Cigar Review – Diamond Crown No. 4 Maduro

by club co-founder Fernand

Another in our ongoing series of reviews of cigars given to us by the good folks at Cigars Direct. Featured this time is the Diamond Crown Robusto No. 4 Maduro, given to us back in the Spring of 2009.

Vitola: Robusto
Origin: Dominican Republic
Length: 5 ½”
Ring Gauge: 54
Filler: Dom. Rep.
Binder: Dom. Rep.
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Strength: mild-to-medium
Price: $148.95 (box of 15)

Produced by Tabacalera A.Fuente y Cia. for the Newman Family, it features a dark, rich looking Connecticut broadleaf wrapper and leaves some of which have five years of age on them.

Following Cigar Aficionado's 4-part rating system (Appearance & Construction, Flavor, Smoking Characteristics, and Overall Impression) I sat down to rate this cigar while enjoying a glass of bourbon.

The beautiful dark wrapper gave pre-light aromas of clove, while the foot smelled of cedar. The draw was a bit firm for my liking, but it certainly didn’t interfere with the burn which was stellar through the entire experience. In fact, it was one of the best burning cigars I’ve seen. The smoke was a bit thin, undoubtedly a product of the tight draw. The ash was quite strong, never falling, and requiring a bit of effort to ‘break off’ now & then.

The flavor started out like smooth wood. About an inch into it, leather was hinting every so slightly. The mild profile had me intrigued having mostly enjoyed stronger cigars lately. Later a gentle spice teased me a bit as well. At one point I even had hints of dark berries. In the end, I found it a little dry on the finish, occasionally metallic. Finally, it warmed to a dry, slightly bitter, conclusion which left me feeling like I needed to try more, one of these days.

My rating for the Diamond Crown No. 4 Maduro is 86.
Here's the points breakdown:
I. Appearance & Construction: 15 pts (100% of the points possible)
II. Flavor: 21 pts (84% of the points possible)
III. Smoking Characteristics: 21 pts (84% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 29 pts (83% of the points possible)

Thanks to Cigars Direct for giving us the opportunity to try this cigar. Give the Diamond Crown maduro a try.

© 2009 The Cohiba Club – All rights reserved.

Cigar Review – Gran Habano No. 5 Corojo

by club co-founder John

Another in our ongoing series of occasional reviews of cigars given to us by the good folks at Cigars Direct. Featured this time is the Gran Habano No. 5 Corojo, sent to us back in the Spring of 2009.

Vitola: Churchill
Origin: Honduras
Length: 7”
Ring Gauge: 48
Filler: Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Mexico
Binder: Ecuador
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Strength: Medium to full bodied
Cost: $71.95 (Box of 20)

Produced by Gran Habano, it features a dark, rich looking Nicaraguan wrapper in a hefty Churchill shape. The current Cigar Aficionado rating for it is 90 (Aug, 2006).

Following CA's 4-part rating system (Appearance & Construction, Flavor, Smoking Characteristics, and Overall Impression) I sat down to rate this cigar while enjoying a the champagne of beers, …that’s right a cold can of Miller. I know, I know, it’s not the fancy libation you had expected, but I was camping with my buddies… so give a guy a break!

This cigar was a really well constructed Churchill; flawless wrapper, few minor blemishes, and a nice firm roll. The smoking characteristics almost matched the appearance. It produced thick mouthfuls of smoke with a long ash (dark) and only just slightly too tight of a draw

The flavors were bold and interesting and kept coming on; first licorice and cedar with full-strength and taste, and finally a hint of manure/silage during the second half (I never would have thought that I would appreciate a hint of horse apple in a cigar, but it really was tasty and rich!).

My rating for the Gran Habano Corojo No. 5 Churchill is 88.

Here's the points breakdown:

I. Appearance & Construction: 14 pts (93% of the points possible)

II. Flavor: 21 pts (84% of the points possible)

III. Smoking Characteristics: 21 pts (84% of the points possible)

IV. Overall Impression: 32 pts (91% of the points possible)

Overall, this was a really good cigar, a nice long, rich smoke, and great for the price!

Thanks again to Cigars Direct for giving us the opportunity to try this stick. Fortunately, they’re a bargain, so don’t hesitate to find out for yourself.

© 2009 The Cohiba Club – All rights reserved.

Herf 28 – Meat Lover’s Paradise II

October 4th, 2009 – Woodway, WA

In attendance were Fernand, John L., Joe, Tom, Bruce, Patrick, and Peter. As usual, we gathered to enjoy a recently recommended cigar and give our opinion on it by holding a 'group-tasting' following dinner.

The seven of us were treated to Tom’s famous smoked meats, a meat-lover’s extravaganza that we’d been looking forward to for many weeks. Tom smoked beef & pork loin all afternoon and went the extra mile to include side dishes of a chopped salad along with his mother’s secret recipe creamed rice with mushrooms. Outrageous!

At various times throughout the meal all you could hear were either moans of ecstasy or the soft silence of focused chewing. After packin’ away the meat and washing it down with a wonderfully bold syrah supplied by club member Peter, it was time to begin the cigar tasting session and continue the evening’s relaxation and camaraderie.

Our selection for this herf was the Arturo Fuente Don Carlos No. 3, a finely-crafted little corona measuring 5 1/2 inches long by a 44 ring guage. It contains tobaccos aged for up to ten years and goes for around $9. This Don Carlos was Cigar of the Week back on August 24th. The current Cigar Aficionado rating for it is 90 (May, 2009).

Following CA's 4-part rating system (Appearance & Construction, Flavor, Smoking Characteristics, and Overall Impression) we began the tasting while enjoying a little Yamazaki whiskey, 12-year, brought by club member Patrick.

Fine Fuente craftsmanship is instantly apparent upon first examination. A few of these coronas did have slight rough spots or traces of excess wrapper gum, but the roll quality was uniform and attractive across the board.

Likewise, the draw was very good across our seven cigars. Only a couple burned a bit uneven, most of them burned beautifully. The quantity of smoke produced was impressive for cigar of this size and to see how the ash held together had everyone commenting.

Now regarding flavor, we’re not exactly known for the most ‘flowery’ of descriptions (like some nationally-recognized publications) but this time we had more difficulty than usual discerning identifiable tasting notes. Initially, there may have been a soft spice, but all we got following that was woody, toasty, pleasant tobacco flavor. We all liked it, just couldn’t relate it to any comparable flavors. Intensity did ramp up a bit toward the ending, but should be categorized firmly in the medium body range.

After throwing out the highest and lowest, then averaging the remaining scores, The Cohiba Club's official rating for the Don Carlos No. 3 is 88. An excellent cigar.

Here's the points breakdown:
I. Appearance & Construction: 13 pts (87% of the points possible)
II. Flavor: 21 pts (84% of the points possible)
III. Smoking Characteristics: 23 pts (92% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 31 pts (89% of the points possible)

All in all, a well-liked, well-made cigar that’s easy smokin’ – not to mention a great performer! Pick some up and see for yourself.

See you at the next herf, November 1st.

© 2009 The Cohiba Club – All rights reserved.