Panacea Black Label toro

I like finding cigars off the beaten path, and this one hit me from left field. My parents live in eastern Pennsylvania, and as a Christmas surprise, my mother hit me with a yuletide cigar bomb, which included a couple Panacea sticks.

Flatbed Cigar co. is based in Yardley, PA, which is just about as opposite to Miami as you can get in the USA without going to Alaska; Folks noshing on a hoagie and a Tastykake bought from the local Wa-Wa, drinking Yeungling beer and listening to the Eagles flail away in futility against all comers but maybe the KC Chiefs. Well, perhaps Miami does feel the pain of football futility.

Panacea Black Label toro

Black label Maduro sports a fine specimen  of Brazilian maduro wrapper, somewhat smooth with some prominent veins, and giving off a dark, earthy compost aroma with a hint of spice. The draw is nicely balanced through the Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers.

Once the fire commences, I get dark, earthy leather and wood tones, and not really any spice.  After the first inch, I get flashes of tart citrus here and there, getting more prevalent near the end. There's a subtle spice nearer the nub, but never more than a cameo.

The Panacea Black label toro is a well-rolled cigar, with a chewy, earthy profile. I'm glad a couple of my local shops took the cue to try them on.

Alec Bradley Family Blend Robusto

Spring has finally sprung; BOING. Outside, smoking a cigar with an old friend over the lunch hour is my idea of a perfect way to usher in le printemps. I brought out an Alec Bradley stick recently ransomed from a local shop during a visit from regional AB rep, Snappy 'Chuno' Bigman. Snappy spins a good yarn, and the Family Blend story is a good one, but you'll have to hear it directly from him. I will say, though, that Snappy would put his sac on the line if he thinks it's the right thing to do.

The Family Blend robusto is a rustic-looking stick with a light brown Honduran wrapper and veins that would make a smack junkie jealous. A blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos make up the core. The draw is, as usual for Alec Bradley, perfect and the cigar burns okay, but outside in a light breeze I have to touch up the burn a couple times.

Once I get the cigar lit, I get mainly flavors of grass and _____ ; sometimes grass and tart wood, or grass and light coffee, but always the grassy flavor is there. Any sort of spice that may be there is hiding behind the grass. The last third features a tart wood flavor uprising against the oppression of the grass. At their peak the flavors get to almost medium-bodied, but not beyond medium.

Another colleague sits down to join us, and remarks "Hey, are you smoking a Cuba Aliados?" At his reference to the grassy blends of the dearly departed Don Rolando Reyes senior, I start thinking about it more. "No," I reply, "but close enough."

Perhaps Spring is in the air; grass is greening up, trees budding, and I'm tasting that green in this cigar. The Family Blend retails for a buck less, per stick, than the more tasty Black Market line, but I'm happy to pay up to move up a bit.

J. Fuego Delirium belicoso

J. Fuego Delicious Delirium is one of those maduros that keep me hooked to the Dark Side. Brazilian maduro wrappers are one of my favorites as well, like on the CAO Brazilia, Nub Maduro, and Panacea Black label.

J Fuego Delirium Belicoso

I'll occasionally get an unbiased olfactory opinion for my own calibration. Tonight's smelling panel is comprised of my children; I let them each take a whiff of the unlit cigar before I tuck them into bed and retire to the garage.  Their impressions are, from oldest to youngest: Chocolate, Vanilla, Cinnamon, and Chocolate.

Tonight's Delirium has spent four years in the humi, stash aging nicely. The dark, veiny Brazilian wrapper is a maduro fiend's dream. After clipping, the cigar has a fairly free draw through the Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers, and despite that does burn decently. White ash hangs out over an inch while puffing away.

Sweet leather, hint of cocoa dominate much of the profile once lit, with occasional light coffee and berry notes. A woody spice becomes apparent at we get near the nub. From start to finish a delicious, almost medium-bodied cigar.

Delirium is a great smoke fresh, and a spectacular smoke when given a little age. That's if you can hide them from yourself long enough to age them a bit.

Mystic Monk 'Midnight Vigils' blend

Mystic Monk 'Midnight Vigils' blend

Mmmm, mmm, mm. I know that the go juice is a necessity in the morning, but it can also be a pleasure. Of course, I write this with a mug of steaming, dark joy at my elbow.

Mystic Monk coffee is roasted by Carmelite monks in Wyoming, which isn't a real stretch when you consider the contemplative and mindful state a good roaster maintains. It's a perfect fit. They also use 100% organic, fair trade Arabica beans, which would be consonant with their Catholic views of social justice and environmental stewardship.

The Midnight Vigils blend is described as Central and South American beans (no specific regions noted), roasted "extra-dark", and man, is it oily! Check out the sheen on these beans in the picture here. I guess it would be both dramatic and punny to say that the aroma from the bag is "Heavenly"; sweet, woody, dark fruit, a little hint of caramel or vanilla. And once brewed there's a smooth, sweet coffee flavor along with dark fruit and caramel nuances.

Other varieties of Mystic Monk coffees I love are the Hermit's blend and Cowboy blend. Good, good stuff.

La Aurora Preferidos Ruby perfecto

There was a time that I was a regular at the Devil's cigar auction site, trolling for cigars at prices well below the those charged by my local shops (B&Ms). Sometimes you save a bit, some times you save more, especially on some top-shelf sticks. La Aurora Preferidos tubos go for $15-17 on the shelf around here, so I was tickled to get them @ $35/fiver.

I've long since wised up about the value of local shops, and now only get stuff online when the local shops aren't stocking what I want.

La Aurora Preferidos Ruby

The La Aurora Preferidos "Ruby" perfecto is their maduro of the line. The modest cigar is not quite so impressive once liberated from the shiny tubo, but the Ruby's darkness is quite a sight. The dark Connecticut broadleaf wrapper smells of dark, composty topsoil, and is both veined and toothy.

Of course, the draw starts a little stiff, but opens up as the cigar burns and foot gets wider. The first draws bring wicked bold flavors; Leather, citrus all coated in an earthy spice. Definitely La Aurora's signature Dominican blend of fillers, harmonized with the earthy notes of the maduro wrapper. Even into the fat midsection of the cigar, the tart leather and spice flavors stay present.

While it might be easy to be underwhelmed at paying $16 for a big glossy tubo, then seeing the modest perfecto inside, the Preferidos are a good cigar even at B&M prices. Get them how you will.

Alec Bradley Black Market torpedo

My first humidor was a Pinnacle golf ball box, and Alec Bradley cigars have been a regular in my humidor since those days. I have long since upgraded to a FootJoy shoebox, and now an igloo cooler. Over the past year, I've smoked about a box worth of the different sizes of the Black Market (enough so I could wallpaper my man cave with the huge foot bands) and look forward to the wee petit corona-sized Punk. I decided to review one of these torpedoes again after refamiliarising myself with the Family Blend.

Alec Bradley Black Market torpedo

At $8 or so for the torpedo size, the Black Market has a pretty good bang for the buck, especially versus the spendier Tempus and Prensado lines. Its Nicaraguan wrapper is a mottled, shoeleather-brown and has some moderate veins. Drawing through the Honduran/Panamanian fillers is a perfect balance of whim and restraint, and the burn is a little wobbly but care-free.

Right away, bold earthy flavors of leather, wood, and a sultry spice greet my first fiery kiss. The spice doesn't linger long, but the tart woody flavors hold the tone for most of the cigar and mix with cameos of coffee, bitter cocoa, and occasionally hay. Definitely a medium-bodied stick, all told.

The Tart wood/leather of the Black Market has a lot in common with the Family Blend, especially the last third of that cigar, but without the major grass overtones. I'll stick with the Black Market, and look forward to the wee Punk.

Trader Joe's Dark coffee

Mmmm, mmmm, mm. I love a good dark roast, and Trader Joe's 'Dark' roast coffee is a lively cup. Plus, $7-8 not terribly expensive for the 14 oz. can. And like any other working-class schlub, I'm all for having delicious AND cash left over.

The beans are a dark and oily blend of Ethiopian and Brazilian Arabica cultivars, smelling of coffee with notes of milk chocolate and vanilla. It's a sublime delight just to open the can.

Grind, drip and sip! Freshly brewed, there's a dark fruit note along with cocoa and mild to moderate acidity. Bold without being bitter, this is a pretty tasty coffee. Perfect for some get-up-and-go in the morning. Now I need to find a cigar to pair this with.. Perhaps the Padilla Reserva Maduro.

Padilla Reserva Maduro robusto

One of my favorite cigar shops recently took the plunge on some Padilla cigars, and these Reserva Maduro robustos are the first to hit the shelves. $9 a pop is at my top end for plunking down cheddar for cigars, but I wanted to support the local shop and his willingness to bring in new marcas.

Padilla Reserva Maduro robusto

Rolled by Oliva in Esteli, Nicaragua, the Reserva Maduro has a core of Nicaraguan fillers swaddled in a San Andres (Mexican) maduro wrapper. The rolling is pretty good, but I've never had a poorly rolled stick from Oliva either.

Getting this stick lit, a blast of bold leather, with a bit of earthiness hits the palate. The smoke is not super thick, but gives a nice soft spice to the sinuses. Woody leather gets bolder and tangier as we close out the cigar, the spice gets more pronounced near the nub.

Burn line wobbles a bit, like Lindsay Lohan staggering to rehab, but needs only one hit of the torch to even things out.

Nice stick, and every time I see that lion on the Padilla bands, I'm reminded of Aslan, the Lion of C.S. Lewis' children's fantasy series. Going back to those books as an adult, there are rich depths of theology there. [given my usual crass presentation, I bet you're shocked to see me write that].

Alec Bradley New York

Nebraska is probably as far away from New York as you can get, at least culturally, demographically, and in any other sense of "Small Place" vs "Big Place". So, to have the Alec Bradley New York marca show up in my local humidor, it really took me aback. I grew up on the East Coast, and visited NYC occasionally. Whether it was to catch the Ramones at CBGBs or to browse the PC World show at the Javits Center, I have many fond memories of New York. The super-classy Art Deco styling of the band brings one even farther back, to the times of George Gershwin and 'The Great Gatsby'.

Alec Bradley New York

The New York cigar features a earthy Honduran Criollo wrapper, smooth with a few veins, and a mix of Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers. A nice earthy spice emanates from the unlit cigar.

Once the fire is started, the first flavor is a clarinet glissando soaring high.. er.. I'm thinking Gershwin's 'Rhapsody in Blue'.. This cigar is really a 'Rhapsody in Brown'; Super bright woody and floral chords to start and sultry spice on the palate. The midsection brings some coffee and cinnamon stanzas and finishing with wood and savory spice notes.

 This is a great-tasting, medium-bodied stick, and it burns for over an hour and a half (amazing for a robusto). I don't get any hints of taxi exhaust, dumpsters, hygienically-challenged subway commuters, or even the slightest hint of the aromas that used to waft off the East River.

For just under $10, this is a good cigar; burns long, good flavors, and a nostalgic reminder of days gone by. Time to crank up some Duke Ellington and mix up a nice, dry Manhattan.

Room 101 Daruma Roxxo

I don't think I've had a bad Room 101 stick yet. Some I've liked better than others, but they've all been flavorful and constructed to Camacho's fine standards. On the heels of the curveball San Andres line comes Daruma, a more spendy cigar and smoother blend.

Room 101 Daruma Roxxo

While the San Andres' band sports the Fu face on the outside, the Daruma hides it's eccentricity on the inside of the band. Kind of like a fortune cookie where you make up the fortune, you use the Daruma doll face as a milestone to your goals. My goal, tonight, is to smoke this wee cigar, then blather about how much I enjoyed it.

The Daruma Roxxo is a Honduran and Dominican filled bullet, jacketed with a dark Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. The Corojo and Crillolo fillers echo the composition of earlier Room 101 marcas, but the blend, Brazilian binder and new wrapper set this round apart.

Once lit, the Daruma pours forth earthy floral tones with some Corojo red pepper notes. The red pepper yields to a hearty wood tone to go with the earthy floral for the duration, with the red pepper Corojo spice wafting back in for a curtain call. While incredibly smooth and creamy, Daruma is a medium-bodied smoke all the way. The floral woody flavors are not unlike some of my favorite cigars from the Forbidden Island.

Room 101 has added a dash of West Coast personality and swagger to cigar culture, and has the great blends to back that swagger up. Though listed, and priced, at the ultra-premium level, Daruma is yet another fine blend to swagger with.

Rocky Patel Burn 'Special Reserve' Robusto

Rocky Patel is the Johnnie Walker of cigar brands: Sure, there are some pedestrian blends, all fairly serviceable, but there are also some spectacular blends to be had. The Burn 'Special Reserve' would be the Green Label blend.

Rocky Patel Burn 'Special Reserve'

Rocky's 'Burn' is as much a command as it is a name. Like the treats of 'Alice in Wonderland', just the appearance of the cigar says 'Burn Me'. The chocolate-brown Ecuador Sumatra wrapper is toothy enough to take the remaining paint off that picnic table. I'd  guess it to be a PA or CT broadleaf rather than Sumatra. It's pretty, but there's a loose, loose draw through the Nicaraguan fillers, inspiring comparison to the working girls of Tijuana.

The party really starts when I follow the one-word instruction on the band. Tart, fruity leather and wood flavors with a spice that starts strong, ends strong, and is pretty present through the whole smoke. I also get occasional hay and coffee notes, but through all the subtle variations the spice really puts this cigar over the top. This is a solid medium-bodied cigar that doesn't quit.

Special Reserve is no lie; this is a special blend, but I'm not going to reserve any of these for very long. Smoke if you got 'em!

Alec Bradley Nica Puro Bajito

The casual observer might miss it, but an earnest glance over the cigars I've reviewed thus far might betray my obvious preference for Nicaraguan tobaccos. So, when Snappy started touting the 'Nica Puro' release, I was instantly interested.

These Bajitos were on the shelf at the shop for just a few hours before I swooped in and bought a handful. For a 4.5" x 52-ish cigar, this Bajito is a hefty little guy, feeling as heavy in the hand as someone else' toro or torpedo. Bajito must be a Spanish term for "Li'l Badass".

Alec Bradley Nica Puro Bajito.

I get a spice on the lips for the first kiss, and once lit, earthy, dark flavors of coffee, leather and bitter cocoa are booming right from the first puff. The earthy spice is fairly subdued, only obvious at the first and last parts of the smoke. This is definitely a medium to full bodied cigar, but the nicotine content doesn't give me the sweats and rumbles.

The amount of smoke coming off this stick is amazingly thick and creamy, like a smokey milkshake. This dense little firecracker takes about an hour to enjoy, from foot to nub, so the $7 price is not unreasonable.

The Bajito has all the flavors of the hallmark Nicaraguan tobaccos; earth, coffee, bitter cocoa, spice, and more earth. If you like Oliva, Padron, or Perdomo sticks, you'll find something to love in this Alec Bradley Nica Puro. But, you'd better get down to the shop and get some before I go back, because I'm not settling for just a handful.

Casa Fuente robusto

What goes on in Vegas WILL make its way out of Vegas. Whether it's a hushed trip to the doctor when you get home, or a nasty credit card bill in the mail; don't fool yourself, the truth will out.

Not all lingering repercussions are bad, though. In this instance, I carried back a handful of the really exspendy, and really excellent, Casa Fuente cigars.

Fair warning (as if you won't notice this in other blogs about Casa Fuente), even this meager 5x52 robusto will run you about $20.

Loads of other bloggers, with more refined taste than mine, will tell you all the florid nuances of this cigar. I'll just do so in a few bold strokes; Sweet grass overtone, with a savory spice body that's incredible. Think of a Fuente Hemingway wrapper on an Opus X. It's a great combo, and unfortunately exclusive to this pricey line of cigars.

If you're going to make the trip to Casa Fuente, might as well bring home a couple flammable souvenirs to remind you of the experience, right? Be it smoking at the Forum Shops location, or your own garage, this is one mighty fine smoke.

Cultiva Colombia Huila

Cultiva Colombia Huila

I love a local roaster than knows his beans from his bollocks and first crack from his ass crack. Cultiva is a fine roaster from Lincoln Nebraska, and this Colombia Huila is a sweet coffee. The Huila region of Colombia is on the southeastern slopes of the Andes mountain range, and is as rich a coffee-growing situation as any other.

Just opening the bag of medium-roast beans unleashes a delightful aroma of butterscotch and sweet fruit with an Amaretto-like note. Freshly ground, the coffee is a soft brown with blonde flecks and has an even more delightful aroma then the whole beans. Forget sniffing glue, boys; run some of these beans through your burr grinder and huff away.

Don't rush, don't burn your tongue, but it's hard to resist with the aromas coming off this coffee. Sipping brings bright, sweet flavors of coffee, fruit and wood. Not bitter at all, this is good stuff. I wouldn't waste this coffee by pairing it with anything too bold, like a heavy Nicaraguan cigar. Perhaps a Fuente Hemingway or Diplomaticos no. 4.

Illusione Cruzado Dantes

I reached into my favorites box and came up with a cigar that had an unfortunately short run. I hate when that happens. I find something, I dig the way it works, fits, smells, or tastes and then WHAM; discontinued. New Coke, the Reggie Bar, BJ and the Bear, .. the list is endless.

Cruzado Dantes

This particular Cruzado Dantes (robusto) has been chilling for 3 years, since I bought a box on closeout.Time to see if I need to smoke up the remaining stash in short order, or string them out longer.

The Cruzado issued forth from Dion Giolito after the original Illusione line. It is a softer smoke than the heavy, dark Illusione, using a Criollo wrapper and a milder blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran Corojo and Criollo tobaccos. The overall effect is a cigar that is a little milder and brighter than the flagship Illusione line.

Mmm, on the cold draw, I get a mild red pepper note of the Corojo, and look forward to finding my torch.. now where it it?  Ahh, there it is.  Wow, the first inch is great; woody flavor with a little red pepper Corojo heat, not mild at all, The Corojo heat drops off a little to leave a solid woody flavor with a little earth and leather flavors. I'm reminded of the latest Flor de las Antillas line. The last inch features a soft spice and the wood tone gets a little tart.

Still medium-bodied after 3 years, these things are aging nicely. I'm in no hurry to smoke down the half dozen I have left. Cruzado is a great smoke, shame they aren't in general circulation any more. You might ask "why write a review on a cigar that isn't available anymore." My answer is this: I like it, this is my blog, and I'll write about whatever the heck I want. If Dion ever reads this; I really liked Cruzado, and you can roll these again and I'd buy them again.

Tatuaje Reserva J21

I'm tripping out to the garage for a night of expensive blockbusters, with a Tatuaje Reserva J21 and a DVD of 'Transformers 3: dark of the Moon'. The former, an orgy of delicious Nicaraguan tobaccos and the latter, an orgy of spectacular CGI robots. I'm hopeful for lots of action on both fronts.

First kiss of the toothy wrapper, even before ignition, brings spice to my lips. Once flame commences, the explosions of peppery spice and bold, earthy wood light up my palate like a Tatuaje Miami on steroids. The spicy intro gives way to a bold melange of earthy wood, coffee, and bitter coca notes; signature Nicaraguan flavors. The spicy notes lurk in the background, and come closer to the fore near the nub.

 I think I'll just shut this horrific movie off so I can enjoy the exquisite nub in a semblance of peace. The blonde actress with the Angelina Jolie too-puffy lips is annoying, and I can't believe they scripted Nimoy's CGI robot to spew the line about the "needs of the many.."

For the occasional treat, Tatuaje Reserva is worth the extra couple bucks over the standard, brown-band Miami line. I'd buy another Reserva, but I don't know about any more dreadful Michael Bay films. Not unless he brings back Megan Fox.

Nub Maduro

Ode to a Nub Maduro

How long you waited, three years or four,

since the day I brought you home.

Now rescued from my humidor,

out to garage we both shall roam

to watch TV or XBOX game.

Wrapped in a mantle dark as loam,

short of stature, stout of frame,

cap clipped with blades of brightest chrome,

foot set ablaze with hottest flame.

Smoke rises up heralding pleasure.

Not too bold, yet never tame;

you present slightly earthy leather,

wood and mild spice I cannot name.

Medium body altogether,

a freely drawing, rotund delight.

The years, you seem to deftly weather,

holding vibrant flavors bright.

Before you've burned to ashy nether

in every sense you are just right.

T'was good I bought a whole box.

Nub Maduro

La Sirena Prince Robusto

La Sirena is the winner of the Hugh Jass Cigar Band award for Most Ridiculously Large Cigar Band. Hands down. Gurkha comes in a distant second. That's not to say that there isn't a load of gorgeous and thought-provoking details in this beautiful 3" tall strap. But, it's entirely too large, especially on this 5.25" robusto.

I won't go into cowboy belt buckles and overcompensation issues..

La Sirena is a Nicaraguan gem, rolled by Pepin Garcia for Miami Cigar. The blend of Corojo and Criollo tobaccos bound with Habano and wrapped in Connecticut broadleaf is a recipe for delight.

La Sirena Prince Robusto

The wrapper, who's cap and foot can be glimpsed around the edges of the obscenely oversized cigar band, is toothy and gnarled with some serious veins. Despite any aesthetic challenge, the wrapper reeks of earth and spice. No faint whiff of this or that, just an unmistakeable warning of powerful, spicy delight ahead.

The wrapper is no lie, as soon as I get this lit; BANG.. peppery spice and heady wood notes. Welcome to Pepin-Pepperland. Watch out for your sinuses, gang, the retrohale is a stunner.

 After the first half-inch, the spice subsides to allow earthy wood and coffee notes to take over La Sirena's song. The spice re-enters as a harmony towards the end of this medium-bodied cigar.

Tasty cigar, beautiful, if not slightly overdone, band. By the way, once I take off the super-duper large band, there's a skinny, cheesey-looking band underneath. Talk about overcompensation. The cigar needs neither extreme to be deemed a great smoke. Nice work, Miami Cigar and Pepin.

Trader Joe's Medium Roast

There are times when a medium roast coffee hits the spot, especially as a change-up to a dark-roasted coffee rut. Trader Joe's coffees come in generously-sized 14 oz cannisters, and at moderate prices.

Trader Joe's Medium Roast is arabica beans toasted to a soft brown City or City+ roast, and not oily at all. A little dryish to look at, really. Once through the burr grinder, you get some little blonde flecks here and there, and the aroma is a bright, woody smell.

After an appointment with Mr. Coffee (auto-drip), some smooth wood, just on the border of grassy, and coffee flavors abound. Just as it looks and sounds, a medium roast. A nice complement to a mild Dominican cigar with a shade-grown Connecticut wrapper, or dovetailing nicely with the floral twang of a Juan Lopez or Bolivar petit corona.

Room 101 Namakubi Tiburon

Despite the ominous sound of Room 101 (ominous to the literary-experienced, anyway), I find myself going back to their offerings time and again. This time, it's the Namakubi line.

If the grim imagery invoked by the company name isn't enough, Namakubi is a traditional Japanese gift of the severed head of an enemy samurai to the victorious warlord. Personally, considering the continual morbid references, I think Matt Booth probably needs therapy. But, at least his palate for choosing cigar blends is spot on.

Room 101 Namakubi Tiburon

The Namakubi's medium-brown Criollo wrapper is fairly smooth with moderate veins. The fillers are again a Dominican and Honduran blend by Camacho. The cigar draws like a dream and holds ash over and inch or so.

Right off the bat, I get wicked earthy wood and leather notes. After the first inch, there's a great interplay of earthy floral and coffee flavors. Near the end, the floral tones are joined with a mild spice. Throughout the cigar are medium-bodied flavors that don't take my head off.

I've smoked a handful of these, and the wrappers frequently flake and split. Might be a bad batch or the humi at the B&M isn't peak, but I don't have this problem with most other sticks from that place. I won't demand Matt Booth perform seppuku over the minor flaws of the Namakubi Tiburon.