Using long fillers and staying true to the Corojo #5 blend the El Gigante is intended to be smoked. A device has been designed and implemented that will attach to the end of the cap allowing for up to 200 people to smoke the El Gigante at one time. A full sized band will finish off the cigar making the appearance identical to the other sizes in the line. Everything will be shipped in self-contained wooden tube mimicking the design of the Corojo #5 boxes.

A special team of personnel has been dedicated to making this special cigar for anyone who places an order.  All orders must be placed through Gran Habano directly and the suggested MSRP is set at $200,000.  Anyone who places an order will be flown to the factory to oversee and take part in the El Gigante experience.

The Corojo #5 El Gigante will make its debut appearance June 25^th at the Famous Smoke Shop Cigar Expo in Easton, PA. It will also journey around the country making appearances at official Gran Habano AZTECA events and at the annual International Premium Cigar & Pipe Retailers (IPCPR) convention.

About Gran Habano Cigars
Gran Habano Cigars was founded in 1995 by Guillermo Rico and his son George Rico. Using only the best raw materials on earth, Gran Habano begins the growing process with Habano and Corojo seeds which are grown on company-owned farms in Colombia, Panama, Nicaragua and Costa Rica. The process comes to fruition at our boutique factory, which focuses on quality control and high-end productivity making it one of the top cigar companies in the world. http://GHCigars.com

This is the official press release from Gran Habano Cigars.

When one hears the phrase “Olde World” it immediately transports them back to a time of explorers and conquistadors. Indeed it is in the very history of the Columbus discovery, that the Europeans had their first real interaction with cigars. Since then the story of the cigar has been a storied and colorful one. Living up to its moniker is the Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve, which immediately transports one into the rich and full experience of a well crafted cigar.

Construction: The construction of the Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve reflects the vision of Rocky Patel to create the ultimate cigar to represent his line. It is truly an exercise in patience and research that has brought Rocky to the apogee in his cigar lineup. The cigar that I smoked was the Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve corojo robusto. The Olde World is of a nice box pressed finish with a sturdy cap, that just begs to be punched. With the most minimal of efforts, I was able to do a shallow punch that allowed for an exquisite draw. The corojo wrapper while fraught with veins, was tightly constructed and showed no splits or tears. Oftentimes one can thumb through a box of cigars, and see where the veins have allowed for tears or splits to develop, but I am pleased to announce that in my review of the box and stick, I saw no such issue.

Draw: As aforementioned in the preceding paragraph the draw was impeccably smooth, and allowed for plumes of smoke to come billowing out at each satisfying inhalation of the Olde World.

Burn: The burning of the Olde World is a testament to the fine construction of the stick. Throughout the experience the binder stayed intact, and the burn lines gradually moved up the stick at an even pace. No tunneling was detected, and the ash was solid grey, and had a striated pattern as is evidenced in the accompanying pictures. The ash was also firm enough to stay in place until one is ready to ash the cigar.

As a brief aside, of all brands that I have smoked, the most ash I have ever been able to accumulate without collapse has always come from a Rocky Patel stick.

Flavor: The flavor of a finely crafted cigar is always an enjoyable thing, and the fullness of the Olde world is both complex and smooth. The cigar’s potency is a medium body that builds to a full about midway through. At the onset of the experience the palate will detect a hint of spice, and from there it builds into a unique floral aroma. The best way to describe it is by way of the taste one can detect when walking through a freshly watered botanical garden. In short it is earthy and pleasant; this flavor remains until about the midpoint or final third of the stick. For the final stretch the cigar takes on a nutty complexity that interchanges with a rich tobacco taste of an old English styled pipe tobacco. Needless to say the flavor and aroma are in union to create a wonderful treat for the palate!

Overall Opinion: From start to final draw this cigar is one finely crafted stick. The beautiful thing is that it is a testament that some of the best things in life don’t come with heavy price tags. The usual price is around nine to ten dollars, and it has a wonderful economy about it, in that it is a super premium smoke for a mid range price. As my one friend puts it “The Olde World Reserve is a poor man’s Padron Anniversary.” I think this is a great way to get the flavor of a super premium Padron at a fraction of the cost. Rocky Patel has continually crafted fine cigars, and this is the crowning jewel to his collection. So if you fancy a journey into the complexly full and beautiful world of fine cigars, then grab a Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve and taste the heritage and history of a proud pastime with each satisfying puff!

Quick Notes

Construction: Dark Sugary type of brown colored wrapper. Minimal sheen on the Origen but oils can be seen under light. Veins are also minimal although you may find a medium sized vein or two through the wrapper. Typical J. Fuego “super packed” cigar with tons of tobacco. No soft spots.

Draw: Medium type of draw due to the amount of tobacco that is rolled into the cigar. Generally speaking you will be more satisfied with a straight cut across the cap.

Burn: Great burn, again typical of any J. Fuego product. Straight line across all segments of the Origen cigar. Ash is very solid and white/peppery in color. Smoke leaves a nice spice with clean taste.

Taste: Earthy Spice but quickly mellows out in the 1/3 part of the Origen cigar. Body is slightly increasing.

Cigar has mellowed out overall. Toasty with the earthy aftertaste. Tobacco can really be tasted. Smoke is coating the palate well with a light spice.

Cigar finishes just like the middle of the cigar. Very consistent.

Final Verdict: The J. Fuego Origen has  a price tag of about $7.xx. This is a great price point for a “special edition” cigar from a great blender. The Origen really rounds out the cigar collection for J. Fuego and is a must add for yours. You will not be disappointed.

Brazilian Corjo wrapper is making its way into the cigar industry. Development of this wrapper took approximately 3 years before it was deemed worthy enough to introduce. The first wrapper of this type will be used by the masterful J. Fuego.

And why did J. Fuego get this privilege?

Well, his father happens to be the grower of the the Brazilian Corojo. This means it will be exclusive for the first couple of months before the Corojo is then sold to other producers of cigars.

Have you ever wondered if you were really getting a good value on your cigars? Let me give you another tidbit of cool information:

Jesus Fuego requires all of his cigars to be fully packed with tobacco. Take a 777 (or anything in his line) and, with sizes being equal, you will almost always find that the Fuego cigar weighs more than the other stick your comparing it to.

Try this little test at home and let me know what kind of results you come up with.

Now enjoy a brief introduction from Dean Laffey, representative to J. Fuego cigars at Casa Fuma cigar lounge:

Construction: The Brazilian Corjo wrapper makes a mouth dropping cinnamon brown wrapper with a red tint. It appeared to be a little toothy with very minimal veins. You will never find a cigar from J. Fuego that has soft spots, it just wont happen.

Draw: J. Fuego cigars typically have a medium draw that require just a little tug to pull the smoke through due to the amount of tobacco used in sticks. That being said, I would recommend cutting the Brazilian Corjo and everything will be downright perfect.

Burn: PuffingCigars.com should make a standard canned response for some of these cigar makers, J. Fuego being one, that tells you just now perfect the burn is. Since I don’t have one just yet so let me give you these words: “perfect“, “straight“, “amazing ash“, and “great smoke“.

Taste: Light this stogie up and get ready for the Brazilian spice. There is a bit of earthiness that I can just make out over the spice and it’s a great flavor combination. But quickly into the first 1/3 of the J. Fuego the spice settles down and that earthy flavor makes more of a pairing instead of just being an undertone. The Brazilian Corojo is leaving my palate dry.

At the midpoint of the cigar the spice is settling in the back of my throat. Earthiness seems to be the main profile my palate is picking up. There is a sweetness you can also sense (maybe depending on how sensitive your palate is). The J. Fuego is really, really, starting to mellow out now.

Welcome spicy cedar. I thought I was picking this up at the end of the middle and I’m glad it’s here. Earthiness is the major flavor profile still, an interesting earthiness I contribute to the Corojo wrapper. The body has increased and still remains in the top end of the medium or the low end of the full spectrum.

Final Verdict: J. Fuego 777 Brazilian Corojo will have a low $5.xx price range. With a great price point, a dynamite blender, and a really unique Brazilian Corjo wrapper backing this cigar you must absolutely give it a try. It’s interesting, it’s complex, and all around great so I won’t blame you for buying a box (I did).

The La Aurora Barrel Aged Robusto has a sweet smell that your nose will subtly pickup from across the humidor. Your eyes will fixate on a yellow and orange box that resembles a treasure chest. As you pry the box open you will find a loose barrel-shaped paper that indicates the batch number, inspection date, ship dates, and the signatures of the people who authorized the cigars for shipment.

On the inside of the lid you will find a story of what makes the La Aurora Barrel Aged cigars so interesting.

“All of the tobaccos, including the wrapper, will be aged in the rum barrels for one year. La Aurora has discovered that the time in the barrels is well spent, giving the tobaccos the opportunity to naturally harmonize with each other and allowing the old wood to impart its unique characteristics on the leaves. In short, the barrel aging brings the blend to the peak of flavor.”

And now it’s time to test the “4 year old Dominican Corojoa oscuro leaf” wrapper and see if the cigar is really “full flavor with a unique complexity derived from its time in the barrels.”

Construction: The Barrel Aged Robusto has a really dark wrapper that carries more bark than bite. This oily stick had some medium sized veins and carried an overall rough looking appearance. Fortunately the La Aurora is firm and packed tight with tobacco from head to toe.

Draw: This Robusto will give you the opportunity to either cut or punch the cigar, both methods will draw a good amount of smoke. I would have to classify the Aurora as a cigar with a medium type of draw.

Burn: The La Aurora will give you a jagged burn every time. I have never been required to correct the cigar but it wouldn’t hurt to keep your lighter near by.

Taste: I was really looking forward to smoking the cigar, expecting many complex flavor profiles from the two blends of tobacco and the barrel aged wrapper. This was, unfortunately, not the case.

As you smoke the first 1/3 of the cigar you will primarily get the flavors of the oak barrel process. Your flavor of the tobacco and smoke is very sweet and you get a great oak flavor. Spiciness will linger in the background but you might not detect this until later in the cigar.

The body is increasing and the cigar is still sweet and smooth. Your oak flavor still resides prominently on the pallet but the spice seems to fade a little more.

Still lacking any real complexity in the cigar – the body increases. Flavor profiles stay the same throughout the entire smoke.

Verdict Is: La Aurora Barrel Aged Robusto retails in the $7.xx range and online it can be found for about $5.xx dollars. The price point alone makes it a great stick to own. The sweet flavor profile (along wiht the price) moved me to purcahse this box because it’s very “friendly” to give out to new smokers. I love the La Aurora as a morning cigar with a nice cup of coffee and so will you.

Gran Reserva Corojo No.1 is a wonderful cigar by J. Fuego.

The Gran Reserva Corojo No.1 has a filler that is actually composed of ligero from Nicaragua, Honduras, and Viso from a location that is unknown (it’s a secret?). The binder on the J. Fuego No. 1 is from Costa Rica and the beautiful wrapper is a Sun Grown Honduran Corojo. Like all of Jesus Fuegos cigars the Gran Reserva Corojo is made with aged leaf and additionally aged in cedar before shipping.

The J. Fuego Gran Reserva Corojo No. 1can be found in a simple black wooden box that comes packed with 20 cigars wrapped in cellophane.

Construction: J. Fuego’s cigars generally come in a cellophane wrapper and the Gran Reserva Corojo No. 1 is no exception. Remove the protective sleeve and you will immediately notice the red-ish hue the sungrown Corojo wrapper gives off. The Corojo wrapper has some small subtle veins that do not effect on the burn and an oily wrapper that will make your mouth drool. As you would expect from a “premium” cigar the tobacco is packed firm and the pinch test passed with flying colors. J. Fuego has a beautifully rolled cigar and it’s quite apparent your getting a high quality smoke.

Draw: J. Fuego’s Robusto has to be broken down into two segments. Initially the draw on the Gran Reserva is a little tight. However it is not restrictive enough to the point that you can’t use a punch. As you move into the 2/3 portion of the Corojo cigar the draw really opens up. At this point (2/3 and on) you have a perfect draw.

Burn: Jesus Fuego’s No. 1 cigar has to be considered a “premium” cigar. When anything falls in this category I can only expect or even demand perfection. The Corojo had a jagged burn but it was even and smooth. If the cigar was in the $5 range I would give it a perfect rating. Being picky as it’s a stick that cost $8 and up I will say it’s pretty good. The ash was thick and white through the entire cigar.

Taste: Pre-light on the corjo cigar gives you a sense of sweetness, a woodsy profile, and a light coffee smell.

The initial light of the No. 1 brings you into an immediate world of Corojo cigars. This was expected because Corojo wrappers have a very distinct taste that you will always pick up on. For the entire 1/3 of the smoke you get a Corojo taste with the light spice finish. The smoke is full and thick and the ash is very solid.

At the 2/3 point your cigar profile will really change and you get to taste the blend of the cigar (instead of the wrapper). Coffee was the primary taste that I drew from the Gran Reserva cigar. You find a hint of “sweetness” with every puff and the spice is getting a bit stronger. The cigar is still in a medium body spectrum but you can feel it moving into the full range. Smoke has a more creamy profile to it as the J. Fuego has opened up and made the draw perfect.

The final stages of the smoking experience happen to be in the full body range. Unfortunately the spice has died down considerably but the cigar actually introduces some new flavors. I get a little “woody” hint with a “nutty” profile. The sweetness is still there and finishes off the flavors perfectly.

Final Verdict: I really love this cigar. The J. Fuego Gran Reserva Corojo No. 1has become one of my “go to” cigars that I can always count on. Looking past the imperfect burn is super easy due to the wonderful body, taste, and smoke the cigar creates. Prices at a B&M usually sit around $8.50 and worth every penny. Doing a little internet shopping will allow you to pick this up in the $6.50 range which makes this cigar a great deal. I would, and I will, suggest you buy a box (comes in 20) of the J. Fuego Gran Reserva Corojo No. 1.

Padilla has always been a brand that I have never been quite to sure of – and please don’t get me wrong. I have always found their cigars to be more than enjoyable but the actual Padilla brand itself raises some curiosity. The whole line seems to go through a change every three or four months and it makes it hard to keep track of what’s new, what’s old, and what just has a new band or box. But it will always come down to is the cigar itself. I poured myself an ice cold beer and sat down to see how the Padilla Serie ’68 Corojo Robusto fairs up.

Construction: Padilla Serie ’68 is a beautifully made cigar. The Padilla corjo wrapper is smooth and oily with little to no veins running through the body. The smoothness and hue of the wrapper reminds me more of a Serie V by Oliva or a La Flor Dominicana Ligero. Serie ’68 is finely finished with a beautiful triple cap, a current trend for many boutique cigar companies.

Draw: Like with most of my cigars I chose to punch this Padilla with a large ring gauge punch. With the large punch I get a wide enough opening to be able to draw on the cigar and don’t have to worry about cracking the wrapper with a full cut. The draw this cigar had is exactly how I like, not too firm and not too easy. I hate smoking a cigar feeling like I am sucking through a large straw but I do like a little resistance. It gives me a little more control of the smoke.

Burn: The ash on the cigar was a little more gray and flaky than I expected after first examining the overall appearance, but you never know till you light it up. There were some burn issues during the cigar but they were all self correcting. With not having to bust out the torch once during the whole smoke I would say that it burned good.

Taste: Awww…. Taste. When it all comes down to it – this is what matters. I can blindly grab any random cigar from any humidor and tell you what it taste like. Well it tastes like a cigar, that’s the easy part. From there I could most likely tell you the wrapper, country of origin, and whether or not it sucks. To me the biggest part of a cigar is what makes it unique. I don’t care if it has a pretty band, a box with rhinestones on it, or if it cost $25 a stick. Does it taste good? The Serie ’68 is a good cigar and nothing more than that. It encompasses everything I expect to see in a Honduran corojo, little spice, chocolately undertones, and an earthy base.

Verdict: Padilla Serie ’68 Corojo is a good cigar, one I will continue to smoke. At about $5 a stick it is priced a little less than what I would expect to pay for this quality of cigar, but not by much. If you like corojo, smoke this cigar, but don’t expect to be blown away.

Other Cigars: JFR Corojo robusto is the same cigar but a few bucks cheaper. Buy the JFR if you like the Padilla – now you can save a couple extra bucks for that cold beer.

- The Critic

It is said that the Punch Rare Corojo is a “rare” cigar that is limited due to the type of the reddish Sumatra wrapper leaves that are grown in the mountains of Ecuador. The Punch Rare Corojo was so rare that I was only able to find it in every cigar shop, multiple cigarette shops, and quite a few bong shops (when dialed).

Punch Rare Corjo is also not really a “corojo” because the wrapper is from Ecuador.

* Marketing students take note *

Construction: Overall a beautiful dark reddish boxed press cigar. The Punch box pressed design feels absolutely great in your hands. Wrapper wise it was perfectly wrapped, not too night and not loose in the least. The wrapper stays together perfectly while smoking.

Draw: The draw on the cigar was perfect and the right amount of smoke came through with each puff.

Burn: Again – just right. The ash even stayed on for about 50 minutes.

Taste: The moment you go to light the cigar you get an immediate sense of the spicy wrapper. I was excited, I was ready for a super spicy cigar! I was quickly disappointed. From the moment it was lit the Punch Rare Corojo started giving me a very distinct, horrible after taste. The smoke it self provided no real taste, no complexity, nothing for the pallet. Just the horrible aftertaste that I hope no other smoker ever experiences.

Cigars I would rather smoke:
Higher Priced – Ashton VSG
Same Price – Oliva G
Lower Priced – JFR