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…

Construction: Rustic red in color with just a slight tint of “maduro” qualities this cigar construction was top-notch. The wrapper was very “real” and not hidden with colorings, lasers (to remove veins) or any of the other tricks cigar manufacturers like to apply. There was a good amount of tobacco stuffed inside to make it impossible to find a soft spot and very few veins could be seen or felt.

Draw: If you do not prefer a lot of smoke then it’s okay to give this cigar a punch or V-cut. However for our smoking style, a cigar with a good amount of smoke, we would suggest giving this a cut.

Burn: D Crossier Imperium Class cigar creates a slightly jagged path during the entire burn process. From start to finish the ash created is pepper like and does a great job of holding on. Only on a few occasions did the ash fall off without a nice firm tap.

Flavor: Let’s begin the flavor portion of the cigar review by letting you know that the D Crossier Imperium Class is consistent from start to finish. D Crossier delivers a smooth cigar with a basic tobacco flavor profile that is spicy. As you smoke the Imperium you will notice a slight hint of sweetness that you can even locate during the retro-hale. The finish brings a small change of even more spice that is reminiscent of a Pepin created cigar.

Overall the body is in the medium range and will slightly creep up to the more full segment at the end depending on the smokers palate.

Final Verdict: With a recent shift in pricing we are not quite sure what the D Crossier Imperium Class (or Imperial as we like to say) robusto will run at the local B&M. Despite having that knowledge we still urge the smokers out there to pick this brand of cigars up and give them a try. Especially if you enjoy maduro cigars, spicy cigars or just a new cigar that is carving it’s own flavor profile path. You will not be disappointed!

puffingcigars.com is not only a B&M supporter but we also a support boutique cigar manufacturers. Today we are happy to introduce you to a great cigar company called Honduras Caribbean. This is a true cigar company that owns their own farms and means of production in the Honduras. Starting in 2005 by a gentleman named Clayton this cigar company strives to “offer an affordable cigar with a premium quality taste and appearance.”

The Maduro by Honduras Caribbean is the cigar we will be reviewing today. The Madruo comes in four sizes: Robusto (5×52), Churchill (7×50), Torpedo (6×54) and the Gordo (6×60). From the website the Maduro is described as “Our first 100% sun-grown cigar from the Honduras Caribbean farms in Trojes.  This natural maduro is a powerful and intoxicating cigar with a complex, rich finish.”

Construction: If there is one thing a boutique manufacturer should be able to do it’s control the construction of their product hitting the market. I am proud to announce that the Maduro by Honduras Caribbean was able to do just that. They provide you with a very dark Sun Grown Honduran wrapper that was grown on their own farm in Trojes. The tobacco, again grown on their own farms, is packed into the cigar giving it a nice weight and feel. Looking at the cigars you might be able to see a single faint vein from the toothy wrapper.

Draw: Feel free to choose whatever method you would like to open the cap on the Honduras Caribbean cigar. Regardless of choice you get the perfect draw with just a slight bit of resistance. Your palate will be greeted with just the right amount of smoke for the perfect smoking experience.

Burn: Slightly jagged from start to finish you will not have any issues smoking the Maduro cigar down to the nub. The ash is gray and perfectly able to hold it’s own until you give it a nice firm tap in the ashtray.

Flavor: Doing a pre-light smell/taste on the Maduro by Honduras Caribbean will give you a really good indication to how the cigar is going to smoke. You can smell and the earthy tobacco and wrapper you will soon be greeted with.

From the get-go the smoke is very smooth and very easy on the palate. The most memorable aspect of the cigar is that it will not deliver the “typical” maduro sweetness your taste buds can easily get bored of. Overall the cigar is just great tasting tobacco many will describe as earthy. On the exhale you will also get a slight spice that can barley be noticed but actually rounds off the flavor profile for a great experience.

Towards the end of the first 1/3 I’m picking of a little dry coffee/chocolate taste, again only strong enough to compliment the tobacco. This is exactly how the middle of the cigar will smoke. However I will say the spice has become a little bit more prominent in the finish.

The spice becomes even stronger yet as you enter the final 1/3 of the cigar. At this is the point of the Maduro by Honduras Caribbean you will officially transitions from the medium to full body range. Flavor is still a dry chocolate/coffee that just pairs well with the tobacco that’s packed inside.

Final Verdict: Retailing in the $6.xx range, and even if this cigar had cost more, it is a great buy. It is too easy to create an “okay” cigar with a typical Maduro taste. However very complicated to great a great cigar that provides you with a real sense of the tobacco as the Maduro by Honduras Caribbean has done. So, if you can look past the glitzy advertising of others and want a very solid cigar that will truly bring you enjoyment at a great price – then buy a box of the Maduro by Honduras Caribbean.

Construction: The Di Fazio Maduro looks good enough to take a bite out of. The wrapper seems to be made out of dark chocolate with a slightly rough texture.  Veins can be felt with the finger but do not play any major role in the burn of the cigar. All this rough looking dark tobacco is topped off with an elegant white band that screams for attention.

Draw: Ladies and gentleman we have perfection at its finest. The Di Fazio Maduro cigar can be smoked with a punch or cut and will provide you a great amount of nice smooth smoke.

Burn: The Di Fazio burned slightly jagged and created a peppery ash that held quite well.

Flavor: As of lately most Maduro cigars seem to produce the same sweet, coating, boring smoke that we do not find interesting in the least bit. This is exactly what the Di Fazio Maduro is not.

This Di Fazio Maduro produces a flavor profile that is best described as oaky with a very smooth clean smoke. There is no variation in this from start to finish. However towards the middle of the cigar, after it warms up a bit, you will start to get a dry chocolate taste that compliments the profile and keeps the cigar interesting. In the final section your smoke will get a slight hint of spice that may only be noticeable on the retro-hale or the lingering smoke hits your nose.

Again, not being a fan of Madruo cigars I have to compliment Di Fazio for not following the same sweetened beaten down path. To be quite frank – if we was forced to create a maduro cigar (if only we had the chance)  this is exactly what we would create.

Final Verdict: Di Fazio Maduro robusto has a retail price tag in the $8 dollar range and should absolutely be purchased. This is not the typical madruo you will find at your local B&M and would be a unique addition to any humidor. A smooth clean cigar with an oaky body that produces mountains of smoke can, and will, leave a smile on your face.  After fully reviewing both the Connecticut and the Picoso cigars I can say that Di Fazio is on the right track to stardom by creating cigar lines that do not fit the typical mold.

Construction: If the wrappers all got together to have a last man standing brawl, I would put two stacks of high society on the El Titan de Bronze Maduro San Andres Wrapper.  This Mexican San Andres  dark beast is toothy, carries some medium sized veins, looks rough, and makes the cigar feel firm.

Draw: The Redemption Maduro has a medium draw that requires just a bit of effort to pull the thick smoke through. It is enough resistance to make sure the cigar doesn’t burn too fast, or too hot, and comfortable enough to fully enjoy the cigar. I would suggest cutting the Redemption wide open.

Burn: The burn on the El Titan de Bronze Redemption Maduro is great and has never required any corrections. The ash is medium pepper gray in color and appears flaky. However while the Redemption Maduro may appear flaky the ash holds quite well and will not fall into your lap.

Flavor: As you hear us rant through the Redemption video you quickly realize that the flavors being produced a very unique to  this cigar. While the components being used to construct the El Titan de Bronze are not unique themselves (many will argue on the wrapper) the blend is very complex and creates quite the buzz on your palate.

Upon initial light you realize that this is not the sweet Maduro you may be used to, you are greeted with an earthly powerful spice.  As you smoke through this segment you may encounter cocoa, coffee, earthiness, and some other unique spices. The smoke is thick and coats your palate but it does not leave the typical Maduro sweetness, again, it has a finish that is a bit earthy.

The middle of the cigar doesn’t loose any complexity. The most notable change is going to come from the finish of each puff. The spice has lessened a bit and you now get a hint of the sweetness a typical maduro will leave. Because the spice has slightly subdued you will experience more of the cocoa flavors.

You get a great, complex, cigar from start to finish. As you end the cigar you seem to experience everything again as if it were reminding you of the enjoyment you had. Or maybe it’s the Redemption Maduro’s way of waiving bye and enticing you to smoke it again.

Final Verdict: The cigar retails for about $7.xx at the B&M and somewhere around $6.xx if you can find it online.  If you like complex cigars, spice, unique wrappers, new cigars, or supporting the small cigar company – then the El Titan de Bronze Redemption Maduro is the cigar for you! We recommend buying two boxes of which one will be used for aging. These Redemption Maduros are fairly new but we believe have great qualities that do even better with a little shelf time.

Construction: Great construction on the Kristoff Ligero Maduro. There were no major veins that could cause any issues with the burn. The Kristoff Ligero Maduro wrapper is very oily and the cigar is very firm. The foot is left open, which is not only unique, but makes it a little easier to get the cigar started.

Draw: Kristoff Ligero Maduro has a medium draw that requires a little tug. You will get plenty of smoke that is very smooth on the palate.

Burn: Kristoff Ligero Maduro is a mild-medium body cigar from the start. You will get a hint of spice and the sweetness of the Brazilian Maduro. There might be a slight earthiness but it is light behind the ligero. The smoke is very clean and smooth.

Taste: Medium body at the middle of the cigar with a refreshing sweetness from the Brazilian Maduro wrapper. A standard tobacco flavor is what comes through with a smooth smoke. The Kristoff Ligero Maduro is not a complex cigar but is consistent enough to smoke anytime of the day.

Still consistent in the body and flavor profiles the Kristoff Ligero Maduro has not changed. The Brazilian Maduro wrapper is the first thing your palate will pickup, followed by a slight spice from the ligero, and finished with a smooth light smoke.

Final Verdict: Kristoff Ligero Maduro has a $7.xx price range. This is a good cigar that you should keep in your humidor for…for that any time you want a straight forward, consistent, smooth cigar. Brazilian Maduro fans will also enjoy the Kristoff cigar. The lack in complexity keeps us from buying a full box of the Kristoff Ligero but this is a cigar you will not hesitate to keep on hand.

Quick Notes

Construction: Rich dark wrapper with some veins that run throughout. CAO Brazilia is rolled nicely and I can not locate any soft spots yet I wouldn’t say the stick was firm.

Draw: CAO gives all their cigars a draw test so you can only expect that most of the sticks will draw very well. With any CAO cigars I tend to punch but a cut will work just as well.

Burn: CAO Brazilia happens to have a burn that is just a little bit jagged. The ash is a gray color and is just average. It will not fall on you unexpectedly but do not expect to stand the cigar on the ash. Smoke was again just average but left your mouth with a little spice.

Taste: Lush tobacco and smoke with a hint of sweetness. Typical Brazilian maduro wrapper is giving the cigar a medium body.

Cigar is tasty but is lacking any unique flavors. You really get a good sense of the tobacco with a hint of sweetness. The Brazilia smoke is leaving a little spicy on the palate.

The CAO Brazilia is very consistent in flavors to this point. Sweetness still lingers with a slightly spicy smoke in the finish. CAO Brazilia is a clean cigar that is good for refreshing the palate.

Through the entire cigar you will also receive hints of coffee that seem to dance in and out of the smoke. If you smoke this cigar too hot you will end up with a bitter taste at the end, so be careful.

Final Verdict: A lounge will carry the CAO Brazilia in the $6.xx-7.xx range. The online retailers seem to have it in the low $6.xx. CAO Brazilia is a cigar that needs to be in your humidor. It works as a sweet maduro cigar that can deliver some spice and stay interesting from start to finish. However the Brazilia can also be the cigar that helps you clean the palate or throw something new into the rotation. So buy half a box, pick up a couple of sticks, and enjoy the smoke (but it may not be interesting enough for a full box purchase).

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.

Bigger is better! To keep up with my true American way of life I have to have the big things. This includes a big million dollar house, next to my big powerful red 69 Camaro, protected by my big Rottweiler, and I need to smoke a big fat cigar: Oliva V. The only problem is I do not have the house, car, dog, and well… to go with the flow I’ll ditch the big cigar too (in terms of ring gauge).

Allow me to introduce you to the Oliva V Lancero. Seven inches in length and with a ring gauge of 38 this tasty Oliva cigar brings a slightly different taste to the “V” series of cigars. The reason is simple: There is more Habano Sun Grown relative to the Jalapa Valley Ligero filler.

Construction: The wrapper is a dark brown in color with a hint of oils on the wrapper (as this should describe any full-bodied cigar).  I would say this cigar is not as firm as other Serie V in larger sizes, but at the same time this was not a “loose” cigar. It was packed just right for the size.

Draw: Many people have expressed concern when I inform them of my intentions to smoke a lancero because sometimes you may get that “dud” that just wont draw. I think this only happens on the lower quality sticks. The V has given me no problems, ever. I have complete confidence in this stick as the draw has always been perfect.

Burn: My favorite quality about the lancero, especially one constructed as well as the Oliva V, has got to be the burn factor. I always have grate luck with this cigar burning even and at just the right rate. Obviously your cigar ash will not be as large/long as the fuller sized brothers – but I don’t care.

Taste: First puffs on the Serie V brings about a nice prominent woody profile with some very enjoyable nutty tones. You will also notice that this stick packs a great spiciness that really ties everything together.

The second third of the Oliva looses much of the spice, nut, and woody profiles.  Coffee and cocoa kick in that make the middle the most enjoyable (in my opinion).  A sweeter type of spice is still in the mix with the woody/nut hints protruding every so often.  Again this happens to be my favorite part of the cigar – and lets be thankful this section is so long.

The final third of the cigar is when the body really becomes “full“. You still have the great cocoa, woody, spice – just kind of hidden.  I want to go out on a limb and say that I was getting leather flavors but I’m not sure that was the case for every cigar. Oliva V is a quality cigar that ends very well and you will have no problem nubbing the smoke all the way down.

Verdict Is: Buy this. As stated in the introduction to this cigar you have more Habano Sun Grown wrapper relative to the Jalapa Valley Ligero filler. This means that the taste is somewhat different than what you might know as the “V” taste, or cigar profile.

So give this a shot and see where it fits with you. You may think it has that same V taste or maybe you will side with me and think of it as a whole new cigar that has its appropriate time to smoke. EITHER WAY: you are going to love this cigar – just get over the “ring gauge” issue . I took the liberty of going down to my local B&M and picking up a whole box to age (just to see how the cigars change).

Partagas Limited Reserve Decadas 1997 No. II is a mild bodied, limited edition, aged cigar created from very fine Cameroon wrapper leaves. The wrapper leaves are carefully grown and maintained (aged) in Spanish cedar rooms. Partagas Reserve Decadas wrappers are then individually chosen from the bails – on average only 3 of every 1,000 leaves will be used.

The finished product is beautifully marketed to correspond with the cigars interesting story. Partagas Limited Reserve Decadas ship in a light colored box. The outside of the Decadas box is stamped with a cool looking metal Partagas emblem. On the inside you will find a hand signed authenticity card that will give you the year of the cigars and other various cigar history. Two trays sit below this card with slightly cut grooves – this allows the glass tubes to sit perfectly. The glass tubes are thick and have a metal tag attached to the top stamped with the year of the cigar.

A lot has gone into creating this cigar. A lot has gone into marketing the Partagas Limited Reserve Decadas.

Construction: Partagas Reserve wrappers will slightly vary in color from year to year. This 1997 Reserve was dark enough to know you would get some flavors but not dark enough to make anyone intimidated. The wrapper of the Limited Reserve has only small slight veins. In the glass tube the cigar may appear super oily but once removed I would say this has a medium sheen. Partagas usually creates a good stick – so I was not surprised when there were no soft spots and everything felt firm.

I don’t want to be too picky from the beginning but the Limited Reserve construction did not have the quality of VSG, Opus, Oliva, or even J. Fuego.

Draw: Draw has always been perfect with the Reserve. It doesn’t matter if you use the punch or cutter.

Burn: I am going to say that this is the only thing the cigar DID NOT really do well in. From my box of Decadas I would say a lot (for a $18 +) of them tend to burn uneven. Midway through the stick is when the miss burn happens but eventually the cigar will correct on its own.

Taste: This is a Cameroon wrapper aged in a Spanish cedar room for ten years. Of course you will get the woody, somewhat spicy, and maybe I taste a bit of nut in the stick. The beginning is my favorite part of the smoke – but oddly enough this cigar isn’t “memorable“. It remains like this for most of the cigar.

The smoke is smooth, its enjoyable, but it never left me craving it like I know some cigars can do (think CG4).

Eventually the cigar tends to get more leathery and a bit more full in body as you smoke.

You will also notice you have no ash. For some reason it tends to fall off every 2 inches.

Verdict Is: You might be able to tell by the lack of information from the “Taste” section that I wasn’t too impressed with this stick. The only reason I wasn’t impressed is that it cost upwards of $18.

I can name ten sticks off the top of my head that you will enjoy more, that will make you crave a second, and make the evening perfect and all cost less.

Lets think about it: Opus X (if you buy at retail) is less than this stick.

The only reason I bought this box of cigars is because I got a good deal on it.