final review of the Avalon Cigars panel I smoked a cigar from their “Master’s Series:” a short and stubby perfecto from the “Honeyboy” line named the “Honeyboy Edwards.” At 4.5 inches and a girth greater than the listed 38-ring the Honeyboy fits in between the Short Story and the Best Seller to use some better-known short perfectos as comparison. To further this comparison the stick is also wrapped in Cameroon leaf, though it is some of the more rustic Cameroon tobacco that I’ve seen. Toothy, veined, and spotted this stick wouldn’t win any traditional beauty contests, but the roll felt even and firm and it sure took to flame well. I was happily blazing away from the very first puff, with none of the wonky burn and draw issues that I often see in other cigars with this shape. Initial flavor impressions were a distinct honey-sweetness and chilies, though there was an underlying bitterness that lingered on the pallet. I should add that I’m not a huge fan of Cameroon wrappers and while the distinct flavor of Cameroon leaf that I dislike was understated in this stick it was still present.
The burn-line cruised through the “nipple” and into the widest section of the stick without issue, and the flavors developed in body and strength to a pleasing medium-full. Unfortunately the bitterness I was experiencing also became more pronounced as the body developed. I suspect I may have been over-smoking the stick as the draw was a tad too firm and I was smoking fast. I think this stick would benefit from a tall-glass of something brown and a more languid pace. After the first third the profile really came alive and the bitterness began to subside as I forced myself to take my time with the stick. It was still smoking too hot, but the sweet and spicy tones intensified and I began to pick-up on some floral and citrus notes (orange blossom?)
The draw remained tight, but the stick demonstrated the finest construction of the three Avalon Cigars I’d smoked with a firm, white ash and a razor steady burn-line. The profile, despite the lingering bitterness, was balanced and meaty with a nice complexity that held my interest through the brief 4.5 inches. The Stick scored a mark-low of 11.3, which was attributed to the too-tight draw and off-notes in the flavor profile. Again, I think the Cameroon wrapper negatively impacted my opinion, however this was one of the more-agreeable Cameroon sticks I’ve smoked recently and if you are a fan of medium-full bodied smokes and Cameroon leaf I would recommend the Honeyboy Edwards. The stick is listed with an MSRP of $9.25, and I’ll defer to a Cameroon connoisseur on if the stick is worth that price tag.-Cuppajack
3.) -MiamiCubano
The next up for the on-going series of Avalon Cigar reviews is the "honeyboy."
Specimen - Honeyboy (Avalon Cigars)
Specs -
4.5 x 38 (Figurado)
Wrapper - Light Cameroon
Binder/Filler - Unsure, but presumably the same as the "Ebony" blend.
Also, supposedly aged via "pecan" aging
Out of a possible "25" on the scoring sheet, this one received a 13.5 This was the lowest scoring of the bunch and, actually, the one I was looking the most forward to trying. This one looked much like it was attempting to emulate a short-story in shape, but was worlds apart in terms of flavor profile. It is a stick that looks very nicely made, and had a very nice feel to it. Initial aromas were of a slight barnyard description, but not so firmly in the ISOM sense of that term. After clipping this, the pre-light draw was surprisingly tight. Almost very, very slightly plugged, but it made for a tougher than normal draw. Initial tastes were of earthiness, woodiness and grass/hay. No real spice here, no real pepper, no deep tones of cocoa or leather. Just forest, earth and hay. I don't know what attributes the "pecan aging" is supposed to impart, but it is apparently lost on me. It is definitely more in the medium-bodied category of the sticks these boys sent, but it's not a medium-to-full kind of stick as described on Avalon's site. Those flavors never develop throughout the stick and, for essentially the entire life of this little stick, the flavor profile stayed very one-dimensional (i.e., with the flavors being those described above, and never straying from that profile at all). It's not at all a bad-tasting stick...decent in fact...just not complex at all, nothing developing, nothing fading in and out...it just being a very earthy stick and staying so throughout.
Outside of the very slight plug issues this one had, it did burn evenly and held its light gray to whitish ash nicely for a stick of this size.
Final picture
This is all going to come down to price point on this one too. What does this one go for? If it is a cheapy, it might be worth it. For those wanting a step up from a truly mild cigar, this would be it. For those wanting complexity and a fuller-body to their sticks, this one probably should be avoided.
-MiamiCubano
4.) Avalon Cigar Review - PSTAN
First installment of a review of three cigars, one from each of the Masters Series.
The Masters Series lineup and description from the Avalon Cigar website.
1st Cigar: HoneyBoy Edwards, 4-1/2 x 38
Initial impression: Very firm feel, the wrapper has numerous veins and a few water spots. The end cap is the “flat style” and the foot of the cigar has an additional wrapper on the end to help tie the Figurado shape together with the body’s wrapper. The unlit aroma is mild, mixture of tobacco and leather, no hints of black or white pepper. It smells good enough to make me start to salivate in anticipation of lighting it up (two weeks and no cigars thanks to sinus and allergies). This cigar does feel “heavy handed” for its size. The unlit draw is on the medium/firm side and yields a mild creamy tobacco flavor.
Now to enjoy a smoke with a glass of water to keep the mouth moist during the lunch hour.
1st ¼: Not much smoke, uneven burn and a little bitterness until the burn gets into the larger OD of the cigar. The bitterness fades but the smoke amount doesn’t increase. The burn edge ranges from sharp to broad and slightly uneven. What smoke is being made is now creamy tobacco. The ash is firm and ranges in color from mostly light grey to splotches of dark grey with cracks. The burn becomes uneven but corrects itself by start of 2nd 1/4.
Foot
2nd ¼: Nosing smoke is mild, a little creamy with a distinct aroma that I
can’t place, the flavor is still a creamy tobacco. Starting to produce more smoke but is getting warm. The burn is uneven again but the burn zone ranges from sharp to medium. I ashed it which left a small/medium size cone with a good burn sharp zone.
3rd ¼: Flavor remains the same however the smoke is getting warmer so I let is rest for a little bit and it cooled but became a little ashy/bitter tasting. Time to purge which brought the cigar back to the flavor it was before, creamy tobacco. Towards the end of the quarter the ashy/bitter flavor starts to return. Ashed again, mostly flat with a very small cone remaining with an uneven sharp burn zone.
4th ¼: Smoke cooled down enough between puffs but became somewhat sharp/acidic to the lips with a slightly uneven burn.
Overall construction of the cigar was on the rough side and the flavor always returned to a consistent creamy tobacco after ashing and a purge. The cigar burned slow and it lasted me 50 minutes. This may become a better cigar with a little more age on it and maintained at a higher humidity level, my coolidor is at 65RH. In terms of price comparison this one is more along the lines of a $5 to $7 cigar.
5.) Honeyboy- Tkoepp
The first third started out fine, but then the pecan flavor came through and it was too much. Did not enjoy the cigar’s flavor and had to put it down early.
6.) Honey boy- Mark Twain
This was the last cigar I smoked in the review process. It is a short perfecto shape and a complete departure from the other two Avalon Juke series cigars that I smoked. The construction was good. It had a nice bunch and a fairly smooth wrapper. The draw was easy and the nipple tip made for an even burn.
Cigar
The smoke was flavorful and had a very fragrant smell from the moment I light it. My first impression was a nice fruity taste that remained consistent throughout the smoke. The finish was smooth and really made the cigar stand out. I noticed a light taste of sweet orange peel on the finish that lingered for a good length of time.
Burn
I found this cigar to be very consistent in construction, burn characteristics and flavor. I believe that this consistency paved the way for an enjoyable smoking experience that was unique and memorable.
Score: 19 out of 20 possible points.
