CAO MX2 Robusto

CAO's MX2 is a delicious, Western Hemisphere blend of Brazilian, Nicaraguan, Honduran, Dominican and Peruvian tobaccos. I reviewed the MX2 Dagger cigarillo in my winter short smoke shootout video series, and have smoked a couple of the regular-sized models as well. This sample came via Cigars Direct, so props to the sponsor!

There are certain moments when a cigar becomes a magical experience, and this MX2 got to participate. I was out camping with my son's cub scout pack, and after dinner, I found myself in a quiet stretch of the lakeshore, looking across the water at beautiful sunset. Cigar smoldering at hand, it was a peaceful hour, despite the roving bands of "indians" (aka cub scouts) scouring the lakeshore for rival barbarians (aka other cub scouts).

MX2's dark, Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper had a nice, oily gloss to it, the cigar felt firm, and the draw had a nice resistance to it.

Right away, The MX2 fronted a bold, leathery flavor with some cedary spice and black coffee. After the opening notes, I also detected a bitter, dark chocolate flavor, like those spendy 85% cacao chocolate bars. Heading for the nub, a harsh, ashy spice stared building up on the palate, so I let it go. The cigar was a solid medium-bodied smoke, waxing towards full at the nub.

The first 3 inches of the CAO MX2 robusto are the best, and offer a complex and tasty flavor profile for the maduro fan.

Isabela Miami Esplendito

Heh. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer and, at times, it shows bold and obvious. I reviewed the Isabela Miami robusto not too long ago, and the sweetness of the cap befuddled me. I usually associate sweetened caps with Swisher Sweets, but a commenter here set me straight about the construction of the Isabela, and how it follows Cuban cigar tradition. So, here's my mea culpa and obligatory self-effacement:



The Isabela is as good a smoke as it's shorter sibling. Vicente Ortiz and Prime Cigar Co. have a winner on their hands.

Alec Bradley Ovation Maduro

Alec Bradley Ovation maduro baron/robusto
$3.50, Size: 5", Ring: 54
Brazilian maduro wrapper, Mexican binder, Nicaraguan and Costa Rican fillers.

Under the ownership of Alec Bradley, Ovation seems to be an older sibling of the current Trilogy brand. Being a little fatter than its newer brethren, and not being listed on Alec Bradley's new website, I dare say this cigar won't be available too much longer, and only then on CBid. But, onto the cigar...

The Brazilian maduro wrapper was a medium chocolate color, had a smooth, matte texture with a faint gloss, and had wispery veins. I was impressed with the craftsmanship of the cap, as it was impeccably cut and applied. Getting more physical with it, the cigar felt nicely packed, and had a draw with noticeable resistance, but didn't feel outright tight. Once lit, the cigar burned pretty straight and held a good inch and a half of silvery ash.

After toasting the foot, the first half inch was extremely mild, with only a light tobacco flavor. Getting to an inch in, the flavor came in as a toasty nut, and as the second inch fumed away, a more present, leathery flavor joined in. Halfway through, a mild pepper flavor started lingering on the palate, and then strengthened with the leather . A dark, wood flavor bobbed in and out as well, while the pepper stayed strong to the finish. Not counting the first inch, I'd say the Ovation was close to medium bodied.

Although it is a slow starter, the Ovation maduro has some nice flavor to it, and is a worthy smoke. While supplies last, that is.

5 Vegas Series 'A' Artisan

5 Vegas Series 'A' Artisan robusto
$4, Size: 5", Ring: 52
Costa Rican maduro wrapper, Nicaraguan Binder, Honduran, Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers.

Just one look at the 5 Vegas Series 'A' is enough to make the maduro lover start salivating. The lush, dark maduro wrapper, the large, shiny, embossed band and cedar sleeve combine for a very impressive presentation.

Once liberated from the cedar sleeve, the Costa Rican maduro wrapper appeared a rich chocolate color, smooth and slightly glossy, with only a couple obvious veins. An aroma of cocoa rose from the wrapper, and was also present at a cold draw. I dry-boxed this cigar for a couple days before smoking it, hoping to reverse a trend of sloppily burning cigars. The cigar burned pretty straight, holding a grey ash for 1.5 inches.

From first draw to the last, this cigar was smooth. An appetizing combination of nuts and cocoa are the initial flavors, with cedar joining in soon after. Sweet pepper flavors replaced the nuts after the first inch, with the body building towards medium strength. At the last third, the flavor abated a bit, with the pepper receding and the nuts returning, and ended that way.

The only annoyance, with an inch and a half left to smoke, the wrapper burst ahead of the burn line, and fairly suddenly. I thought it was odd, but some other reviewers of Series 'A' cigars have had similar experiences. The cigar still smoked fine after the split, and I was able to smoke down to a nub.

Series 'A' could stand for affordable, attractive, or even awesome. I would call it an amiable smoke. Just make sure to dry box it for a couple days to keep the fillers from swelling so much as to split the wrapper. I've got a couple more for my future amusement.

A gaggle of folks have reviewed other vitolas of the Series 'A':
Keepers of the Flame smoked the diminuative Anomaly.
Brian Hewitt smoked the Archetype toro, one of which burst similar to my experience.
Stogie Review also smoked the exploding Archetype.
Cigar Jack smoked the larger Apex toro plus.

Carlos Toraño Signature Collection

Carlos Toraño Signature Collection robusto
$5.50 single, Size: 5", Ring: 52
Brazilian maduro wrapper, USA Connecticut binder, Dominican and Nicaraguan ligero fillers

Once in a while, you just fall into good fortune, despite your best efforts. I fell into this fine cigar on Christmas Eve, and thought I'd save it for my New Years Eve smoke. Hat's off to my generous colleague, Uncle Booga.

Toraño's Signature Collection has a sun-grown Brazilian wrapper, and Dominican and Nicaraguan ligero fillers wrapped in a broadleaf binder. With the Toraño band and a cedar sleeve, this cigar looks and feels classy.

The Brazilian wrapper's a lovely chocolate brown and looks a bit rough, showing some sharp veins and a toothy feel. After punching, the smooth draw confirms the look and feel that this cigar is well-stuffed with tobacco. A solid, white ash held for two inches before the initial drop, and over an inch afterwards. This robusto took a bit over an hour to smoke.

After toasting the foot, I was greeted with rich plumes of smoke with a mild, sweet cedar and leather flavors. Once the first inch was past, the flavor became a little stronger, nearer medium-bodied, and stayed there for the rest of the smoke. Halfway, a light spice appears on the palate for a medium finish. I had the impression that this cigar had been aged well, with nicely rounded flavors that belie the ligero tobaccos used in the filler.

The Signature Collection robusto is a nicely balanced, mild to medium cigar that should entertain all but the fussiest cigar enthusiasts.


Cigar Jack smoked a Signature Collection Perfecto in May 2007.

Reo

Reo robusto
$7/ 5pk., Size: 5", Ring: 52 box-pressed
Costa Rican Sumatra wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, Honduran and Nicaraguan mixed fillers

Rolled in Danli, Hounduras, the Reo is an EO Brands/United Tobacco cigar blended to their spec and made by Rocky Patel. I got a 5-pack from CBid, let the cigars hang out for a week, then smoked the first.

Reo's wrapper is a nice, medium-dark maduro, glossy, and sporting some moderate veins. The cigar was fairly firm, but the draw loose, and I had to keep puffing on it to keep it lit. Even still, I needed to relight twice, and do a bit of touch-up on the wrapper in between. The crumbly grey ash dropped after an inch.

The first 3/4 inch tasted like an unfiltered Marlboro; Harsh tobacco flavor with no pleasant attributes. After an inch a roasted nut flavor came in, but it was harsh and edgy. Mid-cigar, it mellowed to an earthy cedar, tasting like a Tierra Del Sol, and there it stayed for the duration. The finish on my palate was reminiscent of varnish or shellac.

For a cigar from a well-esteemed blender, I was a bit let down. Reviews from just a year prior to my purchase hailed the Reo as a good cigar, so I expected a little more from it. After letting the cigars rest for a couple more months:


Stogie Review smoked the Reo robusto back in Nov. '06.

Gurkha Grand Age

Gurkha Grand Age perfecto
$3 (CBid), Size: 6", Ring: 60
Cameroon wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, Nicaraguan and Peruvian fillers

The Grand Age is proclaimed as Gurkha's first cigar with a Cameroon wrapper, and this wrapper's a beauty: Dark, glossy, and some veins, with an aroma of wood and coffee. While smoking, the burn needed fixing a couple times, but the ash was solid and silvery, dropping after 2 inches. The smoke was thick and lush.

The cigar sprang to life immediately, with warm and spicy wood flavors at the start, similar to a Cusano CC. After the first inch, a leathery undertone arrived and stayed for the rest of the smoke. Hints of roast red peppers came in mid-cigar, then mellowed again to the basic wood-leather flavor (similar to an Indian Tabac Cameroon Legend). The last third brought a spicy ligero flavor to the fore. This was a tasty cigar.

Alas, there were some problems from the outset, mainly dealing with the aforementioned Cameroon wrapper. My cigar was split near the cap before cutting, and the problems got worse. After cutting, a section of wrapper, near the cap, split off, leaving the binder showing. I was able to position my lips enough while drawing on the cigar to alleviate some of the problems.

Then, one-third into the cigar, the wrapper started splitting and flaking in other areas. I tried to moisten the wrapper more around those areas to keep the wrapper from completely flaking off. As the smoke went on, the cigar's wrapper gradually deteriorated, splitting and cracking, until, in the final third, I had sizable fissures in the cigar, enough to kill the draw and end the smoke. I had to give it up almost an inch earlier than I would have liked.

Sometimes, bad things happen to good cigars. It's doubly hard when it happens to an expensive cigar, even if you get it cheap. It may have been comical to watch me struggle to keep this cigar together long enough to smoke it, but the flavors were well worth the effort. I'd love to try this one again, if it will have me.

Update, 1/13/08 : The next Grand Age I smoked was fine, construction-wise. I believe the difference was dry-boxing it for a couple days prior to smoking. And it was still delicious!

Velvet Cigar smoked a Grand Age in May 2007.

Fire by Indian Tabac Maduro

Fire by Indian Tabac maduro robusto
$3.60 (B&M), Size: 4.5", Ring: 52
Costa Rican maduro wrapper, USA Connecticut Broadleaf binder, Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers

"I have only one burnin' desire; let me stand next to your... fire" - Jimi Hendrix, Fire

Fire, a cigar blended by Rocky Patel, is a nicely balanced blend of triple fermented wrapper and fillers.

The triple-fermented Costa Rican wrapper is a medium chocolate color, toothy, and with a few pronounced veins. To a squeeze, the cigar feels nice and solid.

Initial draw has some moderate resistance, feels almost tight. There must be some tobacco inside the wrapper! The draw felt a little restrained while smoking, but never being difficult. Like its namesake, my Fire burned a bit unpredictably, requiring a remedial torching mid-way through the cigar. The ash was a light, mottled gray and held for an inch or so.

Prelight flavors of maduro-sweet wood with some pepper promised a tasty smoke to come. After toasting, the flavors are immediately smooth and present, tasting of leather and roasted peppers. The flavors immediately struck me as very similar to the La Gloria Cubana maduro, but a shade milder and slightly sweeter. After the first inch, the flavor mellowed some, with a roasted nut harmonic appearing. Halfway, a sweet pepper flavor crept into the finish, remaining in the background through the rest of the smoke.

Fire is a tasty, medium-bodied smoke, and another fine job by Rocky Patel. I'll have to hunt up a couple more, and save them for my rainy day.

Cusano 18 Paired Maduro

Cusano 18 Paired Maduro robusto
$5.50 (B&M), Size: 5", Ring: 50
Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper, Dominican binder, Brazilian and Dominican fillers

I like Cusano cigars, and I like the Hendrick Kelner blends that I've had so far, and so paying a little extra didn't bother me at the time. The 18 Paired Maduro is a hearty blend of tobaccos that include three wrapper-quality tobaccos: the Connecticut Broadleaf maduro jacketing the cigar, Brazilian Mata Fina maduro and Dominican Oro tobaccos in the filler. The results are sufficiently delicious enough to garner an 89 rating from Cigar Aficianado.

The Paired Maduro's firm wrapper has a light chocolate color with a reddish cast, like pin oak leaves. The surface is moderately veined, with a toothy texture, and burned a bit lopsided, needing correction after a couple inches. That may be due to that fact I was smoking the cigar on my afternoon commute from the studios to the house, au pied, 41&deg and a slight breeze.

After punching the irregular triple cap, the draw gave little resistance, to the point of being too loose. Once smoldering had commenced, the draw opened up even more, then closed a little halfway into the cigar, but was always felt loose. So, I tried to smoke it gingerly, trying not to overdraw and get a harsh burn. As for the ash, it was a flakey, tan/grey color, and dropped off after and inch or so.

Ahh, now we get to the flavors: take a Cusano CC, a Cusano MC, and an Occidental Reserve Double Broadleaf, and smoke them all at once.

The 18 Paired Maduro starts boldly with the sharp, woody taste of the Cusano CC and the rounder body of the Cusano MC. A nice spice starts subtly in the second inch and grows bolder and peppery as you smoke towards the band. All the while, you taste a familiar smooth finish on the palate that I've come to associate with these Kelner-blended cigars.

I enjoyed the taste of the cigar very much, though the smoking of it was a bit of work, and the price was a bit steep. If I can get them cheaper, and the construction issues better, I wouldn't mind smoking the 18 Paired Maduro again.

Other, more thorough reviews are at Keepers of the Flame and Stogie Review.

Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Maduro

Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 maduro toro
$15/ 5 pk., Size: 6.5", Ring 52
Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper, Nicaraguan binder, Nicaraguan and Dominican filler

When you say the name "Rocky" to someone, a variety of images can be conjured. A crook-nosed boxer. A cartoon flying squirrel. But to a cigar smoker, "Rocky" evokes a masterful tobacco blender.

The Vintage 1992 is a box-pressed cigar, sporting a 10-year old jacket of sun-grown Ecuadorian Sumatra tobacco and some well-aged Nicaraguan binder and filler. This cigar has been around a while, so if they've been taken care of, they should be mellow and flavorful. I got a 5 pack from CBid and was a bit surprised: three were a nice chocolate brown, while the other two were much darker. Being partial to maduro cigars, I went with the darker of the cigars.

The wrapper is a dark brown, almost oscuro, with subtle veining and smooth, almost oily. The cap on mine complained about the punch, causing some flaking which spread to all three layers of cap. Once lit, the burn occasionally got warbled to the point of needing some extra torching. Still, the white ash held for two inches, then fell solid like a discarded cork. Drawing through the cigar is nicely balanced, indicating a good job of rolling the filler.

Onto the smoking bit, the flavor was mild to medium, starting with a smooth leather with dark wood notes. I could taste a distinctive tone of the Nicaraguan tobacco used. The wood note subsides mid-cigar, to be replaced by a sweet spice finish at the back of the palate. The smoke was not thin, but it wasn't particularly full either.

While not quite as full or rich as the Indian Tabac Cameroon Legend, this is still a great cigar. Chalk up another knockout for Rocky.

Good Rocky

Bad Rocky

Cigar Jack smoked a Vintage 1992 robusto back in October '07.

Primos Maduro

Primos maduro toro
$2.40, Size: 6", Ring: 52
Made in Nicaragua with Nicaraguan Habano Criollo Maduro wrapper, Nicaraguan binders, and Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Peruvian fillers.

Primos is made by Los Blancos in Nicaragua using a 3-year aged Habano Criollo wrapper. The wrapper was mottled with varying shades of chocolate, and had pronounced veins. Still, the wrapper felt sturdy and not at all dry. The cap was a little ragged, but my punch made a neat hole which stayed intact through the smoke. The draw was easy, but not too loose.

This cigar burns crooked like Clinton campaign fundraising. I had to do touch up torching four or five times.

Right out of the cellophane, the Primos smelled somewhere between woody and leathery. The first inch was smooth, but tasted a bit green. The taste oscillated between woody and grassy for the rest of the cigar, with a mildly spicy finish starting mid-cigar. At times the taste was reminiscent of the Indian Tabac maduro I smoked recently, but too frequently, the flavor was like the Sherpa I had yesterday. I don't know if I'm going to buy this one again.

The Velvet Cigar reviewed the Primos rosado cigar.