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Spring spicy unbanded reviews. CLOSED
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danmdevries Online
#51 Posted: Sun, Mar 20 2016, 7:52 PM EST
Joined: 02-11-2014
Posts: 17,415
tamapatom wrote:
Which was the yard gar?

Dan is done and I am behind on sending mine. Better step up the game.


I got mine first, and happened to have a lot of free time for brewing and meat smoking which allows for plenty time to smoke cigars.

Love doing blind reviews. Can't wait to read the others.
tamapatom Offline
#52 Posted: Sun, Mar 20 2016, 8:12 PM EST
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
chazbo wrote:
Yard gar

I think reviewers should have to guess the rank of all three.
danmdevries Online
#53 Posted: Sun, Mar 20 2016, 8:22 PM EST
Joined: 02-11-2014
Posts: 17,415
chazbo wrote:
Dan, #3 was Project 805 maduro
Good reviews, sorry nothing really hit your wheel house.
Chazbo


All part of the fun of blind reviews.

Last time i sent out, I sent all milds-mediums and CCs to a full/full lover. Frying pan
delta1 Offline
#54 Posted: Sun, Mar 20 2016, 8:53 PM EST
Joined: 11-23-2011
Posts: 28,803
d'oh! ....hate when that happens, a great top shelf cigar for you is barely smokeable for someone else...but this forces you to concentrate on the cigar...
tamapatom Offline
#55 Posted: Mon, Mar 21 2016, 1:04 PM EST
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
Just got my package in from Al.....looks like it exceeds thread specifications. Hot Licks hot sauce, no name lemon garlic tri-tip marinade and two packs of Pacific Gold Beef Jerky. Three unlabeled sticks (per thread requirements) and two additional sticks........an old brown label Camacho and a room 101 master lancero.......Nice! but work first....I will post soon.
danmdevries Online
#56 Posted: Mon, Mar 21 2016, 3:04 PM EST
Joined: 02-11-2014
Posts: 17,415
USPS taking a page from the FedEx playbook. Took my package to MN from IN, to Chicago, then to Cincinnati OH... been happening a lot in the last month to my packages. Yesterday I finally got a package shipped from Indianapolis that went to WI, then MI.
chazbo Offline
#57 Posted: Mon, Mar 21 2016, 3:45 PM EST
Joined: 01-21-2007
Posts: 8,160
Received my three unbanded cigars from dharbolt today.
Plus a bottle of BBQ sauce from Carfagna's meat market.
Hitchhiking were three different Tatuaje cigars.
Will let them rest a few days in the humi then do some reviews.
Thanks Dylan
dharbolt Offline
#58 Posted: Mon, Mar 21 2016, 4:06 PM EST
Joined: 08-03-2013
Posts: 6,931
Mine landed from bgz today. A 3 pack of Arizona gunslinger hot sauce that is fantastic (tried all 3 right out of the bottle lol) and 2 very nice hitchhikers to go wit has the blind smokes. Thanks Ben really looking forward to them. I'll try to get my first review up by the weekend
bgz Offline
#59 Posted: Mon, Mar 21 2016, 4:40 PM EST
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
Ahhhh, glad you liked the hot sauce.

The Jalapeno pepper is my main goto hot sauce.
danmdevries Online
#60 Posted: Tue, Mar 22 2016, 12:27 AM EST
Joined: 02-11-2014
Posts: 17,415
danmdevries wrote:
USPS taking a page from the FedEx playbook. Took my package to MN from IN, to Chicago, then to Cincinnati OH...


And now it's in Des Moines... But still expected delivery day of yesterday!d'oh!

Maybe just taking the Johnny Cash route. He's been everywhere, man.
delta1 Offline
#61 Posted: Tue, Mar 22 2016, 1:11 AM EST
Joined: 11-23-2011
Posts: 28,803
tamapatom wrote:
Just got my package in from Al.....looks like it exceeds thread specifications. Hot Licks hot sauce, no name lemon garlic tri-tip marinade and two packs of Pacific Gold Beef Jerky. Three unlabeled sticks (per thread requirements) and two additional sticks........an old brown label Camacho and a room 101 master lancero.......Nice! but work first....I will post soon.



It's one of my own concoctions using lemons from my dwarf Myers lemon tree, very pretty, so it's definitely a local product.
dharbolt Offline
#62 Posted: Tue, Mar 22 2016, 10:39 AM EST
Joined: 08-03-2013
Posts: 6,931
bgz wrote:
Ahhhh, glad you liked the hot sauce.

The Jalapeno pepper is my main goto hot sauce.



Good stuff for sure. Had some on my eggs this morning. I'll be keeping this one around
tamapatom Offline
#63 Posted: Tue, Mar 22 2016, 10:42 AM EST
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
delta1 wrote:
It's one of my own concoctions using lemons from my dwarf Myers lemon tree, very pretty, so it's definitely a local product.

Gave it to my wife and hope to try it soon. I am going to wait and submit my gar reviews all at one time but #3 is definitely up there but don't tell me yet!
tamapatom Offline
#64 Posted: Wed, Mar 23 2016, 4:22 PM EST
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
OK, Shaun, here it goes. 9505 5110 3121 6083 5869 33

Now pay attention to these instructions.

There are 5 unbanded and numbered cigars.

In accordance with the original game rules, there is one top shelf, one favorite yard gar and one mid-priced premium. In addition to this there are two more. One is an El Cheapo $1 cigar and the other is a Tampa hand rolled. And of course hot sauce.

Your assignment Mr Phelps, if you choose to accept it, is to review and report back on all cigars and maybe also identify which is which?......answers from me only after you smoke them all.
bgz Offline
#65 Posted: Wed, Mar 23 2016, 6:14 PM EST
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
So you mixed up 5 unbanded smokes and numbered them 1 through 5 with a mid range, a top shelf and 3 dog rockets?!?

Sounds to me like you changed the rules of the game.

I think to be fair, you should send him an additional 3 unbanded smokes for the purpose of this game :)
SmokeMonkey Offline
#66 Posted: Wed, Mar 23 2016, 6:18 PM EST
Joined: 04-05-2015
Posts: 5,688
It's possible all 5 are Angel's Anvil 2015
tamapatom Offline
#67 Posted: Wed, Mar 23 2016, 7:05 PM EST
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
The only true rocket is the $1 one, I couldn't resist sending but at that price it ain't a bad smoke as a long filler yard gar. The other extra one, the Tampa hand rolled one - I take offense at calling it a rocket - there are still at least 3 people left in town who can do it right. The actual yard gar per the original scheme is a "factory second" of a major brand.

Of course I am a noob in these parts so who knows what will come out of this.I am just interested in the reviews. If Shaun can identify which is which, he get's a special prize.
SmokeMonkey Offline
#68 Posted: Wed, Mar 23 2016, 7:09 PM EST
Joined: 04-05-2015
Posts: 5,688
tamapatom wrote:
The only true rocket is the $1 one, I couldn't resist sending but at that price it ain't a bad smoke as a long filler yard gar. The other extra one, the Tampa hand rolled one - I take offense at calling it a rocket - there are still at least 3 people left in town who can do it right. The actual yard gar per the original scheme is a "factory second" of a major brand.

Of course I am a noob in these parts so who knows what will come out of this.I am just interested in the reviews. If Shaun can identify which is which, he get's a special prize.



I suspect I may be able to vouch for one, maybe two, of these.
bgz Offline
#69 Posted: Wed, Mar 23 2016, 7:27 PM EST
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
I would classify a factory second as a dog rocket :)

I've tried a few factory seconds from various factories... they were all dog rockets :/

I'll have to take your word on the hand rolled one... if I offended you, well, then we'll have to wait and see how the review comes back >:)
tamapatom Offline
#70 Posted: Wed, Mar 23 2016, 11:26 PM EST
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
bgz wrote:
I would classify a factory second as a dog rocket :)

I've tried a few factory seconds from various factories... they were all dog rockets :/

I'll have to take your word on the hand rolled one... if I offended you, well, then we'll have to wait and see how the review comes back >:)

Yeah, well Im still a noob so we'll see. Still waiting for my metallic honorific confirmation.
bgz Offline
#71 Posted: Wed, Mar 23 2016, 11:35 PM EST
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
Well... I'm still a noob too, so don't feel bad.

I've put a little effort into shaking the title, but I just don't think it's ever going to happen cause I'm too big of an azzhole, lol.
tamapatom Offline
#72 Posted: Thu, Mar 24 2016, 1:00 PM EST
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
bgz wrote:
Well... I'm still a noob too, so don't feel bad.

I've put a little effort into shaking the title, but I just don't think it's ever going to happen cause I'm too big of an azzhole, lol.

Too big for what? I shouldn't ask........
bgz Offline
#73 Posted: Thu, Mar 24 2016, 1:14 PM EST
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
LOL, what mental image streamed through that twisted head of yours... wait, I don't want to know.
dharbolt Offline
#74 Posted: Thu, Mar 24 2016, 5:33 PM EST
Joined: 08-03-2013
Posts: 6,931
bgz wrote:
LOL, what mental image streamed through that twisted head of yours... wait, I don't want to know.



HA!
dharbolt Offline
#75 Posted: Thu, Mar 24 2016, 6:42 PM EST
Joined: 08-03-2013
Posts: 6,931
Smoking BGZ's #1 offering.

Box pressed robusto, lots of little veins and a smooth mottled deep brown wrapper. Pre draw is of hay (grass) and big pepper. Right off the bat it is very familiar to me, but, I am sure i will guess totally wrong.

First draw is like an old friend who's name I cant remember, Big pepper especially on the retro, with a kind of sweet vegetative taste in the background. Finish is long and caramelly.
About 1/2 inch in the pepper fades just a bit and a really nice creamy caramel sets in. burn is not quite razor sharp but it is very nice.

Ash held solid through the first third,the green vegetable flavors faded and were replaced with a sweet salty quality. still big pepper on the retro into the second third. burn went a little wonky and required a slight touch up at about the halfway point

Into the final third another small touchup, not much in the way of changing flavors but definitely building to a solid medium full flavor and body. pepper waning a bit on the retro but still definitely there.

smoked down to about 3/4 inch. big flavor and body at the end with no rel changes.

Overall a very nice smoke. i would have to say it was the top shelf smoke though I hope I am wrong. If i had to venture a guess i would guess padron

Thanks Ben that one was right in my wheelhouse ThumpUp
shaun341 Offline
#76 Posted: Thu, Mar 24 2016, 7:23 PM EST
Joined: 08-02-2012
Posts: 8,826
tamapatom wrote:
OK, Shaun, here it goes. 9505 5110 3121 6083 5869 33

Now pay attention to these instructions.

There are 5 unbanded and numbered cigars.

In accordance with the original game rules, there is one top shelf, one favorite yard gar and one mid-priced premium. In addition to this there are two more. One is an El Cheapo $1 cigar and the other is a Tampa hand rolled. And of course hot sauce.

Your assignment Mr Phelps, if you choose to accept it, is to review and report back on all cigars and maybe also identify which is which?......answers from me only after you smoke them all.


I like it, although my chances of getting of them right are probably below average but I will have fun doing the reviews and being fooled.

By the way we are all noobs here, very few vets left it seems.
bgz Offline
#77 Posted: Thu, Mar 24 2016, 9:23 PM EST
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
dharbolt wrote:
Smoking BGZ's #1 offering.

Box pressed robusto, lots of little veins and a smooth mottled deep brown wrapper. Pre draw is of hay (grass) and big pepper. Right off the bat it is very familiar to me, but, I am sure i will guess totally wrong.

First draw is like an old friend who's name I cant remember, Big pepper especially on the retro, with a kind of sweet vegetative taste in the background. Finish is long and caramelly.
About 1/2 inch in the pepper fades just a bit and a really nice creamy caramel sets in. burn is not quite razor sharp but it is very nice.

Ash held solid through the first third,the green vegetable flavors faded and were replaced with a sweet salty quality. still big pepper on the retro into the second third. burn went a little wonky and required a slight touch up at about the halfway point

Into the final third another small touchup, not much in the way of changing flavors but definitely building to a solid medium full flavor and body. pepper waning a bit on the retro but still definitely there.

smoked down to about 3/4 inch. big flavor and body at the end with no rel changes.

Overall a very nice smoke. i would have to say it was the top shelf smoke though I hope I am wrong. If i had to venture a guess i would guess padron

Thanks Ben that one was right in my wheelhouse ThumpUp



Saw this before I left the office, forgot which one I put in which slot, had to wait till I got home to look.

You smoked one of my favorite mid-range smokes.

MF Flor de las Antillas.

Good review, I highly doubt my reviews will be as good as yours, lol.
shaun341 Offline
#78 Posted: Fri, Mar 25 2016, 1:53 PM EST
Joined: 08-02-2012
Posts: 8,826
Got mine out late on this one but dropped it off today 9505 5143 9682 6085 0061 45
tamapatom Offline
#79 Posted: Fri, Mar 25 2016, 11:57 PM EST
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
Delta Force report

#1 Very firm dark with even darker splotches and a thick oily wrapper. Perfect construction. Closed foot. Triple cap, cant recall but maybe a pigtail. Extremely hard and firm. Some visible veins but gorgeous in a refined rustic sort of way. Great draw for such hard stick. Burn wavers a little but no touch up needed. This is an earthy smoke with a smooth edge. Builds up some pepper power. Meaty and thick feel with long finish. Woody notes of cedar? So cliche. Nice though. Lots of rich flavor. This is a powerhouse that keeps building till it knocks me on my azz. Medium/full to full. Very enjoyable and by the end I am convinced this may be the top shelf. However, it is a bit much for my tastes. I imagine those who go for fuller body would like this. I would easily smoke this again but not one I would stock my humidor with.

#2 This one I can tell is fire cured a mile away. So I took it on a walk in the woods. Odd that this was a very light wrapper. Ordinary construction. I have had several fire cured and I could not identify. Not a MUWAT. I have had a few Leccia Black but the campfire BBQ flavor always fades into the background after the fist few draws. Not this. It keeps pumping out that distinctive burnt wood flavor. Worked out nice as I walked through the swamp and I imagined it would be nice sitting around campfire. Not something that I would want very often but a nice little change. Very consistent, not very complex. When you dont have time to think about it, its doing its thing. So far if #3 does not fall short, this may be the yard gar. At least it seems so to me.

#3 Construction is good. Open foot. Maybe not a triple cap. Consistent medum brown wrapper. Firm with some very minor soft spots. No real identifiable aroma on prelight. Nice mild initial flavor and draw but burn starts out a little lopsided. My initial impression at this point is that the #1 will beat out this one for the top shelf position. As I continued, the burn corrected itself and something of a camphor or floral light sweetness could be identified. About a 1/2 inch in I picked up a spicy pepper that faded back to the other flavors. Not too strong but nice change up. The pepper would come back and fade out at several points and never overpowered. This was more creamy and smooth with no earthiness at all. A solid medium and it never lost its unique flavor. Reminds me of a Crowned Heads. It had a 2 1/2 inch perfect white ash before it dropped. Wow, I'm really enjoying this and will have to seek this out. This one is tbe top shelf in my book.

Hot sauce said Jalopenos so i poured it on. Came out like battery acid. Burn baby burn. Destroyed my taste buds. Good stuff.
dharbolt Offline
#80 Posted: Sat, Mar 26 2016, 6:49 AM EST
Joined: 08-03-2013
Posts: 6,931
bgz wrote:
Saw this before I left the office, forgot which one I put in which slot, had to wait till I got home to look.

You smoked one of my favorite mid-range smokes.

MF Flor de las Antillas.

Good review, I highly doubt my reviews will be as good as yours, lol.



Interesting. Been a long time since I smoked one of those. Guess I gotta buy some more.
chazbo Offline
#81 Posted: Sat, Mar 26 2016, 7:27 AM EST
Joined: 01-21-2007
Posts: 8,160
Tamapatom, good write upHerfing
bgz Offline
#82 Posted: Sat, Mar 26 2016, 8:27 AM EST
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
dharbolt wrote:
Interesting. Been a long time since I smoked one of those. Guess I gotta buy some more.


Ya, I try not to run out. Usually buy more when I start running low on them. Worth a box or 10 IMO.
shaun341 Offline
#83 Posted: Sat, Mar 26 2016, 5:03 PM EST
Joined: 08-02-2012
Posts: 8,826
TampaTom package arrived today and since there was a humipak in the bag I decided to start right in.

Review on cigar #5

5x50 dark brown wrapper possible maduro or just light enough in color to be a dark natural. Triple cap and just a small blemish with a wrinkle right near it on the wrapper. Starts out with a strong bitter chocolate taste to it. Initial impressions is that it taste just like a young Le Bijou I once smoked. Just a few minutes in and I decide to do a retro and I pick up some cedar and just a touch of pepper from that. Knocked the ash off at 3/4 inch mark and burn line is pretty straight. Not much change in this cigar besides about midway the pepper picked up ever so slightly but it did always remain in the background and dropped back down shortly after. Towards the end the chocolate lost that bitterness for just a few minutes but then it came back. I would almost swear that this is a young Le Bijou but I know that it is not. Something is telling me that I have smoked one of these before but can't put my finger on what it is.

I could go a couple ways with this one as a local roll or midrange but I think I will go with midrange because it seems like with a little more rest this would be a good. Also if I were to guess on wrapper I would definitely think this is a mexican san andres maduro.
stinger88 Offline
#84 Posted: Sat, Mar 26 2016, 5:42 PM EST
Joined: 05-29-2012
Posts: 6,574
Namadio, yours should go out Monday. Cigars and sauce picked, just need to get to the PO.
dharbolt Offline
#85 Posted: Sat, Mar 26 2016, 6:24 PM EST
Joined: 08-03-2013
Posts: 6,931
bgz wrote:
Ya, I try not to run out. Usually buy more when I start running low on them. Worth a box or 10 IMO.




I agree with you
delta1 Offline
#86 Posted: Mon, Mar 28 2016, 2:19 AM EST
Joined: 11-23-2011
Posts: 28,803
tamapatom wrote:
Delta Force report

#1 Very firm dark with even darker splotches and a thick oily wrapper. Perfect construction. Closed foot. Triple cap, cant recall but maybe a pigtail. Extremely hard and firm. Some visible veins but gorgeous in a refined rustic sort of way. Great draw for such hard stick. Burn wavers a little but no touch up needed. This is an earthy smoke with a smooth edge. Builds up some pepper power. Meaty and thick feel with long finish. Woody notes of cedar? So cliche. Nice though. Lots of rich flavor. This is a powerhouse that keeps building till it knocks me on my azz. Medium/full to full. Very enjoyable and by the end I am convinced this may be the top shelf. However, it is a bit much for my tastes. I imagine those who go for fuller body would like this. I would easily smoke this again but not one I would stock my humidor with.

#2 This one I can tell is fire cured a mile away. So I took it on a walk in the woods. Odd that this was a very light wrapper. Ordinary construction. I have had several fire cured and I could not identify. Not a MUWAT. I have had a few Leccia Black but the campfire BBQ flavor always fades into the background after the fist few draws. Not this. It keeps pumping out that distinctive burnt wood flavor. Worked out nice as I walked through the swamp and I imagined it would be nice sitting around campfire. Not something that I would want very often but a nice little change. Very consistent, not very complex. When you dont have time to think about it, its doing its thing. So far if #3 does not fall short, this may be the yard gar. At least it seems so to me.

#3 Construction is good. Open foot. Maybe not a triple cap. Consistent medum brown wrapper. Firm with some very minor soft spots. No real identifiable aroma on prelight. Nice mild initial flavor and draw but burn starts out a little lopsided. My initial impression at this point is that the #1 will beat out this one for the top shelf position. As I continued, the burn corrected itself and something of a camphor or floral light sweetness could be identified. About a 1/2 inch in I picked up a spicy pepper that faded back to the other flavors. Not too strong but nice change up. The pepper would come back and fade out at several points and never overpowered. This was more creamy and smooth with no earthiness at all. A solid medium and it never lost its unique flavor. Reminds me of a Crowned Heads. It had a 2 1/2 inch perfect white ash before it dropped. Wow, I'm really enjoying this and will have to seek this out. This one is tbe top shelf in my book.

Hot sauce said Jalopenos so i poured it on. Came out like battery acid. Burn baby burn. Destroyed my taste buds. Good stuff.



#1 - HR/Hirochi Robaina, top shelf

#2 - you nailed it, Leccia Black, yard gar that hits the spot when you want some barbecue

#3 - El Centurion, latest version, medium tier in price but great bang for buck smoke.

Nice reviews, tamapatom. Well done!
tamapatom Offline
#87 Posted: Mon, Mar 28 2016, 7:37 AM EST
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
delta1 wrote:
#1 - HR/Hirochi Robaina, top shelf

#2 - you nailed it, Leccia Black, yard gar that hits the spot when you want some barbecue

#3 - El Centurion, latest version, medium tier in price but great bang for buck smoke.

Nice reviews, tamapatom. Well done!

Never had an HR, but knew it was a great cigar even though not exactly in my wheelhouse. Thought the second one could only be Leccia but the persistent fire cured flavor threw me a little. I think it mellows out with some humidor time from my experience. The last one is a treat because i would never have stumbled on this one even though i like My Father. Happy to know its an affordable stick.
tamapatom Offline
#88 Posted: Mon, Mar 28 2016, 8:37 AM EST
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
shaun341 wrote:
TampaTom package arrived today and since there was a humipak in the bag I decided to start right in.

Review on cigar #5

5x50 dark brown wrapper possible maduro or just light enough in color to be a dark natural. Triple cap and just a small blemish with a wrinkle right near it on the wrapper. Starts out with a strong bitter chocolate taste to it. Initial impressions is that it taste just like a young Le Bijou I once smoked. Just a few minutes in and I decide to do a retro and I pick up some cedar and just a touch of pepper from that. Knocked the ash off at 3/4 inch mark and burn line is pretty straight. Not much change in this cigar besides about midway the pepper picked up ever so slightly but it did always remain in the background and dropped back down shortly after. Towards the end the chocolate lost that bitterness for just a few minutes but then it came back. I would almost swear that this is a young Le Bijou but I know that it is not. Something is telling me that I have smoked one of these before but can't put my finger on what it is.

I could go a couple ways with this one as a local roll or midrange but I think I will go with midrange because it seems like with a little more rest this would be a good. Also if I were to guess on wrapper I would definitely think this is a mexican san andres maduro.

Hmmmmm........This game is getting interesting.......not going to give you any answers till you are done. BTW, it's just a maduro wrap, don't think it's San Andrean. I will have to check but pretty sure tobaccos in this are either Honduran, Nicaraguan, Ecudoran or some combination.
danmdevries Online
#89 Posted: Mon, Mar 28 2016, 10:12 AM EST
Joined: 02-11-2014
Posts: 17,415
Centurion is a good smoke
bgz Offline
#90 Posted: Mon, Mar 28 2016, 2:27 PM EST
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
Got Shaun's package, the 3 blind smokes, a couple very nice stragglers and a bottle of Hank Sauce that I look forward to trying later.

Probably let the smokes rest for a few days before I do a review.

Thanks Shaun!
namadio Offline
#91 Posted: Mon, Mar 28 2016, 4:54 PM EST
Joined: 11-24-2014
Posts: 1,621
stinger88 wrote:
Namadio, yours should go out Monday. Cigars and sauce picked, just need to get to the PO.


Hoping I can get to the PO this week. If not during the week definitely by Saturday!
dharbolt Offline
#92 Posted: Mon, Mar 28 2016, 7:08 PM EST
Joined: 08-03-2013
Posts: 6,931
Smoking #2 from bgz

Another box pressed robutso. Firm with a fairly loose draw nice smooth medium brown wrapper with minimal veins. Pre draw is of grass (barnyard) and pepper.

First couple puffs are light and airy with a nice creamyness and some pepper on the retro, though a bit of a bitter finish.

Into the first third the creamyness faded and was replaced with a peppery leather with a floral spicyness on the retro. Burn is perfect ash holding strong at about an inch.

At the half the leather and floral flavors have faded into leather and sweet tobacco. burn is still perfect and the body is building to a solid medium, med/full. draw is still a little loose but the vsu is a metric ****ton ash held on to about 1.5 inches

Into the final third the pepper and leather gave way to baking spices, graham crackers and an occasional licorice. floral hint returned to the retro. body never made it past medium or so. overall a really good smoke, I nubbed it untill i burned myself.

perfect burn throughout, really good construction though a bit loose, pretty fantastic flavor changes. I would have to say this is a top shelf smoke. If not I have found a new daily for sure :)

Thanks Ben for another really good smoke. We seem to share a similar taste. What was it?
bgz Offline
#93 Posted: Mon, Mar 28 2016, 11:01 PM EST
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
Unfortunately you didn't find a new daily.

That was the top shelf, a Padron Family Reserve 85 year.

Glad you enjoyed it, and that was a great review!
bgz Offline
#94 Posted: Mon, Mar 28 2016, 11:10 PM EST
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
Tried the "Hanks Sauce" hot sauce that Shaun sent on my standard for trying out new hot sauces... chips and cheese.

The sauce wasn't very spicy hot, but it did have a lot of flavor.

I don't think it will be a goto for chips and cheese, but I do think it would be good on a wide variety of other foods.

I can see doing something creative with it for one of those experimental steak rubs or something. I definitely think it would be excellent on an omelette or other type of breakfast scramble.

Some tasty stuff for sure.
danmdevries Online
#95 Posted: Tue, Mar 29 2016, 1:52 AM EST
Joined: 02-11-2014
Posts: 17,415
Loving the reviews. Keep em coming
shaun341 Offline
#96 Posted: Tue, Mar 29 2016, 6:05 AM EST
Joined: 08-02-2012
Posts: 8,826
Glad you enjoyed the hot sauce bgz, they have other flavors of hot sauce but that one is one of my favorites that the make.
chazbo Offline
#97 Posted: Tue, Mar 29 2016, 2:38 PM EST
Joined: 01-21-2007
Posts: 8,160
Smoked #2 from dharbolt
Appearance; 5.5 x 44
Light color wrapper, smooth and triple cap. Very lite in the hand but firm with no soft spots.
Straight cut paired with H2O
First third of cigar needed minor touch up. Easy draw with a drier smoke.
Mild beginning. Flavor pretty much started out with hints of cedar and continued throughout.
Strength built up to medium by the half way mark.
After 50 minutes down to the final 1/4 of the cigar and started to get a little bitter.
Not bad for a morning smoke. My guess is Room101 Connecticut by Camacho.
bgz Offline
#98 Posted: Wed, Mar 30 2016, 12:48 AM EST
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
Figured what the hell, 1 day is enough, lol.

Decided to smoke #3 from Shaun.

Had a nice medium brown wrapper on it, appeared to have a triple cap. It was a little veiny, the construction over all was pretty good, had a few soft spots in it.

Honestly, I was expecting this one to be the yard gar, as all 3 appeared to have pretty good construction.

I wasn't able to really catch much off the pre-light draw (I probably just don't pay attention to it a whole lot usually).

Anyway, right out of the gate, got a pretty big pepper blast. From the get go, I was thinking Nicaraguan. Had some burn issues in the first third, but the ash held incredibly long to about 2 inches. Finally tapped it for fear of it falling over me, it could have probably held on for a few more puffs. Got some notes of grahm cracker in there, but it maintained the pepper throughout the first 3rd.

After I tapped the ash, the pepper subsided, and mellowed out a bit to probably just a little north of medium. I kind of zone out and forgot to make any specific notes during the second third... my bad.

Going in to the end of the smoke, it ended up with a little sweeter profile for a little bit, then returned to spicy peppery towards the nub.

I enjoyed the smoke, It definitely had a very familiar profile, but when it doesn't have a label on it, it's very hard to put a brand to it.

Anyway, really enjoyed the flavor, but due to having to touch it up a few times, and some soft spots in the cigar... I'm going to have to guess this was the mid-range smoke. Like I said in the beginning, I thought it was Nicaraguan, though there were a couple points where I thought I caught some Dominican notes, but in the end, I was thinking Nicaraguan again (possible a mix blend I guess).

I compared it to some of the cigars I have with a similar wrapper color, pretty much came up empty in the attempt (I know, it's kind of cheating :)

So I'm curious, what was that smoke?
bgz Offline
#99 Posted: Wed, Mar 30 2016, 12:48 AM EST
Joined: 07-29-2014
Posts: 13,023
Oh, if I remember right, it was a robusto.
shaun341 Offline
#100 Posted: Wed, Mar 30 2016, 6:18 AM EST
Joined: 08-02-2012
Posts: 8,826
bgz wrote:
Figured what the hell, 1 day is enough, lol.

Decided to smoke #3 from Shaun.

Had a nice medium brown wrapper on it, appeared to have a triple cap. It was a little veiny, the construction over all was pretty good, had a few soft spots in it.

Honestly, I was expecting this one to be the yard gar, as all 3 appeared to have pretty good construction.

I wasn't able to really catch much off the pre-light draw (I probably just don't pay attention to it a whole lot usually).

Anyway, right out of the gate, got a pretty big pepper blast. From the get go, I was thinking Nicaraguan. Had some burn issues in the first third, but the ash held incredibly long to about 2 inches. Finally tapped it for fear of it falling over me, it could have probably held on for a few more puffs. Got some notes of grahm cracker in there, but it maintained the pepper throughout the first 3rd.

After I tapped the ash, the pepper subsided, and mellowed out a bit to probably just a little north of medium. I kind of zone out and forgot to make any specific notes during the second third... my bad.

Going in to the end of the smoke, it ended up with a little sweeter profile for a little bit, then returned to spicy peppery towards the nub.

I enjoyed the smoke, It definitely had a very familiar profile, but when it doesn't have a label on it, it's very hard to put a brand to it.

Anyway, really enjoyed the flavor, but due to having to touch it up a few times, and some soft spots in the cigar... I'm going to have to guess this was the mid-range smoke. Like I said in the beginning, I thought it was Nicaraguan, though there were a couple points where I thought I caught some Dominican notes, but in the end, I was thinking Nicaraguan again (possible a mix blend I guess).

I compared it to some of the cigars I have with a similar wrapper color, pretty much came up empty in the attempt (I know, it's kind of cheating :)

So I'm curious, what was that smoke?



#3 was the top shelf smoke a Don Carlos Personal Reserve. I have only smoked 1 so far out of the box and I can't remember if I had a problem touching them up but I had a very similar experience taste wise as you.
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