Herf 53 –A New Format

May 6th – Edmonds, WA
The following is a trial of our new format for posting herf reports.  As we are switching over to live-blogging during herfs, the contents posted here will be the result of that activity.

After each gathering, we will post here a transcript of the ‘tweets’ copied from the club’s Twitter account (@TheCohibaClub).

Attendance:  Fernand, Robert, Joe, John L., Patrick (in AZ), Bruce, Jim, and John S.

FR Note:  We recognize that the below layout is a little unorganized and possibly even incoherent.  Please bear with us as we draft our approach for how to get our tweets to flow better at upcoming herfs.  Thanks for reading and thanks for your understanding.

Twitter Transcript:
Herf 53 underway.
http://pic.twitter.com/Y9K4qQeX


Scoring the Torano Master Series Robusto...


Category 1, Appearance & Construction:  12 points out of 15 available (80%).

Got some nice long ashes going here. http://pic.twitter.com/iALeeVDV

Category 3, Smoking Characteristics:  22 points out of 25 (88%).

Everyone is very pleased so far. Good smoke production, nice draw, mild sweetness.

Lit Cigar Lounge ‏ (@litcigar):  @TheCohibaClub “Love the live tweets of your herf!  At Lit we're big fans of the @ToranoFamCigars Master too.”
Thanks @litcigar this is a trial for our new live blogging format.

Retrohale by club co-founder Robert gave him impressions of bread or toast.

Category 2, Flavor:  22 points out of 25 (88%).

Several of the guys in tonight's tasting group are admittedly surprised at how short their nubs are getting.

Category 4, Overall:  31 points out of 35 (89%).

The Cohiba Club’s Official Rating for the Torano Master Series Robusto is 89.  An excellent cigar.
http://pic.twitter.com/pH9Sn3dz





See you at the next herf, June 3rd.


© 2012 The Cohiba Club – All rights reserved

Herf 52 – Who’s Got Big Balls

April 1^st, 2012 – Sammamish, WA
by club co-founder Robert
In attendance were Robert, Joe, John L., Patrick (in AZ), Bruce, John D., and Eric. As usual, we gathered to enjoy a recently recommended cigar and give our opinion on it by holding a 'group-tasting' following dinner. Our usual online attendee Patick wasn’t available but sent his score separately.

This time we were hosted by Eric at his home. For dinner we had homemade spaghetti and meat balls made from wild venison blended with pork, alongside fresh salad and bread. An absolutely superb beginning to the herf. After dinner we headed outside, ducked a little rain, and began the tasting.

Our selection for this herf was the Rocky Patel 15^th Anniversary Torpedo. A beautiful, trunk-pressed cigar with a medium-dark nearly flawless wrapper. Reported to be bunched in the Cuban way (read up on entubado style), with two binder leaves.

Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadoran Habaño
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Shape: Torpedo
Size: 6 x 52

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

Appearance: Very good scores here, 4’s and 5’s out of 5. Comments included firm feel and a great press, with one mentioning perhaps “too hard”. An improvement over Patrick’s first impression.

Flavor: We noticed a strong start that mellowed, with a bold spice taste without a particular dominate note. I in particular love the strong flavors found in the Nicaraguan grown tobaccos.

Smoking Characteristics: Although not dinged severely, it was mentioned that second and even third cuts were required to get a good draw before lighting. We had good and even burns with only 2 mentions of a relight.

Smoke volume was listed mostly in the “pretty good” range of 5 out of 6 points. The ash was nice and white with very few flakes. I didn’t notice anyone trying for a record length of ash but it was strong and didn’t depart expectedly.

After throwing out the highest and lowest, then averaging the remaining scores, The Cohiba Club's official rating for the Rocky Patel 15^th Anniversary Torpedo is 88.  An ‘Excellent’ cigar.

Here's the points breakdown:
I. Appearance & Construction: 14 pts (93% of the points possible)
II. Flavor: 22 pts (81% of the points possible)
III. Smoking Characteristics: 20 pts (92% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 32 pts (90% of the points possible)

For another take on this cigar, here is a link to Patrick’s Cigar Examiner article featuring his first impression of this cigar back in June of 2010.
http://www.examiner.com/article/first-taste-cigar-review-rocky-patel-15th-anniversary-torpedo-1


© 2012 The Cohiba Club – All rights reserved

Herf 51 – Jak’s Back

March 4^th, 2012 – Snoqualmie, WA
by club co-founder John


In attendance were Robert, Joe, John, Patrick (in AZ), Bruce, and Erik. As usual, we gathered to enjoy a recently recommended cigar and give our opinion on it by holding a 'group-tasting' following dinner.

The March herf found us at Jak’s Grill in Issaquah, the site of our obligatory pre-herf steak dinner on the way our annual Cohiba Club visit to the Lit Cigar Lounge in Snoqualmie. Jak’s, as usual, met our high expectations with good drinks and succulent steaks. I have to mention one of the special menu items, a mouth watering Beef Wellington made with prosciutto and gruyere… it was out of this world and the perfect intro to the upcoming cigar.

After dinner we headed down the road to the nearby Snoqulamie Casino, home of Lit Cigar Lounge. As a group, we make an annual pilgrimage to Lit, shortly after the New Year, and have never been disappointed with their great cigar selection, friendly hosts, nice bar, and comfortable, relaxed, but nicely appointed lounge. We met our friend Narong there, the manager that night, who we knew from previous herfs, both at Lit and The Vertigo Club. Narong, always a font of information about any cigar you could imagine, set us up with our selection of the month, the Padron 1964 Anniversary Series Exclusivo Maduro.

Origin: Nicaraua
Shape: Robusto
Size: 5/12 x 50
Price: ~11.00

Following CA's 4-part rating system (Appearance & Construction, Flavor, Smoking Characteristics, and Overall Impression) we gathered in Fernand’s outdoor smoking room for this long awaited, special herf.

Appearance: This was a well built cigar: smooth, slightly oily, rich, dark , and box pressed, no defects.

Flavor: Strong start, pepper at the beginning, later leather and molasses, mellowing soon, but remaining a flavorful full-bodied smoke.

Smoking Characteristics: Perfect draw, consistent burn with only two relights among the group of us, good volume of smooth rich smoke.

Overall Impression: All in all, we all thought this was a great cigar, well built with good smoking characteristics, strong start and mellowing nicely later, rich and flavorful. This was one of the best cigars we have sampled this year.

After throwing out the highest and lowest, then averaging the remaining scores, The Cohiba Club's official rating for the Padron 1964 Anniiversary Series Exclusivo Maduro is 94. An ‘outstanding’ cigar.

Here's the points breakdown:
I. Appearance & Construction: 15 pts (100% of the points possible)
II. Flavor: 24 pts (96% of the points possible)
III. Smoking Characteristics: 23 pts (92% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 33 pts (94% of the points possible)

See you at the next herf, April 1st.


© 2012 The Cohiba Club – All rights reserved

Herf 50 – Let’s Celebrate!

December 4th, 2011 – Shoreline, WA

In attendance were Fernand, Robert, Joe, John L., Patrick (in AZ via Skype), John D., Chris, and Dan. As usual, we gathered to enjoy a recently recommended cigar and give our opinion on it by holding a 'group-tasting' following dinner.

We took this opportunity to thank our families for supporting the previous 49 herfs by making this a ‘family’-herf.   Wives, kids (about 33 of us in total) had a great time mingling, snacking, and toasting before the big meal.  Now we’ve had some great feasts at herfs before, but nothing like this!  There were braised shortribs, meatballs, spareribs, chicken, rice, pasta, salad, veggies, olive bread, much more, and a myriad of desserts.  It goes on and on!

Our selection for this herf was the Montecristo Petit Edmundo.  Yes, ‘the’ Petit Edmundo.  It’s true that we departed from our usual herf selection process to choose something extra special for this milestone herf. This short robusto is a straightforward parejo shape with that familiar, understated Montecristo band, but what lies beneath is something very special indeed.  It’s one of those sticks that many seek and few have tried.  It’s worth noting that our anticipation was pretty high going into this herf. What a great size too, not intimidating, just enough for a cold winter night.  A special treat, to say the least.  The current Cigar Aficionado rating for the ‘tubo’ version is 89 (Feb, 2011). Prior to that it has enjoyed ratings from them of: 90, 89, 94, 93, and 91.

Here’s what CA said about it back in 2007 when it scored a 92 and ranked No. 11 in their annual Top 25:

“This is one hell of a rich smoke for such a small package. Only 4 1/3 inches by 52 ring in size, this little blockbuster delivers an opulent palate full of rich cocoa bean, sweet earth and pleasant floral notes that crescendo to a long, nutty finish. Smoking it is almost like drinking a rich, decadent Chinese tea. This cigar was created in the new H. Upmann factory in Nuevo Vedado in 2006 following the success of the Hoyo de Monterrey Petit Robusto. The Petit Edmundo is essentially a shortened version of the highly successful Montecristo Edmundo, which is 52 ring by 5 1/3 inches. The petit is actually stronger and more flavorful than the original. In fact, it’s hard to think of a cigar from Cuba that packs so much flavor in such a little format.“

Following CA's 4-part rating system (Appearance & Construction, Flavor, Smoking Characteristics, and Overall Impression) we gathered in Fernand’s outdoor smoking room for this long awaited, special herf.

For some of the guys, this was their first cigar from Cuba. Right away, everyone was impressed with the quality of appearance, including the simple of beauty of it’s shape and band. It scored almost perfectly across the board for texture, appearance, and roll quality. There just really weren’t any take-aways. About the only comment we had for Category I was that one of the guys would have like his to have been a little more tightly packed.

The lowest scoring category was Smoking Characteristics. This could be because of several re-lights that took place across our eight samples. The draw through the cigar was just fine for most of us, but one was a little tight, and one was a little loose. A few of us observed uneven burning along with those pesky re-lights. For those whose cigar did go out, the re-lighting was not a deal-breaker, but a minor nuisance, at least. The smoke quality was smooth and creamy. The ash was stable for some, but a little fragile for most of us.

The flavor was so pleasant. This is not a strong cigar. The flavors we detected were of mild spices, wood, and nuts. Everyone commented on how easy and smooth the taste was; not bold, but still flavorful in an easy-going sort of way. There were notes of honey or brown sugar, vanilla, and walnut. There was a pretty-well established consensus among our eight tasters that the flavor profile was consistent all the way through; and we mean all the way through, to the end, because some of these sticks got down to very short little nubs. The only comment, not much of a complaint really, was that some of the guys would have liked a tad more intensity of flavors, and more variation along the way, but none of that could exactly be considered detrimental to anyone’s favorable impression of this cigar. We got precisely what we expected and hoped for from one of Cuba’s more noteworthy creations.

After throwing out the highest and lowest, then averaging the remaining scores, The Cohiba Club's official rating for the Montecristo Petit Edmundo is 91. An ‘outstanding’ cigar.

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: 21 pts (84% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 33 pts (94% of the points possible)

While the Petit Edmundo is a great compact size, we selfishly would’ve liked this special experience to have gone on just a bit longer.  Perhaps that’s the best endorsement we can give.

A big Thank You goes out to Denis and Frédéric for helping to make this herf a little more special.

See you at the next herf, February 5th.

© 2012 The Cohiba Club – All rights reserved

Herf 49 – Garage Band

November 6th, 2011 – Woodway, WA

In attendance were Fernand, Joe, John L., Patrick (in AZ), Mark, John H., and Chris. As usual, we gathered to enjoy a recently recommended cigar and give our opinion on it by holding a 'group-tasting' following dinner.

It’s always a treat to sit down to an expertly-cooked meal prepared by club co-founder John. This knock-out meal was no exception. John attends to every detail with care and precision along the way. He served up sirloin tip roast with both blue cheese and horse radish sauces, joined by a wonderful rice dish and his wife’s favorite salad.

Our selection for this herf was the My Father Cedros Deluxe Cervantes. This beautiful Lonsdale is the creation of Jaime Garcia, son of the great Don Pepin Garcia. As the name suggests, the effective difference here from the regular My Father line, is the cedar sheath around the hybrid Ecuadorian Habano Rosado/Criollo wrapper. The current Cigar Aficionado rating for it is 91 (Apr, 2011).

Following CA's 4-part rating system (Appearance & Construction, Flavor, Smoking Characteristics, and Overall Impression) our six tasters gathered out in John’s garage for the business part of this herf; along with @PHXCigarGuy doing his part in AZ.

What a good looking presentation this is; from the attractive My Father band, to the cedar shroud, to the expertly-applied triple cap. Removal of the cedar wrapping revealed a beautiful wrapper leaf. Two of our seven samples had some pretty large veins showing on the wrappers, but as club member Chris stated, "Great construction! Perfect in every way."  The cold draw was free enough and some of us got a bit of spice from it prior to lighting, while others did not.

Before we get to flavor, it’s worth noting that these were some of the best burning cigars that we’d seen in some time, despite a couple of them needing relights. No one complained about the draw either. This is a clear statement to us about the quality of manufacturing at the My Father tabacalera in Estelí. Some of the sticks displayed some pretty long ashes too.

This cigar’s flavor started out with the expected amount of pepper before moving on to wood. It was smooth through the middle portion before ramping up to a stronger ending. There didn’t seem to be significant flavor variations for us, but consistent is not always bad if it’s good flavors your talking about.

After throwing out the highest and lowest scores (Mark’s 84 and John’s 94) then averaging the remaining results, The Cohiba Club's official rating for the My Father Cedros Deluxe Cervantes is 89. An excellent cigar.

Here's the points breakdown:
I. Appearance & Construction: 14 pts (93% of the points possible)
II. Flavor: 22pts (88% of the points possible)
III. Smoking Characteristics: 21 pts (84% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 32 pts (91% of the points possible)

This was a very well-like cigar by our group. It garnered much praise during the course of the evening. There may have been a couple hiccups along the way, but nothing that should deter you from trying this fine cigar if you haven’t already.

We’ll see you at the next herf, December 6th. It will be our 50^th! We’re really looking forward to this very special celebration.

© 2011 The Cohiba Club – All rights reserved

Cigar Review – La Gloria Retro Especiale

Another in our ongoing series of reviews of cigars given to us by the good folks at General Cigar. Featured this time is the La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale ‘Club’.

Vitola: Robusto
Origin: Miami
Length: 5 ¾”
Ring Gauge: 47
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan
Binder: Mexican
Wrapper: Honduran Connecticut
Strength: Medium
Price: $7

Among the recent creations from Team La Gloria, this line features a natural, velvet-looking, Honduran-grown Connecticut wrapper. They are made at the El Credito Cigar Factory in Miami, FL.

From the manufacturer:

“The Honduran Connecticut wrapper accentuates the fillers and binders resulting in a very unique cigar with spicy nuances. The Artesanos Retro Especiale is a smoke to be savored by those who are passionate [about] authentic boutique cigars.”

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

With a beautifully smooth wrapper and a well-executed cap at the head, it appeared very well-constructed. There were visible ridges running the length of it which we attributed to the pressed that it was shaped in prior to wrapper application, but who knows.

The cigar’s draw was very good, if just a bit on the firm side of the spectrum. The burn was pretty good for the most part, except both our cigars went out at about the same point; just after the start of the second third. Smoke output was sufficient and it’s texture was pleasing. The ash was not always stable, but at least it was uniform and intact before falling.

The flavor started out a tad strong, but quickly mellowed into a welcomed smoothness. We noted sensations similar to cedar, sandalwood, and ‘fortunately’ very brief notes of menthol/ammonia near the end of the second third. That last part aside, we enjoyed the flavors of the Retro Especial very much, overall.

Our averaged rating for the La Gloria Cubana Artesanos Retro Especiale ‘Club’ is 85, a very good 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: 20 pts (80% of the points possible)IV. Overall Impression: 30 pts (86% of the points possible)

All in all, a very enjoyable cigar that we recommend you try for yourself. Visit your local tobacconist and pick up a few!

© 2011 The Cohiba Club – All rights reserved.

Herf 48 – Back To The Fall

October 2, 2011 – Sammamish, WA

by club co-founder John

In attendance were host Robert, John L., Patrick (in AZ via Skype), Bruce, and Peter. Per our monthly ritual, we gathered to enjoy the chosen cigar after a home-cooked meal…

…and what a meal it was! Our host and co-founder Robert had awakened at 0500 to start smoking….no not the cigars, but two spice rubbed pork shoulders. Slow cooked, smoked, and basted with a sweet apple concoction, they came out extraordinarily well; juicy smoky, flavorful, and falling-apart good. Along with the spicy bean salad, slaw, and garlic bread, they set the stage for our first Fall herf of the year.

True to form, our NW Fall weather provided a rainy and cool evening, but we were well sheltered on Robert’s back porch as we settled down to try our selection of the month; the Tabacos Baez Serie H Monarcas. This is another in the long line of Garcia Family Cigars from Nicaragua. It is constructed with Nicaraguan Cuban seed filler, Nicaraguan binder and with Ecuadorian Habano wrapper.

Following CA’s 4-part rating system (Appearance, Flavor, Smoking Characteristics, and Overall Impression) our 4 tasters in Seattle enjoyed and rated this month’s selection. Patrick couldn’t get a hold of one in Phoenix by herf-time and settled for a Fuente instead, but still appreciated the camaraderie of the evening with friends.

True to form, this Don Pepin cigar was well-executed with a nice sheen and well-made cap. It was firm with slightly prominent veins. The draw was great with few burn issues in the first half. Two of the tasters thought that the draw and smoke volume, though initially great, later fell-off towards the second-half. The ash, on the other hand, was flawless.

The flavors were relatively mild, but tasty nonetheless. We noted browned butter and slightly woody & sweet tones with some initial hints of vanilla thinning out towards the end. It was a good medium strength cigar without too much spice.

After throwing out the highest and lowest scores then averaging the remaining, The Cohiba Club’s official rating for the Tabacos Baez Serie H Monarcas is 83, a “very good” cigar according to our rating system.

Here’s the points breakdown:
I. Appearance and Construction: 14.5 pts (96% of the points possible)
II. Flavor: 20.5 (80% of the points possible)
III. Smoking Characteristics: 21.5 (86% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression : 26.5 (76% of the points possible)

We were not blown away by this cigar, as we have been with many of the other Pepin offerings. It did, however, appear to be a well made, smooth, and easy smoke with no major flaws, and with a good milder flavor profile that some of you will certainly enjoy.

We’ll see you at the next herf, November 6th.

© 2011 The Cohiba Club – All rights reserved

Herf 47 – Full House

August 7th, 2011 – Seattle, WA

In attendance were Fernand, Robert, Joe, John L., Patrick (in AZ via Skype), Pat, Bruce, John D., Peter, Eric, and Chris. As usual, we gathered to enjoy a recently recommended cigar and give our opinion on it by holding a 'group-tasting' following dinner.

Wow, what a turnout! We haven’t had a crew this large in quite some time; perhaps a testament to the mastery that our host John has over his backyard smoker, the ‘Smoke Vault’. As he’s done before, he once again served up the most mouth-watering smoked chicken you can find in Seattle. At one point, one of the birds actually squirted across his kitchen as John cut into it! With loads of complimentary side-dishes and plenty of ales to wash it all down, it was one meal that’s hard to forget.

Our selection for this herf was the Toraño Single Region Serie Jalapa Churchill. Though it’s made in Honduras by Toraño Family Cigar Co., the contents of this 7x50 beast are all-Nicaraguan, from the Jalapa Valley to be exact (hence the name). The current Cigar Aficionado rating for it is 92 (Feb, 2010).

From the Manufacturer’s website:

“One Region, One Farm, One Fine Cigar. Single Region - Serie Jalapa features a blend of tobacco from the El Estero Farm in Jalapa, Nicaragua. This small farm which is located in the northern most growing province of Nicaragua is irrigated by a natural stream which has run through the property for centuries. The mineral rich water from this stream together with the soil which is a mix of sand and red clay, have enabled this farm to grow some of the finest and most aromatic tobacco in the world.

The tobacco is rich and flavourful, yet smooth and elegant and features a very distinctive sweetness - characteristics which are consistent with tobacco grown in Jalapa. Enjoy this rich, layered smoke which imparts a truly luscious flavor. “

Following CA's 4-part rating system (Appearance & Construction, Flavor, Smoking Characteristics, and Overall Impression) our ten tasters, plus @PHXCigarGuy via Skype (pictured right) gathered out on John’s back patio enjoying the pleasant evening and the camaraderie that came along with it.

Initially, the Churchill appeared to be very well-made. The long parejo shape looked true and uniform with fine veins. The wrapper color was nice too. Some of the guys referred to their cigar’s coloring as ‘two-tone’, having a wrapper and cap of dark and light colors. The closer we looked the more flaws we found; tiny holes, tears, and cracks. We couldn’t help but suspect that the wrapper was more delicate than usual, perhaps causing it to be abnormally fragile.

Most everyone agreed that the draw was perfect right off the bat – a great start to a cigar that we had looked forward to trying. It didn’t take long, however, for many of us to notice burn discrepancies. For the most part, smoke output was pretty good, but the number of relights required became ridiculous – nine for one of us, seven for another, and five or six for a few more guys. The ash wasn’t the most stable we’d seen, but ok for most of us. In addition to the burn problem, about half of them displayed splitting or unraveling.

The flavor started out with a slight sweetness and hints of mild spices (“like cinnamon” said one taster in Seattle, as well as our man in Phoenix) before turning to straw or mild wood through the first-third. A couple guys noted a bread-like or ‘doughy’ character in there somewhere. Eventually, a few of the guys would later describe their samples as monotonous, bland, and lacking complexity. The best we could take away from the second-third was that the cigar was ‘consistent’. The final third resulted simply in increased strength for some of our tasters, but a bitter, charred ending for a few others.

After throwing out the highest and lowest (a ‘90’ and a ‘67’) then averaging the remaining scores, The Cohiba Club's official rating for the Toraño Single Region Serie Jalapa Churchill is 81, which sounds unusually low these days, but is still considered a ‘very good’ cigar according to this rating system.

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: 19 pts (76% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 29 pts (83% of the points possible)

We had high hopes for this cigar going in, but it did not live up to our expectations, nor our quality standards. In the final evaluation, nine of our eleven tasters rated this cigar below 85; not exactly a glowing endorsement. Nevertheless, each of us should decide for ourselves. So with that in mind, go out and get one of your own. See if you agree with us.

We’ll see you at the next herf, October 2nd.

© 2011 The Cohiba Club – All rights reserved

Herf 46 – Cajun Delight

June 5th, 2011 – Edmonds, WA

In attendance were Fernand, Robert, Joe, Patrick (in AZ via Skype), Bruce, Peter, and Chris. As usual, we gathered to enjoy a recently recommended cigar and give our opinion on it by holding a 'group-tasting' following dinner.

For those who remember Burk’s Café in Ballard, we had a little taste of it last Sunday night. Herf co-hosts Peter and Bruce served up a fabulous jambalaya from the very recipe given to Peter by Terry "Burk" Burkhardt, owner of the cajun/creole restaurant that closed in the Fall of 2004. The chicken, shrimp, and andouille were shrouded in succulent rice and spicy Cajun sauce that were to die for! Well done gentlemen. Joe contributed with a crisp green salad that simply vanished, and finally, Robert’s buttery pound cake polished off what little room was left.

Our selection for this herf was the LFD Air Bender Villano. Yes, our second lancero in a row, it’s made in the Dominican Republic by Tabacalera La Flor S.A. This slender 7.5x38 La Flor features a gorgeous Ecuadorian wrapper and a perfectly twisted little pigtail cap. The current Cigar Aficionado rating for it is 90 (Dec, 2010).

From the Manufacturer’s website:

“As the name suggests, the Air Benders are intense, sophisticated, and powerful.“

Following CA's 4-part rating system (Appearance & Construction, Flavor, Smoking Characteristics, and Overall Impression) we convened out on Bruce’s back deck enjoying the pleasant evening and the camaraderie that came along with it.

For most of us, this was our first Air Bender. It was plain to see that Litto Gomez has very skilled rollers producing these gems. All seven of our samples were flawless, with one exception. The cap on Bruce’s Villano displayed a striking color difference, much lighter than the rest of the wrapper, and also a small crack further down in the mid-section which fortunately didn’t interfere with performance.

The lowest scoring category was Smoking Characteristics. The draw was pretty good. About half of them were a bit firm, but that may be preferable when considering smaller ring gauge cigars. They burned well, though a few of us did re-light a few times through the 2^nd third. The smoke output was just right and the ash was very pretty, though somewhat prone to falling a little earlier than we’re used to (we’re guessing that in this case it was due to the smaller diameter).

Flavor? Wow, what a start. These Air Benders really had our attention for the first ¾ inch. When they say ‘intense’, they mean it. It was almost a bit much for our guys who prefer medium strength cigars, but once things settled down, it was all good. There were familiar dark, rich flavors through the bulk of the experience, such as espresso, bitter chocolate, and the like. The surprise for us, however, would be in the final third. Instead of ramping up in strength, perhaps equivalent to the beginning, it stayed smooth – a welcome surprise indeed.

After throwing out the highest and lowest, then averaging the remaining scores, The Cohiba Club's official rating for the La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Villano is 89. An ‘excellent’ 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: 21 pts (84% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 32 pts (91% of the points possible)

While the start may have been strong, it wasn’t a turn-off. The Villano is bold without being overpowering. Give one a try, you won’t be disappointed. Craftsmanship, such as we saw in this sleek lancero, is rarely exceeded.

See you at the next herf, August 7th.

© 2011 The Cohiba Club – All rights reserved

Herf 45 – It’s What’s for Dinner

May 1st, 2011 – Woodway, WA

In attendance were Fernand, Robert, Joe, Patrick (in AZ via Skype), John D, Tom, and Chris. As usual, we gathered to enjoy a recently recommended cigar and give our opinion on it by holding a 'group-tasting' following dinner.

It’s always a real treat when we’re fortunate enough to herf at Tom’s house. He’s our club’s undisputed grillmaster. This man can do things with Kingsford that most backyard ‘chefs’ only dream about. The New York Strips that we enjoyed at this herf were incredible, and Tom knows how to lay on the side dishes too; baked potatoes asparagus, and garlic bread (all complimented with a delicious cabernet).

Our selection for this herf was the La Aroma de Cuba Lancero. This beautiful panatela is distributed by Ashton, but produced by Don Pepin’s My Father Cigars in Nicaragua. It features a dark, rich looking Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, a tasteful pigtail cap, and one of the more attractive bands out there. The current Cigar Aficionado rating for it is 91 (Dec, 2010).

From the Manufacturer’s website:

“We are very proud to introduce to you the new and improved La Aroma de Cuba! Now handmade in Nicaragua by Pepin Garcia, the new LADC features gorgeous chocolaty Connecticut Broadleaf wrappers and a rich, spicy blend of Nicarguan tobaccos. For the past 18 months, we have been working very closely with the Garcia family to bring this new cigar to fruition. We believe we have successfully improved the flavor and quality of the cigar without compromising the richness and spiciness that loyal LADC smokers have relished for years.“

Following CA's 4-part rating system (Appearance & Construction, Flavor, Smoking Characteristics, and Overall Impression) we relaxed out on Tom’s back patio for a clear but crisp evening with friends.

This was a cigar that several of us had been hoping would eventually get selected for a herf and those guys finally got their wish. The appearance and roll quality was a little lower than some of us would have expected, seeing as how this was a Pepin product. That said, lanceros are among the more difficult cigars to roll. The scoring has the final word, however, and our seven tasters gave this cigar 80% of the points possible for category one.

A decent performer, these cigars drew well. Only a couple were too fast, which corresponds to the number of comments regarding loosely-packed rolls. The burn was great for most of us, while a few did need relights around the mid-point. The smoke output was noteworthy for a cigar of diminutive diameter. Admittedly, a cigar’s ash has little to do with it’s smoking enjoyment, but it can impact the experience in subtle ways. As it happens, that was where the most derogatory comments were heard.

Several of us attributed the peppery or spicy flavor characteristic we found to Don Pepin Garcia. There were little complaints in the flavor department, as we have come to expect with most of the products put out by ‘El Maestro’. The mid-section mellowed nicely, along the lines of a pepper-to-wood flavor transition. The ending was similar to the beginning, but that was ok by us, as it was pleasurable both times around.

After throwing out the highest and lowest, then averaging the remaining scores, The Cohiba Club's official rating for the La Aroma de Cuba Lancero is 87. An ‘excellent’ cigar.

Here's the points breakdown:
I. Appearance & Construction: 12 pts (80% of the points possible)
II. Flavor: 22 pts (88% of the points possible)
III. Smoking Characteristics: 21 pts (84% of the points possible)
IV. Overall Impression: 32 pts (91% of the points possible)

This is an easy recommendation for us to make. It may not be the most complex cigar out there, but any fan of Don Pepin’s work will feel like an old friend has stopped by for a visit. Invite him to your next cigar outing and you won’t be disappointed.

See you at the next herf, June 5th.

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