Cubao #6

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra Oscuro
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: Robusto #6 (5.5 x 52)
Strength: Full

Walk through any cigar bar, cigar lounge, or plain tobacco shop that sells cigars and you will see a plethora of cigar boxes. Some of the cigar boxes will have bright vivid colors splashed across the front, maybe they have a unique shape, or you see a combination of both.

What you might not notice is a box built with rough wood - that really looks like it has been sitting in the sun for years. Once you pick this up you will have two thoughts running through your mind: 1. This cigar is a low quality sham or 2. This stick has to be something great, and they can get away with it.

You can make your own decision, but before you do let me provide you with some information about the cigars inside the beat-up box: They are made by United Tobacco (the same company who makes 601), blended by Pepin Garcia, and wrapped with a Ecuadorian Sumatra Oscuro wrapper . Welcome to Cubao.

Construction: Milk Chocolate. That’s how I would have to describe the Cubao wrapper in two words. After smoking many of the Cubao’s and looking at the other cigars in the family I can tell you that the construction is high quality. Small veins seem to crawl the non-oily wrapper and you can usually see one going down the cigar - but it doesn’t effect the actual smoking. When the “pinch test” was done the Cubao felt a little less firm then I would have liked but does not come undone during smoking.

Draw: For most of the smoke sessions with the Cubao a punch was used (maybe I feel bad about making the robusto any shorter?). The draw was absolutely perfect but I tend to think cutting the cigar made it maybe a little too easy. Either way you will get a full mouth of thick, white, lovely smoke.

Burn: Cubao started the burn off a little bit jagged and seemed to stay that way throughout the smoke. It was really nothing to worry about. The rate of burn was perfect and it created a peppery ash that was easily removed with a simple tap.

Taste: Pre-light of the #6 was just as exciting as the actual smoke. I was instantly hit with a freight train of pepper.

First third of the cigar kept the pepper taste in full force. Each puff brought my pallet lots of enjoyment and ended with a bit of sweetness. There is something else to this great cigar that’s hard to pinpoint. It was complex. Smoking this Cubao reminded me of some Cubans other well traveled cigars I tend to enjoy.

Moving on to the middle of the robusto the enjoyment only continued. The complexity continued to increase as the smoke became more flavorful and full. Chocolate and coffee displaced the pepper as the primary flavor coming through. A “hoppy” beer is something that comes to mind when I try to discribe the other bitterness that comes through. Do not let the word “bitterness” scare you - It is a good addition to this cigar.

Eventually you will come to the final third of the cigar (its sad, I know). Chocolate and coffee remained as the primary flavors. You will find the “bite” of the Cubao #6 really pick up and stay with you a little longer with each draw. The smoke leaves a really creamy finish that, enjoyably, lingers.

Verdict Is: If you love complex, full bodied, perfect cigars - then go buy this now. This is a great buy that everyone should have in the humidor. Cubao #6 is only a $6 cigar that will put up a good fight, and win, against all the higher priced sticks.

I will buy even more boxes of the Cubao. Aging these cigars, while not necessary, should be amazing.

Other Cigars: I will edit this post when I can find cigars similar, and in the lower, same, higher price ranges. The only thing that comes to mind is the Oliva V.

Partagas Limited Reserve Decadas 1997 No. II

Wrapper: Cameroon
Filler: Dominican Republic
Size: Robusto
Strength:Medium

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.

J. Fuegos Delirium

Wrapper: Brazilian Maduro
Filler: Honduran and Nicaraguan Corojo
Size: Robusto
Strength:Medium

J. Fuego’s Delirium review was I was greatly anticipating due to my love of the Natural and the Corojo. When hearing about the education and research (this will be another article later) that J. Fuego has gone you can only expect great cigars. Another great quality about this cigar is the wrapper. It happens to be the “youngest” component with 5 years of aging.

Construction: The maduro cigar has the typical looking maduro wrapper sitting right in the middle of the “color scale”. Veins will consist of one or two that will run the length of the cigar (or just about) and you can just see a hint of the oils on the wrapper. Overall I would say this is a “no thrills” looking stick that you might walk by in the humidor. J. Fuego Delirium is a cigar that’s packed with great smelling tobacco making the cigar firm and impossible to unravel while smoking.

Draw: The pictures I have posted show the Delirium cut: the draw is perfect. When I punch this cigar: the draw is perfect.

Burn: From the construction and the draw descriptions would you expect the burn to be anything else but … perfect? The ash stays on just as well, if not better, than any other expensive “premium” cigar.

Taste: J. Fuego’s Delirium was bursting with coca flavors from the get go - this stick is a piece of cigar heaven. The first part of this cigar also brought great sweetness and maybe a mild hint of leather to the pallet.

As you continue to smoke the Delirium the cocoa flavors seem to take back seat to a woodsy, not so sweet flavor (this pushes the cigar in a medium-full category). The smoke became even creamier. The flavors worked well together because it was a smooth transition.

Now as you are finishing the cigar it will have a bitter coco taste, but still a good finish (keep in mind most cigars will get this way). I nubbed it.

Verdict Is: You need to buy this cigar. Delirium is a cigar anyone can, and will, enjoy. The price point of this stick sits around $8.50 if you buy them individually. What does that mean to you? – Just buy a box and get a discount.