Cabaiguan and Cigar Reviews and Pepin Garcia
Cabaiguan, Cigar Review, Maduro, Nicaragua, Pete Johnson, Robusto Matt
2:28 pm
Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Dark Natural Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: Robusto 5.25″ x 50 ring
The Cabaiguan (kah-bei-gWAHN) is probably my absolute favorite Connecticut Shade cigar. Not really mild, it is more of a medium bodied smoke with light yet assertive flavors. I have been wanting to try the maduro version for a long while and I have finally got around to it. Sometimes with the sheer volume of different cigars out there it is hard to get to everything you want to try. Any way, from what I was able to find with some internet searches, it appears the Cabaiguan Maduro isn’t even really a maduro in the traditional sense. According to Tatuaje’s site and I saw it again on a retailers site, the wrapper on this cigar is a naturally dark sun grown broadleaf wrapper. If that sound familiar to you then you are probably familiar with the La Riqueza line of cigars from Tatuaje. The wrapper for that cigar is described the exact same way. So is it the same wrapper? I have no idea, but I wasn’t able to find a wealth of information on the Cabaiguan maduro and what I did find wasn’t necessarily authoritative. I suppose I could have dropped an email to Havana Cellars and get some details straight from the source but I didn’t. Looking at the cigar I would guess that this wrapper is related at best but would not guess it is the same as those used on the La Riqueza. This wrapper is much nicer looking. The La Riquezas always look rough and lumpy and ugly. This wrapper has a slight tooth and is generally smoother with an oily sheen. If it is the same or related, the Cabaiguan got the pick of the litter. it is still a rustic looking wrapper but it is much prettier than the La Riquezas I have seen. One other item of note on the dressing if the Cabaiguan Maduro. It has the same band used on the Cabaiguan Guapos which is a Nicaraguan natural sun grown wrapped cigar of a much lighter shade than these broadleaf maduros.
Right off the bat I could tell this isn’t really a Maduro. Notes of dark chocolate and coffee bean are complimented by a tart sun grown twang that is one of my favorite things about a natural sun grown broadleaf wrapper. The Tartness was the dominate flavor for the entire smoke. I also picked up notes of cedar and a very subtle sweetness. Overall not a terribly complex cigar but very robust and enjoyable. If you are a fan of that sun grown twang then you’ll love this cigar because you get a lot of it. Although I wouldn’t call this smoke a favorite, I definitely like it for an occasional change of pace especially when I am craving a sun grown.
Rating – B
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Cigar Reviews and Features and Matt's Favs and Pepin Garcia and Tatuaje
Cigar Review, Corojo, Corona, Nicaragua, Pete Johnson, Sun Grown, Tatuaje Matt
9:00 am
Country: USA
2006 Wrapper: Aged Nicaraguan Corojo Ligero (Cojonu Wrapper)
2009 Wrapper: Nicaraguan Sun Grown Broadleaf
Binder (both): Nicaraguan
Filler (both): Nicaraguan
Size: Corona 51/8” x 42 ring
2009 has seen an exciting expansion to the Tatuaje brand with lots of new cigars including some new additions to the Reserva line of the Brown Label Tatuajes. Pete Johnson’s seemingly ever broadening use of the sun grown broadleaf wrapper found its way onto two new Tatuaje Reserva cigars. The Reserva Regios and the Reserva Noellas. The new Reserva Noellas are particularly intriguing to me because this is not the first time there has been a Reserva Noella. Back in 2006 Tatuaje offered to a number of its best accounts boxes of Noellas cigars with a Reserva label on the box. This label was applied just as it has always been on the boxes other Reserva cigars like the J21 and SW. There were only about 200 boxes made. The cigar is the same size as the standard Noellas but it has a different wrapper. Instead of the standard Corojo wrapper that is used on the regular Noellas, these cigars are wrapped in an aged oscuro ligero wrapper just like what is used on the Cojonu line of Tatuajes and the Reserva J21. Unlike other Reserva cigars this incarnation of the Reserva Noellas did not sport the second black and gold Reserva band. They only had the normal brown Tatuaje band on them. The only way to know it was a Reserva is to have seen the box it came from, or if you put it side by side with one of the regular Noellas you would see that the wrapper is much darker in color (note: I have found this to be truer of older Noellas which seem to have gotten darker in more recent vintages). The 2006 Reserva Noella was tagged with a nick name, often referred to as a Noella Oscuro in online forums and websites. After that initial run in 2006, Tatuaje never made this cigar again. That is still true today even though we once again have a cigar bearing the Reserva Noellas name…
Here we are in 2009 and we once again have the Reserva Noellas available at many Tatuaje retailers. But this 2009 edition is not the same cigar that was made back in 2006. It is still the same size and same blend, but the wrapper has changed again. The 2009 edition sports a sun grown broadleaf wrapper just like the Tatuaje Monster Series released last October. It also wears the black and gold Reserva band unlike its predecessor and this one, while somewhat limited, is not restricted to just a one time run of 200 boxes. I believe that this cigar is meant to be a mainstay in the Reserva line. It along with its cousin the Reserva Regios have been nick named by some as “little monsters” because they share a very similar makeup to “The Frank” with their broadleaf wrappers around the original blends for those vitolas.
I thought it would be fun, since I happen to have a few of those old Reserva Noellas from 2006 in my humidor, to go ahead and do a side by side comparison of the two different cigars which bear this name. I started with the 2006 edition… (more…)
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Cigar Reviews and Pepin Garcia and Tatuaje
Cigar Review, Nicaragua, Pete Johnson, Robusto, Tatuaje Matt
11:11 am
Country: USA
Wrapper: Sun Grown Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: Robusto 5.5″ x 50 ring
This year hasn’t been as prolific with the new cigars like last year was, but 2009 has brought a few new things from my favorite brand of cigars, Tatuaje. This year there are two new additions to the Tatuaje Reserva line of cigars. Two of my favorite Tatuaje Brown Label vitolas now have a Reserva version, the Noellas and the Regios. The Regios will always hold a special place in my heart as it was the first Tatuaje I had ever smoked, and it was the first vitola in the brand that I purchased an entire box of. So when I heard that the Regios was being used for a new Reserva I was predictably excited. The Reserva Noellas and the Reserva Regios use a different wrapper than the standard version. The regulars have a Corojo wrapper, but the Reservas use a sun grown broadleaf wrapper. If that sounds familiar it is because that is the wrapper used on the ultra-limited Monster Series Tatuaje, “The Frank”. In fact, these two new Reservas have been dubbed “mini monsters”. You may also feel a tickle of deja vu hearing about the Reserva Noellas. That is because there was a Reserva Noellas once before. Back in 2006 a very few select retailers received without warning a one time run of Noellas that has a Reserva label on the box. There wasn’t a Reserva band on the cigars though. These were the first incarnation of the Reserva Noellas and they were a one time run of 200 boxes or so (couldn’t find the exact number). This original version was also referred to as a Noellas Oscuro, but I will talk more on that in the near future……
So a quick recap of the current Tatuaje Reserva line. We have the:
- Reserva SW – Churchill with a Corojo Wrapper
- Reserva “A” Uno – “A” size with a Corojo Wrapper
- Reserva J21 – Robusto with a Ligero Corojo Wrapper
- Reserva Noellas – Corona with a Sun Grown Broadleaf Wrapper
- Reserva Regios – Robusto with a Sun Grown Broadleaf Wrapper
The moniker “little monster” seems appropriate if you hold the Reserva Regios side by side with a Frank. The wrappers are identical and it really does look like a smaller version of the Frank in appearance. It’s a dark, oily, and toothy wrapper with just a couple prominent veins running it’s length. It is topped with an expertly applied triple cap like all the Tatuaje cigars. Construction is very rarely an issue with a Tatuaje and this cigar is superbly put together with a perfect draw and a nice heft. It is dressed in the standard brown Tatujae label accompanied by a second black and gold Reserva band.
The Reserva Regios starts off a little different than the Frank or most any other Tatuaje. it lacks that blast of black pepper I’ve come to expect every time I light up a Tatuaje. Instead it begins with a mellow spice and a slight sweetness that is common with a sun grown broadleaf wrapper. It is very, very reminiscent of the Frank. It starts to pick up quickly, its strong sun grown “twang” is accompanied by notes of leather and wood. It has an amazingly slow cool burn that allows the flavors to have amazing depth and balance. It gets more and more robust as I make my way through the length of the cigar. The “twang” remains the core of the flavors ad it is complimented by strong notes of leather, wood, earth, and spices. Each draw delivers a something a little different than the last. This was an amazing smoke. Delicious, complex, and an absolute joy to smoke. It starts off medium bodied and a little mellow and it just escalates in body and power as you smoke it, finishing off as a robust, full bodied treat. This cigar is an absolute “must try”.
Rating – A+
For another take on this cigar check out “A Cigar Smokers Journal”
Also, Ben has a Reserva Regio In Hand
Update: For the sake of completeness there are a few Tatuaje Reservas that i left out on the list above. The reason for doing so was because two of them were one-time special runs and the third I admit I didn’t know about at the time I wrote this review and I am not sure if it is a one-time run or not, but it is limited to one specific retailer. So the three missing Reservas are…
- Reserva Noellas 2006 (Oscuro)
- Reserva SW Maduro
- Reserva Petite Tatuaje
The Noellas I mentioned above and will talk more on in a future review. The SW Maduro was a special release sold by one shop out west. Pete made the cigar as a kind of memorial for a fallen friend. The proceeds or some portion of them went to benefit that friends family. The Petite Reserva appears at the moment to be made for one specific online retailer. I have no additional information on that one at this point.
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Ashton and Cigar Reviews and Pepin Garcia
Ashton, Cigar Review, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Pepin Garcia, Robusto Matt
8:00 am
Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Ecuadorian
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: Robusto 4.8″ x 48 ring
La Aroma de Cuba is an Ashton owned brand. The original is an excellent Honduran made cigar available in a wide range of sizes. The artwork on the dress boxes and bands is beautiful and the presentation of the cigars is quite handsome. That goes for both the original line and the Edicion Especial. The true original La Aroma de Cuba was a Cuban made cigar and was reported to be one of Winston Churchills favorites which is what gives the brand name a bit of cache. This special edition of the brand is a Nicaraguan made cigar, blended and made by the now famous and highly decorated Jose ‘Pepin’ Garcia. The Ecuadorian sun grown wrapper has a unique hue and oily sheen, and it covers rich Nicaraguan tobacco.
Not your typical “Pepin” smoke. That is the first thing that jumps out at me. From the beginning you notice his trademark black pepper start is missing. That is OK, because what you do get is fantastic. Rich notes of cinnamon and all-spice combined with flashes of cedar make for dramatic start in its own right. Balance isn’t the word I would use for this cigar. It has some serious peaks and valleys. After an amazing rich start the cigar mellowed a bit. Flavors were mainly cedar with a muddled earthiness. It picked back up again a little past the halfway mark with pronounced flavors of roasted nuts that swapped places back and forth with a sharp earthiness. There were some subtle undertones of dark chocolate or cocoa. Seeing it written out doesn’t do it justice. It was actually much better than it looks in print. It started to get muddled again near the nub but it was time to put it down anyway. This was a very interesting medium bodied smoke. One I would very much like to try again.
Some other takes on this cigar:
Rating – B+
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Cigar Reviews and Pepin Garcia and Tatuaje
Ambos Mundos, Cigar Review, Ecuador, Nicaragua, Pete Johnson, Robusto, Tatuaje Matt
11:10 pm
Country: Nicaragua
Wrappers: Ecuadorian Sumatran / Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: Robusto 5.0″ x 50 Ring
Ambos Mundos, which means both worlds is the newest line of cigars from Pete Johnson and Tatuaje. Made, like all of Pete’s cigars, by Pepin Garcia this line of cigars is an economy cigar whose release is aptly timed given current economic conditions. Pete had this to say about it:
“My original idea for the Tatuaje brand was for it to be not as expensive as it turned out to be,” said Johnson, “but having it made in Miami kind of set that expensive precedent, so I made this cigar partly due to the economy and partly because this is where I originally wanted the cigar to be priced.”
I find that to be interesting. I am not sure how a cigar the quality of the original Tatuaje could ever be a cheap economy cigar regardless of where it was made so this doesn’t make much sense to me. It implies to me that if the Tatuajes were made in Nicaragua they would be $5.00 cigar. Boy I wish. I am sure that isn’t exactly what he meant but anyway… (edit: The more I read that quote from Pete the more I am convinced I just misread and misunderstood it. He obviously wasn’t saying he originally intended the Tatuajes to be $5, but rather was pointing out that is where he wanted the Ambos Mundos to be. He was just saying that he wanted the Tatuajes to be cheaper than they are, but the fact they are made in Miami precluded that. So now I get what he was saying and my original comments look kind of stupid to me now…)
The Ambos Mundos are long filler cigars that use tobacco from the same farms as the Tatuajes but instead of the Grade A tobacco used for the Tatuajes, these use grade B and C tobacco. It is tobacco that might have cosmetic differences or might need additional fermentation. That is the how and why the price points are where they are. They are available in two sizes and two wrapper types. All of them use Nicaraguan filler and binders, but one version uses a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper and the other an Ecuadorian grown Sumatran wrapper, hence the “both worlds”. The sizes you have to choose from are a bit boring in my opinion. They are the cliche 5×50 Robusto and 6×50 Toro. The Toro is $5 and the Robusto comes in a quarter cheaper. The Ambos Mundos were released this past February (2009). They suggest that you age these cigars a bit to allow the tobacco to finish fermentation due to the use of the lower quality tobacco. That might explain some things, but really, who wants to age an economy cigar?
I smoked the Habano wrapped version with the creme colored band first. Both of the samples I tried were Robustos. The Habano is a Nicaraguan Puro. I have to say, I found this cigar to be nearly unsmokable. It was sour and bitter and very unpleasant. I did my best to try and smoke the whole thing but a little more than halfway through I had to give up on it. This is the first cigar I have tried that is made by Pepin Garcia that I thought was a bad cigar. I find it hard to believe that anything about this smoke is at all related to the Tatuajes I love so much. Maybe it really does need to be aged some but I am not sure how much help that would be to this cigar. To truly age it in any meaningful way means you need to set them down for at least a year, closer to two years probably. Anything less isn’t aging, it is merely acclimation to your humidor. Plus, like I said, who wants to age a $5 economy smoke. The humidor real estate is too valuable and better used aging a box of quality top shelf cigars. As it is today, I have to give this cigar an F.
Next up is the Sumatran which sports the dark red band. Wow what a difference a wrapper can make on a cigar. This was a much better experience. Still not what I would call a good smoke, at least this one was enjoyable enough to smoke the entire cigar. I could see the potential for this one to become a fairly decent smoke if it were allowed to age. It had a spicy bite with an earthy core complimented by notes of cedar and flashes of coffee. There were still occasional hits of sour flavors but it was not nearly as harsh and bitter as the Habano. Because of the potential I can see for this cigar to get at least a little better I can rate this version of the Ambos Mundos as a C.
I wish they didn’t associate this brand so closely with the Tatuaje brand. These are not Tatuajes, and they don’t taste like even a distant cousin to the Tatuaje brand. It hurts me to say it because I am such a huge fan of everything else Pete and Pepin have done, but these cigars just don’t live up the standards they have set with their other lines. Truth is, I find the mixed filler Tatuaje P Series to be a far superior cigar and they cost about the same amount, cheaper in some cases as they are available in a better choice of sizes. I think the concept for these cigars was a nice idea, but I also think it is really hard to make a good cigar at this price point. Fact is, nobody I have come across does a better job at a $5 cigar than Oliva. That is probably because they have a huge advantage given the large quantity of tobacco they have at their disposal (and yes I mean the Oliva Cigar Family and am not referring to the other Oliva tobacco famliy).
Rating – F (for the Habano)
Rating – C (for the Sumatran)
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Cigar Reviews and CigarsDirect.com and Pepin Garcia and Tatuaje
Cigar Review, Cigars Direct, Cigars Online, CigarsDirect.com, Corojo, Nicaragua, Pete Johnson, Robusto, Tatuaje Matt
11:42 pm
Country: USA
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo (Aged Ligero)
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: Robusto 5.0″ x 50 ring
Courtesy of CigarsDirect.com
By now most avid cigar fans are very aware of Pete Johnson, Pepin Garcia, and the Tatuaje brand of cigars. The Tatuaje brand is the marca responsible for Pepin Garcia’s big breakout to fame in the cigar industry. Now the man makes an impressive number of cigar lines for an array of different cigar marcas. Most every cigar he puts out is received with praise and excitement, but the original Brown Label Tatuajes and their premium extension the Reservas are still the best cigars Pepin makes in my opinion. I have talked before about the meaning behind the names that Pete Johnson gives to his cigars. The meaning behind the J21 on this cigar seems to be a bit more cryptic. I have seen a number of explanations for this moniker, from 21 being Pete’s favorite number or 21 being the number of people in his family. Whatever the 21 stands for it seem that most agree the “J” is for Johnson.
The Tatuaje Reserva J21 looks very different in comparison to the other cigars in the Reserva line of Tatuajes. The wrapper on the J21 is much darker and rougher in appearance than the wrapper on the Reserva SW or the “A” Uno. The wrapper is much lighter, smoother looking on those other Tatuaje Reservas. This is because the other two Reservas use a lower priming (visio)for the wrapper where the J21 uses the highest priming (ligero). The extra exposure to sun and elements makes for a darker rougher leaf. It also produces a more robusto and potent leaf. Pete uses a ligero wrapper on the Tatuaje Cojonu cigars too which are the strongest and most robust cigars in the Tatuaje line. This is intriguing because the Cojonu is blended to be a very strong cigar where the Reserva line, in the case of the SW and the “A” Uno, tend to be the mildest (but by no means mild) of the Tatuaje lines. So here with the J21 you have what I am assuming is the refined and elegant blend of the Reservas with the wrapper of the brash, robust Cojonus. I imagine the two must meld together for a very unique experience for a Tatuaje. I can hardly wait, so it’s time to spark this robusto up. I’m using the “Three Match Method” on this one.
The first third smoked just like a Cojonu. Lots of black pepper and strong wood. It was very robust and brash. The second third was a bit more dynamic changing as the smoke progressed. It mellowed out a bit like the cigar was trying to let me know it was a Reserva. It was still much more full bodied that the other two sizes in the Reserva line. The flavors were still predominately woody with a slight sweetness that was unlike anything I’ve tasted in a Tatuaje. As I passed the halfway mark the flavors became more dry with notes of leather and toasted tobacco and a slightly earthy finish. In the last third it began to pick up again and the black pepper returned.
The J21 is an excellent smoke that to me resembled a Cojonu more than it did a Reserva only it didn’t have as strong a nicotine buzz as the Cojonus tend to have. It is a full bodied and robust smoke with decent complexity and excellent flavors. The burn was a bit odd on this smoke. It meandered a lot never really burning straight but always managing to even itself out before requiring a flame to touch it up. As thin and delicate as the corojo wrapper leaf is, you’d think it wouldn’t have a problem burning straight, but odd burns seem to be fairly common with corojo wrapped cigars in my experience. I’d recommend this cigar to any Tatuaje fan. You won’t be disappointed. If you like the bold in your face flavor of a Cojonu but would like it in a smaller format, the Reserva J21 will satisfy your craving.
Rating – A
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Cigar Reviews and Matt's Favs and Pepin Garcia and Tatuaje
Black Label, Ceramic Jar, Cigar Review, Corona Gorda, Nicaragua, Pete Johnson, Tatuaje Matt
1:26 pm
Country: USA
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: Corona Gorda 55/8” x 46 ring
*My 100th Cigar Review*
The mystical, almost mythical Tatuaje Private Reserve, or as it is more commonly referred to the Tatuaje Black Label. Arguably the most sought after cigar of 2008, this cigar was originally made as Pete Johnson’s private cigar. It just seemed natural to me (after much internal debate) that I mark my 100th cigar review here at Matt’s Cigar Journal with a review of a rare and highly coveted Tatuaje. After all, it is my favorite brand of cigar, and I did obsess and dream of the Black Label and it’s beautiful Jar for 6 months before I finally got my hands on it. By the way, you all were very helpful in assisting me with my decision on what cigar to smoke for my 100th review, as evident from the poll results. So here it is, my 100th cigar review… The Tatuaje Black Label Private Reserve.
The Black Label was rumored to be available only if you met Pete Johnson and he gave you one. When the announcement that the Black Label would be sold to the public in a limited release, packaged in a collectible ceramic jar, the frenzy began. First we were given a teaser, a little taste of what was to come. Many of the Tatuaje vendors received one or two cabinets of 24 Black Label cigars. These were quickly sold off and they served to heighten the anticipation of the release of the Jar. Finally in early 2008 the Jar hit the shelves and I was one of the lucky ones who managed to purchase one. It comes with 19 of the cigars inside, secured with a yellow ribbon and then wrapped in foil. The Jar is a work of art. Just click here to see photos of my jar from just about every conceivable angle. Yeah, I was/am a little obsessed with the Jar. The Black Labels are still hard to find, but not impossible if you search hard enough. They are even available in a second size now. Black Label Robustos can be purchased in packs of three if you attend a Tatuaje event.
It is immediately apparent that this cigar was not designed to be “pretty”. It was made to look tough. The wrapper is rustic and bumpy, spider-webbed with small veins. The color is a dark mottled brown. It has a rough fuma style head that comes to a slight nipple and the foot is closed with a shaggy bit of wrapper covering it up. And then there is the band. Simple, black, classic. It just adds to the toughness of this cigar. It’s overall appearance seems to compliment the look of its creator, Tattoo Pete. The Black Label may look a little rough around the edges, but don’t let that fool you into thinking it is anything less than a top shelf cigar. It is very well put together. It burned straight with a firm ash that just did not want to fall off. The draw was perfect as was most everything about this cigar. Putting the foot to flame you a hit with an initial burst of black pepper that quickly subsides. Initially the flavors were mild spice and leather with a subtle sweetness on the lips. This cigar is constantly changing as you smoke it. I picked up notes of ginger, oak, earth, nuts, cocoa and an occasional flash of hay early on… all weaving in and out around a spicy, leathery core. It was a medium to full bodied smoke with a rich tobacco aroma boasting some decent strength, but it isn’t a cigar that will knock you down. The dichotomy of the cigar is amusing. It looks rough and rustic but it smokes like a refined and elegant cigar, rich and complex. The cigar was always changing, always doing something that demanded my undivided attention.
This was the third Black Label I have smoked and each one has been better than the last. I can definitely say this cigar is a favorite of mine and it probably deserves a spot in my Top 5 the next time I update that list.
Rating – A+
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Cigar Reviews and Matt's Favs and Pepin Garcia and Tatuaje
Cigar Review, Double Corona, Monster, Nicaragua, Pete Johnson, Tatuaje, The Frank Matt
12:01 pm
Country: USA
Wrapper: Sun-Grown Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: Double Corona 75/8″ x 49 ring
Plucked from its blood splattered coffin, it is time to put this green banded monster to flame. OK, the truth is I couldn’t bring myself to break into the coffin yet so this one is an extra single I picked up but it came from a coffin too, just not mine. The Frank is a special ultra-limited release from Pete Johnson and his Tatuaje brand. Using the blend for the Tatuaje Taino, the corojo wrapper is replaced with a sun-grown broadfleaf wrapper and in place of the brown band is a ghoulish green band adorned with the Tatuaje name and trademark flor de lys. They were released as a first in a series of 13 special Halloween cigars from Tatuaje. Only 666 boxes were made and they were release to just 13 retailers selected by lottery throughout the States. In the coffin shaped box are 13 monstrous cigars. I was lucky enough to have my local cigar shop, Empire Cigars, selected as one of the 13 retailers to get The Frank. What makes me even luckier is that I was able to get myself a box of these rare and special treats. Since Empire was one of the 13 to get The Frank, they will not be eligible for next years release which will be “The Drac”. The Drac is reported to be a torpedo that is banded at the foot and placed into their coffins upside down just like the way Dracula was reported to like sleeping in his coffin. We’ll have to wait and see how lucky I am next year at trying to get my hands of a box of those. For now, it is time to get back to The Frank… (more…)
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Cigar Reviews and CigarsDirect.com and Pepin Garcia
Cigar Review, Cigars Direct, Cigars Online, CigarsDirect.com Matt
3:05 pm
Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper:Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: Robusto 5.0″ x 50 ring
Courtesy of CigarsDirect.com
El Centurion is a limited edition cigar from Don Pepin. Actually this cigar is the “First Limited Edition 2007″ which leads me to believe we may see other incarnations of this line sometime in the future. My guess is it will be a different blend but will carry the same name, but this is just speculation on my part. This edition only saw 850 boxes of each size made. What is known about the blend is that it uses Criollo99 and Corojo99 tobacco grown in Nicaragua. The best leaves were selected for this blend and were aged for 3 years under watchful eyes and in the best conditions. It is available in just three vitolas.
- Guerreros 5.0″ x 50 (robusto)
- Emperadores 5.5″ x 52 (belicoso)
- Gladiadores 6.5″x 52 (toro)
Today I am smoking the Guerreros which is a standard robusto size. It is well constructed, firm with a nicely applied triple cap. The wrapper is a reddish, tan color with a few fine viens running across it and it has an oily sheen. Looking at the bunch in the foot and at the head after clipping, you can see this cigar is jam packed full of tobacco. The burn was razor sharp and it produced a perfectly formed, firm, white ash. I started off talking about the construction because it is the best part of the cigar. I was a bit disappointed by the flavor of this smoke. It was pleasant enough but I was expecting more from a limited edition cigar. As is typical with most of Pepin’s cigars there is plenty of black pepper especially at the start, but it remains present throughout the smoke. There is also a woodiness to it with a slightly bitter finish that I could have done without. The cigar never developed, never changed. The flavors remained consistent throughout. This cigar actually reminded me a lot of Pepin’s Vegas Cubanas. It is medium bodied, and not quite as strong as a lot of his other lines. The El Centurion isn’t a bad cigar, but I feel it under performs for a limited edition cigar.
You can get the El Centurion cigars at CigarsDirect.com
Rating – B
Related Posts:
- Keepers of the Flame will tell you about the Emperadores
- CigarJack awarded a guest reviewer for his take on El Centurion
- Jerry at Stogie Review shares his take via a video review.
- Her Humidor gives another take on the Guerreros.
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Cigar Reviews and CigarsDirect.com and EO Cigars and Pepin Garcia
Cigar Review, Cigars Direct, Cigars Online, CigarsDirect.com Matt
9:37 pm
Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: Perfecto 51/2 x 52 ring
Today I am enjoying another excellent smoke courtesy of my friends at CigarsDirect.com. EO’s 601 Serie cigars are made by the red hot Jose “Pepin” Garcia and are available in four flavors each denoted by it’s own band color. There is the 601 Red wrapped in a spicy habano wrapper, the Ecuador Connecticut wrapped Black Label, a sweet maduro Blue Label, and the dark and oily Green Label Oscuro. The EO brands are the realization of a dream of two friends, Erik Espinosa and Eddie Ortega. Their partnership with Pepin Garcia have produced a handful of excellent cigars. In addition to the popular 601 Serie cigars their collaboration also brought about the Cubao and Mi Barrio which are also beginning to generate some buzz in the industry.
The Green Label 601 has a dark oily wrapper laced in very small veins. Although it is a perfecto, the taper isn’t very severe except right at the foot. The taper to the head of the cigar is shallow and if it weren’t for the nipple at the foot it would look very much like a pyramide. As you would expect from a cigar made by Pepin Garcia, the construction is excellent. It has a near perfect draw and burn. It has a good heft to it so you know it is packed full of tobacco. It burns slow and cool producing firm pepper gray ash that wants to hold on for ever.
The oscuro is supposedly the strongest most full bodied of the 601 line. Personally I found that wasn’t the case. While certainly a full bodied smoke, I think the Red Label Habano is fuller and much stronger packing a bigger punch than the Green. Where the Red is a blast of pepper and spice, I found the Green to be smoother with a maduro sweetness, just a bit of spice and little or no pepper. That said it is still an excellent smoke. At the start there is lots of cocoa and coffee with notes of cedar and leather all wrapped in that sweet maduro flavor. At about the halfway mark most of those flavors fade and all that remains is a sweet core with occasional hints of coffee. As the smoke progresses it doesn’t change much. Sweet with a creamy feel and a bit of leather. At the start I was expecting a real complex smoke and though it is by no means one dimensional, it lacks the complexity of the Red and doesn’t have anywhere near the strength I was expecting. I know it sounds like I am a little disappointed with it and in some respects I guess I am, but I still think it is a very good full bodied and enjoyable smoke. It is an excellent cigar if you are looking for a full, flavorful cigar that won’t kick you in the pants. Of course that is just my opinion. A lot of people think this is a powerhouse smoke. I gravitate to strong smokes so my opinion may be skewed.
Get your 601’s at CigarsDirect.com
Rating – B+
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Cigar Reviews and CigarsDirect.com and Pepin Garcia
Cigar Review, Cigars Direct, Cigars Online, CigarsDirect.com Matt
12:00 pm
Country: USA
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro
Filler: Nicaraguan Corojo and Criollo
Size: Belicoso 5.7″ x 52 ring
The Don Pepin Garcia Series JJ is the Premium version of the DPG line of Cigars made by Jose “Pepin” Garcia. The JJ is a collaboration between Jose and his son Jamie, hence the “JJ”. This is the newer maduro version of this cigar and is to the best of my knowledge, the only maduro besides the EO 601 Maduro that is made by Pepin. I am enjoying this cigar thanks to my friends at CigarsDirect.com
The JJ Maduro is a handsome cigar with a dark wrapper that doesn’t look like your typical maduro. It lacks the toothy, rustic look that most maduros seem to have. this wrapper is smooth and silky with an oily sheen and very few small veins. In addition to the handsome wrapper you can also tell that this is a high end,tops helf cigar by the bunching of the filler tobacco. This cigar is packed full of tobacco and the bunching is amazing smooth and full looking. It looks as if it is all packed together so tightly that you’d think there is no way the cigar will draw but it does and it does so very well. The are no gaps or holes in the bunch and absolutely now veins or stems, just 100% thin tobacco leaf. It has a rich cedar aroma and an excellent draw that provides the perfect amount of resistance.
This cigar was amazing right from the start. In the beginning the flavors were very defined, creamy with notes of nuts, cedar, and a subtle spice. The Maduro has quite a bit more strength to it than the natural version. The additional strength doesn’t add any rough edges to the flavors like you might expect. It is still very smooth and refined. As I neared the half way mark there was lots of exotic spice and cedar. I think the Maduro title is a misnomer for this cigar. It doesn’t taste like any other maduro I have ever had as it lacks any sweetness or earthiness I usually associate with a maduro. I don’t mean that as a criticism as this cigar is superb. I think this cigar tastes remarkably similar to a Tatuaje Reserva with a bit more kick to it. In the last third the flavors begin to get very robust but they still maintain their smooth refined nature. It starts to develop a bit of earth intertwined with the cedar and spice that has been present since the beginning. The Series JJ Maduro is an exceptional cigar is now on my list of favorites. As good as I think the natural JJ is, I find the maduro to be far superior. This is a special cigar that should be reserved for occassions when you can give it all the attention it deserves.
Get your Don Pepin Garcia Series JJ Maduros at CigarsDirect.com
Rating – A
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Cigar Reviews and CigarsDirect.com and Padilla and Pepin Garcia
Cigar Review, Cigars Direct, Cigars Online, CigarsDirect.com Matt
9:53 pm
Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Filler: Nicaraguan Criollo and Corojo
Size: Churchill 7.0″ x 48 ring
The Padilla Miami 8/11 is arguably the cigar responsible for putting Ernesto Padilla on the cigar map. And why not, he picked a master blender to make it for him. At the time this master tobacco blender wasn’t well known. He had a small factory in Miami that employed just 12 rollers. This man would quickly become the hottest name in cigars. That’s right, the Padilla Miami 8/11 was made by Jose “Pepin” Garcia. The 8/11 in the name denotes location of Pepins factory near the corner of 8th and 11th in Miami. I did say “was made” because Ernesto and Pepin have recently parted ways, and now Pepin no longer makes any cigars for Padilla as Pepin’s business has continued to explode and he had to devote more resources towards maintaining his own products. That means the Miami 8/11 as it has existed is going away so if you are a fan, you will want to buy up as much of these as you can because the Pepin Garcia version of this stick will no longer be produced.
Wrapped in a typical Pepin Corojo leaf, the Miami is rustic looking with puckered veins and bumpy look. It is the color of milk chocolate and has an oily sheen. It has a strong almost pungent odor of tobacco and wet earth. Packed full of tobacco this Churchill has a nice heft to it, firm its entire length. The triple cap clipped nicely revealing a perfect bunch in the head of the cigar which mirrors the view from the foot.
On the initial draw you get hit with a blast of pepper on the tongue but it quickly subsides. It is replaced by a rich earthiness with undertones of spice and flashes of caramel. It produces amazing thick clouds of almost snow white smoke and a room bouquet of toasted tobacco and floral notes. About half way through the Carmel and Spice have come to the forefront and it has a decidedly creamy feel. It has also developed a nice woody/cedar finish with a slight sweetness on the palate. The cigar begins to pickup in the last third. gone is the caramel and sweetness. It is all wood, earth, and pepper. It is very robust and full bodied.
The Padilla Miami is a very well made cigar. The burn was even if not razor straight, and the draw provided just the right amount of resistance. It produced plenty of thick creamy smoke and produced a firm salt and pepper ash. In the past I experienced a lot of problems with the wrapper on this cigar being almost flame retardant and impossible to burn. I had no such problem with this cigar so perhaps those problems are a thing of the past. it is shame that this cigar is no longer being made.
Get your Padilla Miami 8/11’s at CigarsDirect.com
Rating – B+
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Cigar Reviews and Pepin Garcia
Matt
12:43 pm
Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Habano Rosado
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: Lancero 6.875″ x 42 ring
The Lancero is not a regular size in the Cuban Classic line of Pepin Garcia’s Name brand. The Lancero is a very limited release available in one of two presentations. There is a Holiday Sampler pack that sports two Lanceros in each of Don Pepin’s lines, the Blue Label, the JJ, the JJ Maduro, the Centurion, and of course the Cuban Classic. There were also just 100 cabinets of the Black Lanceros containing 50 cigars (I’m not 100% on that quantity but I think it was a 50 count). Part of the thinking behind the limited release of the Lancero size in all his lines was to give his fans a format for them to experience all the subtleties and complexities of the wrappers used in each of his line. The old Cuban purists believe that to experience the true essence of a blend you need to do so with a Lancero, Lonsdale, or a Corona. Who am I to argue with those guys. Those three sizes happen to be among my favorite vitolas, the Lonsdale being my absolute favorite. Some of the most complex and best smokes I have ever had have been in one of those formats.
Lanceros have a reputation for being a tough vitola to make, bring prone to various construction issues like plugging or splitting. I think it is an unfair reputation because if they are made right by skilled rollers they don’t have these issues. I think cigars with these issues are not isolated to just Lanceros, but you’ll find these problems in other vitolas of the line as well. The problem in my opinion is a lot of cigar makers don’t regularly produce Lanceros because in the US market they don’t seem to sell as well. Since they don’t produce a lot, they sometimes don’t do it well when they do make one. This cigar is very well made and the draw on it is perfect. It sports a smooth creamy brown wrapper and has a Cuban style triple cap tipped with a small pigtail.
It starts off with blasts of black pepper and a robust woodiness. About an inch or so in, it smooths out quite a bit. It is woody with a creaminess that has a buttery feel in my mouth. The aroma produced by the cigar is a rich smell of dark roasted coffee. Past the halfway mark it developed a rich earthiness with pepper and a slightly grassy finish. I have to say the end of this smoke was a little disappointing. The flavors became very muddled and not very distinguishable and it lost some of its body.
Even with the lack luster ending, the Black Lancero is a very good smoke. Medium to full bodied most of the way, it was a complex and engaging smoke. If I can find the cash, there are still some of the Holiday Samplers out there to be had, and I’d like to pick one up so I can try this size in Pepin’s other lines.
Rating – B+
What Others think of the DPG Black:
The Stogie Guys give the Robusto 31/2 stogies
Lucky7 at Keepers of the Flame liked the Robusto “Very Much”
The Stogie Baby wasn’t impressed with the Petite Lancero
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Ashton and Cigar Reviews and CigarsDirect.com and Matt's Favs and Pepin Garcia
Cigar Review, Cigars Direct, Cigars Online, CigarsDirect.com Matt
10:31 pm
Country: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: Toro 6.0″ x 50 ring
I have been looking forward to trying this new smoke from Ashton for a while so when CigarsDirect.com sent me one to review I knew I wouldn’t wait long to put it to flame. Still it wasn’t the easiest choice considering the amazing quality of smokes they sent me in the latest batch.
Bearing the name of the famed Cuban marca, the San Cristobal is made for Ashton by my favorite cigar maker Jose “Pepin” Garcia who also makes my favorite brand of cigars, the Tatuajes. By now everyone who smokes cigars is aware that Pepin is the hottest name in cigars right now. His portfolio has grown exponentially yet it seems everything he puts out is made of gold. As highly anticipated as the release of the ESG, the San Cristobal was 2 years in the making.
Released last year shortly after the RTDA (now called IPCPRA), it sports Pepin’s wrapper of choice. It is a leathery, dark brown Nicaraguan Corojo. The Supremo is a Toro and the 50 ring gauge is the perfect size for my new favorite cut, the butterfly cut. The butterfly cut was created by a friend of mine. It is a double V-cut. After making the initial V-cut you rotate the cigar and make a second V-cut perpendicular to the first. I really like this style of cut on larger ring gauges. This cut draws very nicely and it looks cool. Everything about this cigar says “top-shelf”. The wrapper is flawless and there is no sign of any rib veins in the head or foot. The bunching looks perfect and you can tell by the firmness and heft that it is packed full of tobacco. The band is beautiful with the vibrant colors of the Macaw and elegant gold trim on a background of an ancient map.
This amazing cigar is very different from any other Pepin cigar I have tried to date. It starts off so smooth and silky. Right off the bat it is very full flavored, woodsy with leather and spice, and nutty undertones. Notably absent is the trademark “Pepin Pepper” but it isn’t missed at all. This cigar is amazingly complex with a smooth finish. I read on CI’s site some tasting notes that referenced cherry flavors. I have never tasted anything like cherry in a cigar, so I was really surprised when at about the mid way point I detected flashes of cherry. It was amazing and truly unique. I found myself disappointed (in a good way) when those flavors faded as I got a little further into the smoke. I really wished that the cherry flavors hung around longer than they did. Towards the end, the leather and spice began to build to dominate the flavors with a woody finish.
This was an amazing cigar that engaged me from start to finish. The construction is impeccable and the burn razor sharp. The ash was a little loose and flaky which was surprising but didn’t detract from the experience. The San Cristobal has earned a spot on my list of favorites. This cigar is an absolute must try for any serious cigar smoker.
Rating – A+
6 Responses »
Cigar Reviews and Matt's Favs and Pepin Garcia and Tatuaje
Cigar Review, Lonsdale, Nicaragua, Pete Johnson, Tatuaje Matt
9:54 pm
Country: USA
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan Long Filler
Size: Lonsdale 63/8 x 43 ring
The Tatuaje Havana Cazadores come in cedar cabinets of 25 and are packaged in the old Cuban style. They are packed wet and wrapped in foil with a yellow ribbon around the bundle. Here’s some pictures I took back when I bought them. You can click the pictures for an enlarged view.
This vitola is reported to be Pete Johnson’s vitola of choice and it also happens to be one of my favorites as well. I love Lonsdales. I think it is just possibly the best size for a cigar. When used with a good blend of tobaccos, the ring gauge and length lends itself to a wonderfully complex smoke with a near perfect duration, about an hour to 75 minutes. I have a hard time picking between this cigar and the Reserva SW as my favorite of the Brown Label line. When pressed I usually end up giving a slight edge to the Reserva SW only because I find it a little more complex.
Like almost all of the Tatuajes, it starts off with a full blast of pepper. Once you work your way into the smoke a bit, the pepper calms down a little. I find this stick to be the most “cubanesqe” of all the Tatuajes. It is a heavy, full bodied smoke with some serious strength. They are hard to take on an empty stomach. The smoke progresses nicely, first with black coffee flavors transitioning into a rich nutty/earthiness with brief flashes of cocoa. It picks up a lot near the end getting spicy and peppery again with notes of wood. It has black pepper on the finish throughout the smoke.
The burn goes crooked every once and while but if you’re paying attention, you can get it to correct itself. The draw is perfect and the ash is well formed. The thick white clouds of smoke produce a room bouquet is very reminiscent of that of a Cuban Montecristo. Tatuajes produce amazing aromas and this one may have the best aroma of all of them.
It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Tatuajes and the Havana Cazadores are no exception. This is an exceptional cigar that I could be happy smoking everyday. I plan to make sure I never run out of these gems.
Rating – A
Matt’s Top 5
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