Cigar Therapy

Happy Friday!

Last night I had the pleasure to attend Cigar Therapy at Outman Cigar and Martini Bar. It was a BLAST! Needless to say I had a fantastic time. I met a lot of great people and it truly proved to be therapeutic. Hell, what's more therapeutic than cigars, libations, and great people? Any way, I digress. Today's review will focus on Carlos Torano's "Master." I received this cigar by being a part of the Cigar Dave Officer's Club. It's always nice to receive a package in the mail once a month with various, and often newly released, cigars.

Carlos Torano "Master"
Toro
Cost: $7's
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Filler: Nicaragua (Esteli/Jalapa)
Binder: Nicuaragua (Esteli)

Upon receiving this cigar I was pleasantly surprised because most Torano bands are typically ornate and very detailed. However, this band is very simple and only consists of two colors: stark black and rich cream.

The cigar cut and lit easily with no loose tobacco. The condition of the wrapper was nearly flawless as the cigar only possessed small veins and no blemishes worth noting.

The pre-light draw was pleasant in that it was not too tight, but offered a bit of resistance. Throughout the first third the cigar was very mild but possessed a great deal of creaminess along with nutty undertones, which I quite enjoyed. As I continued to enjoy the cigar a distinct sweetness began to present itself. The sweetness resembled a mild chocolate cocoa along with a hint of nutmeg.

Unlike many other cigars I've previously smoked, this cigar required no re-lighting or "babysitting" which made the overall experience fantastic.

This cigar most certainly has a place in my humidor. This is a reasonably priced cigar with complex yet pleasant flavors. It's a real winner!

Perdomo Grand Cru

Andrew and I are just getting over being sick for about a week, but I'm pleased to report that we have finally made a full recovery!

That being said...I was able to smoke a Perdomo Grand Cru yesterday at Outman Cigars.
Here's what I found:

Perdomo Grand Cru
Robusto
Cost: $6 ish
Wrapper: Nicuaraguan Cuban Seed/Semilla Habano
Filler: Nicuaraguan Cuban Seed/Semilla Habano
Binder: Nicuaraguan Cuban Seed/Semilla Habano
2004 Stock


First I'll start by saying that I'm a pretty big Perdomo fan. I find their cigars pleasant but also consistent, which is why I go back for them time and time again. The label is a simple, yet elegant label with the colors: clay, black, and white.

The maduro wrapper gave the cigar a dark, rich, and oily look to this full-bodied smoke. The cigar cut easily with little to no loose tobacco. I saw no obvious blemishes in the wrapper. As easy as it was to cut, it was equally easy to light (and stay lit).

The draw of the cigar throughout the smoke was easy, but offered just the right amount of resistance. The Grand Cru also offered a bountiful amount of smoke, which always adds positively to the experience.

Various flavors presented themselves during this smoke. Some included: molasses, brown sugar, and a bit of cinnamon. I found it to be a sweeter cigar, but the sweetness was very pleasant.

Overall experience: Excellent, pleasant, and easy going. This is a great cigar that will most certainly have a place in my humidor. Big bang for the buck!


Other news:

On Saturday night Andrew and I got to meet Rocky Patel. It was a great event and we had a wonderful time! In addition to meeting Rocky, we met some other great cigar smokers, as always. The best people are always at cigar events!

A Long Road

Hi again - sorry for the lapse in posting. I've been going through some difficult changes over the last few weeks. The changes have been positive thus far, and I hope they stay that way.

Cigar:

Liga Privada No. 9

Toro

Cost: $12ish

Wrapper : Connecticut Broadleaf Ligero Oscuro

Filler : Honduran/Dominican

Binder : Brazil

First of all I'd like to say one word: Damn. I was mildly hesitant about this cigar, but after talking with many cigar passionado's I know I just had to try this car. Needless to say I am extremely impressed. The cigar was easy to cut and had a fantastic (damn near perfect) draw. I am extremely picky about how a cigar draws because I have experienced migraines after smoking on over packed/tight cigars.

The flavors of the cigar were very interesting. Initially there was a bit of sweetness right near the soft palate of the tongue, which was surprising because many Drew Estate Cigars are peppery. The cigar was not "barn-yardy" at all and presented an earthy undertone that was fairly present throughout the entire smoke. One of my favorite aspects of this cigar was that it produced a great deal of smoke. I truly like cigars that provide a lot of smoke when exhaling - I feel this really contributes positively to the cigar smoking experience.

Overall the experience I had while smoking this cigar was great. I felt relaxed, satisfied, and very pleased with the cigar. This cigar certainly has a permanent place in my humidor.