La Flor Domincana Double Ligero 452 Maduro

La Flor Domincana Double Ligero 452 Maduro 4 x 52 Wrapper, Filler, & Binder: Nicaraguan Here is another cigar that follows the current trend of short, powerful, cigars. This cigar like the Nub, is designed to provide the flavor, taste, and duration of a larger cigar, while shaped as what might be termed as a "robusto gordo", short and extra fat.

This cigar has a rough look to it, but not overly veigny, its a dark maduro wrapper in color, visually a nice start to this cigar. My experience says to anticipate a full- flavored tsunami in this short cigar , I shall see shortly. My ignition goes fine, well light, and the ash begins with a typical ligero look, grey and white speckles mixed into small waves of ash.

The first taste is just as Litto intended when blending with Ligero....full pedal to the metal flavor. The Double ligero is definitely adding an extra kick of taste on this cigar. By all means this is full bodied , but like a well made cigar it lacks harshness and bite.

This cigar is only 4 inches and I'm impressed with the way its rolled. I took several repeated hits off this and the smoke never heated up. The cigar was a cool as an 8 inch Double Corona, again in my view nicely constructed. The flavor actually improved as I got to the middle of this cigar, and it stayed lit although I was forced to retire it to the ashtray several times during my sampling. The ash held up nicely which is common in cigars of this style.

I'm taking this cigar to the nub, I might be looking for a toothpick to smoke this to an obscenely small nub because I'm an unabashed full flavor guy and this is the real deal. If you've got a taste for flavor and like being taken to the limit but don't have a lot of time....here's a fine choice of cigar.

Trinidad Habana Reserve Review

Trinidad Habana Reserve
Short Churchill
4 1/2 x 54

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Cubano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Honduran and Nicaraguan

The benefits of a cigar store job is the ample supply of free cigars. It's not like I never have to purchase but the reps and the boss are quick to share samples. I must its easy to enjoy cigars when the boss is providing the smokes. Tough job but like they say someone's got to do it! Tonight's gratis smoke is the Trinidad Habana Reserve Short Churchill.

My initial impression begins with the name, Short Churchill. This is definitely one of those brands that takes liberties with the frontmarks. This is a Robusto, or a Rothschild at 4 1/2 x 54 and by any other name, but in the world of cigars sometimes the traditional name gets a tweak perhaps to get it to stand on a crowded humidor shelf. Regardless of a cigar's name it has to taste good, so on with the review.

The Short Churchill wrapper looks to be a medium brown shade, very few veins if any, and looks to be a high quality wrapper. The next delightful surprise is the pig tail cap. Each cigar in this line is finishes with a small twist of leaf that resembles a micro- sized pig tail. This is actually a traditional Cuban finish to a cigar and in my opinion is a refreshing feature on this cigar. The pig tail causes no change in my traditional guillotine cut, I just look for the shoulder of the cap and have a go at it, the pig tail and a nicely measured piece of the cap fall into my deep bowl ashtray.

My ignition goes nicely with a Xikar Torch lighter. A slight pepper taste meets me at the outset. The ash that develops is salt and pepper in appearance. This cigar has smoothed out nicely as I move from the first to the second inch. It has a woody flavor, perhaps some lingering influence from cedar aging, but it makes it taste unique. The ash sifts easily to my ashtray, light and airy, falling with ease with hardly a tap.

Each draw thru the second half of this cigar delivers a light sweet flavor, almost like caramel. This is an enjoyable taste, leaving no after taste, a very clean tasting cigar. The burn has been perfect all the way to the end. When I consider the unique qualities of this cigar, in both appearance and taste along with a very reasonable price I have to say this is one I'd pay for....

Nub Maduro

460
4x60
Wrapper: Brazilian Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan

This starts out visually as not your average Maduro.
This is a rich, dark chocolate color with a wrapper that is very smooth, not veiny. At ignition I taste a familiar pepper first taste. It changes with in the first inch to a smooth, full bodies smoke. This is full bodied but not so mush that you're reaching for a bottle of water, or taking a break from this 4 inch cigar. At its heart this is a beefy, smooth delightful cigar. Everything a Nub aims to be. The 60 ring combines with its length makes this smoke much more like a Toro than a robusto. I taste a bit of salt along with a touch of heated pepper as I near the end of this one.
The ash has held on all thru this cigar and as I out it down for that last time tonight, the ash gently falls to the bottom of my Sticky Ashtray.
I think I'm wanting more now that I see it expired...but my shift has wound down and paper lies ahead for me. Maybe tomorrow on the deck or while mowing the grass, that may be a great Nub moment.

Partagas Black Label Man Cave Sweepstakes!

Cigar smokers have to check out this cool promotion from Partagas. Partagas Cigar is running a sweepstakes giving away a $10,000 "cigar cave" to be built in one winner's house. Call it what you will, a "man cave", smoking room, its a free make over in the home of one lucky cigar smoker-why not you! To close the deal and get your entry selected you've got to impress the judges however. They'll want to read, or view your creative plea for your own "Man-Cave" and they will pick the one guy they feel is most deserving so get creative to make yourself stand out in a smoke filled crowd- pictures or video will help. For smokers in Central New York you can enter by purchasing a four-pack of Partagas Black Label cigars at Rocky's during our Partagas Black event Thursday 6/18 from 4pm-7pm or by visiting http://www.partagascigarcave.com./ If you're legal smoking age you're eligible to enter the contest.