Cigar Weekly 2008 Blind Review #3

September 19, 2008

Compiled by Doug McGuire (Mad Dawg) CW’s latest blind review is a little different from our usual format. Gary Korb (Chief Copy Writer, Famous Smoke Shop, Easton, Pennsylvania) sent me a five-pack each of the three sizes that make up Famous’ new La Floridita Limited Edition line for the review. I sent one cigar of each size to five members of our review panel, and asked them to record their impressions of the entire line. Read more...

Black Pearl Morado Torpedo (Piramide)

August 06, 2008

This cigar marked my second encounter (the first being the smaller Toro) with this line, once again courtesy of the generosity of Mark (Cigar Weekly's rdking). I was also fortunate in being presented with an ideal summer evening while reposing on the back porch. Breezes gently wafted in from the west, and a multitude of swallows chirped while busily sweeping across the sky in an evening quest for food. Events were apparently 'conspiring' to create a perfectly relaxing atmosphere. Read more...

Bolivar Petit Corona

July 25, 2008

A Jazznut special review of what many smokers consider to be a benchmark cigar. Read more...

Cigar Weekly 2008 Blind Review #2

July 24, 2008

Reyes Family Cigars Premier Perfecto (5.5 x 58) Compiled by Doug McGuire (Mad Dawg) The story of this atypical review necessarily begins in late 2007, when Frank Santos (Marketing Director for Reyes Family Cigars) sent me a cigar for a personal review. Frank told me only that this was a prototype blend for a new cigar line that Reyes Family Cigars (“RFC”) was in the process of developing. Read more...

Cigar Weekly 2008 Blind Review #1

July 07, 2008

The following description of the Casa Toraño Lancero Maduro was provided by Bruce Lewis, Brand Manager – Toraño and Dunhill Cigars: The Casa Toraño Maduro was introduced late last year but first orders were filled in the early part of this year. It is not a limited release, but what I would refer to as an exciting new release for Toraño. In the first few months of this brand being available to the public, the response and feedback has been extremely positive. Cigar Aficionado have already awarded it two ratings in the 90’s. The cigar features a naturally fermented CT Broadleaf maduro wrapper which brings a sweet, rich flavor and aroma to this medium bodied smoke. A Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan and Dominican filler complete the blend. As you are aware, there has been increasing interest in the Lancero size and this was one of the reasons to introduce this cigar in this size. More importantly, though, the Lancero size in this blend allows consumers to fully appreciate the rich, sweet characteristics of the maduro wrapper. The Lancero is 7” x 38 and all sizes in the Casa Toraño Maduro line are handmade in Nicaragua. Read more...

Don Pepin Garcia Blue Label

November 08, 2007

Good God! Only a year old and this good! Just think what a box of these laid down for a few years could turn into! I've heard that this was the line that the Levins smoked that convinced them to seek out Pepin Garcia to make their new San Cristobal line Read more...

CW Review: Cusano Hermanos Corona

December 10, 1998

Our reviewers generally enjoyed this cigar as did the Cigarweekly.com editors. This is a well made, tasteful cigar that was very pleasant to smoke. Read more...

CW Review: H. Upmann Torpedo Maduro

December 07, 1998

For well over a century, the name "H. Upmann" has been the symbol of unequaled quality and workmanship in premium cigars throughout the world. Established in Cuba in 1844, H. Upmann is internationally famous for consistent excellence and is one of the largest cigar manufacturers in the Dominican Republic. One of the newer additions to the H. Upmann line is the Torpedo. The binder and filler are from the Dominican Republic and the wrapper is from Indonesia. This gives H. Upmann’s a slightly spicy, medium-bodied taste with first-class construction and consistency. H. Upmann cigars are made by Consolidated Cigar in La Romana, Dominican Republic. Read more...

CW Review: Astral Grande Reserve Vintage Beso

November 17, 1998

The Astral Grand Reserve Vintage filler is a blend of Dominican grown Piloto Cubano and air-dried black leaf tobacco from Mexico for a sweet and peppery flavor. The binder is from Mexico. The wrapper is an Indonesian shade grown Connecticut seed tobacco from 1992. All of the tobacco is aged at least one year. The Dominican filler tobacco is generally known as semi-sweet and good burning. The Astral Grand Reserve Vintage is blended to be medium to full-bodied, with sweet overtones and a lightly spicy flavor. The Astral Grand Reserve Vintage comes in four sizes: Maestro (7.5 x 52), Perfeccion (7 x 48), Lujo (6.5 x 44) and Beso (5 x 52). US Cigar produces the Astral Grand Reserve Vintage brand on its plantation in Honduras. The cigars have a suggested retail price from $7.50 to $10.50. Read more...

CW Review: Don Diego Grandes Maduro

September 17, 1998

Originally made in the Canary Islands, manufacturing of Don Diego cigars was moved to Consolidated’s Tabacalera de Garcia factory in La Romana, Dominican Republic in 1982. The Don Diego cigars use Dominican grown Cubano Piloto and Olor for the filler, the binder is from the Dominican Republic. The natural wrapper is U.S. grown Connecticut Shade and the Maduro wrapper is from Mexico. The result is a mild to medium bodied cigar. Read more...