BLACK MARKET by ALEC BRADLEY

BLACK MARKET by ALEC BRADLEY



The Black Market by Alec Bradley ....the Interent has been burning with buzz on how good this cigar is so I have finally got one to try. The Black Market is an attractive cigar and looks to be excellently constructed. The composition of this cigar is a wrapper consisting of Nicaraguan broadleaf, a Sumatra binder, and Panamanian / Honduran filler. I will be smoking a Toro and if this is as good as the reports say then it will be a treat.

Using a nice piece of cedar I light my cigar with care and ease. The first thing I notice is the excellent draw and the ease that the cigar works on my taste buds. The flavor is a little leathery due to the Sumatra binder. The next thing I taste is a little spice and pepper mixed with a little woodsy flavor making for an interesting blend. The strength of this stick is medium and I am having no problem inhaling with each draw. The smoke is forming a nice plume and the ash has a nice deep gray appearance. Smoke filling the room is leaving a nice aroma and the cigar is going down smooth.

At a third of the way down the ash is still attached and is solid to the touch. The smoothness of this smoke is giving me an awesome smoking experience and I want this to never end. Now I’m at the halfway point and a nice flavor or caramel has taken over making a terrific change and giving my senses a totally new outlook on this cigar. The high regards that this cigar has gotten is well deserved and makes me wonder why any one would want to compare this with any other Alec Bradley. Getting down to a little past two thirds gone and the flavor is still right there and shows no sign of letting go. When I got to the nub I started to use my tweezers and smoked it until there was nothing left to hold on too. This cigar never went ashy even when that was all that was left. This was an amazing treat and I can’t wait until the next time I get one!!

The BLACK MARKET by ALEC BRADLEY is one of the best cigars I have ever had. I HIGHLY recommend this cigar to any one who is looking for a smoke to knock your socks off. I plan on asking Santa for a box for Christmas and hope he is listening right now! I can’t say enough about this cigar and hope everyone’s experience is as good as mine. Buy one or buy a box you won’t be disappointed…

A. Turrent Puro Corojo

A. TURRENT PURO COROJO


The A. Turrent Puro Corojo is manufactured by Altadis Corporation. They are known for Montecristo, Romeo y Juliette, Siglo and Teamo. The size I will be smoking is a Gran Toro which measures 60 ring by 6.5 inches long. The cigar is constructed with San Andres’ Corojo wrapper accompanied by a Corojo binder and San Andres’ Corojo and Nicaraguan Corojo.


I light my cigar with a piece of cedar and begin to draw on the massive stick I notice that the draw is a little tight but not so tight as to make me suffer. It has a good burn and you can taste the Corojo immediately. The flavor is a little bothersome to the back of my throat but that is to be expected with an A. Turrent product. After growing accustomed to the flavor the Corojo dances across my taste buds awakening a flavor not sensed in a long time. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a pure Corojo smoke and it took me by surprise, the Corojo flavor is exciting me to open my mind to this company again. With the cigar half gone the Corojo flavor is effervescent and is making me realize how long and how much I’ve missed a Corojo smoke. The ash is sturdy due to the tight great construction of this gem. I’ve been smoking this stick for about an hour and it is awesome. I have a little more than a third and the flavor is starting to dissipate. The cigar is now down past a third and the flavor is almost gone being replaced by an ashy taste, plus the stick has also started to unravel as it begins to heat up. As the cigar finishes it reminds me of a Teamo in that it’s a good smoke two thirds of the way and finishes with great disappointment.


The A. TURRENT PURO COROJO is a good cigar for someone who likes a TEAMO or a SIGLO. I think that if you are someone who smokes a cigar and doesn’t always finish it you will enjoy this smoke.

SAN LOTANO HABANO TORO

SAN LOTANO HABANO TORO


The San Lotano Habano is a mostly Nicaraguan cigar. The construction of the stick is attractive and looks to be a good smoke. The wrapper is Brazilian Habano, the binder is Nicaraguan, and the filler is Nicaraguan, Honduran, and Dominican. The mix of these three different leaves should make for an interesting smoke. The size I will be smoking will be a Toro, which measures 6 inches long by a 54 ring.


The night starts off with the traditional lighting of my piece of cedar. Lighting the cigar the first thing I notice is a nice flavor entering my mouth and it is smooth. The cigar has an excellent draw and the burn is quite good. The exhaling smoke is thick and white. As the smoke fills the room I notice that the smoke is almost ivory and leaving a pleasant smell in what has become my favorite room in the house.

One third of the cigar is gone and due to the excellent construction the ash is still attached. The ash has a dark gray color and is smooth to the touch. The taste of the Habano is not out of the ordinary. The Habano is not plain tasting but it lacks the complexity of the Oval. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good smoke but it doesn’t challenge the senses. The actual flavor is good for a beginner.

The most prominent flavor would be the Habano wrapper. It has a leathery taste accompanied by a medium strength that is good for a night at your local lounge. At the halfway point, the cigar is still consistent in the way it tastes and burns. The ash has finally come off and is in one piece. This cigar is very well constructed and even though it’s not a complex smoke, it is still enjoyable.

The draw is still as good as when I first lit it and the burn is even. Two thirds gone, the smoke has picked up strength and is more like what I normally smoke. The finish of this cigar is great. I took out the tweezers and smoked it until there was nothing left.


The SAN LOTANO HABANO is a good smoke. The pleasure of the surprise ending was worth the journey. This Habano is a completely different animal than the OVAL but I still recommend trying it. The cigar is a nice change if you’re looking to move up from a light strength cigar. It will broaden you horizons and leave you wanting more…

SAN LOTANO OVAL by A.J. FERNANDEZ

SAN LOTANO OVAL by A.J. FERNANDEZ



The San Lotano Oval is a new product by A.J. Fernandez. The wrapper is a four year aged habano 2000, a Nicaraguan binder and a mix of Nicaraguan, Honduran and A.J.’s secret blend. This combination makes for a mysterious smoke. The size I have chosen is the Toro. The measurements are 6 inches long by a 54 ring making this a good size to enjoy.

I begin as normal and light my piece of cedar and warm the end of the cigar. As I initially draw in the flavor I realize a woodsy and leathery taste that makes for a good enjoyable smoke. I also sense a light taste of caramel but very gentle. The cigar is burning very even and the draw is nice and smooth. This cigar has a distinctive and very pleasing taste. About a third of the way in the hint of caramel is more abundant and is pleasing my palette. The ash is still intact and is showing off its excellent construction. As I pull on this cigar the cherry of the end illuminates the darkness of the room casting shadows of expelled smoke on the walls. The Oval is pleasing all my senses and leaving me wanting more. At the half way point the caramel flavor is prominent and the cigar has taken on a new life. The ash is still gray and very sturdy. The cigar started medium-bold and now has become bold in strength and is a pleasure to smoke. The change over occurred at the half way point and was a little sharp but not overly. (It didn’t turn me off) The Oval has a dark appearance but doesn’t taste that way until a little past half, then you realize your smoking a bolder smoke. Two thirds gone and it begins to loose the caramel taste and the woodsy takes over. My palette is enjoying the change and that reminds me of the way the El Baton smokes. The Oval is now down to the nub and is ready to be finished, the flavor is all but gone and is being replaced by an ashy taste. Smoking it down to the nub is not recommended but was necessary for this review.

The SAN LOTANO OVAL by A.J. FERNANDEZ is a good product and I recommend trying it. The OVAL has a great taste and has a lot of changes. It is not a complex smoke but it is a palette challenging experience. If you prefer a cigar like this then you will enjoy it. If you are a beginner then I recommend that you smoke this with ease.

American Classic Blend by Alec Bradley

AMERICAN CLASSIC BLEND by ALEC BRADLEY


On to my next choice the AMERICAN CLASSIC BLEND by ALEC BRADLEY. This cigar has a Honduran Connecticut wrapper with a Sumatra binder. Its filler is a blend of Panamanian and Honduran leafs, which will make for an interesting smoke. I will be smoking my favorite size, the Gordo, which should give me a long smoke. Alec Bradley has been right on with the blends lately so this should be interesting.


Taking my usual piece of cedar and lighting the monster I notice the awesome draw and medium strength right away. The first initial draw gives me memories of the family blend D3 which is my favorite of that blend. The blend has a nice taste of hazelnut with a slight woodsy flavoring. The exhaling smoke is thick and very white. The combination of the draw and burn allows the cigar to progress quicker than I initially thought it would. The ash is a nice dark gray and is very sturdy showing the excellent construction of the cigar. This stick is very consistent in its taste, no change over and evenly dancing across my taste buds. It’s been a long time since I’ve had a cigar that hasn’t had a lot of complexity and it’s a nice change. At a third gone, the ash has finally fell off and the cherry red end is showing in all its glory. The burn is still great and the draw is consistently staying the same. With the glass of bourbon I have, the cigar is a good match. At the halfway point the cigar is still going strong and has not changed of in any way. The flavor has stayed the same along with the strength. The simplicity of this blend is surprising me and leaving me not to want this to end. As I get to the nub I pick up a slight spiciness but not very noticeable. The spice is a pleasant slight change and it has caused me to get my tweezers out to see if it gets any stronger as I finish. With the tweezers, I can hold it with less than a quarter of inch left and the spicy change has not taken over. This has been a quite enjoyable smoke.


The AMERICAN CLASSIC BLEND is a good everyday smoke. I can’t think of anything wrong with this cigar. If you’re looking for a consistent non challenging everyday smoke this is for you. The blend is straight forward and it has an excellent draw. Keeping a box on hand would be a smart idea and always leave you with a smile when you’re done smoking it!

La Aurora BME Brazil

LA AURORA B.M.E. BRAZIL from Miami Cigars

Today I chose to smoke a LA AURORA B.M.E. BRAZIL. It is a mostly Dominican cigar with a Brazilian wrapper. The binder is Dominican Corojo and the filler is a mix of Dominican Corojo, Ligero, Nicaraguan and Peruvian leafs. This should make for an interesting and tasty blend. The size I have chosen is a Toro. The dimensions are 6.5 inches long by 54 ring which I think will be a good size to sample.
I am lighting the cigar with a piece of cedar and as I take my first draw the blend is very unique. It is unique in the sense that it tastes like no other La Aurora I have ever had before. I can immediately taste the Ligero and that is a pleasant taste for me. The draw is awesome even though it is a tight rolled cigar and has a hard feel to it. The smoke emanating from the end is a bluish gray and the burn is o.k.. It has started off as a medium bodied cigar and is promising to be a good smoke. Draw after draw it gets to be more and more ligero flavored. About a third of the way in the ligero is being accompanied by a slight taste of Corojo and is making the smoke ever so enjoyable. The burn has not worked as well as I thought it would. It’s good but not even and is making me wonder if I should relight it to even the burn. I’m into the halfway point and I have to keep reminding myself that I’m smoking a La Aurora. This cigar is awesome in flavor and making me rethink all the things I have ever said about this company. In the past I thought they were tasteless and extremely light but this is a totally different animal. At two thirds the strength and flavor has stayed consistent ant the burn has completely evened out. This is a pleasure to smoke. The draw is as good as when it started and the ligero flavor is making my mouth water for more. This cigar has taken me by complete surprise and has turned out to be a gem of a smoke.
The LA AURORA B.M.E. BRAZIL is a great smoke and I recommend that if you like a ligero smoke or are looking for something new to try this or buy a box and keep it for your special friends. If this smoke is this good I can’t wait to try the others. They come with different wrappers Brazil, Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Ecuador. If the others taste as good, I’m in for a treat.

LA CASITA CRIOLLA BY TATUAJE

The Tatuaje La Casita Criolla is a cigar that is made from 100% Nicaraguan Broadleaf tobacco. The wrapper, filler and binder are all Nicaraguan. The size I smoked was a corona which is not my normal size. However, the best way to test something is to try it in a different style than the normal size that is usually smoked. The corona measures 46 ring by 5 5/8 length, a good size for a detailed review on a Tatuaje. This cigar had a lot to live up to because of the other products that have come out from this wonderful company.

Using cedar to light my smoke so the first draw would be uninhibited taste, I warmed the end of the cigar and began to draw life into this masterpiece. The first taste that hit my palette was a nutty flavor with a hint of spice. This cigar has an awesome draw and burned as even as anything could.
After the first couple of minutes the room filled with a nice white, thick plume of smoke. The air smelled as nothing I experienced before. The flavor of this cigar was very unique and I immediately had flashes of the first time I smoked a Liga Privada, not the same taste but the experience of something new. This cigar was like no other Tatuaje I have ever had before.
About a third of the way in the cigar begins to change ever so slightly as not to give you a distasteful reaction. It begins to get a little bolder but not a heavy bold. It was very impressive. With every draw the La Casita Criolla makes you wish that this smoke never ends. At the half way point the cigar is still changing not to displace you but leave you wanting more. Every time I draw the cherry glows as bright as a planes red beacon and the exhale of smoke fills the room with white thick smoke. The ash is thick and grey still intact with half the stick gone. This cigar is well constructed and the blend is a very unique tasting treat. The master blender of this cigar needs to be thanked for this masterpiece.
Two thirds into the cigar the reward for choosing this smoke is apparent there is no other Tatuaje that smokes or tastes like this. When I got to the nub I took out my tweezers and smoked until the ash came through. (I burnt my lips but it was well worth it). Even as the La Casita Criolla came to the end it never lost that great taste and never got that ashy flavor.

The LA CASITA CRIOLLA by TATUAJE is one of the beast cigars I have ever had. If you are looking to smoke something new and exciting I HIGHLY recommend this cigar. I found the next cigar I will buy by the box and will smoke and recommend over and over again!!! I can’t say enough about this GEM and recommend it for anyone looking for something new….