cigardawg
Active Member
- Joined
- Feb 11, 2005
- Messages
- 1,557
Sat out back with my mate last night after work and smoked a couple of cigars. She smoked an Ancient Warrior Robusto while I fired a CAO Extreme Churchill and a Jose Piedra Brevas. Here is what I thought of the two of them.
CAO Extreme Churchill
This cigar was from 2000, but I can't remember if the cigars were still being rolled by Tony Borhani or if they had moved to Perdomo. Either way, this was a great looking cigar. I have always really dug the wrapper on these cigars and this was no exception. It had that dark, reddish-brown, mottled wrapper almost unique to the extremes. There were no major veins, but a couple of noticable seams. The pre-light draw was open and the pre-light nose was of good earth and cedar.
The cigar lit easily, but immediately started to burn unevenly. It burned down the side, it tunneled, it did just about everything but go out on me. I had to correct it on three different occasions. The draw stayed open and smoke production was very good until it started to tunnel. The ash was nice and white, but very flakey. The cigar burned cool until the midpoint where it started to heat up and just kept getting hotter. IMHO, pretty poor construction on this cigar.
Now, I smoke a cigar for the flavor. I can take burn problems (not plugged :angry2: ), flakey ashes, and even a hot burn...but it better taste good. This cigar did not. It started out OK, with some good coffee and leather notes behind some earthy tobacco. The cigar even developed some charred wood flavors that accented the earth and coffee. Then, at the 1/2 mark, the flavor faded and even became bitter and stale. The cigar began tasting like a week-old ashtray at the 2/3 smoked mark. I put it out at this point.
I have had some extremes that were pretty darn good. However, I have found them to be very inconsistent. This was a pretty lousy cigar IMHO. I have to rate this cigar a C- .
Jose Piedra Brevas
I got these in a couple of weeks ago. Couldn't resist at less than $2 a stick. They are an ugly little cigar. :blush: The wrapper is mottled and a bit gnarly with veins and seams galore. The pre-light nose, however, was of strong cuban tobacco, earth, and peet. Great. The pre-light draw was a little firm, but nothing to be worried about.
This little cigar lit easily and proceeded to burn surprisingly well for a short-filler cigar. The draw opened up immediately and each puff produced mouthfuls of thick, rich smoke. It burned pretty even until the 2/3 smoked mark, when it went a bit wonky. The smoke was cool, even down to the nub to which it was smoked. The ash was surprisingly firm for a short filler, staying on the cigar 3/4 to an inch at a time. The ash was a mottled gray color. Though not asthetically pleasing, this was a well-constructed cigar.
I said above that I smoke a cigar for taste...this one had it in spades. The flavor of smokey wood and earth hit me immediately. It never really settled into any coffee flavors, instead maintaining the wood/charred wood/smokey flavors thoughout. This was not a complex smoke. It was straight forward and got pretty powerful near the mid-point. Not a cigar, IMO, for sissies. It was rough and rustic and thoroughly enjoyable. Can't wait to smoke another.
Pretty cool little cigar. I couldn't resist them at less that $2 a stick for an ISOM. Best Cuban I've ever smoked? No. But not bad for an everyday taste of the island. I rate it a B+.
CAO Extreme Churchill
This cigar was from 2000, but I can't remember if the cigars were still being rolled by Tony Borhani or if they had moved to Perdomo. Either way, this was a great looking cigar. I have always really dug the wrapper on these cigars and this was no exception. It had that dark, reddish-brown, mottled wrapper almost unique to the extremes. There were no major veins, but a couple of noticable seams. The pre-light draw was open and the pre-light nose was of good earth and cedar.
The cigar lit easily, but immediately started to burn unevenly. It burned down the side, it tunneled, it did just about everything but go out on me. I had to correct it on three different occasions. The draw stayed open and smoke production was very good until it started to tunnel. The ash was nice and white, but very flakey. The cigar burned cool until the midpoint where it started to heat up and just kept getting hotter. IMHO, pretty poor construction on this cigar.
Now, I smoke a cigar for the flavor. I can take burn problems (not plugged :angry2: ), flakey ashes, and even a hot burn...but it better taste good. This cigar did not. It started out OK, with some good coffee and leather notes behind some earthy tobacco. The cigar even developed some charred wood flavors that accented the earth and coffee. Then, at the 1/2 mark, the flavor faded and even became bitter and stale. The cigar began tasting like a week-old ashtray at the 2/3 smoked mark. I put it out at this point.
I have had some extremes that were pretty darn good. However, I have found them to be very inconsistent. This was a pretty lousy cigar IMHO. I have to rate this cigar a C- .
Jose Piedra Brevas
I got these in a couple of weeks ago. Couldn't resist at less than $2 a stick. They are an ugly little cigar. :blush: The wrapper is mottled and a bit gnarly with veins and seams galore. The pre-light nose, however, was of strong cuban tobacco, earth, and peet. Great. The pre-light draw was a little firm, but nothing to be worried about.
This little cigar lit easily and proceeded to burn surprisingly well for a short-filler cigar. The draw opened up immediately and each puff produced mouthfuls of thick, rich smoke. It burned pretty even until the 2/3 smoked mark, when it went a bit wonky. The smoke was cool, even down to the nub to which it was smoked. The ash was surprisingly firm for a short filler, staying on the cigar 3/4 to an inch at a time. The ash was a mottled gray color. Though not asthetically pleasing, this was a well-constructed cigar.
I said above that I smoke a cigar for taste...this one had it in spades. The flavor of smokey wood and earth hit me immediately. It never really settled into any coffee flavors, instead maintaining the wood/charred wood/smokey flavors thoughout. This was not a complex smoke. It was straight forward and got pretty powerful near the mid-point. Not a cigar, IMO, for sissies. It was rough and rustic and thoroughly enjoyable. Can't wait to smoke another.
Pretty cool little cigar. I couldn't resist them at less that $2 a stick for an ISOM. Best Cuban I've ever smoked? No. But not bad for an everyday taste of the island. I rate it a B+.
