Turk10mm
Just smokin
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2007
- Messages
- 782
I'll preface this review with the fact that this again, is another fake ISOM cigar. It is illegal to smoke the real thing.
Taboada Canonazo
Origin: You know
Size: 6 x 52
Vitola: Canonazo (similar to a double robusto)
Smoke Time: 70 minutes
Production Date: 2005
Look and feel: 96
Flavor and Aroma: 94
Burn: 95
My rating: 94.8
This cigar is something else. Its beautiful to behold. The construction appears to be perfect. It was custom rolled by master torcedor Rodolfo Taboada Campa. Toboada, as he's known, has been rolling cigars since the 1950's. He is also a master at blending tobacco, which is rare when it comes to torcedors. He can definitely blend and roll a cigar.
This cigar was a lightly mottled milk chocolate color with a beautiful wrapper. The veins are almost imperceptable to the touch. The wrapper has a light sheen to it, not exactly oily, but definitely shiny. The foot isn't cut like a typical cigar, but is instead wrapped over the foot. The triple cap is perfectly created in what can only be considered to be masterful. The nose of the barrel of the cigar smells of sweet citrus and tobacco. The foot noses of sweet flowers and tobacco, heavenly.
I used my xikar cutter to lightly cut through the cap, leaving the bunch intact. Toboada rolls cigars in the old fashioned way called, en tubado or in tubes. The leaves are rolled into tubes rather than into an accordian like today's isom smokes are rolled. According to the article in Cigar Aficianado by James Suckling, this method is slower. However, I'm here to say the draw was perfect; not too loose, not too tight. The prelight draw is sweet and earthy with a taste as if Taboada was smoking at the time he rolled this cigar. A faint taste of fresh cigar smoke is noticable. The wrapper is spicy to the taste.
I lit the folded foot and immediately noticed that this method seems to light the cigar much more simply and evenly. There weren't any touchup lights required to get the entire foot going. The initial flavors are a bit spicy, full bodied, and only what I can describe as MEATY. Within the first minute the flavors mellow and combine creating a wonderful first experience. This smoke is definitely going to be very full bodied.
Into the first third and the flavors are still full, slightly spicy, and the meatiness has refined into a hearty taste. There are flavors of bitter chocolate, coffee, pecans, and cream. These flavors are present throughout the entire first third and partially into the second third when this smoke really begins to get complex. The coffee and cream are definitely more pronounced. There's a bit of a cedar finish all the while encapsulated in creamy old leather. There are many flavors going on at once and this smoke pairs beautifully with the Dos Equis green label with a pinch of salt and a dash of lime. The beer refreshes in between puffs, but doesn't leave any overtones when smoking. The last third is almost succulent. Its very powerful and finishes in the same great complexities. I purged the smoke several times near the end to keep the nutty creamy flavors going all the way down to the cap.
This cigar is outstanding. I hear they go somewhere in the mid 20's per stick, so its definitely not an everday smoke. Its also not for the faint of heart, as its got quite a powerful kick behind it that really love. I have another that I believe I'll let rest another couple of years and revisit.
If you get a chance, I suggest you pick one of these up. Don't expect to impress anyone, as there's no band denoting what it is, or where its from. Who cares, I know what it is, and where its from, and its damn good. Probably the best cigar I've ever smoked.
James Suckling's review of Taboada cigars
http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Bl...695,164,00.html
Taboada Canonazo
Origin: You know
Size: 6 x 52
Vitola: Canonazo (similar to a double robusto)
Smoke Time: 70 minutes
Production Date: 2005
Look and feel: 96
Flavor and Aroma: 94
Burn: 95
My rating: 94.8
This cigar is something else. Its beautiful to behold. The construction appears to be perfect. It was custom rolled by master torcedor Rodolfo Taboada Campa. Toboada, as he's known, has been rolling cigars since the 1950's. He is also a master at blending tobacco, which is rare when it comes to torcedors. He can definitely blend and roll a cigar.
This cigar was a lightly mottled milk chocolate color with a beautiful wrapper. The veins are almost imperceptable to the touch. The wrapper has a light sheen to it, not exactly oily, but definitely shiny. The foot isn't cut like a typical cigar, but is instead wrapped over the foot. The triple cap is perfectly created in what can only be considered to be masterful. The nose of the barrel of the cigar smells of sweet citrus and tobacco. The foot noses of sweet flowers and tobacco, heavenly.
I used my xikar cutter to lightly cut through the cap, leaving the bunch intact. Toboada rolls cigars in the old fashioned way called, en tubado or in tubes. The leaves are rolled into tubes rather than into an accordian like today's isom smokes are rolled. According to the article in Cigar Aficianado by James Suckling, this method is slower. However, I'm here to say the draw was perfect; not too loose, not too tight. The prelight draw is sweet and earthy with a taste as if Taboada was smoking at the time he rolled this cigar. A faint taste of fresh cigar smoke is noticable. The wrapper is spicy to the taste.
I lit the folded foot and immediately noticed that this method seems to light the cigar much more simply and evenly. There weren't any touchup lights required to get the entire foot going. The initial flavors are a bit spicy, full bodied, and only what I can describe as MEATY. Within the first minute the flavors mellow and combine creating a wonderful first experience. This smoke is definitely going to be very full bodied.
Into the first third and the flavors are still full, slightly spicy, and the meatiness has refined into a hearty taste. There are flavors of bitter chocolate, coffee, pecans, and cream. These flavors are present throughout the entire first third and partially into the second third when this smoke really begins to get complex. The coffee and cream are definitely more pronounced. There's a bit of a cedar finish all the while encapsulated in creamy old leather. There are many flavors going on at once and this smoke pairs beautifully with the Dos Equis green label with a pinch of salt and a dash of lime. The beer refreshes in between puffs, but doesn't leave any overtones when smoking. The last third is almost succulent. Its very powerful and finishes in the same great complexities. I purged the smoke several times near the end to keep the nutty creamy flavors going all the way down to the cap.
This cigar is outstanding. I hear they go somewhere in the mid 20's per stick, so its definitely not an everday smoke. Its also not for the faint of heart, as its got quite a powerful kick behind it that really love. I have another that I believe I'll let rest another couple of years and revisit.
If you get a chance, I suggest you pick one of these up. Don't expect to impress anyone, as there's no band denoting what it is, or where its from. Who cares, I know what it is, and where its from, and its damn good. Probably the best cigar I've ever smoked.
James Suckling's review of Taboada cigars
http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Bl...695,164,00.html
