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Spring mystery cigar reviews
chazbo Offline
#101 Posted:
Joined: 01-21-2007
Posts: 8,159
Recieved my three mystery cigars today from TampaTom
Along with
Ortega serie D
EPC short run 2015
The Angel's Anvil-TAA-MMXV (never had)
crusade Illuminati cigars (hard to read the band, never heard of)
Esteban Carreras Chupa Cabra (new to me)
Wooden spliffs and matches
Thank you very much Tom=d>
tamapatom Offline
#102 Posted:
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
Thank you Chaz....for setting up this mystery trade.

Illuminati is a Florida boutique that is out of production.......they had a hard time selling a good $5 cigar for $9! Go figure. Now, if you can find them, they are closeout dirt cheap (sub $3, last I checked). These were resting in a warehouse for 5 years. Saw it in my humi and figured I'd like your take on it but since it is not in current production, I didn't include it as one of the mystery cigars.
danmdevries Offline
#103 Posted:
Joined: 02-11-2014
Posts: 17,124
Mandoman wrote:
Smoked #2, 5 X 50? torpedo maduro. Looks good, smooth wrapper, no prominent veins.
First puffs, charcoal/oaky with a little pepper.
About 1/3, pepper decreased and leather replaced the oaky flavor.
2/3, spice disappeared, leathery flavor increased slightly, with coffee hints.
Near the end, spice returned.
Throughout, the smoke had a creamy feel.
Overall, nice fairly mild smoke with pleasant flavors.
I would smoke these regularly.


Edit deleted.

Thought I sent to Mandoman. I did not.
euodias Offline
#104 Posted:
Joined: 10-16-2009
Posts: 1,467
ypetryna wrote:
Nice reviews, hit the yard gar right on the head. the top shelf was one i picked up from a local that i have really wanted to try from all the high praise on here. it was labeled as a 50, so i think thats a robusto extra. the UC Shade is one of my favorites right now, and i haven't really ever gotten a badly constructed stick from DE. the original UC would get me off balance with the strength, so i loved when they released the CT. now i need to try to a don carlos anniversary.
Happy you enjoyed some of them!

A - HC Series White Shade Grown Robusto (yard) my go to fly fishing cigar that i dont mind losing when i battle a fish

B - AF Anejo (top shelf)

C - DE Undercrown Shade robusto (Mid)

BTW your inbox is full


LOL. I guess I don't really like Anejos as much as I thought. Here I have a bunch stock piled and aging. I thought that UC Shade was pretty strong. I guess the big take away is that I like mild cigars. I feel like my review of the HC white was pretty close to the CI marketing blurb though.
euodias Offline
#105 Posted:
Joined: 10-16-2009
Posts: 1,467
NWStogie wrote:


My guess is that #1 wasn’t the yard-gar. But none of the cigars I had seemed like yard-gars. I’m at a loss as to which cigar could have been. My noob guess is that either #1 or #3 was a premium and that #2 was the mid-range. I couldn’t spot a yard gar in the bunch. Good selection, Euodias. Can’t wait to hear what they were!


Those were great reviews.

Cigar #1: LFD La Nox
Cigar #2: 262 Cigars Suit and Tie Lancero
Cigar #3: Rodrigo Cigars Corona Project #1

I admit, I played a little fast and loose with the rules. The La Nox is your $10 plus cigar, but you can sometimes get them for a little less. The Rodrigos are just a hair under $10, closer to $7-8 if you were on their mailing list. The 262s were just blown out on clearance for just under $5 a stick, yard gar prices, but they retailed for $12 initially.
NWStogie Offline
#106 Posted:
Joined: 07-25-2016
Posts: 736
euodias wrote:
Those were great reviews.

Cigar #1: LFD La Nox
Cigar #2: 262 Cigars Suit and Tie Lancero
Cigar #3: Rodrigo Cigars Corona Project #1

I admit, I played a little fast and loose with the rules. The La Nox is your $10 plus cigar, but you can sometimes get them for a little less. The Rodrigos are just a hair under $10, closer to $7-8 if you were on their mailing list. The 262s were just blown out on clearance for just under $5 a stick, yard gar prices, but they retailed for $12 initially.


Holy cow! That La Nox was such a different experience from the one I had at the Shpo's Cigar lounge when watching the Super Bowl. Bought it and smoked it there. I'm thinking it may have been over or under humidified. Or just needed some rest. Yours was way better. I'm definitely going to hunt down more of #1 and #3.

Thx again!
euodias Offline
#107 Posted:
Joined: 10-16-2009
Posts: 1,467
NWStogie wrote:
Holy cow! That La Nox was such a different experience from the one I had at the Shpo's Cigar lounge when watching the Super Bowl. Bought it and smoked it there. I'm thinking it may have been over or under humidified. Or just needed some rest. Yours was way better. I'm definitely going to hunt down more of #1 and #3.

Thx again!


Could be age, could be humidity, could just be box by box consistency. I am finding as time goes on that I don't really know a cigar until Ive smoked a through a few different boxes. Honestly, I put the La Nox in there because I wasn't a fan and wanted to see what someone else thought since its such a well reviewed cigar.
NWStogie Offline
#108 Posted:
Joined: 07-25-2016
Posts: 736
euodias wrote:
Could be age, could be humidity, could just be box by box consistency. I am finding as time goes on that I don't really know a cigar until Ive smoked a through a few different boxes. Honestly, I put the La Nox in there because I wasn't a fan and wanted to see what someone else thought since its such a well reviewed cigar.


Interesting and agreed. I wanted to like the one I had at the shpo more and assumed it was just a taste preference thing.
tamapatom Offline
#109 Posted:
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
Had ambition earlier tonight. It faded along with me. I am determined to get back to my reviews tomorrow.

Scary blue skin when I took off my bandages......turns out it was just more bruising. Sutures looking flatter. I am feeling better having more pain with less meds. This isn't turning out too bad. Scars heal.
99cobra2881 Offline
#110 Posted:
Joined: 11-19-2013
Posts: 2,472
tamapatom wrote:
Had ambition earlier tonight. It faded along with me. I am determined to get back to my reviews tomorrow.

Scary blue skin when I took off my bandages......turns out it was just more bruising. Sutures looking flatter. I am feeling better having more pain with less meds. This isn't turning out too bad. Scars heal.


Tamapatammy? So forgive me for not knowing why you have stitches so until clarified I have to assume you underwent a sex change operation.
tamapatom Offline
#111 Posted:
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
Well.....lesson learned. When falling off a dock just get wet.

I ran and tripped trying to warn a guy that he was backing his car off the seawall. Second lesson: Don't care about other people's stuff.

As i fell sideways, I grabbed a dock piling and spun around splaying my forearm open (about an inch wide by 4 inches) on a screw and then grating my left leg on barnacles as i slid down into the water anyway. 13 stitches and lots of superglue for the small stuff. Tetnus shot. Spent 5 hours in the ER then had to drive a boat at 1 AM with no lights in pitch black to get to the house. Couldnt get pain meds till next day so I used vodka.

Sounds better as a shark attack story but that didnt get me through the ER any quicker.
tamapatom Offline
#112 Posted:
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
I decided to stay up and do my second review after all but i wont post till tomorrow. I dont want to get distracted. This one is interesting and demands my total attention. Later.
99cobra2881 Offline
#113 Posted:
Joined: 11-19-2013
Posts: 2,472
Sounds brutal. Best wishes for a fast recovery and enjoy that cigar tonight.
chazbo Offline
#114 Posted:
Joined: 01-21-2007
Posts: 8,159
99cobra2881 wrote:
Sounds brutal. Best wishes for a fast recovery and enjoy that cigar tonight.

Dam Tom, hope you are feeling better today, hopefully the pain Ned's will get you through the worst of it.
Sometimes Superman has to take a few hits to save the world. Your a good apple🍎
tamapatom Offline
#115 Posted:
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
Thanks Chaz. The pain med makes me feel ill and slow so the pain is preferred. Not so bad now - 3 days later. Believe it or not the scraped shin hurts the worst. Still taking the antibiotics though. So many people have to deal with worse. Cancer, heart disease,etc............heck this is only a flesh wound!

What is crazy is that I am on docks 4 or 5 times a week, in the dark, in the rain, carrying everything from boxes to lumber. Even a refrigerator once. Never have I ever fallen. Lesson 3: Stay aware of your surroundings and don't let yourself get distracted.
abjd14 Offline
#116 Posted:
Joined: 08-08-2012
Posts: 396
My second review for Cigar Labeled #1

Dark Maduro Robusto with a Double cap. Great construction, small veins wrapper is a little toothy. The cigar felt like a sponge when it came in but firmed up after sitting at 65% till today. For a dark wrapper wasn't oily and firm filler throughout the cigar.
Paired this cigar with a diet root beer. (I save liquid calories for the hard stuff) and cleansed my palate with a pair of peanut butter cups and a good nose blowing <--TMI? Cigar has a sweet odor with some hay/barnyard. Cold draw gives me nothing. If someone can reply I really don't understand the cold draw I almost never get anything. Perhaps post a name of a cigar to try so I can get used to a good cold draw.

First Puff/Third Phenomenal- Right away this is smoking like a chimney out of both ends. Easy draw heavy thick smoke. Full-Bodied, creamy and rich. I haven't had a cigar that has blown my hair back in a while because I am still a noob and I am busy try every cigar out there and tend not to go back to ones I know I love right away before I try the next big thing. Dan already gave away that my first review was the mid level cigar so I am crossing my fingers and praying that this delight is the yardgar. At this point I set down my notebook and said f$ck the notes because I want to kick back and really enjoy this. I enjoy it all the way through the 1st third until the ash fell into my lap.

1st third was everything I love in a cigar. In the 2nd third body came down to medium medium-full still heavy smoke lots of creamy and some nuttiness and hints of chocolate. At about the halfway point the cigar lost a lot of everything I was enjoying. Put it down took a rest and came back in a few minutes. Picked it back up and the flavor from the first third came back all the way to the end.

I didn't nub the cigar because towards the end I was getting lots and lots of pepper. I like some pepper but this got to much for me to handle and it got too cold outside. Smoking time 1.5 hours.

In the beginning I was hoping for the yardgar but I was getting lots of Nicaraguan flavors from cigars alike to padrons, oliva v, liga privadas. I am going to stick to my instincts and say that this is the yardgar. Also because that would mean I just learned about and amazing budget gar.
tamapatom Offline
#117 Posted:
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
OK....here goes #1

If you remember this was the corona sized trunk press. It is so flat it looks like a pressed....i don't know what - very flat. Petite but trunk press gives it a nice handfeel. Perfectly rolled. Some minor veins visible, no imperfections in shape and no soft spots. I cut it with a v cut and it looks like the mouth of a tiny catfish. Prelight flavor is a rich coffee. Hmmmm. I could suck on this all day without lighting it. Good things can come in small packages.

Upon lighting, I get a nice draw of smoke with a strong bite of pepper up front. Bold flavor. Very nice. More coffee.

Not even 1/4" into this and I want to buy this one. I don't know what it is but I like it. Different spices - can't place them. Did I say wow? Closest thing I can relate to is Tatuaje. Pepper dying back. More flavors moving forward like a spice rack - Nutmeg, Cardamon, Parsley? Just dump the whole spice cabinet in. I am guessing this is the top shelf but if it's not that's fine with me. Then I wouldn't have to lay down the money this thing is really worth.

Pepper is back. I'm not even past the 1/2" mark yet. Have to be careful not to heat up this small RG baby. I am hoping it'd not some limited edition i won't ever see again. I want more.

Lost ash at less than 1". I don't care. burn is no maintenance.

Uh oh, I should have figured. I am starting to sense this is a full bodied cigar? I don't always do well with high nicotine blends BUT it's so good I don't care. And thats where the flavor is I guess. I grab a lemon soda in hopes it helps me keep going. It's always a crap shot depending on my energy level and the particular cigar. Some stronger sticks like Tatuaje or Padron Anni maduros are among my favorites but generally I gravitate to medium to medium/full at most.

It's 1 AM and I am tired and can't keep going. Not because of cigar strength but my fatigue, But I can't only smoke 1/2 of this! Soooo before I let it die, I cut the coal and purge it in hopes of continuing tommorow.

Yeah, letting a cigar go out and relighting the next day is a no-no, but my experience is that really great cigars jump back in the saddle better than yard gars. This one does not disappoint. Now that there is sunlight, I can see how the cigar is transforming. The last 1/2 of the stick is now mottled with dark blotches concentrated along veins. It looks like a person with blood poisoning....creepy, a natural wrapper partially transforming into an oscuro? I have seen old cigars do this with aging but never in one sitting.

Even though it appears that the residues are concentrating, I have not gotten any bitterness from the foot. No draw issues. The strong flavors are now somewhat muted but still worthy of enjoyment. I am getting a slight buzz off of this on the last 1/4 - the cigar wants to keep giving but I think I'm now done. This did not put me under the table as I was expecting. Maybe a medium/full?

Excellent. I think I would enjoy this more once I have fully recovered from my general lethargy..........also having one after a full meal wouldn't hurt. I am going to have to hurry up and do the last mystery cigar so I can find out what this one is. Thanks Abjd14.
chazbo Offline
#118 Posted:
Joined: 01-21-2007
Posts: 8,159
Got home from work and decided to enjoy this wonderful weather, slight breeze and 65 degrees.
Grabbed a Dogfish Head Sea Quencher Ale, light brew with sea salt and lime taste.
Decided to stay in order so #1 from Tampatom is:
6x46, triple cap, very smooth light wrapper. Rolled in my hand and was lite but hard. V-cut
Cold draw was of hay with a lil spice. Lit the cigar with a cedar spliff that Tom sent along. First time in 30+yrs I did this.
Work out nicely, without the blast of a triple flame.
I let the cigar get cooking about a half inch before I started thinking about anything. Starts off mild spice with hints of cedar and a touch of leather. Good draw with enough smoke to enjoy. Now an inch into it it still has a nice lite spice, cedar thing going on. Body would be mild to medium. Perfect burn with a nice light grey ash that held on for almost two inches. 40 minutes in I decided to switch to a DFH Chicory Stout, love this brew.🍺
Almost half way in and little to report except maybe body picked up to medium. No correction needed and ash holds on for another two inches. Taste more leather over cedar with hint of spice. Feeling great. What a great way to whine down the work day. Well after my second Chicory Stout and an inch left it is time for din-din🍗
This was a very good medium body cigar that maintained its great taste of lite spice, cedar and leather throughout.
If I had to guess I would say it was a My Father Cedro deluxe, high end cigar.
Thanks Tom for a great smoke
Chazbo
tamapatom Offline
#119 Posted:
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
Do you want to know now or wait?
tamapatom Offline
#120 Posted:
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
tamapatom wrote:
Do you want to know now or wait?

Maybe you should wait.......
chazbo Offline
#121 Posted:
Joined: 01-21-2007
Posts: 8,159
tamapatom wrote:
Do you want to know now or wait?

Wait please
ypetryna Offline
#122 Posted:
Joined: 07-19-2012
Posts: 1,323
Man my notes are awful compared to some of these reviews.
frankj1 Offline
#123 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
ypetryna wrote:
Man my notes are awful compared to some of these reviews.

send the notes to me. for a small fee I'll punch 'em up some...cuz I'm good wif words, and stuff.
danmdevries Offline
#124 Posted:
Joined: 02-11-2014
Posts: 17,124
abjd14 wrote:
My second review for Cigar Labeled 1


Want it now or later?
tamapatom Offline
#125 Posted:
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
frankj1 wrote:
send the notes to me. for a small fee I'll punch 'em up some...cuz I'm good wif words, and stuff.
i've heard Frank is like some kind of genius. Better take him up on it.
abjd14 Offline
#126 Posted:
Joined: 08-08-2012
Posts: 396
Dan I'll wait till after the next review this afternoon.
abjd14 Offline
#127 Posted:
Joined: 08-08-2012
Posts: 396
Dan I'll wait till after the next review this afternoon.
Mandoman Offline
#128 Posted:
Joined: 12-27-2005
Posts: 4,761
Fired up #3 this morning.
7 X 50? maddie. Looked very nice, uniform color, barely noticable veins.
Lit up - first inch - blast of, best I can describe it, medicinal bitterness. Not one to give up, continued to smoke. After the first bbit, the flavors pretty much went away. Occasionally, a bit of spice, but nothing else. Draw was perfect as was the burn. But the flavors, or lack of, weren't to my taste.
Don't know what this was, but definately a yard gar - your yard.
As you guys can tell, I'm not very verbose when it comes to reviews. It's basically - detected flavors and opinion. Pre-light aroma, tsste, etc, don't correlate to actual taste after lighting, to me anyway - although many others detect connections.

Well, what were my 3?
ypetryna Offline
#129 Posted:
Joined: 07-19-2012
Posts: 1,323
euodias wrote:
LOL. I guess I don't really like Anejos as much as I thought. Here I have a bunch stock piled and aging. I thought that UC Shade was pretty strong. I guess the big take away is that I like mild cigars. I feel like my review of the HC white was pretty close to the CI marketing blurb though.



Yeah now i am curious on the one i have resting. the UC i first had was a couple summers ago, haven't gone back yet since it drop me on my butt. the UC shades do leave a tingle if i nub them down, but not unmanageable. so maybe its time to revisit the UC's.
these reviews are really interesting thou with the blind draws. with 2 outta the 3 smoked, i hope that i found the yard gar, but i really dont know what to expect from the last one that hopefully goes up some time this week.
stinger88 Offline
#130 Posted:
Joined: 05-29-2012
Posts: 6,574
Ypetryna,
Are you going to post all three reviews at the same time?
dharbolt Offline
#131 Posted:
Joined: 08-03-2013
Posts: 6,931
Mandoman wrote:
Fired up #3 this morning.
7 X 50? maddie. Looked very nice, uniform color, barely noticable veins.
Lit up - first inch - blast of, best I can describe it, medicinal bitterness. Not one to give up, continued to smoke. After the first bbit, the flavors pretty much went away. Occasionally, a bit of spice, but nothing else. Draw was perfect as was the burn. But the flavors, or lack of, weren't to my taste.
Don't know what this was, but definately a yard gar - your yard.
As you guys can tell, I'm not very verbose when it comes to reviews. It's basically - detected flavors and opinion. Pre-light aroma, tsste, etc, don't correlate to actual taste after lighting, to me anyway - although many others detect connections.

Well, what were my 3?


1 was a god of fire series b 2010.

2 was a Fuente queen b I cheated a little this was my yard gar, I usually get them for about 4 bucks.

3 was a rm 101 master choice 1. Mid range
Mandoman Offline
#132 Posted:
Joined: 12-27-2005
Posts: 4,761
dharbolt wrote:
1 was a god of fire series b 2010.

2 was a Fuente queen b I cheated a little this was my yard gar, I usually get them for about 4 bucks.

3 was a rm 101 master choice 1. Mid range



Thanks
tamapatom Offline
#133 Posted:
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
dharbolt wrote:
1 was a god of fire series b 2010.

2 was a Fuente queen b I cheated a little this was my yard gar, I usually get them for about 4 bucks.

3 was a rm 101 master choice 1. Mid range

Queen B for $4???
dharbolt Offline
#134 Posted:
Joined: 08-03-2013
Posts: 6,931
Yes have purchased several boxes at that price over the last 6 months
abjd14 Offline
#135 Posted:
Joined: 08-08-2012
Posts: 396
Last Review of Cigar #3

Beautiful Triple Cap Colorado Claro Wrapper in Corona Vitola. Cap is very well done Cuban quality you can tell the first cap was flagged from the end of the wrapper. Great construction, wrapper has lots of teeth could be some age to this. Tight roll and the foot was cracked slightly might have been my fault. I clipped the cap with a regular ring cutter as opposed to a table cutter. The wrapper came undone a little bit nothing a little saliva glue can't fix.

1st Third- Slight Tight draw but getting lots of rich creamy smoke with this one. Immediately I am getting some pepper and barnyard. The flavors start to develop and I am getting a whole pantry full of flavors toasted oak, cinnamon, cocoa, toast, leather, cream. I love every bit of this smoke through the first third. I tried to ash myself so it doesn't fall in my lap this time and the ash refused to drop.

2nd Third- The abundance of flavors start to die down and the true flavor of the cigar comes out very creamy nutty flavor and some vanila. About halfway through I get a bizarre flavor that reminds me of Irish Spring Soap bit weird at first but I enjoyed it. Stayed creamy through this part and ends with a blast of pepper that fades quick and the nicotine starts hitting me.

Last Third- I set the cigar down and leave it for a bit. Cigar went out and needs a relight but first I give it a draw to try to bring it back to life and I was getting some burnt rubber/gasoline. Lit it back up and the flavors from the 1st third were bouncing around again. The last 3rd certainly wasn't amazing was getting some chemical flavor that was alternating between the wonderful flavors mentioned. The chemical taste took a backseat and was still enjoyable overall. I nubbed the cigar. Total Smoking time about 1 hour 20 mins.

Overall- I this was my favorite of the 3 mystery cigars I will definitely buy these up and get a couple of #1 in the lineup. I didn't care much for #2 but I'll have to give it another shot since Dan swears by them and I got a "dud" When I had inspected all 3 originally I suspected this one to be a premium and possibly a Cuban. The flavors were very complex with very few unenjoyable puffs towards the end. So of my last 2 one was the premium and 1 was the yard gar. My guess is the #1 is the yardgar and #3 is the Premium. I don't even want to guess a brand. I haven't done many mystery reviews and I am really happy with the ability to get a truly blind review without any brand expectations. Thanks Chaz for putting it together and thanks to Dan for some great choices and the bonus cigars that were sent along.

What are my last 2?

danmdevries Offline
#136 Posted:
Joined: 02-11-2014
Posts: 17,124
Both have some age, so not sure if current production will do you right.

The first you smoked was La Palina Black Label. Midrange

The second was a 2013ish Liga Privada T52. Premium

The final was a 2014 Herrera Esteli Lonsdale. Yard gar.

Well done sir. I bent rules a bit since I don't really have any good yard gars on hand, at least none that I've not included in past blind reviews. The La Palina and the Herrera Esteli are both midrange, but I got the box of HE for about $5/ea so I called it the yard gar.

Herfing
tamapatom Offline
#137 Posted:
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
Okay....I am back to finish up.

First some lingering thoughts on the #1 little catfish.....It seemed like there must have been a mexican or ligero binder under a broadleaf sungrown wrapper....that is my best guess on why it changed the way it did. No clue as to who rolled it but I suspect it is not a well known vitola but perhaps rolled by one of the well known operations. Definitely a fantastic find.

Now for #3

I pulled it out of cello and set in on my desk while I was finishing up something on computer. I was surprised I picked up the aroma from a distance of about 18". This cigar is rolled very tight. feels like a rock. Visible veins and a little wrapper discoloration. The wrapper has burnished marks like maybe this was light box press. Color suggests maybe Colorado and not maduro? This is a larger RG robusto (robusto gordo?) About 54 to 56 RG. I didn't measure anything.

Prelight draw presented a nice tobacco sweetness. Draw is very tight. I cut off more of the cap.....seems like a triple cap. I get a little cedar on the first few draws. A little bit of spice on the backside.

This is burning very straight with a pure white ash. Seems to be Nicauraguan but not real peppery. Some subltle favor variations back and forth. Very nice.

I wish this draw would loosen up a bit. I poke a couple of holes into the foot to improve the draw. Still a little tight. Hearty flavor.

It develops a perfect 1 1/2 " ash before it drops. Burn line staying dead perfect through the first third. Draw has loosened up and no complaints.

Into the second third. I peg this as the mid range cigar of the group. Flavors are pretty consistent but nice. Things have settled into an earthy flavor profile. Spices have died down.

It goes out once. I relight. Smoke some more. I would keep smoking this if I didn't have other things to do. I let it go out at about 1/3 to 1/4 - not compelled to nub it. A solid medium +. Very satifying. I would smoke more of these depending on what I could pick them up for. Nothing in there that puts it above the class I am pegging it at - a solid mid range cigar. If this were a yard gar or could get them at a bargain, I would be real excited.

Thanks for the opportunity to do this. Now tell me what they were, please!

tamapatom Offline
#138 Posted:
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
danmdevries wrote:
Both have some age, so not sure if current production will do you right.

The first you smoked was La Palina Black Label. Midrange

The second was a 2013ish Liga Privada T52. Premium

The final was a 2014 Herrera Esteli Lonsdale. Yard gar.

Well done sir. I bent rules a bit since I don't really have any good yard gars on hand, at least none that I've not included in past blind reviews. The La Palina and the Herrera Esteli are both midrange, but I got the box of HE for about $5/ea so I called it the yard gar.

Herfing

Another cheater on the yard gar category!!! I don't care what you got the HE for, it is not a yard gar. Neither was the AF Queen B by Dharbolt. Supposed to be retail value. Just sayin'.
abjd14 Offline
#139 Posted:
Joined: 08-08-2012
Posts: 396
Awesome Dan thanks. I came close guessing number 2 was maybe a liga. Not surprised 3 was a drew estate also. Much appreciated. Never had the 52
abjd14 Offline
#140 Posted:
Joined: 08-08-2012
Posts: 396
Awesome Dan thanks. I came close guessing number 2 was maybe a liga. Not surprised 3 was a drew estate also. Much appreciated. Never had the 52
abjd14 Offline
#141 Posted:
Joined: 08-08-2012
Posts: 396
Tampa. Numbers are how they were labeled not how u smoked them but I think you also numbers mixed but u will know by viola

1. Herrera Estelli Robusto (that was my notes but I believe it was the norteno)
2.  Diamond crown julius ceasar Churchill
3. Montecristo media noche edmundo
chazbo Offline
#142 Posted:
Joined: 01-21-2007
Posts: 8,159
Has anyone correctly guested thier mystery cigars so far?
tamapatom Offline
#143 Posted:
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
abjd14 wrote:
Tampa. Numbers are how they were labeled not how u smoked them but I think you also numbers mixed but u will know by viola

1. Herrera Estelli Robusto (that was my notes but I believe it was the norteno)
2.  Diamond crown julius ceasar Churchill
3. Montecristo media noche edmundo

Well this is interesting.......

#1.......I have never had a norteno but i love the herrera estelli and i did not recognize it. Must be Norteno.....And that fat rectangular vitola was cool and if it was robusto they must not measure volume but widest width?

#2-Julius caeser - i know and like this cigar...at least in robusto. Always got a nice black cherry flavor that didnt come with yours. It must be the combination of things from my accident that clouded my head. I wonder if they get better or worse with age. I really panned it in this review and now I am perplexed. The first time I had one I said wow this is worth the price even though i had avoided it in the past because of high price. Go figure. Before this review i would have said i would want to smoke more of these. Now not so sure.

#3 - i have had this one before and liked it enough but never went back to it because there were so many other cigars to try. I take it this was the yard gar. I will keep an eye out for deals on these.
ypetryna Offline
#144 Posted:
Joined: 07-19-2012
Posts: 1,323
stinger88 wrote:
Ypetryna,
Are you going to post all three reviews at the same time?


that was the plan. #2 and # 3 are smoked. waiting on some weather to put fire to # 1. i can also post both that i smoked at some point soon. oth options work.
99cobra2881 Offline
#145 Posted:
Joined: 11-19-2013
Posts: 2,472
Review no.1
All 3 cigars are a 6 x 50 Toro this being the lightest of the three with a nice box press.

Light habano wrapper, very smooth, with minimal veins and invisible seams. There's some damage at the start of the final third, binder looks good underneath so it shouldn't cause a problem.

Very nice large triple cap. The first cap extended nearly a quarter inch up the cigar. I cut the cap using my colibri cutter with my patented turn the cigar and slice the cap off cleanly method. Pre-light draw is firm with a nice bit of resistance, flavors are a sweet tobacco and light hay.

Densely packed foot looks good. Smell is sweet musty tobacco. The entire cigar has no soft spots with just the right amount of resistance when squeezed.

Perfect draw as I had suspected from the pre light. Main flavors are a raw vanilla followed by a subtle white pepper and that sweet tobacco that I picked up off the foot.

Retrohale is very smooth with a sweet and salty flavor that reminds me of opening a can of honey roasted peanuts. Some white pepper but it's very slight and has given a nice nudge to this cigar.

The burn line is perfect smoke output off the foot at rest is noticeable. Who am I kidding this thing is smokin'!!

A nice sweet baked bread note just appeared but following suit it's very subtle and well put together. I do like the blend of this cigar. I tend to smoke a lot of Connecticut broadleaf cigars with Nicaraguan fillers but this is pairing very well with the Honduran whole bean coffee this morning.

This is a very consistent cigar perfect burn line very solid white to light gray ash. 1 inch mark and the ash has no intentions of going anywhere for a while from the looks of it. The ash finally let go at the end of the first third.

More noticeable white pepper on the retrohale, I think the cigar is just getting started. It reminds me of an Oliva V melanio, where the strength is nuanced through a very well blended and balanced selection of tobaccos.

One of my very biggest praises of a cigar is if it will stay lit when you set it down and walk away, or if you are in a conversation. This cigar does just that. I don't have to babysit this cigar to keep it lit.

Nearing the halfway point now and the cigar is still smoking along. No major transitions in flavor from the beginning this cigar only knows consistency. If this is not the top shelf cigar then I really can't wait to see what chazbo has sent me for a top shelf marca.

More pepper bite on the retrohale now with the same nice slightly sweet tobacco flavor on the draw. Some earthy bitterness starting to appear so I should probably slow down and shorten the duration of my draws.

I can feel a pepper like burn on my lips now at nearly every draw, The smoke is still cool but the intensity has picked up a few notches. I think the cigar is nearing its end with 1-3/4" left. If I wasn't doing a review on this I would set it down. This is not how I want to remember the cigar it's not bad but it's definitely not as good as it was. That and I think this review is going on about three pages now!!

Slowing down the length and the duration of my draws did help the cigar, it went out once and I relit it, to my surprise many of the original flavors came back. My curiousity has me interested to see just what this was. Total smoke time was 1h 45 minutes.

Thank you chazbo, I am looking forward to smoking number two and number three.
chazbo Offline
#146 Posted:
Joined: 01-21-2007
Posts: 8,159
Nice review Anthony. Any guess to the maker or cigar?
euodias Offline
#147 Posted:
Joined: 10-16-2009
Posts: 1,467
Got my fiver from namadio yesterday. Three pretty interesting looking cigars plus a Davidoff Indy 500 and a Herrera Esteli TAA edition

That Davidoff might be the most expensive cigar I've ever been gifted. wow
chazbo Offline
#148 Posted:
Joined: 01-21-2007
Posts: 8,159
that's awesomeApplause
99cobra2881 Offline
#149 Posted:
Joined: 11-19-2013
Posts: 2,472
chazbo wrote:
Nice review Anthony. Any guess to the maker or cigar?

I don't know. I'm thinking top shelf mainly because of the performance of the cigar. Near perfect burn, loads of smoke, and very consistent flavors. It reminded me of a melanio but they don't make one in a toro that I've been able to find and the wrapper was lighter than the melanios I've smoked. It was a good cigar and one that I would smoke again.
99cobra2881 Offline
#150 Posted:
Joined: 11-19-2013
Posts: 2,472
Cigar No. 2

This is a darker habano wrapper in a large toro Gonz size. *edit* 6x56. Double cap possibly a small third cap. Visible seams and a few noticeable veins. The wrapper has tiny spots that catch the light which appear to be spots of oil soaking through the wrapper.

Pre-light draw is sweet tobacco.

Same rotating cut to slice off the cap cleanly. I slowly toasted the foot and ensured the cigar was fully lit.

From the first draw this flavor is very familiar to me, I'm almost certain that I'm smoking an Oliva V double toro.

Sweet tobacco, baking spices and a good dose of black pepper on the back of my tongue. Very good smoke output off the cigar at rest. These are one of my favorites. If this is not an Oliva V then it's a doppelgänger. All while I'm attempting this on an empty stomach!!!

Perfect burn line, plenty of spice in this jumbo firecracker. It's hard to describe the flavors on this one, my mind keeps telling me on every puff "This is an Oliva V!!!," and I like Oliva Vs.

This cigar is burning faster than the one yesterday. Nearly an inch in already. Perfect draw with just the right amount of resistance for a 60 rg cigar.

The larger ring gauge really shines in this blend. I enjoy the Oliva V No.4s but they just don't keep up with this cigar in its larger form. Even the double robusto lacks what this double toro has.

Black pepper, tangy sweet tobacco and spice on a full draw retrohale.

OK empty stomach is no more. Warmed up some breakfast casserole and ate it while enjoying the cigar.

Same set of parameters as yesterday, I set the cigar down for several minutes and came back to it. It was patiently waiting my return.

Slightly wavy burn line that self corrected. Firm pepper gray ash that held on for an 1-1/4" before falling. Nearing the end of the first third and the flavors are unchanged. Long finish on this one with a lingering spice note.

At the halfway point now, strength is full. Nico kick is in effect already. My heads light and I think my dog just called me a pu$$y. I enjoy full strength cigars and this one is not disappointing.

Nearing the final third. Fewer notes on this cigar it's just consistent Oliva V flavors.

Smoke time is already approaching two hours. Very good cigar and definitely in my wheel house. Hope my guess is right that this was an Oliva V double toro.

Thanks again Chazbo looking fwd to number 3.
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