The first CAO cigar I ever smoked was the CAO MX2, and I have been a fan of the company ever since. Unlike some of my lesser palated friends I like to mix things up and smoke a variety of cigars. I like trying different flavors, and have yet to really settle on one favorite. CAO as a whole has made this easy and the MX2 is not exception. The 2 stands for two Maduro wrappers and are wrapped around tobaccos from six different countries. It is hard to pin this cigar down as far as flavor because in the 6x54 Toro I smoked recently I ran into just about every flavor imaginable. As is common with CAO the quality of the cigar stood on its own. The wrapper, burn, and finish are what CAO is about the MX2 stands up to its name. Whether you are new to smoking and your nickname is "Chimney" the MX2 will be 45 minutes of dark, rich, smoky, tastiness.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
CAO MX2
Padron Series
The guys I smoke with often talk about the best everyday smoke. That usually means what cigar is affordable and pleasurable enough to look forward to smoking everyday. While I don't smoke daily I have pondered the question. I have yet to pick a cigar that I would consider my everyday smoke (that's quite a commitment) but the regular Padron would definitely be in the running. The La Floridita has yet to make it into my top 1000.
Padron is a boutique brand and makes arguably the finest cigar in the world with its 1964 Anniversary line. However, Padron doesn't skimp when it comes to their regular line. Always consistent in flavor, burn and price I consider the regular Padron to be a must in every serious smokers humidor. You just can't go wrong with theses cigars. These are considered in the medium to full bodied range, but the flavor says full bodied all the way. Also with about 13 different sizes available in the same blend you can find one for any occasion. Whether it be a long after dinner smoke with the 9 inch 50 rg Magnum or the 36x5.5 Chicos when you only have 15 minutes or so.
Let me also say these are cheap enough that you can give one to your non-smoking moocher friends without feeling like you might turn them off to cigars forever. Or you can continue to keep a few Macanudos on hand for gimmes.
La Fotana Consigliere
This is an interesting cigar. I usually stay away from the big tobacco companies. You know the ones where two or three companies put out 40 cigars a piece, but use tobacco from the same region in every cigar so you really only have two cigars with 40 different labels. I think General Cigars epitomizes this concept.
I bought this cigar for one reason. I thought it had a cool label. I like trying different cigars, so after discovering that magazine ratings are not necessarily an accurate description of good and bad I tried the next approach. Price and label. It seemed to be as much a shot in the dark as the ratings system, but I have had better luck with that system than a subscription to Aficionado.
The Consigliere is worth trying. $4-6 bucks for a premium, smooth, creamy smoke, that is wrapped in American grown Conneticut Shade wrapper. I have smoked 4 of theses now and they are consistent in flavor, burn, wrap, and finish so you shouldn't get any surprises. Plus you get to smoke a cigar in a tuxedo wrapper. Tell your wife this is your dress up smoke.
Graycliff Chateau Gran Cru
This cigar is supposedly in the top 5 of all premium cigars made. When it comes to high end, hand-made cigars, the Gran Cru is supposedly as high as you can go. When it comes to price there are few cigars that top it. According to Cigar.com "the Chateau Gran Cru is another masterpiece from Graycliff." According to Graycliff "The Graycliff Château Grand Cru is indeed the grand cru of cigars."
Let me tell you what the Graycliff Château Grand Cru is. It is an over priced piece of hype. $20 bucks for one of these cigars would be considered a great deal. Luckily for me I have smoked 7 or 8 of these and have not yet paid for one. I love Graycliff cigars, especially the White Label, but Graycliff Château Grand Cru is one of the most inconsistent cigars I have ever smoked. Of the 8 I have smoked only 2 have actually finished. The others either refused to stay lit or after a couple of inches it became so hard to draw I felt like I was attempting to suck a basket ball through a garden hose.
Now about flavor. The two that actually finished were two of the best cigars I have ever smoked. The flavor is bold yet smooth, earthy and creamy at the same time. Yet, it cost someone $160 dollars for my $40 dollars worth of smoke. It ain't worth it.
So Juan will you smoke another one? Heck, yeah I will. Will you buy one? There is no way. It is too much of a gamble. I will just take my $160 dollars to the local sushi bar.
Camacho Coyolar
I am ashamed to admit that I am thus far not man enough to finish this cigar.
The Camacho Coyolar is a powerhouse of Honduran long fillers, grown on the Coyolar farm. If you have ever wanted to try a true full-bodied cigar without shelling out major bucks this is one for you. $6 to $8 dollars will buy you one of these studs, and if you are able to finish it then count yourself a real cigar smoker. As with most full-bodied cigars it is ver earthy and spicy, but not so much that you won't enjoy the flavor.
I have smoke the Padron 1964, GrayCliff Expresso, CAO Extreme, and Diamond Crown Maximus and none of them can compete with the power of this Camacho. The only cigar I have smokd that was as strong as this one is the Padron 1926 which I will review later.
If you are a new smoker I don't recommend this cigar, but it would make a nice practical joke for that friend who is always bumming a stick and not finishing it. If you have been smoking for a while and want to test your stamina then this is a good place to start.
UPATE: I have tried two other times and still have not been able to finish this cigar.
AVO Signature
If you haven't noticed most reviews on this site are for full-bodied cigars. While full-bodied is a somewhat relative term as far as shear strength is concerned it is worth noting on flavor. Full-bodied, as far as I have found, will not always be strong tobacco. However, if you are new to cigar smoking take it slow and don't get turned off to full-bodied cigars.
Using this logic is how I tracked down the AVO signature. When I first begin smoking cigars I asked a lot of questions to those who were supposed to be in the know. My friend Amar and his staff are pretty knowledgeable and help me a lot in the beginning. (side note: just because someone works in a cigar shop it does not mean they know what they are talking about). On their recommendation I had tried several AVO cigars and was pleased with them overall. However, I was looking for something with a little more flavor. That is when I tried the AVO signature. These cigars are blended from four distinct Dominican leaves, plus a four-year-aged San Vicente ligero binder for even richer flavor. These full-bodied cigars are mantled in a silky-smooth. AVO cigars are high end cigars so expect to pay a little extra, but if you are looking for the most flavor for your money go with the Signature.
If you are more of a medium bodied smoker try the AVO XO. These have the same unique AVO flavor, but are slightly cheaper and make great light smokes. You get real flavor for a lighter bodied cigar.
The AVO story is an interesting one and if you get a chance it is worth a few seconds on Google to track it down.
CAO Italia
CAO is one of the premier cigar companies in the world today. After years of producing fine pipe tobacco they tried their hand at cigar making and did so in a big way. Overall CAO is my second favorite cigar company. There are only a few of their cigars that I have not tried and even fewer that I didn't like, including the CAO Italia.
I was first turned on to the Italia by my friend Tim, but his love for the La Floridita skewed his recommendations in my book. However, in this case, he was right on. The Italia is made from Italian grown Habano tobacco from seeds taken from Cuba in the 1960's. We already know what kind of quality soil the Italian's have from their fine olive oils and wines, but what the soil does to that tobacco is worth noting. The natural earthy sweetness of the Italia makes it a unique smoke and one all serious smokers should try. This cigar is full-bodied flavor from start to finish and oh what a finish. There is nothing disappointing about this cigar. However, again I hear they are hard to find. If you happen across one, buy two and smoke one for me.
UPDATE: Since posting this CAO is no my #1 favorite cigar company. While I don't love all of their blends, I have never once been disappointed with quality.
Gurkha Regent
It is very rare for me to say find nothing redeeming about a cigar, but I have to tell you I did not like the Gurkha Regent at all. I know there are some huge Gurkha fans reading this blog so I am ready to take some shots over this review. I also take into account personal taste, and understand that just because I didn't like it doesn't make it a bad cigar.
With that being said, this cigar tastes like dirt to me. I am not using that figuratively either. It really did tast like mud. I have a friend who is a big Gurkha fan from way back. After listening to him brag I went and purchased 3 of these super premium cigars. The first one was bad. I smoked the whole thing to give it a shot, but I thought occasionally something happens in production, something may have slipped through quality control. So I smoked the second one a few days later. It was equally as bad, except this time I didn't finish the cigar. I smoked about half of it then thought why keep punishing myself.
I can say this cigar looked good and has a very cool label, but I can not recommend it. Gurkha does make some cigars I like, and is supposedly one of the premier cigar producers in the world, but then again so is Macanudo.
My friend Tim and Daryl however, love these cigars and will probably disown me when they read this review. So if decide to try one anyway and don't like it, then turn you head west and you will softly hear me in the background saying, "I told you so".
Punch Rare Corojo
Punch Rare Corojo, according to them, is a rare cigar. I have been able to buy this cigar in almost any cigar shop I have been in so I am unsure what categorizes rare these days. Due to its reddish wrapper leaves that are only grown in limited quantities these will eventually run out so maybe that is what makes it rare. The 2005 release of this cigar sports 5 sizes, including a box presses version that I smoked recently.
Rare Corojo cigars are made with extra rich, dark Sumatra wrapper leaves that are grown in the mountains of Ecuador. It is blended with tobacco from several different regions of Central America. Punch is a premium cigar, and I have really enjoyed most of the products I have tried, but this review is on the Rare Corojo.
Several months ago I was given one of these as a gift at a corporate party, where a band I sing with was performing. It was the Double Corona and the first Punch I ever smoked. This cigar was what I expected a cigar to taste like before I started smoking cigars. It had a dark earthy flavor and you could taste a slight sweetness that reminded me of my uncles Redman he chewed when I was a kid. Nice burn, good draw, and an easy finish made me go purchase several more of these.
Recently I purchased what I think would be called the Pita. It was a 6 and some change, box pressed version of the Rare Corojo. While the taste was as good as expected, I was unable to finish this cigar because of the draw. It just would not allow me to smoke it even after several attempts at solving the problem. As a final resort I punched a long piece of metal about the size of a 12 penny nail completely through it, but to no avail.
I can't rule out this cigar over one bad one, but when you pay $8 or $9 dollars for a cigar you do have certain expectations. My recommendation would be stay away from the box pressed ones for now. I have been told is a process that takes great skill to do correctly so maybe they just need to perfect their process. I will be smoking another Punch Rare Corojo, but not that size.
Graycliff Chateau Gran Cru
I have been smoking Graycliff cigars whenever I could possibly get my hands on one of these expensive puppies for over a year. I didn't know until recently how blessed I was to know of two stores that carry them. There are only a few retailers that carry them, because of the strict requirements by Graycliff. I had never heard of this line of cigars until visiting my OC friend and cigar retailer Amar. If you have not heard of these don't feel bad, they only produce about 500,000 cigars a year and average about 25 dollars a stick so they are not the everyday smoke.
Thanks to gifts and Cigarbid.com I have been able to afford a few of these without feeling like I was keeping food from my family. At this point I have been able to try every label except the Emerald and I can say without a doubt these are great cigars. These Nassau made beauties have a unique flavor unlike any cigar I have ever had. They definitely stand alone. I don't know if it is an aquired taste or not because I have yet to find someone who didn't like them.
I recently have the White label. I was able to buy a 5 pack from Cigarbid for 27 dollars. The White is a bold cigar just under the the Expresso. I can tell you it is definitely Graycliff all the way. The only downside is a 6.0 x 50 wasn't long enough. I burnt my finger trying to get that one last puff out of creaming goodness.
If you are thinking about trying one of these for the first time I recommend the Blue Label 5.25x50.
UPDATE: While Graycliff is still one of my favorite cigars, it is extremely inconsistent for the price. The last two I attempted to smoke tasted like hairspray about 2 inches in, and became impossible to draw. I have had that happen on more than a few occasions while smoking Graycliff cigars.
I have been smoking Graycliff cigars whenever I could possibly get my hands on one of these expensive puppies for over a year. I didn't know until recently how blessed I was to know of two stores that carry them. There are only a few retailers that carry them, because of the strict requirements by Graycliff. I had never heard of this line of cigars until visiting my OC friend and cigar retailer Amar. If you have not heard of these don't feel bad, they only produce about 500,000 cigars a year and average about 25 dollars a stick so they are not the everyday smoke.
Thanks to gifts and Cigarbid.com I have been able to afford a few of these without feeling like I was keeping food from my family. At this point I have been able to try every label except the Emerald and I can say without a doubt these are great cigars. These Nassau made beauties have a unique flavor unlike any cigar I have ever had. They definitely stand alone. I don't know if it is an aquired taste or not because I have yet to find someone who didn't like them.
I recently have the White label. I was able to buy a 5 pack from Cigarbid for 27 dollars. The White is a bold cigar just under the the Expresso. I can tell you it is definitely Graycliff all the way. The only downside is a 6.0 x 50 wasn't long enough. I burnt my finger trying to get that one last puff out of creaming goodness.
If you are thinking about trying one of these for the first time I recommend the Blue Label 5.25x50.
UPDATE: While Graycliff is still one of my favorite cigars, it is extremely inconsistent for the price. The last two I attempted to smoke tasted like hairspray about 2 inches in, and became impossible to draw. I have had that happen on more than a few occasions while smoking Graycliff cigars.
Carlos Torano Signature Series
When I first chose to purchase one of these fine cigars it was a recommendation of Amar who happens to own the best cigar shop in Orange County, CA. He had just gotten these in and had not had a chance to smoke them himself. However, they were receiving extremely high ratings from everyone who had smoked them. 9.5 out of 10, low to mid 90’s were just some of the many numbers these smokes were producing. They retailed for around $5.50 so I decided I would give it a try.
My first impression of this cigar was incredible. The taste is exceptional. The Carlos Torano Signature is a medium to full bodied cigar with an earthy flavor with some coffeesque notes. It is surrounded by a Brazilian Maduro wrapper and sweet, creamy finish that made me think, “Hey this is worth another shot.” For flavor I have to give this cigar a 90 at least. It just tastes good. I immediately went out and purchased 5 of these in various sizes. While the taste remained the same for all 5, the quality did not. I understand that I may have run into some flook of shipping, but of the 5 I purchased only two were consistent all around, and they did not all come from the same box. One had such a hard draw that it couldn’t be smoked even after using a tool to punch a hole through the cigar. Another came completely apart, and the third was wrapped so loosed and burned so hot it became hard to finish. Let me stress that I believe trying one of these cigars is worth the risk. Again, they taste great, but who knows about the consistency. I am sure someone out there will call me crazy and say that I did something to mess them up, but I know how to keep cigars. Overall Carlos Torano makes a fine cigar, but I didn’t have great luck with these.
UPDATE: Since posting this original post almost a year ago I have retried the Signature. I have had much better luck with them, and the taste is still fantastic. Maybe they worked out the kinks.
A Look Into My Humidor
I may do this periodically just so you can see what I am currently working on. There are some more underneath, but I'll show them at another time. Click on the pic for a larger image.
Try Something New, Cheap!
Over the last several months I seldom walk into a smoke shop. While I want to support these local vendors the taxes that they are forced to pay and pass on to me make it hard for them to compete with the current internet business. If I am wanting to try a new cigar then I may step into a humidor, but that is happening less and less.
What I have personally discovered is it takes more than one cigar for me to decide if I like it or not. Consistency is very important in my book, and I have had some good first cigars that didn't hold up on the second or third.
That being the case I was glad to discover cigarbid.com. If you are patient you can try cigars in five packs for prices you will never beat anywhere. I recently bought a 5 pack of the Graycliff Crystal series 6.5X50 for 32 dollars. These puppies retail for 25 a stick. Patience at cigarbid.com will save you a ton of cash. You can try a new cigar with a 5 pack that will usually run you only 2 or 3 times what one cigar would cost at a local smoke shop. This is not Ebay, so it is not flooded with traffic. Pick your choice and then try and find one with the most available to bid on. This seems to keep the price down.