MSRP – $7

7 x 52 Box Pressed

Wrapper – San Andres Maduro (Mexico)

Binder – Honduran

Filler – Nicaraguan and Honduran

Review by New Writer Jay Schwartz

It’s hard to keep track of all of the new cigars coming out in any one year.  This year is certainly no exception.  Between the hallmarked monsters of the cigar industry to the smaller boutique blends that have sprung up over the last few years there have been a seemingly endless number of new upstarts and blends coming from all over the world.  So with all of the new choices out there I was pleasantly surprised to come across one that should be in everyone’s humidor, the San Lotano Maduro by AJ Fernandez.

Now if you’ve been paying any attention to the online industry over the last few years, I’m sure you’re already well acquainted with A.J. Fernandez’s fleet of sticks that have been dominating the cigar scene.  From the crazy popular Man-o-War line to the super full-bodied Diesels there is a cigar for everyone’s preferred profile.   Thankfully for us, he has found the non-virtual domain of the Brick and Mortar worthy enough to try his newest, and sure to become a hit all over the world, San Lotano maduro.

The San Lotano line comes in four different sizes and three unique shades of wrapper, a Connecticut, a habano and a maduro.  Couple these with a flight sampler of some of the best Irish whiskey Jameson has to offer and you’ve got a beautiful combination of new and old that just sings.  I was recently at the new Foxes Cigar Bar in Gilbert, AZ where they came up with this perfect pairing and let me tell you, this was a great night for both A.J. Fernandez and Jameson.

Construction:

The San Lotano maduro is an exceptionally well constructed cigar.  It is a box-press design with a dark and rich maduro wrapper; this stick definitely stands out.  The wrapper is fairly smooth and seamless without a single vein.  The cigar is firm to the touch but not overly stiff and there is a tightly constructed dark cap that is offset by a really sharp looking double band.  The binder is Honduran while the filler is a combination of Honduran, Dominican and Nicaraguan tobacco.

Draw:

Before lighting, you can smell a slightly sweet aroma from the foot.  There is also a noticeable barnyard scent.  Once lit, the draw is extremely smooth and even, producing a thick and aromatic smoke.  A slightly heavy bit of spice is evident at the very beginning but then mellows out fairly quickly.

Burn:

This is one consistent smoke.  It produces a nice heavy ash that only falls off the stick when you want it to.  Always a nice touch when you don’t feel like being covered in ash if you’re outside on a windy night.  From the foot to the cap the burn was even and full.  I’ve had several of these now in both the 5 x 52 robusto and the 6 x 52 toro and neither one has canoed or had a run that needed correction.

Flavor:

This cigar is a real knockout!    It has a rich and smooth, medium-to-full smoke with just the perfect amount of spice.  It quickly becomes creamy after the spice settles and then transforms into a subtlety sweet confection.  From start to finish I didn’t notice much of a change in profile with only one exception.  Towards the very end the spice tends to pick up a bit, but not dramatically.

Pairing:

This cigar would probably pair well with almost anything.  Now  I’m not suggesting you head to your local watering hole and break one of these out with a flavored margarita, but   I would highly suggest you try it with either a highball of Jameson’s 15yr aged Gold Label or their lesser known brand Redbreast 12 yr.  Both have a sweet under note that really adds to the mellow sweetness of the Lotano.  The Gold Label is far sweeter than the Redbreast but adds a bit of a scotch note that might be a bit much for the average whiskey connoisseur.

Overall:

Go now and buy some!  At a very reasonable price point, around 6 to 7 dollars a stick, you would be hard pressed to find a better tasting cigar.  Not overly complex but very tasty, these new additions to the A.J. Fernandez lineup are sure to become crowd favorites.  I am very excited to try the other two blends and who knows, maybe those would go great with a salt rimmed cocktail.

Follow AJ Fernandez on Twitter

Visit Their Website

Perdomo Conmemorativo Maduro

Robusto 5 x 52

Wrapper – Nicaraguan Maduro

Binder – Nicaraguan

Filler – 4 different Nicarguan

MSRP – TBD

Recently I had a chance to smoke and try out the newest from Perdomo called the Conmemorativo.   The cigar also features a binder and filler tobaccos from Nicaragua and the Conmemorativo is set to be released in the 2nd quarter of 2011 sometime, more then likely a month or so before the IPCPR trade show.  Perdomo is still working what sizes that will be available for the new line although I have been told that the blend is finalized and the cigars are resting but they will be changing the band a bit, minor details.  The retail on the new line is still a mystery but knowing Perdomo, it will be fair and worth every penny.  Great products at great prices.

I decided to kick back at Blew Smoke in Gilbert AZ and smoke the Maduro Robusto. The Maduro wrapper is a triple fermented maduro from Jalipa Valley in Nicaragua.  Sounds Delicious.

Appearance: The wrapper on the Conmemorativo Maduro is classic.  A very nice, chocolaty colored wrapper with minimal veins and has a slightly dull tone to it.   The cigar is triple capped and is packed with tobacco.

Burn-Construction: After lighting up, I set my lighter down and didn’t need it again.  The burn was razor sharp for the most part, and the Conmemorativo produced a mouthful of smoke.  The ash was strong and gray and stayed with the cigar for a few inches. The draw was open with a tad of resistance, just the way I like it.

Flavor / Strength: Nick Perdomo has called this cigar the strongest cigar that they are currently making and honestly, I believe it.  The cigar started medium plus in strength and by the end was nice and full-bodied.  When I first lit up, I was immediately hit with some cedar spice and hints of chocolate and some flavors that I couldn’t put my finger on.  According to Arthur from Perdomo, this blend is loaded with four different filler tobaccos, “commemorating” the four growing regions in Nicaragua, and because of it, the blend was very complex and unique.

Conclusion: First of all, I am a big fan of Perdomo Cigars.  I love the way they do business and I love the mindset and innovative thinking of Nick Perdomo and Co.  They produce great cigars and with their vertically integrated facilities, they are able to produce quality cigars at great prices and Nick is great about passing those savings right along to the consumer. Quality is not determined by the price tag. The Conmemorativo is a definite winner for Perdomo and gives the smoker yet another, great option.  It is full bodied sure, but it is also very balanced and clean.  A combination that is not easy to accomplish especially with the four different fillers and complexity that you find in the Conmemorativo.  I am looking forward to smoking more of these in the future…

Size: 6 X 52 Perfecto

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

MSRP: $10.00

With all the recent hype around the Anarchy, I was very pleased to open the mail and find a couple of them earlier this week.  It seems like we just went through one of these much anticipated, Tatuaje frenzies with the recent release of the 3rd cigar in the Monster series from the masterminds of Pete Johnson and Pepin.  But here we are, yet again, waiting, wanting, and now finally getting the latest from Tatuaje.

This Cigar, although created by Pepin and Pete, came from the mind of Pete’s good friend Abe Dababneh of Smoke Inn in Florida.  Abe approached Pete in the Spring of 2009 with an idea and after 6 attempts, they finally “struck gold.”

First Take: Upon first gaze,  The Anarchy is a sturdy, 6 x 52, almost perfecto slash solomon slash something shaped cigar.  It has an interesting pig tail that takes up the entire head of the cigar.  The wrapper is a dark brown color with minimal if any veins and was oozing with oils. A very different, very eye catching stogie.

Performance: The Anarchy started off with a bang, easy to light and it picked right up with loads of smoke and really coated my pallet right off the bat.  The aroma was rich with chocolate and coffee and the smoke was thick and cool.  The burn was nearly flawless throughout the cigar and I believe it only needed correcting 1 time about mid way though.  As most Pepin made cigars, from my experience, the construction and performance was right on the money.

Tastes: The Pre-draw flavors were a leather and coffee with hints on cinnamon.  Very tasty tobacco on the lips. At the initial light up the Anarchy started off with a burst of flavor and spice.  Loads of leather and almost a toasty campfire fire feel.  It was very unique and hard to pinpoint but was very pleasant right out of the shoot.  After about an inch or so the spice cooled off the some chocolate and coffee flavors became dominate.  The spice was there at the finish, as expected, but took a back seat throughout the rest of the cigar. For the most part, the Anarchy was pretty consistent with a sweet, coffee flavor with bits of leather and spice. Near the end, the cigar did show some small signs of maybe being a little young.  Some metallic and a slight musty taste and aroma came about.

Final Thoughts: Even with the hype and buzz that Abe built up around this release, and the fact that it’s a new cigar from masterminds Pepin and Pete, I still had somewhat mixed expectations.  The Anarchy was a different smoke, a unique cigar from Tatuaje.  It is a medium to full bodied smoke with very complex flavors and had me interested for 90 minutes.  These cigars are definitely worth a box purchase for the simple fact that they are unique and I think that with time they are going to get even better.  I enjoyed it a lot and will definitely be trying to get my hands on more tomorrow.

The Anarchy goes on sale tonight, November 25th at midnight on the Smoke Inn Website. With a limited release of only 1500 boxes they will surly be gone by the end of the weekend so grab a box while you can.

Size: 5 7/8 x 52

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Dominican and Nicaraguan

Price: MSRP $7.00

I recently was asked on facebook about my thoughts on the EP Carillo Short Run and since I haven’t yet written a formal review on the cigar, I decided to do a quick review on it.  (The difference is you get to experience my weak camera phone pictures and we don’t give you a detailed background on the cigar. Big Deal Right?)

I have smoked a handful of these cigars before, most of them right after their launch and when the media hype was flying high.

At first glance the cigar looks great, with a even brown wrapper, rugged in spots with some minimal veins.  Great looking band and secondary band, simple and clean.

The Short Run starts off with a short lived blast of spice right up front.  It quickly cools off and for me, developed a very pleasant sweetness flavor with bits of spice at the finish.   A very good, very addicting combination.

The flavor profile, for the most part, stayed consistant through the middle half of the cigar…  The short run held together perfect with a razor sharp, bright white ash all the way through. Great Construction.

I smoked this thing all the way down to the nub and loved it.  Great flavor profile with tons of sweetness and spice.  I didn’t get any harshness or buildup even to the nub.  At 7 bucks a stick, I hope it doesn’t have to short of a run…  Well Done…

7~20~4

Size: Corona  5 5/8 x 46

Wrapper: Brazilian Mata Fina

Binder: Columbian

Filler: Nicaraguan, Mexican and Honduran

Price: MSRP $6.75

I know I am a little late in the 7~20~4 game but after reading and hearing great things about this cigar, It was definitely on my to do list.  I have been sitting on a 5 pack of coronas for a while now and decided it was time to break them out and give them a shot.  The 7~20~4 name is said to come from the address of its original producer R. G. Sullivan.  R. G. Sullivan was an American cigar company that ran from 1875 to 1963 and was one of the largest cigar companies of its time producing over 50 million cigars per year in its peak.  The name has been revitalized by its savior Kurt A. Kendall, owner or Twins Smoke Shop in New Hampshire.

The look of these cigars are right on the money.  The wrapper is beautiful and sturdy with a gorgeous reddish brown color to it. The cigar is firm and loaded with tobacco and has a rough, rustic feel to it. The pigtail on this beast is thick and different. Great look.

I love the band on the 7~20~4.  It is clean, and small, and really is a great tribute to the original name with a Kendall twist to it.

The prelight draw was nice with flavors of chocolate and sweet coffee.  The cigar appears to be very well constructed all around.

The first third of the 7~20~4 for me starts with a touch of spice and a pretty definitive cedar taste.  It was followed up with a rich complex coffee and sweet chocolate  flavor and aroma.  The flavors were very complex and kept my full attention.   The corona had a nice bright white ash with a solid burn, not perfect but didn’t need correcting.  In the first third the wrapper cracked on me a bit near the burn area.  I never had to relight or correct the split, I just kept on smoking it corrected itself. No Problem!!

Through the 1st third on onto the second third the cigar transitions a bit.  An almost creaminess arises with the cedar and chocolate notes. VERY TASTY.

As I started smoking into the final third a much stronger, richer chocolate finish came up.  It had a very long sweet finish and was very distinct.  Coffee notes and bits of spice were still evident and the combination of the flavors made for a great finale.  I would say that it starts medium bodied and pretty much stays medium, medium plus in strength throughout.

I really enjoyed this re-lived creation from Kurt.  At around 7 dollars a cigar its definitely going to be a permanent fixture in my humidor. As I live in Arizona, the only downfall to this cigar is availability (for me).  From what I hear from Kurt, he is working on bring it to my neck of the woods which I am very pleased to hear. Well done!

Now I know since I haven’t given any information on this stick people are going to assume I’m somewhat of an idiot because the title and the plain-jane band read 2008. But in reality that information is just in reference to the crop year and creation date of this limited edition, only 20,000 rolled, cigar by Tatuaje. I’m not going to get into the fancy details about why he did this project or what he was trying to mimic (wine) but the official release date was in 2010.

This stogie runs about $20 in a B&M shop and Tatuaje required the retailer to purchase an amount that isn’t too easy on the pocket books. That means not too many retailers picked it up even if they could. Lucky for me one of my local hang outs is Big Sticks Fine Cigars in Mesa, Arizona and they carry just about every cigar on the market.

I have to be honest and let everyone know upfront that I don’t know if this cigar is really that amazing or if I think it’s amazing because it happens to be my celebration cigar. But who really cares right? I mean it’s the smoking experience and our mood that makes a cigar great or not so good. You just might read this cigar review to make sure $20 isn’t going down the drain and regardless of what I say you will make your own opinions anyways.

But smoking this cigar is creating a smile across my face. It is very different when compared to all of the other Pepin stuff on the shelves because it’s not as strong. L’esprit de Verite Vintage 2008 is firmly a medium body cigar with just a little hint of spice as the smoke trails into your nose from your puff. The only other thing I really care about happens to be the draw because I work 8 long hours a day with my hands I don’t want to sit down and smoke a cigar that requires more work. And the L’esprit de Verite Vintage 2008 is a stick that doesn’t require any extra attention and I can see myself smoking this any time of the day.

So if you’re willing to part with the $20 it takes to enjoy this beauty I don’t think anyone will be disappointed. If you happen to be an Arizona smoker you can pick this up at Big Sticks.

And this will conclude my first post and instruction on puffingcigars.com. You still might be confused about what this cigar “taste” likes but to me in one way or another they all taste like tobacco. I decided to use this to give all the readers out there a little more information about me and my thought process. Stay tuned for the next postings and I look forward to interacting with all the visitors of the site.

My name is Walt and I’m just your average hard working cigar smoker enjoying life one puff at a time.

When most of us hear of a cigar that is coming out of Hawaii we all immediately think of one word – gimmick. But this time a company called Kauai Cigar Company is producing a “real” premium cigar with tobacco grown in Kapaa, HI. Even though I was still a bit skeptical of the cigar, I knew I had to give this a chance and see exactly what was being offered to the cigar community.

It’s amazing how closely you will analyze something that is foreign and new just looking for that one inconsistency so you can run to all your friends and say ‘I TOLD YOU it was a gimmick”. But alas I wasn’t able to do this around my group of friends. The Construction on the cigar was absolutely perfect in every way. The wrapper was very dark with a slight tint of red and the tobacco was stuffed enough to just allow little resistance during the pinch test. A couple of medium sized veins decorated the toothy wrapper but nothing out of the ordinary from a raw natural product.

Any time a cigar passes the pinch test I automatically go for a punch on the top of the cigar. The cold draw had a bit of a resistance to it that had me a bit worried. But once the flame hit the foot and an even light was created – my dry draw was a thing of the past. The resistance is perfectly in the middle and a good amount of unique tasting, and creamy, smoke will coat your palate.

On the first few puffs of the Momona I was taken back by a very unique and interesting earthly flavor that I have never experienced in any other cigar. It actually had me puffing continually so I could try and pinpoint what I was tasting. The smoke being generated, as stated earlier, is creamy and will leave that particular earthy taste with just a lingering of tart.

During the middle segment of my Island Prince “Dark” cigar I would have to note that the unique earthy flavor has subdued into a more typical earthy taste. The body has started to increase into the full range while the smoke and creaminess has increased. Yet for some reason there is something I still can’t put my finger on that makes the overall smoking experience very different from the other cigars I have ever tried.

As I start to wrap things up on the Dark Momona from Kauai Cigar Company I have noticed the body increases again into the full range. Your earthy flavor is now being complimented with a hint of something I can only describe as “toasty” with a hint of spice. The smoke is no longer creamy but turned into something very smooth and enjoyable. However the transition on the Island Prince is very welcomed as it is keeping my palate on its toes and making me anxious to smoke another.

Pick up a sampler of this cigar and give it a shot for yourself. It would be a great addition to any humidor, especially a smoker that likes to step outside of their comfort box. This is a real quality cigar coming out of Hawaii, not another gimmick, that I can totally see some people falling in love with. At this current time you might find it difficult to find a retailer who carries this cigar due to the limited production and high taxes coming out of Hawaii. On average the Dark Momona from Kauai Cigar Company will set you back about $10 a smoke.

If you are located in Arizona you can pick up this unique smoke at Big Sticks Fine Cigars in Mesa, Arizona. They are the ones who were willing to suggest something to help me expand my palate and interest in cigars that are created outside of the “normal” regions.

The cigar that was given to me is entitled the Vartan and it shares the namesake of the stores proprietor and legend Vartan Seferian.  As the story goes it is a blend designed by Vartan himself and then produced by the Davidoff family. The Vartan’s exterior is a smooth Connecticut-Habano hybrid wrapper grown in the ever popular Connecticut growing fields of Ecuador.  Both the binder and filler are comprised of Dominican tobaccos, and fill out the cigar nicely without any noticeable soft spots.

Construction:  As mentioned above the cigar has a smooth texture too it, and has a solid construction value, in that it does not have any soft spots.  I do have to mention for full disclosure sake, that mine had some unraveling issues towards the cap and foot of the cigar.  Thankfully, they were not major issues and could be smoked through without too much difficulty.

Draw: The draw was solid and allowed for some slight resistance in the inhalation.  I cut my cap minimally and was able to achieve an excellent draw, which goes to show the fine construction of this cigar.

Burn: The Vartan Blend burns smoothly throughout, and I was pleased to not have to touch it up at all.  Even with the wrapper issue, I was able to let it naturally burn through the unraveled parts without correcting the burn path, which was nice.  The ash was tight striated grey ash and would remain firmly on the end of the cigar until one was ready to doff it off into the ashtray.

Flavor: The Vartan Blend smokes like a Davidoff to me in the fact of its simplicity of flavor.  Most Davidoff’s tend to pick one creamy flavor note and stick to it from start to finish, so does the Vartan blend.  It starts off with a little hint of bitterness and then builds into a strong leather tone for the rest of the smoke.  It is pleasant and creamy from start to finish, but rarely deviates from the leather notes.  At one point I detected an earthy tone, but it was fleeting.

Final Verdict: As of print this cigar is only available at the Ambassador store and their online website. The Vartan blend is a fine consistent cigar that reflects the Ambassador name well.  It is easy to see how this blend was produced by the Davidoff house because it tends to be consistent in both construction and taste.  While the price point for the robusto is around $14 and probably a bit steep for the average consumer, it does serve as a fine example of a premium smoke.  If you are looking for a complex cigar this would probably not be the stick for you, but if you are looking for a creamy mellow luxurious smoke, then the Vartan Blend is a fine cigar to enjoy on a lazy summer afternoon.

The long awaited Nosotros by Illusione, in conjunction with Drew Estate, is finally on the shelves of your local retailer. Nosotros was introduced at the 2009 IPCPR but was delayed in shipment for various reasons. So in the middle of the 2010 years Dion was finally able to grace up with his new creation.

I found this brief piece of information floating around the internet that I think best describes the cigar I am smoking today:
“The Illusione Nosotros Cigars are rolled by Drew Estates in Nicaragua and are the latest creation from Illusione. Unlike most cigars made by Drew Estates, these cigars are not infused cigars but rather a blend of fine tobaccos from Nicaragua with a Corojo ’99 wrapper, Nicaraguan fillers, and Connecticut Habano binder. Because “Nosotros” means “us” this is symbolic of Illusione and Drew Estates joining forces to produce another fantastic cigar. Dion Giolito of Illusione says that these cigars are best described as. “Spicy and clean on the palate with richness and power that really sneaks up on you. The blend is well out of my comfort zone and very nonpareil to my other lines. As it turned out, the first combination of tobaccos that we experimented with wound up being the final blend.”

And with that lets being the smoking process!

Construction: I have to give credit to Drew Estate, the creators of this cigar, because there is not a single cigar in any of their lines that has any type of construction issues. It has a beautiful wrapper with minimal to no veins, its packed full of tobacco and most importantly it will make you feel like you are spending your hard earned money on something with value and quality.

Draw: Punch it, cut it, bite it, v-cut, use a golf tee – the Nosotros will not care. You will get a perfect draw with medium resistance and plenty of mouth coating smoke.

Burn: You can’t ask for anything more from any cigar. The burn is straight and never requires any sort of touch-ups. I was even able to sit my cigar down for a good 10 minute phone conversation and it picked up right where I left off.

Flavor: Nosotros is going to start off with a big bang. There is an immediate rush of spice in the draw and exhale that will linger on your palate for sometime. Have you ever looked for a cigar to smoke that would produce the thickest amount of smoke possible to practice making smoke rings? Well if so then look no further because the Nosotros smoke is thick, spicy and coats every inch of your palate.

Moving into the second third of the Nosotros doesn’t bring about many, if any, changes to the cigar. The overall flavor profile is that of spice and the smoke is still thick and… spicy. Perhaps the strength of the spice does go down a bit to allow for more of the tobacco flavor to come through. This subtle change is enjoyable and quite welcomed.

You will start to get a subtle sweetness from the cigars finish as you come up to the final 1/3. Your palate is still going to be blasted with spice but with smooth tobacco flavor and new sweetness it becomes an amazing full body cigar. I say this because full body cigars tend to end a bit dull and just full of body, or in other words boring as the complexity dies.

Final Verdict: I’ve never told you to not pick up anything from Illusione and I’m not about to start now. This is a cigar that full body smokers and smokers who enjoy a red pepper type of spice should pick up. Oh – and the smokers who need a cigar that puts an amazing amount of thick smoke for that smoke ring practice. I will warn you to pick up a few sticks before making a purchase due to the price tag of about $12.

Pablo Enchinton, the company founder and president, has spent the last two years developing, blending, and creating his product for the market. At the company launch we at puffingcigars.com got to sit down with Pablo for a quick 1 on 1 interview to help bring some more insight to his brand and goals his company may hold.

“We started the process about two years ago but this has really been a dream of mine for the past 14years! Our main object is to create fantastic consistent cigars, to share amongst friends and to help create Moments of memories.

Our name came about while looking for a meaning of what I think a cigar symbolizes. The word PANA means friend in my Latin culture and I thought of how perfect it would be to launch a cigar company with the foundation of friendship at its core, in its name! Our mantra is to always smoke with a friend, a PANA Cigar.

Another reason for launching our company is wanting to cultivate something special for our 9week old son Andros Enchinton. The purpose is to create a family tradition for something that is so special to me, the cigar industry. It’s a heritage in the making and a growth for future generations.”

Mr. Enchinton, PANA Cigars, has tapped a cigar manufacturer in the Dominican Republic that would not only give him access to the best tobaccos but also full control of the blending process (many new cigar companies simply buy from a small profile of already made blends). There are two blends currently being produced, a Ligero Maduro and Connecticut Especial.

The Ligero Maduro is A special long filler blend of Ligero Cubano and Ligero Criollo with a Dominican binder packaged in a beautiful Maduro leaf. On the other range of the palate the Connecticut Especial is filled with a generous amount of Corojo and Piloto Dominicano, stored within an Indonesian binder, and packaged in a golden Connecticut shade wrapper. Both are topped off with a pigtail cap for easy removal and retail in the $6 price range (reviews to come shortly).

Distribution will first take place in his home state of Arizona and then move to other states along the Westcoast. PANA Cigars has decided to be a B&M supporter and has, currently, not decided to sell cigars directly or through companies that only operate online. This decision was made knowing the process to expand will be harder but was adamant that we needed to support the “backbone of the cigar industry”.

“We are definitely a boutique cigar and we wouldn’t want it any other way! I believe that this gives us a unique and personal experience to share with our cigar smoking community. Allowing us to meet face to face and share in the moments together.”

After having smoked both cigars produced by PANA Cigars we are confident that they will make quite the splash within the cigar community. Welcome to the cigar world.