Herf 26 - Fine Dining Reinvented

August 2nd, 2009 - Renton, WA

In attendance were Fernand, Robert, Joe, Patrick, Daniel, and Pat (remotely). As usual, we gathered to enjoy a good cigar and give our opinion on it by holding a 'group tasting' following dinner.

The five of us were treated to a gourmet feast the likes of which we’ve not seen at any previous herfs. The bar has definitely been set very high now! We started off with an appetizer platter of three kinds of salami, greek olives, bosc pears, and three cheeses. Then a wonderful mixed greens salad kicked off the meal.

The entrees, four in all, consisted of puff-pastry chicken pot-pie, lobster mac and cheese with asparagus tips, mini meatloaf, and zucchini blossoms stuffed with lemon-honey goat cheese. This incredible treat was due to the vast creativity of Patrick’s girlfriend Linh (Lynn).

If that wasn’t enough, dessert soon followed: Irish Car Bomb cupcakes accompanied by cheesecake-stuffed, chocolate-covered strawberries. It was almost too much for the senses to process.

As we were already dinning outside, it was only a few steps to retire around Patrick’s outdoor firepit, though it wasn’t ignited due to the oppressive heat of one of the warmest weeks on record in the Seattle area. The superb meal was the perfect precursor to our mission of conducting the cigar tasting session and continuing the evening’s relaxation and camaraderie.

Our selection for this herf was the Rocky Patel Decade Robusto. An impeccable looking robusto with a standard round cap and measuring 5 inches long by a 50 ring guage. It’s made in Honduras and goes for around $9. This Decade was Cigar of the Week back on May 11th. The current Cigar Aficionado rating for it is 92 (Oct 2008).

Following CA's 4-part rating system (Appearance & Construction, Flavor, Smoking Characteristics, and Overall Impression) we began the tasting.

The gentle box press had a very handsome appeal. The dark, chocolaty color of the Ecuadorian wrapper had us all salivating as we clipped, lit, and studied the appearance of this well-crafted stick.

Not one of us had any complaints about the draw of our cigars. Each specimen was perfect. Each burned quite evenly too, with not one relight needed during the course of the evening. We were pleased with the quantity of smoke produced. The ash was stable and well-formed with no noticeable flaking.

Everyone commented on what pleasurable ease it started out with; a little woody (like a soft, light wood) smooth, and easy going. All agreed it was consistently pleasant all the way through and these sticks got mighty short too. Club member Pat (joining us via instant messenger from Lansdale, PA) summed up the experience beautifully, “Rarely do I take a stick to the end, but this was an exception. Loved everything about this stick!”

After throwing out the highest and lowest, then averaging the remaining scores, The Cohiba Club's official rating for the Rocky Patel Decade Robusto is 93. An outstanding cigar!

Here's the points breakdown:
I. Appearance & Construction: 15 pts (100% of the points possible)
II. Flavor: 22 pts (88% of the points possible)
III. Smoking Characteristics: 24 pts (96% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 32 pts (91% of the points possible)

All in all, a very enjoyable cigar which we highly recommend!

See you at the next herf, September 6th.

© 2009 The Cohiba Club - All rights reserved.

Cigar Review – Cohiba Robusto – Part 1

This is the first in a 4-Part Series of reviews dedicated to exploring Dominican Cohibas, also known by some as ‘red-dot’ Cohibas (to differentiate them from Cuban Cohibas).

Our mission; to sample a single cigar size across each of the Cohiba brands offered by General Cigar (in this case robustos). This extensive survey is made possible by Victoria McKee, Director of Public Relations at General Cigar Company.

Featured this time is the Cohiba (Classic) Robusto, which we received from Victoria back in May of this year.

Vitola: Robusto
Origin: Dominican Republic
Length: 5”
Ring Gauge: 49
Filler: Dominican (Piloto Cubano)
Binder: Jember (Indonesian)
Wrapper: Natural Cameroon
Strength: Mild-to-Medium
MSRP: $362.25 (box of 25)
Average online price: $221

Produced at the General Cigar Dominicana factory, the Cohiba Robusto features a velvety-looking Cameroon wrapper and a very solid parejo shape. The current Cigar Aficionado rating for it is 88 (from April, 2006).

From the manufacturer’s website:

During his second voyage to the New World in 1496, Christopher Columbus revisited western Hispaniola, which is now known as the Dominican Republic. To his surprise, he discovered that the Taino Indians of Hispaniola were smoking leaves of cured tobacco. "Cohiba," they called it. Today, Cohiba remains as much a part of Dominican history as ever.

Following Cigar Aficionado's 4-part rating system (Appearance & Construction, Flavor, Smoking Characteristics, and Overall Impression) ten of our club’s members plus one guest took part in the tasting survey for this review.

With a tightly-packed, sturdy roll, it appeared very well-constructed. In fact, a few of us found it rolled a little too tight, resulting in a difficult time drawing air through it. However, several others found their Cohibas drawing just fine. Though a couple prominent wrapper veins were discovered, everyone felt the quality of construction and appearance was pretty good.

As one might expect, those of us with tight draws experienced meager smoke production – a sizable let-down for those few of us. On the other hand, the stability of the ash reinforced our impression of roll and leaf quality, as some found their ashes holding steady for up to half the length of the cigar! Likewise, the burn was very even and steady with only a couple re-lights noted among our group.
The flavors were found to be mild and pleasant. Those of us who tend to favor stronger blends, however, thought the cigar lacked a bit of complexity in the flavor department. Tasting notes revealed mild spices up front and near the end, leather in the middle, with the occasional hint of coffee detected in a few of these robustos. There were also a few mentions of a bitter ending, but overall we agreed on a mellow, subtle, and consistent tasting experience.

After throwing out the highest and lowest, then averaging the remaining scores, The Cohiba Club's official rating for the Cohiba (Classic) Robusto is 89. An 'excellent' cigar.

Here's the points breakdown:
I. Appearance & Construction: 13 pts (87% of the points possible)
II. Flavor: 22 pts (88% 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, we found the Cohiba to be a well-made cigar that deserves your attention. We do recommend that you give it a try and see for yourself.

Check back here in the coming weeks for subsequent posts on the Cohiba Puro Dominicana, the Cohiba XV (Extra Vigoroso), and the Cohiba Black Tubo Crystal – all in robusto sizes.

Click on images to enlarge.

Credit to Cigar World

© 2009 The Cohiba Club - All rights reserved.

Gift Review – CAO Vision Prana

Another in our ongoing series of occasional reviews of cigars given to us as gifts. Featured this time is the CAO Vision Prana, given to me by my friends at 10-7ha back in January of this year.

Vitola: Figurado
Origin: Dominican Republic
Length: 6 ¼”
Ring Gauge: 52
Filler: Dom. Rep., Nicaragua, Brazil
Binder: Dom. Rep.
Wrapper: Corojo (Dom. Rep.)
Strength: Medium-to-Full
MSRP: $16.00

Produced by La Aurora S.A. for C.A.O. International, these cigars come packaged in their trademarked Sensi-Box, a beautiful white humidor with a digital readout on the front. The current Cigar Aficionado rating for it is 90 (Aug ’07).

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 Basil Hayden bourbon.

With a graceful conical-shaped head, it appeared very well-constructed. It drew alright and everything started off real nice until, bam! It split at about the mid-way point. From then on it went down hill. Though I tried my best to keep it together, there was no hope and a few minutes into the second half I had to put it down.

The flavors before the meltdown were quite pleasant. A bit of cedar or sandalwood and a touch of nutmeg had me very interested through the first third. It did start to go a little tannic on me before bursting, but ultimately, it’s a little tough to give this cigar a thorough evaluation – which is a sizable disappointment because the robusto Vision I had about a year ago was pretty darn good. It’s a shame this one came apart on me as I was pretty optimistic about how good it was going to be.

My rating for the CAO Vision Prana is 77.
Here's the points breakdown:
I. Appearance & Construction: 12 pts (80% of the points possible)
II. Flavor: 21 pts (84% of the points possible)
III. Smoking Characteristics: 18 pts (72% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 26 pts (74% of the points possible)

Nonetheless, I did appreciate the gift and look forward to trying one again soon.

© 2009 The Cohiba Club - All rights reserved.

Herf 25 - Small But Beautiful

June 7th, 2009 - Shoreline, WA

In attendance were Fernand, Robert, John, Pat, Joe, and Brad. As usual, we gathered to enjoy a good cigar and give our opinion on it by holding a 'group tasting' following dinner.

The six of us dined on Joe’s fabulous beer-soaked bratwurst, pasta salad, broccoli salad, chips and homemade salsa. Amazing! It was all washed down with plenty of microbrews, rum, and bourbon. As we ate out on Joe’s back deck, the sun emerged from the clouds just in time to keep things from cooling off too much; the perfect setting to conduct the cigar tasting session and continue the evening’s relaxation and camaraderie.

Our selection for this Herf was the Cabaiguan Guapos Junior. A beautiful little corona with a twisted cap (not really pigtail curly) measuring 4 5/8 inches long by a 42 ring guage. It’s made in Miami by Don Pepin Garcia for Pete Johnson. This Cabaiguan was Cigar of the Week back on April 20th. The current Cigar Aficionado rating for it is 90.

Following CA's 4-part rating system (Appearance & Construction, Flavor, Smoking Characteristics, and Overall Impression) we began the tasting.

The pigtail cap was almost too pretty to cut. The beautiful Rosado color of the Ecuadorian wrapper had us all captivated as we sat there studying it for a moment, observing it's fine 'tooth', and anticipating the enjoyment of Pepin’s efforts sitting right there in our hands.

Not one of us had any complaints about the draw of our cigars, they were all perfect. Each burned quite evenly too, though a couple did go out or waver a bit near the end. We were amazed at how much smoke was produced by such small cigars. The ash was fairly stable and well-formed with no noticeable flaking.

Everyone commented on what a pleasurable flavor profile it started out with; a little woody (like a faint dry cedar) smooth, and easy going. One of the members, Pat, noted a slight sense of chocolate at the half-way point warming to a peppery final third. All agreed it was consistently pleasant all the way through and these sticks got mighty short too.

About the only failing we could come up with (which is pretty weak, really) was that the flavors were so consistent as to almost come off as being a little simple. But this didn’t stop one of the Co-Founders, John, from coming out with the quote that summed up the evening, simply put “I was sorry when it was gone!”

After throwing out the highest and lowest, then averaging the remaining scores, The Cohiba Club's official rating for the Cabaiguan Guapos Junior is 90. An outstanding cigar.

Here's the points breakdown:
I. Appearance & Construction: 14 pts (93% of the points possible)
II. Flavor: 22 pts (88% of the points possible)
III. Smoking Characteristics: 22 pts (88% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 32 pts (91% of the points possible)

All in all, a very enjoyable cigar which we highly recommend!

See you at the next herf, August 2nd.

© 2009 The Cohiba Club All rights reserved.

Gift Review – Dan’s Mystery Cigar

Another in our ongoing series of occasional reviews of cigars given to us as gifts. Featured this time is an unbanded ‘mystery’ cigar, given to me by my friend Dan at 10-7ha back in January.

Vitola: Gran Corona perhaps
Origin: unknown
Length: pretty close to 6 inches
Ring Gauge: about 47
Filler: unknown
Binder: unknown
Wrapper: unknown
Strength: mild-to-medium
MSRP: unknown

While at herf 21, and enjoying our new-found friends in the neighboring cigar club to the south, Daniel handed me this cigar – sans band. In his other hand, cupped tightly, was the unclothed cigar’s band, which he proceeded to give to my fellow Cohiba Club co-founder, John; careful to shield it from my curious eyes. Dan’s instructions were simple; smoke the cigar before obtaining the band from it’s keeper. His instructions to John were equally as simple; keep this band safe until such time when its identity may be revealed.

I finally smoked this cigar last Friday (the 15th). No, I haven’t obtained the band yet, or even asked John for it, but instead thought I’d post this review first and then append later with the cigar’s name.

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 pale ale. Also present were fellow club members Pat and Joe.



The first thing I noticed was the subtle, yet handsome, box-pressed shape (despite the round foot seen in my last photo) and the delicate looking, medium-brown wrapper. There were rather light veins and a somewhat oily sheen. The head displayed what appeared to be a triple cap, but as you can see in the 2nd photo, it had a jagged edge which made it’s exact configuration difficult to ascertain.

To my great satisfaction, this slender beauty drew perfectly and produced tons of sweet, easy smoke. About the only complaint I had, performance-wise, was the ash falling on me, but I do tend to push how long I can let it hang on. As for the burn, it did go out mid-way, but that also may have been a case of operator error as I probably was talking too much and not ‘tending my fire’ so to speak. Incidentally, this relight did seem to cause the strength to ramp up temporarily, before resuming it’s previously gentle pace.

Initial flavors consisted of aromatic cedar with a hint of cinamon. Once that mellowed, it became more akin to leather with a slight coating of caramel. From there it slowly grew in peppery warmth – mildly; never getting hot, harsh, or overly spicy.

My rating for [this cigar soon to be revealed] is 91.
Here's the points breakdown:
I. Appearance & Construction: 14 pts (93% of the points possible)
II. Flavor: 23 pts (92% of the points possible)
III. Smoking Characteristics: 23 pts (92% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 31 pts (89% of the points possible)

Check back here in a week or so to learn the true identity of the ‘mystery’ cigar and thanks Dan! I really enjoyed it.

© 2009 The Cohiba Club - All rights reserved.


--Update 26may09--
Just learned it was a G.A.R. Corona Gorda!
From Dan himself:

"I purchased this cigar in Las Vegas during last years Big Smoke at a cigar shop not to far from the strip. It has a nice walk-in humidor. I was in the spending mood (duh) so I wanted to drop some cash on cigars I had never tried before. I tried the GAR that day and was pleasantly surprised. I cannot recall the price per stick but I'll guess $6.00. It was later that year that I ordered a box on-line and they were gone in a flash. Let's just say, I gambled and won."
Dan (10-7 Club, Big Boss)

Thanks again Dan!

Cigar Review - Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic Maduro

by club co-founder John

Another in our ongoing series of reviews of cigars given to us by the good folks at Cigars Direct. Featured this time is the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic Maduro, given to us back in November of 2008.

Vitola: Figurado

Origin: Dominican Republic

Length: 7 inches

Ring Gauge: 48

Filler: Dom. Rep.

Binder: Dom. Rep.

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro

Strength: Medium

Price: $399.95 (box of 25)

Produced by Tabaclera A. Fuente y Cia., it features a dark, rich looking CBM wrapper and a skillfully executed figurado shape.

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 Jameson y “un cafecito Cubano” on the deck after a steak dinner with my brother Mark (I guess any cigar might have gotten a good rating that night!). Mark had an AF Hemingway Short Story.

It was nicely constructed, long figurado with a dark, oily wrapper without blemishes or soft spots. It drew a little tight at first but loosened up quickly, providing generous amounts of substantial thick, creamy smoke. The ash remained light colored and held up moderately well (although it did manage to drop off early into the dregs of my coffee once!).

The flavor was an interesting blend of stronger earthy flavors mixed with sweet undertones. It had a sweet, dark chocolate start, remained smooth and creamy, and then turned & gave some vanilla flavors at the halfway point. It stayed really flavorful until the last third. Just before it spent itself, I actually got a bacon flavor…go figure. Maybe it was the Jameson!

It was fun trying this cigar alongside by brother’s Hemingway Short Story, one of my favorite short smokes, and realizing the Classic Maduro was even more to my liking with its more complex flavors and long smooth smoke. I’ll be getting some more of these!

.

My rating for the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Classic Maduro is 93.

Here's the points breakdown:

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

II. Flavor: 23 pts (92% of the points possible)

III. Smoking Characteristics: 22 pts (88% of the points possible)

IV. Overall Impression: 34 pts (97% of the points possible)

Thanks to Cigars Direct for the opportunity to review this cigar.

© 2009 The Cohiba Club - All rights reserved.

Herf 24 - Urban Campfire

May 3rd, 2009 - Lynnwood, WA

In attendance were Fernand, Robert, Pat, Joe, Bruce, Patrick, and Bob. As usual, we gathered to enjoy a good cigar and give our opinion on it by holding a 'group tasting' following dinner.

The seven of us dined on Bruce’s succulent pulled pork sandwiches, caesar salad, and asparagus before retiring to his back deck to conduct the cigar tasting and continue the evening’s relaxation and camaraderie.

Our selection for this Herf was the Pinar Del Río Habano Sun-Grown Double-Corona. A relatively new brand to the market, it’s made by Abe Flores and Juan Rodriguez at Tabacos Don Leoncio, S.A. in the Dominican Republic. This double-corona measures 6 1/4 inches long by a 54 ring guage. The Churchill size was our Cigar of the Week back on April 6th and received a “must try” recommendation from Cigar Press magazine.

Following Cigar Aficionado's 4-part rating system (Appearance & Construction, Flavor, Smoking Characteristics, and Overall Impression) we began the tasting while comfortably seated around Bruce’s natural gas-fed outdoor firepit.

Upon prelight examination, some minor blemishes were noticed. A couple cigars had cracks in the wrappers, one had a wrapper leaf which appeared to be coming loose, one had a pronounced lump under it’s cap, and yet another had a hole in the wrapper. We found this observation to be definitely out of the norm and somewhat disconcerting.

The roll quality in general seemed well-crafted with regard to firmness and uniformity, but a couple of the sticks drew too tightly. Unfortunately, the performance issues didn’t end there. A few had significant irregularities of burn during the evening.

Everyone commented on what a pleasurable flavor profile it started out with; woody & spicy at first, which quickly had us forgetting about the external defects. Once we were all past the first inch, the cigars settled into a rather mild, more subdued flavor profile. As we got further along, we found ourselves somewhat unimpressed. For some of us, the flavors fell a tad short of what we thought would materialize.

In the end, the superficial anomalies, the performance problems, and the mediocre flavors left us questioning if we’d be returning to this brand soon. The length of the cigars left unfinished in the ashtrays summed-up the impressions reflected in the scoring.

After throwing out the highest and lowest, then averaging the remaining scores, The Cohiba Club's official rating for the Pinar Del Río Habano Sun-Grown Double-Corona is 83.

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: 20 pts (80% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 29 pts (83% of the points possible)

All in all, a mildly enjoyable cigar that we’re just not quite ready to recommend yet. Still, a great herf indeed. Bruce was a fine host and everyone enjoyed our special guest, Bob (Fernand's Father-in-Law).

Thanks to JnJ Cigars in Shoreline for giving us such a good discount on these sticks!

See you at the next herf, June 7th.

Photo credit to club co-founder Robert.

© 2009 The Cohiba Club All rights reserved.

Herf 23 - Southern Comfort

April 5th, 2009 - Shoreline, WA

In attendance were Fernand, Robert, John, Pat, and Patrick. As usual, we gathered to enjoy a good cigar and give our opinion on it by holding a 'group tasting' following dinner.

The five of us dined Southern Style on an amazing feast prepared by Fernand’s wife Debra, consisting of pulled pork (in two flavors), garlic-cheese grits, and fresh coleslaw; all washed down with some tasty homebrew. This was followed by peach cobbler and espresso shots before heading out to Fernand’s back patio to conduct the cigar tasting session and continue the evening’s relaxation and camaraderie.

Our selection for this Herf was the Litto Gomez Diez 2008 Chisel Puro. A unique, flat-tipped creation by Litto himself, it measures 5 1/2 inches long by a 54 ring guage. This LG Diez Chisel was Cigar of the Week back on January 19th and received a 93 from Cigar Aficionado's expert tasting panel.

Following CA's 4-part rating system (Appearance & Construction, Flavor, Smoking Characteristics, and Overall Impression) we began the tasting. This proved to be a pretty well-liked cigar among our group of tasters.

No cutters were used to kick things off. Instead, a gentle pinch on the sides of the tip popped the wrapper open. The cigars were all a little stubborn during the lighting. Perhaps this was due in part to being stored at a slightly higher humidity level.

Unfortunately, a couple of the stick drew too tightly, and not a fault of the tip either, as was easily verified by a quick test clip. Other than that, there were no construction issues to speak of. Clearly, Litto has got some very skilled torcedores crafting his chisels.

Everyone commented on what a pleasurable flavor profile it started out with; woody & smooth, yet very flavorful with a slight sweetness. There was a definite note of fruitwood on the pallet that we enjoyed very much. A little more smoke output would have been appreciated and the ashes were mostly stable and rather light in color. The cigars did have some burn issues with most requiring relights or touch-ups for the duration.

The flavors were the best part of the cigar while it’s smoking characteristics were it’s worst. While the performance issues were a bit of a let-down, all agreed that we’d like to try more products from Litto (and more chisels) in the near future.

After throwing out the highest and lowest, then averaging the remaining scores, The Cohiba Club's official rating for the LG Diez 2008 Chisel Puro is 88. An excellent cigar.

Here's the points breakdown:
I. Appearance & Construction: 15 pts (100% of the points possible)
II. Flavor: 23 pts (92% of the points possible)
III. Smoking Characteristics: 19 pts (76% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 31 pts (89% of the points possible)

All in all, a pretty enjoyable cigar (considering the burn & draw problems) which we recommend that you try for yourself, as the flavors alone are worth it.

See you at the next herf, May 3rd.

Gift Review – My Father No. 1

Another in our ongoing series of occasional reviews of cigars given to us as gifts. Featured this time is the My Father No. 1, given to me by my good friends at 10-7ha back in January.

Vitola: Robusto
Origin: Nicaragua
Length: 5 ¼”
Ring Gauge: 52
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuador
Body: Medium to Full
MSRP: $10.00

Blended by Jaime Garcia as a tribute to his father ‘Don Pepin’, it features a habano seed Ecuadorian wrapper and a skillfully executed triple cap. The current Cigar Aficionado rating for it is 93. Perhaps the greatest significance of this new blend is it’s containing of filler tobacco grown by the Garcia’s on their own farm in Nicaragua.

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 winter ale.

Influence of Pepin’s impeccable quality standards were evident upon examination of the cigar’s construction. Wrapper texture and firmness of roll were wonderful, though the wrapper’s cosmetic appearance was a bit rustic. To my slight disappointment, the draw got firmer as the experience progressed and the burn did get a little crooked as well. This cigar could have produced a little more smoke for my liking. I also found the ash a little on the darker side of grey and it fell a little sooner that I would have expected. So I have to say that the performance was a bit of a let-down.

The flavor was quite smooth through the first third, and can be best described (for me) as ‘spice’ yielding to leather as it moved into the middle portion. Then in the final third the cigar seemed to come to life; producing floral and citrus notes before culminating in a spicy ending. All in all, an okay cigar smoking experience that left me feeling like I need to give this brand another go.

My rating for the My Father No. 1 is 86. A very good cigar.
Here's the points breakdown:
I. Appearance & Construction: 14 pts (93% of the points possible)
II. Flavor: 22 pts (88% of the points possible)
III. Smoking Characteristics: 20 pts (80% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 30 pts (86% of the points possible)

Click on images to enlarge.

© 2009 The Cohiba Club All rights reserved.

Herf 22 – Surprise 2.0

March 1st, 2009 - Shoreline, WA

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

We started off the evening at Jersey’s in Shoreline. Everyone enjoyed the food and the service was notably quite fast, given the size of our group. Then we headed over to John’s for our second consecutive blind taste test this year.

Our selections for this Herf were two competing robustos, one plainly labeled 'A' and the other labeled 'B'. Only John, the official Cohiba Club tobacconist knew what sticks bore these secret bands. Soon the willing taste-testers would be smoking a Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Legend “Challenger” (Robusto) marked 'A' and a Vegas Cubanas Robusto by Don Pepin Garcia, marked 'B'.

The Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Legend Challenger recently received an 89 from Cigar Insider in their Nov, 2008 issue.

Made by General Cigar, the Hoyo’s Havana seed Connecticut wrapper was medium in color and showed it’s veins well. The texture was smooth, almost velvety, and the roll quality was firm and uniform along the entire length.

The Vegas Cubanas was also very pleasing in its appearance, with construction representing what you’d expect from Pepin’s Nicaraguan torcedores. While photographing these cigars, I was struck by the similarity in wrapper color & texture with the only significant difference being the amount and size of vein visible (more so on the Hoyo).

Following CA's 4-part rating system (Appearance & Construction, Flavor, Smoking Characteristics, and Overall Impression) we began the tasting session. Most of the guys chose to smoke both the A and B cigars, resulting in a good sampling of opinions on which to base our comparison.

These cigars both drew ok, for the most part. A couple of the guys smoking the Hoyo de Monterrey found the draw a little too tight, while a couple smoking the Vegas Cubanas found it’s draw almost to the point of drawing too freely, though the group as a whole still found fewer complaints about it's burn and draw. In fact, they would later award more points to the Vegas Cubanas for Appearance and Construction: a whopping 93% of the points possible, compared to the 80% that the Excalibur Legend Challenger received for it’s build quality.

The flavors were described by the tasters for the Hoyo were peppery, right off the bat! Then mellowing to an earthy character. Comments for the Vegas Cubanas were along the lines of smooth, woody, and with a easy cedar finish. They scored a little closer in the Flavor category; with the Vegas Cubanas earning 88% of the points possible, while the Hoyo received 84% of the points possible; not a dramatic difference there.

The Vegas Cubana produced an umistakably smoother smoke than the stronger Hoyo de Monterrey. The ash quality was comparable between the two, with little difference noted. Those smoking the Hoyo had more complaints about it's substandard burn and draw. It was the Vegas Cubanas that earned a pretty significant points advantage with regard to Smoking Characteristics, surpassing the Hoyo; 88% to 80% of the points possible.

The final category, ‘Overall’ again went to the Vegas Cubanas, 89% to 83% of the points possible, which also won out in the end when all was totalled.

After averaging our scores, The Cohiba Club's official rating for the Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Legend Challenger is 82. A very good cigar.

Here's the points breakdown for the Excalibur Legend:
I. Appearance & Construction: 12 pts (80% of the points possible)
II. Flavor: 21 pts (84% of the points possible)
III. Smoking Characteristics: 20 pts (80% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 29 pts (83% of the points possible)

After averaging our scores, The Cohiba Club's official rating for the Vegas Cubanas Robusto is 89. An excellent cigar, and in this case, clearly preferred over the rival by General Cigar.

Here's the points breakdown for the Vegas Cubanas:
I. Appearance & Construction: 14 pts (93% of the points possible)
II. Flavor: 22 pts (88% of the points possible)
III. Smoking Characteristics: 22 pts (88% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 31 pts (89% of the points possible)

Upon closer examination of the scoring data, it’s interesting to break it down according to how each cigar faired in each category and what aspects of each were favored (or not) by our group. For example, would flavor be the driving consideration or could smoking characteristics play a compelling roll?

Ultimately, it did come down to those two factors: the smoothness of the Pepin product contrasted by the performance problems of the Hoyo de Monterrey as the deciding attributes that gave the Vegas Cubanas the win in the end. There’s no denying that this group's majority does not lean toward full-bodied cigars, however, it's also clear there was more than just preferences-of-palate in play here.

Thanks to JnJ Cigars in Shoreline for giving us such a good deal on these robustos and coordinating the blind tasting for us. All the guys commented that it was a very fun experience and we are most grateful to have learned a little more about the truly honest evaluation process that comes only from tasting blind.

Click on the above images to enlarge.

© 2009 The Cohiba Club - All rights reserved.

Cigar Review – Ashton VSG Wizard

by club co-founder Robert

Another in our ongoing series of reviews of cigars given to us by the good folks at Cigars Direct. Featured this time is the Ashton VSG "Wizard".

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Vitola: Toro

Origin: Dominican Republic

Length: 6”

Ring Gauge: 56

Filler: Dom. Rep.
Binder: Dom. Rep.

Wrapper: Equadorian Sumatra

Strength: Full

Price: $15

Made by Tabaclera A. Fuente y Cia. and distributed by Ashton Distributors Inc., this size was added to the line in 2006. The only VSG not box-pressed, it has a nice dark looking wrapper. The Ashton website promotes that they get their wrapper tobacco from a private estate in Ecuador owned by the Oliva family, and grown for the Fuente family exclusively for the Ashton VSG. The current Cigar Aficionado rating for it is 87 (from the Feb, 2007 Cigar Insider).


Following Cigar Aficionado's 4-part rating system (Appearance & Construction, Flavor, Smoking Characteristics, and Overall Impression) I sat down to rate this cigar with fellow Cohiba Club member Eric, and enjoying a glass of Pendleton & DP on the rocks. Pendleton is a Canadian blended whisky and the Diet Pepsi doesn’t add too much sugar to the mix, as the Pendleton is just sweet enough. I think the touch of sweetness of the Pendleton is a very good complement to the Ashton.

The construction was solid and firm through the entire length. The roll was a little lumpy and the wrapper had a large vein running down the length, seen below, but the cap was perfect. The pre-light draw was very easy, too easy. But it didn’t distract a lot from enjoying the cigar. This cigar is big, a 56 ring gage (7/8” diameter), and even my careful shallow cut across the cap exposed a lot of cigar cross-section. Perhaps when you smoke yours, try using a punch or notch it (and keep it small) to manage this. At about the ½ point the wrapper let go and started unwrapping, I ended up just holding it in place as I gripped it.

It lit easily and produced a large volume of smoke, even in between puffs. The ash was dark and flaky for the first inch. Later it whitened very noticeably, but the flakes continued to cover me the whole time. The burn was fairly even, and it self-corrected nicely.

The flavor of the VSG is an interesting mystery. Very smooth and consistent through its length, I tasted wood, but couldn’t quite put my finger on it, cedar or sandalwood? It had hints of mellow spice, but not pronounced, and not strong enough for me to identify, vanilla, ...something else? I’m not the only one who found the flavor elusive, after writing this review I found that other published reviews had the same experience.

I was fascinated while smoking this cigar, and really enjoyed trying to tease out the flavors. Lastly this is a strong cigar, I had a nice steak dinner before firing-up this big fatty, and it still got a hold of me toward the end. But I’d do it again.

Try this cigar, and see if you can find the mystery flavor. I’m sure you will enjoy the experience.
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My rating for the Ashton Wizard is 82.

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Here's the points breakdown:

I. Appearance & Construction: 11 pts (73% of the points possible)

II. Flavor: 20 pts (80% of the points possible)

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

IV. Overall Impression: 30 pts (86% of the points possible)

Click on images above to enlarge.

Thanks again to Cigars Direct and thanks also to Vitolas.net for some of the background info herein.

© 2009 The Cohiba Club - All rights reserved.

Cigar Review – Ashton ESG 20 Year Salute (Churchill)

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 Ashton Estate Sun Grown “20 Year Salute”.

Vitola: Churchill
Origin: Dominican Republic
Length: 6 ¾”
Ring Gauge: 49
Filler: Dom. Rep.
Binder: Dom. Rep.
Wrapper: Sun Grown Rosado (from D.R.)
Strength: Med.-Full
Price: $29.95

Made By: Tabaclera A. Fuente y Cia. and distributed by Ashton Distributors Inc., it features a dark, rich looking Dominican rosado wrapper grown on the Chateau de la Fuente farm and used exclusively on this cigar! The current Cigar Aficionado rating for it is 88 (from Oct, 2008).

The Ashton ESG churchill is named “20 Year Salute” in celebration of Ashton’s twenty-year history of growth and success. Blended by Carlito Fuente for Ashton owner Robert Levin, it’s considered a ‘special occasion’ cigar comprised of rare tobaccos; hence the limited quantities.

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 pint glass of home-brewed winter ale made by club member Joe.

With a beautiful matte sheen and moderate veins, this Ashton appeared very well-constructed. The pre-light draw gave only the essence of graham cracker. To my great satisfaction, it drew (and subsequently burned) perfectly, so clearly roll quality was excellent. This cigar produced tons of luscious smoke though I found the ash to be a little less stable than I typically like to see and it had a mild tendency to flake around its perimeter, just a bit.

The flavor was initially a mild, soothing leather. Very refined and easy going. I found it to be of mild-to-medium strength through the first third. Into the middle third, the flavor warmed to a smoked-pepper sort of character. Finally, it culminated in a meaty, savory strength that was heading firmly into the medium-to-full range.

My rating for the Ashton ESG 20 Year Salute is 92.
Here's the points breakdown:
I. Appearance & Construction: 15 pts (100% of the points possible)
II. Flavor: 22 pts (88% of the points possible)
III. Smoking Characteristics: 24 pts (96% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 31 pts (89% of the points possible)

All in all, a great cigar smoking experience and I’m grateful to Cigars Direct for providing me with the opportunity to enjoy this rare and masterfully executed cigar.

Pictured from left to right: myself (happily conducting this review) joined by fellow club members Tom, Pat, and Joe.

Click on images to enlarge.

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© 2009 The Cohiba Club - All rights reserved.