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Blendlab Cigars
midmofan Offline
#151 Posted:
Joined: 04-25-2014
Posts: 1,108
JY-656

A change in reviewing criteria for me! In the past, if I thought that I got a particular blendlab that might have had a "one-off" issue but was otherwise promising, i would put it into the "wait and see" category to buy and try again later. Well, we don't have time for that anymore. With the winding-down of the blendlab program (but there is still hope!) there is no reason to wait on a cigar when 1) there are plenty of good ones to choose from and 2) it might not be there by the time you get around to trying it again!

Now this could very well be unfair to a cigar where I just got unlucky, but that's how it is unless things change dramatically. If I "diss" a cigar you have liked and think I just got a bad one, reply!

Well, that's what we have with the JY-656 It was a good looking cigar and what taste I could get out of it was OK, but it just had significant issues. First the wrapper started to unravel a bit after the cap was cut off. Then it was not an easy light. Then it just didn't burn and draw the way it should. It never felt that it was properly lit. There was never a satisfying puff from this thing. At one point it wanted to tunnel some and then at about the halfway point it hit a hard spot in there that became as hard as a rock. Quite possible, of course, that that hard spot was the reason for the bad draw, but at that point I was done.

Sorry Charlie.
midmofan Offline
#152 Posted:
Joined: 04-25-2014
Posts: 1,108
WA-6552

Methinks that my review for the QB-552 has pushed up the price of that sick on good ol' cbid. Understandable since they are that good, but prices here for the QB are getting close to what they are on the mothership so watch out for those shipping charges!

Well, if you like the QB - AND happen to be near the Hamburg superstore - swing in to pick up a few of the WA-6552 Very high quality, high end smoke. Very strong and full (you will need a good toothbrushing before bed!) but never harsh. Burned perfectly and never needed a touch-up. The mothership blurb is perfect on this one "Rich, chewy flavor, Notes of chocolate, dark tobacco, pepper, and espresso. ts strength builds throughout the burn - An ideal cigar for evening." Yup, that describes this one perfectly and well worth the retail price.

Currently showing as out of stock online but they had them at the superstore so keep an eye out on the computer or visit scenic Hamburg PA
midmofan Offline
#153 Posted:
Joined: 04-25-2014
Posts: 1,108
FB-554

My main man at the Superstore, Jason, has done a great review of this very good cigar on the Mothership, so give the man some clicks!

http://www.cigarsinterna...aff-reviews/453/fb-554/

I would add just a few things. The cigar was not tightly packed. It burned great and the draw was wonderful but it did not last as long as you might expect. Would be abut 45 min for most smokers that don't go "nubbin" to the fingertips like I did with this one.

Due to needing to suddenly help somebody move a desk right in the middle of this smoke, I had to put it down and walk away for several minutes. Came back and it was still perfect - no relight or retouch needed. Just pick up and puff. In other words, despite that it was just a little bit (but not too bad) squishy, it was expertly rolled.

Still available at CI.
midmofan Offline
#154 Posted:
Joined: 04-25-2014
Posts: 1,108
JC-548

After a week were I smoked mostly full to very-strong cigars, it was nice to have a relaxing evening on the deck with this medium strength gem. First off, it burned beautifully. I often have problems with cigars like this one (and the AF Short-story) getting them to burn evenly after it burns past the "nub" at the front. I always seem to need to touch them up as the burn widens I am sure its my fault being something I am doing, but no problem with this one. Lit easily and burned straight all the way through, Coffee and cream with a mild peppery spice throughout. Lip-smackin." good.

Still available on CI and, as soon as I have a free-shipping order, I will picking up some more
midmofan Offline
#155 Posted:
Joined: 04-25-2014
Posts: 1,108
Been a while since a Blendlab review, but between rain and the cold and being on the road a lot, I have mostly been firing up the smaller Blendlabs like the 444's and the 542's that I stocked up on on my visit to the superstore and which have been already reviewed.

Christmas, however, it was 65 degrees and no rain! So in addition to my main treat of the day - a CC Siglo, I lit up one of the Blendlabs that was recommended to my by the guys at the superstore. One of the good things about this one is that it is still showing "in stock" on the Mothership

KF-5555

Beautiful, dark, box-pressed cigar. Note that one of the photos that shows up for this stick on CI is wrong or messed up as it looks nothing like the actual cigar.

Nice pre-light aroma. Some reviews on CI talk of issues with the cap but I didn't have any. Light and draw were perfect. Never needed a touch-up.

At the start it was a typical (but very good) chocolate & dark coffee-ish you get with sticks of this ilk but with a very nice salty/savory overtone on top of it that you don't normally get. Good solid "medium +" at the beginning.

Stayed that way pretty constantly with the salt/savory slowly fading out until a bit past the halfway point were it became noticeably "creamy." I know some hate that description, but its the best work there is for what it was. Many sticks become stronger as it burns down, this one became distinctly milder near the end.

Lasted a good 1.5 hours. Already ordered a few more!
midmofan Offline
#156 Posted:
Joined: 04-25-2014
Posts: 1,108
PH-652

This cigar is a bit of a weird duck and a good one to end this journey upon since it results in a good double "reveal" by the end.

You will not find the PH-652 on the Mothership and, unlike some other sticks that no longer show up there, the PH-652 gives no return results on google or any other search. It is a different cigar completely from the PH-650 (which is still available online). The 652 is a torpedo shape tasted quite different.

The first impression was that the cigar smelled nice pre-light but was a bit squishy. The looser pack showed up on the burn which was uneven at times and needed a couple touch-ups. Wrapper was a bit thin. Classic medium Nicaraguan tobacco taste a bit of espresso some very light chewy sweetness at times. In all the blend of tobacco was very good, it was just that it had some burn issues and did not burn as long as you would wish given its size all do to the loose pack.

Throughout this smoke, it kept reminding me of another cigar and it took a long time for me to figure it out. This smoke was very very similar to the La Perla Habana Modaro (purple) version 2,0. For those that have not followed the saga of La Perla, there have been (at least) three iterations of this cigar that I have had experience with.

The first, initial, release was an amazing smoke, well worth the "93" rating (that they still advertise). I never purchased any of this initial release, but did have some gifted to me. They were great!

On version 2.0 of this release they downgraded the packaging (to save money and keep the cigar affordable according to the PR dept.). The cigar was also noticeably looser packed. It still tasted good but the construction had been downgraded noticeably and they were using a lot less tobacco per cigar. Although people who had fallen in love with the initial release railed against this cigar like it was everything evil in the world rolled - loosely :) - into this stick, the fact of the matter is this was a very nice "daily-driver" of a cigar at a very reasonable, indeed even cheap on Cbid, price. At one point you could easily get these for for a couple of bucks (and sometimes even $1.00) per! They were a good deal and it is this version I started buying either on Cbid or special deals elsewhere.

Then came version 3.0. Here the blend of the tobacco had clearly changed and it simply was not that good anymore. Interestingly, the construction on the version 3.0's that I did have was a bit better than 2.0 but it was not worth the money even at rock-bottom prices. The flavor was simply not the same and it was not worth the coin. I do not know if there has been any further changes in the blend or construction since then, as I have not ventured to try one but the reports I have seen have not been flattering.

The PH-652 that I had was very very similar to the Version 2.0 sticks. Good taste, less than optimal packing and construction. Now after this revelation, it doesn't take much to figure out that the "PH" for this Bleandlab stands for la Perla Habana. Thus, I am confidant that the PH-652 is a version of the LPH Morado. It might not be exactly the same retail blend but it was close. Perhaps it was a prototype of the version 2.0 that they eventually starting selling. In any case, a good cigar but one that I would only buy at a pretty good price give the construction and burn.

But there is more! After realizing (duh!) that "PH" on the blendlab meant "LPH" in the real-world. I went back to check out the PH-650 that was reviewed above. Comparing blends and wrappers and shapes, the LH-650 looks like a dead-ringer for La Perla Habana 1515 Toro. The blend, wrappers, and reviews match up. Again, you can't be sure its an exact match, but the PH-650 is either the same as the 1515 or a prototype.

It is also a good cigar but not in my highest tier of Blendlabs, but it was close. The PH-650 does appear on the CI website but it is, alas, "out of stock."

Well, that's all folks. I have exhausted my supply of unreviewed blendlabs. I have a nice large stock of my favorites in the coolador (with the Hearfelt Beads!). As confirmed with the folks at CI-HQ, unless there is legislative relief from the FDA regulations pretty soon, the Blendlab program will be slowly wound-down. It is just not feasible for CI to go through the expense of getting blendlab sticks through the FDA approval process. There won't be any new blendlabs coming out and the rest will be discontinued as the stock and/or tobacco set aside for them runs out over the next year or so. Right now there are only 12 Blendlabs in stock on CI, but they include some very good ones (and the VB!). Therefore, if you find one you like, stock up now!

When was at the Superstore in October, that is exactly what several of us were doing. They had some great deals on bundles and I grabbed several. The old "Blendlab" room (while still about half full of blendlabs) was now the re-named the "Value Vault." It was a pretty sad visit, but it was great talking with the gang. They even went over a number of my reviews and we discussed them in detail.

It has been a fun ride. The great thing about blendlabs was the chance to try out a lot of different blends and styles at good prices (and sometimes amazing deals!) without being influenced by the "Name-Brand." I learned a lot about what I do and don't like (omg, how can people keep smoking those VBs from Drew Estate !?!?!?!?!?) and the importance of things like the pairing when reviewing a cigar.

With the recent U.S. election, of course, there is a chance that the FDA debacle is reversed. NOW is the time to call and email you congressman or senator and to join up with the folks at cigarrights.org (CI is a supporter!). I joined, you should too!

http://www.cigarrights.org/main.php

At almost 58,000 views, this has been a pretty popular thread, and I appreciate all of the positive feedback and the others that put in their reviews of the Blendlabs.

IF the FDA regs can be rolled back, then I am sure the Blendlab program will survive as well as all of the smaller manufacturers and small-batch blends. IF that happens, perhaps I will revive this thread or start a 2.0 version.

But until then: "Smoke 'em if you got 'em!"
tamapatom Offline
#157 Posted:
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
RIP Blendlab - liked the RQ 444....any idea who made them...same shape as short story or special g.....nice for the price.
midmofan Offline
#158 Posted:
Joined: 04-25-2014
Posts: 1,108
tamapatom wrote:
RIP Blendlab - liked the RQ 444....any idea who made them...same shape as short story or special g.....nice for the price.


The story I have heard on the 444's is interesting. At one point someone at AF company was looking expand its short-story line with different and stronger blends, but AF did not have the capacity to do it totally in-house. So they sought out other cigar makers to, in effect, come up with proposals. They were to be in the shape and style of the existing short-story but stronger, more varied tobacco blends. The RQ and RY 444 were, in effect, prototypes of these potentially "new" short-story blends. Had the deal gone through, AF and this maker would have partnered to bring the sticks to market under the AF label.

Apparently, however, Carlos himself nixed the whole thing at some point when he got wind of it. Sounded to me like he hated the whole idea of farming out AF sticks to someone else. Perhaps he didn't like the idea that anybody could improve on an AF idea! I have no idea if he even tried the 444's. Maybe he did and didn't like them. But, for whatever reason, he wound up hating the whole idea. I was told when Carlos visited the Superstore, they actually took down and hid the 444's so he would not see them and they would not offend him!

I really like both 444 blendlabs and have stocked up on them. The AF short-story, of course, is a masterpiece of construction and I have never had a bad one. The 444's, however, IMO, are more flavorful and better tasting than the AF's version, albeit the 444s have more inconsistent construction and sometimes an uneven burn that I never have had with a real AF short-story
midmofan Offline
#159 Posted:
Joined: 04-25-2014
Posts: 1,108
They have been putting a whole bunch of 444's on bid here! Got myself a bunch fir $1 per! Other auctions $2 per. Load up!
firemanmike109 Offline
#160 Posted:
Joined: 05-28-2016
Posts: 251
Smoking the pj-5556 good draw on the one I have, nice spice and earthy notes. Uneven burn though.
midmofan Offline
#161 Posted:
Joined: 04-25-2014
Posts: 1,108
firemanmike109 wrote:
Smoking the pj-5556 good draw on the one I have, nice spice and earthy notes. Uneven burn though.


Nice to see someone else still enjoying them. I have a coolador full of my favorites bought at the superstore at closeout prices and the 5556's are right in there.
Palama Offline
#162 Posted:
Joined: 02-05-2013
Posts: 23,463
midmofan wrote:
Yh-542 5x42

Always stock up on smaller sticks for when it gets colder and I wish I had gotten more of these.

Nice spicy start. Some Pepper a bit of salt over a solid mediu-full nicarragua tobacco flavor.Perfect draw and solid white ash. Lots of smoke for its size. I always have liked the spiciier Ecuador habano wrapper on top of A Nicaraguan filler and this one fits that profile perfectly. Spice did slowly fade away and then the blurb about earth and nuts is correct but not the "slightly sweet on finish" - didn't see any of that.

With the small size it's not going to evolve a lot but, on the other hand, it was nice and consistant. No bad spots or weak bits. Good 40 min smoke beforenhit the "hub"

If you like a shorter smoke that is more medium than super strong but with a bit of spice this is one to try (or not if "DO" from Jefferson City is bidding...)


Even after almost 4 years of nap time, the one and only one of these that I was able to win still smoked the same as Midmofan’s review.

Wonder if these ever made it to regular production?
tamapatom Offline
#163 Posted:
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
Still have a few of those 444's ......shoulda bought more at 2 bucks ea.
midmofan Offline
#164 Posted:
Joined: 04-25-2014
Posts: 1,108
Palama wrote:
Even after almost 4 years of nap time, the one and only one of these that I was able to win still smoked the same as Midmofan’s review.

Wonder if these ever made it to regular production?


Not sure I ever figured out who made the "Y" blendlabs for certain. Although the first letter was generally for the manufacturer and the second letter for the wrapper type, they didn't always stick with that and I think that some first letters were reused for different makers at times. One post on another forum said that A.J. was responsible for the YP-5754. If so, perhaps he made other "Y's" as well.

Several of the "W's" we were buying were Oliva Series V and Series V Melanio prototypes for pennies on the dollar! The
"V" was by Drew Estate and was horrible. Even if not the "Ys," you know some blendlabs had to be from AJ given the CI/AJ connection and many of the others had to be coming from General Cigar or other STG owned brands.

The closest thing I have found to the YH-542 is the CAO Pilon Corona size. It's a bit larger but looked and tasted very similar, but have not had one in a while, need to try them again. Cannot rule out the that the 542 was a prototype for that one.

More recently, for smokes about that size, I enjoy the MOW Puro Authentico Coronas which are very good.
Palama Offline
#165 Posted:
Joined: 02-05-2013
Posts: 23,463
tamapatom wrote:
Still have a few of those 444's ......shoulda bought more at 2 bucks ea.


Like many things, you don’t know what you got till it’s gone.
Sunoverbeach Offline
#166 Posted:
Joined: 08-11-2017
Posts: 14,588
Conan's love of hair metal surfacing? Think
Palama Offline
#167 Posted:
Joined: 02-05-2013
Posts: 23,463
Sunoverbeach wrote:
Conan's love of hair metal surfacing? Think


No, just my hair.... Brick wall
frankj1 Offline
#168 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
sounds more like Joanie Mitchell
Palama Offline
#169 Posted:
Joined: 02-05-2013
Posts: 23,463
Fixed it for ya

frankj1 wrote:
sounds more like Joni Mitchell

frankj1 Offline
#170 Posted:
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,211
Palama wrote:
Fixed it for ya



that feels much better
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