Reviews
Date Added: Friday 03 June, 2016
Montecristo Edmundo Cigar - 1 Single
by Staff
Reviewed by Stuart Dixon (December 2005)
Last June (2004), whilst working in York, I tracked down the local cigar emporium in the centre of town. This small and well-stocked tobacconist provided 30-minutes worth of "Ooohs" and "Ahhs" as I pressed my nose against the glass door of the walk-in humidor.
I decided immediately upon seeing them that one of the (then) newly-released Montecristo Edmundo's should grace my humidor with its presence, and so picked out the best example.
Substantial in girth, the cigar is dressed in a mid-brown, sheeny wrapper. Solid the entire length, there is a certain toothiness about it, veins evident from top to bottom, and it's double-capped.
It is excellently balanced and feels exceptional in the hand. On the nose, there is leather and fruit, and some pepper to the lips.
It is altogether a very good-looking cigar.
I did read that the cigar was a tad "green" back in the summer of 04 and that it required between 6 months and 3 years to age. I put this single onto the bottom shelf of the humidor and tried to forget about it.
A year later,
Date Added: Friday 03 June, 2016
Reviewed by Kevin Schonhaut ( October 2000)
No need to describe the appearance of the cigars again here. The cigar's pre-lit aroma was very subtle, enough to allow me to detect that there was, indeed something under my nose. When first applying a flame to the foot, there was a hint of mild spice. I had in my hand a very rich and complex single malt with strong, rather than subtle hints of chocolate, butterscotch and stewed fruit. With the first puff of smoke from the Juan Lopez No. 2, it was clear that the cigar was not going to be able to hold up against the onslaught of flavor offered by the scotch. I laid the drink aside and slowly tried to get a sense of the cigars character.
What can I say? Despite a perfect burn and draw, my first cigar was as bland as my brother's. It was like going to the beach and hearing the radio play on someone else's sand dune. It was like the sound of a train in the distance. It was like some neighbor down the block was burning leaves in his back yard. A couple of times, I sipped again at the scotch, just to remind myself that I still had a sense
Date Added: Friday 03 June, 2016
Reviewed by Jack Schonhaut ( October 2000)
The three cigars I had were all 4 7/8 x50 with a smooth firm feel, light brown EMS color, perfect cap and a foot that looked like it was cut by a laser
It was a sunny Saturday afternoon when I took the first vitola outside with a dram of Springbank 25 year old single malt. The cut was clean and it lit without and problem. A puff was all it took to start a nice stream of smoke.
An easy draw, a nice breeze and a fine scotch. The only thing missing was any flavor from the cigar. The taste wasn't harsh, it wasn't mild, it just wasn't. The ash grew to around two inches before it fell off. In fact the remaining ash held until I finally put the cigar down with less than an inch remaining. There still was no flavor to be found.
Vitola number two went to bat the following Saturday accompanied by a dram of Bowmore 22 year old Islay malt. Another perfect cut and light. Another plume of smoke after an easy draw. Another disappointment, no taste.
Victim number three was smoked the following afternoon accompanied by a cup of black coffee. S
Date Added: Friday 03 June, 2016
Reviewed by Bill Durkin
I recently received a cigar from a friend (Thanks again), that I have never had the experience of trying...a Juan Lopez Seleccion #1.
Prior to lighting I admired the cigar, to its "perfect" cap, then its wonderful construction and finally its perfect colour (Colorado Claro); the cigar was very well made to say the least.
Next, I clipped the end and took a pre light draw, to see what I was in for. The draw clean and free, and that point I knew I would have no troubles.
Upon lighting, the first three or so draws were extremely rough and tannic. At first, giving me a feeling of disappointment and then without notice quickly diminishing.
The first part of this cigar was extremely woody, then turning to a sweet woody flavour with a hint of honey. By the second third it transformed yet again to predominately woody flavour with a hint of floral and leather notes (quite minor) and then the final third was semi sweet wood and clean tobacco (which was present throughout but mainly hidden) with a hint of pepper and spice.
This cigar was an extremely go
Date Added: Friday 03 June, 2016
H. Upmann No. 2 Cigar - 1 Single
by Staff
Reviewed by Pat Hamilton (December 2000)
Fast. The one word that best describes the time between my acceptance in the Taste Test and the package's arrival. If I didn't know better I'd swear my friends sent the package first and notified me later. Impressive enough but more so since this took place during the Christmas rush.
The cigars themselves were in great shape. The Upmann No. 2's featured a golden reddish-brown wrapper much like those from the H-2000 wrapper. Very few veins were evident except for one of medium size on one cigar. Not a large, ugly, "varicose" if you will, this noticeable vein actually added to the overall beauty of the cigar. In fact, if this one cigar was taken from a separate box as the other two, then that's the box I'd want in my humidor. Construction on all three was great, the caps on a Pyramid from Cuba are exceptional. Only Havana's finest rollers could produce this vitola. The initial aroma out of the package was deep....rich and earthy. I had the feeling they were going to be awesome smokes. But first I laid them to rest for several weeks.
Onc
Date Added: Friday 03 June, 2016
H. Upmann Magnum 46 Cigar - 1 Single
by Staff
Reviewed by Steve Smith
Introduction: This head spinning tasty stick arrived via stealth bomber when I made a wish from across the Ohio river. Thank you DonJefe. Anyone want to buy some really nice domestics cheap? This is ridiculous I have been smoking cigars for 20 years and feel like an idiot not going dark earlier.
Pre-Light Ruminations: Smelled nice a lot like the permanent resonant smell from my mustache. No matter what I do always that cigar smell in the short hairs. This kind of flavors any pre light thoughts. Looks like a rough triple cap. Nice firm cigar - but without exception in my limited experience Cubans seem firmer than the domestics. Pre light draw was slightly tight but good.
Initial Thoughts This stick started out raspy and settled in after about a ½ inch. For its ring size it was not as strong as I expected medium to full with a little sharp nose. Kept my interest, got some twang, not ethereal, but good at this price point.
Mid Burn Experience Settled in to that nice leather, coffee zone got a little 3D as the buzz set in. Burn was great. Stopped at a
