Reviews
Date Added: Tuesday 07 June, 2016
Reviewed by Colin Flynn (July 2003)
Appearance and Construction - 12
There was a big splotch under the band, and a messy looking cap. The prelight draw was smooth, and the smell was nice, but the taste was a bit bland.
Flavor - 24
The first draw was strong and easrthy, with a peppery note - very pleasing. Strong notes of pepper appeared early on, and a bit of anise was noticeable.
1" - A sort of dry, blackberry taste was apparent, something altogether new to me, and very pleasing. Notes of leather, and toasty tastes were also present.
1.75" - The pepper taste is starting to show as a trend, and is very tasty, forcefully presenting itself.
2" - Hints of cocoa are present, and will be displayed mildly throughout.
3" - Pepper is once again dominating, with a distinctly tasty and complex aftertaste on the tip of the tongue. The finish displayed very nice notes of dry, nutty flavors. This was a very tasty cigar, and, so far, the tastiest i have had all year.
Smoking Characteristics - 24
Draw is slightly tight at the beginning, making it a bit hard to get a full mou
Date Added: Tuesday 07 June, 2016
It’s early evening, and my cigar of choice is the Rafael Gonzalez Perlas – at 4 inches in length and 42 ring gauge, it promises to be a 30-40 minute smoke, and my hopes are high for this little fella, based on other reviews. So, time to settle down in the smoking salon (i.e. garage), pop Dark Side of The Moon onto the stereo and settle back with the Rafa and a nice glass of rum.
The Rafa’s wrapper speaks to me – flawless and rich – I can hardly wait to get stuck into this gem of a cigar. The initial aroma is subtle and enticing. The pre-light draw is not the easiest I’ve had, but not bad by any means, and it hints at coffee and hay.
The cigar lights easily and evenly, and that first breath is a delight – almost immediately I get coffee and creaminess that herald a light and tranquil smoke. The draw is a little on the heavy side, but it certainly won’t cause any brain damage, and I’m getting plenty of smoke.
The taste of the Rafa is developing nicely – it’s rounding out and drifting from a light to a medium bodied smoke, and I’m getting a lovely bitter chocolate flavour. The
Date Added: Saturday 14 May, 2016
An excellent cigar. Plenty of power but I would suggest accessible to all but the faintest heart. My last one had an erratic burn which was hopefully a one off but it didn't spoil the enjoyment of this top quality cigar. I pick up something vaguely perfumy but in a good tobacco way. I would buy a box for the humidor. Recommended!
Date Added: Sunday 24 April, 2016
First impression;this is a very pretty cigar, the wrapper was smooth and flawless. The first inch was pleasant but extremely mild. From there on in the cigar delivered a more complex mix of flavours which intensified very gradually as the smoke went on. Burn was a little erratic but this didn't bother me as this is an immensly enjoyable cigar in a very mellow kind of way. Be prepared to burn your fingers, the flavours keep coming but never ever get close to being harsh. This is a real find. It's a mild cigar with hardly any pepperiness. Boy is it enjoyable. This one really put a smile on my face. I give it 6 stars. You would be crazy not to try one.
Date Added: Saturday 16 April, 2016
A nice everyday mini cigar. I am an occasional cigar smoker; but like many others appreciate that I do not always have the time to enjoy a full size cigar.
These come in really handy for a quick 5 minute smoke over a cup of freshly brewed coffee, they are light to medium flavoured, light and burn well and are an easy smoke. Well recommended!
Date Added: Tuesday 08 March, 2016
R&J's not really my favourites but due to reputation I wanted to try this little number. Glad I did, jolly pleasant it is indeed. The first third is very mild and sweet, anyone would find it accessible. There is a sudden but welcome change at the beginning of the second third. Darker, stronger flavours as the stick wakes up and grows. This is now a medium cigar and a fine one at that.
My only disappointments were that there was not another significant twist at the two thirds marker and that by removing the tight band the cigar was damaged and began unraveling. Probably my fault but annoying nonetheless less. If you are going to be hanging around early evening for quite some time, this is a very impressive cigar to relax with. Very good.
