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first, best, biggest!

Way to jump right into it drgInc !!

Looking forward to the first review.

Lots of reviews to come. I expect this thread should be quite active over the next couple weeks.

Good stuff.

No time like the present so - Onto MC 2 after a light lunch -

Toro, Darker Wrapper appears to be a Maduro Cello is dated Dec 22

Pre lite - Very visible seams and veiny wrapper with what appears to be a single cap silky texture - aroma is odd... foot smells like black licorice and dirty ass... no kidding..

No issue with the perfect cutter but snug draw. im sure it will loosen up some once lit.

First puffs, standard Maduro flavors Sweet, no pepper or zing. Just a hint of burnt rubber (not in a bad way).

First third - totally loosened up for a perfect draw compared to the snug start. Perfect burn so far, flavors are bold but approachable, nothing harsh. sweet, bit of a dark fruit like plume or maybe raisin smoke in the mouth is very soft but not wispy

Second Third - Still Perfect burn, same dark fruit def raisin but a bit of dark chocolate bitterness so its like a choc covered raisin bold flavors - would stand up well to a whisky pairing or black coffee.

Final third - same as before but picks up just a hint of pepper with no harshness just a slight zing to it. i am really enjoying this so probably smoking a bit faster then i usually do and might be heating it up a bit.

Final thoughts Total smoke time was 89 minutes - a cigar of this size usually takes me 2 hours so i was smoking fast for me. Never needed a relight or touch up - This is def a Premium Cigar in my opinion, would recommend 100%. flavors are bold but not in your face, ash comes off in solid 2 inch chunks and holds together in the Ash tray when dropped. I tend to prefer Dominican Cigars and i have smoked a lot of Fuente and Padron cigars in the last few years, i would be SHOCKED if this is not one of those 2.

I wont get to the third cigar until Thursday as i will be traveling to NYC as a Chaperone for a Bunch of High School kids going to see Back to the Future on Broadway tomorrow. sorry for the suspense but stay tuned. So far Cheno has killed it with these!

drgInc, awesome review. I wish I could get as much relevant feedback into as few words as you do. I’m getting better though. You put the nutz on the line and called it out by brand(s)…I hope you nailed it!

Also, there’s no suspense IRT Back to the future…I think we’ve all seen it. 😝 j/k

Nice job on the reviews JGRAZ. I'm bummed you got a bad Anejo, that's the first one I've ever heard of. It is a strong cigar, when I smoke them it's usually after a meal. The Rothschild MD is one of my favorites too. I bought a bunch of those Macanudos awhile back and looking forward to them not taking up space in my humidor. Hope you enjoy the others, the 858 is a lot like the Rothschild, also a favorite as well as the others.

Mystery #1 from jeebs.
Light brown large romusto.
Very strong chocolate smell and taste with a cold draw.
Not much sweet while burning a little spice and pepper.
I got kind of a Graham cracker taste.
The spice picked up some about half way through. .
Good flavor good burn almost perfect draw..
I'd say a medium strength smoke.
About an hour and a half burn time..
I actually rubbed this one.
My guess is this was the premium.

All three had a very similar smell cold. Construction was good on all three.

I'm not very good at this. Lol
So how'd I do jeebs?

Mystery cigar #2 from DrgInc. Identical to #1. Same mottled Medium-dark brown wrapper. Cold draw is raisins and a little more open than #1.

First light slightly dry but not astringent. Retro is smooth without any bite. Flavors are muted but pleasant. Nutty, bready. This tastes like it came out of some crispy yellow cello. Not a direct flavor, but a combination of lingering tastes and the room note it reminds me of a pleasant pipe tobacco in the room. Nice sweet ice cream finish.

Not far in, it is burning a little crooked, probably my fault not rotating the cigar well see if it self corrects. Flavors are solid dessert notes. Pecan pie, vanilla ice cream, and the slightest black pepper tickles my sinuses on retro. This is a well aged cigar for sure. Burn got a slight touchup before the first ash drop.

Pepper comes and goes, continues with very pleasant rich dessert flavors. I want to say this is a well aged Padron but it had a double cap and there's no box press. Maybe well aged Jaime Garcia, it's been a very very long time since I've had one but my mind keeps going there too, especially when some pepper comes through. Was chatting in a cigar group on discord and a buddy also suggested JGRE being similar to Padron with age so I'm on to something.

Beyond halfway probably final third i spose, it's still carrying the dessert sweetness but some earthy tones are coming up. Profile reminds me of a thunderstorm. The age on this has muddied the distinction between flavors and it's just an experience. Maybe I'm wrong and DrgInc is gonna say this is the yard gar some $3 Rocky Patel he bought last week and I'm going on and on about the aged tobacco and I don't know chit. This is what makes these so fun.

I really, really enjoyed this one. I'm reserving the right to edit the positions of the cigars once all three are smoked though. I do think this is a cigar with a lot of age, which with the right cigar can bring a yard gar to a mid tier. I'm at an hour and 20 minutes and still enjoying it. I gave #1 mid tier My Father but im going back to drop that to yard gar. Im not sold on yard gar given the long burn time and flavor transitions in that one but i didnt like it very much. That isnt a qualification for placement but I did have to do a couple touchups. But there also was a small crack. So im torn. I'm going to reorder them #2 is midrange and fuggit my brain is saying Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial. Tomorrow I'll do #3 and give my final guesses.

Tl:dr very pleasant well-aged characters and an overall dessert flavor profile making me think of pecan pie and vanilla ice cream. I really really liked this one. #2 midrange aged Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial

Mystery Cigar A from DeadEyeDick

Big ole box pressed, chocolate brown double capped cigar. 5.5 inches long. Hard to tell the ring gauge but maybe 54ish very smooth wrapper seems well made. Smelling before light kind of barn smell, good barn smell. cold draw, not sure but not bad. light, straight cut tastes like a cigar. Not knocking my socks off but descent. I'm having trouble identifying flavors but kind of a cbid special, maybe Oliva. Burn got a little funky an inch or so in but straightened itself out. Tasting better. Switching from coffee to water to try to identify flavors. Burn a little wavy but no touchups. Halfway I'm getting sweet smooth cashew with a little pepper on the retrohale. Burning perfectly straight and good smoke output. Solid ash all the way through, no voids. Final third still going strong. Nutty pepper. Closed my eyes and thought maybe hint of apple. More water. Eyes closed I thought fig and banana still kind of nutty. I feel like I'm talking out of my ass now. Smooth to the end. Overall, a good cigar. I'd smoke another but not sure I would buy a box. Maybe yard gar but we'll see after the other two. The next two look delicious.

Also, I opened one of my last 7 bottles of my favorite wine to pair with it, the Vineyard has been closed for 6 years. That’s the Dan trust level.

Tele - That was some good reviewing and placement on the cigars. You seemed to enjoy the RyJ less than the LPH, but ranked (tier wise) the RyJ higher. Interesting. Did you make assumptions as to the placement of each cigar based on physical characteristics before you started?

It's like the greatest cigar review ever.

Reminded me of my nemesis Macho man Randy savage

After further thought today I think I may have judged Mystery Cigar A too harsh. The wrapper was perfect looking and it was a nice roll. I think maybe it was because it was a fat box pressed cigar. I kind of like 50rg and under, maybe 52, and anything but box pressed. I don't know why as box pressed are very convenient in not rolling away but I'm just not a fan. Cigar B is a dark 5 inch by about 48rg belicoso beauty, I think B is going to be a good one.

I've found that a lot of the time I like the cheap stuff better.
I made my guess based on taste and build. Not how much I liked. I think I liked the yard gar the best.
One of my all time favorites is the illusione Rothschilds Maduro. I can get them for about $3.75.

DrgInc

#1 yard gar My Father
#2 midrange Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial
#3 premium Dominican

Final answers.

The identical appearance is very confusing. Especially with the much different experiences between the 3. I thought maybe it was shenanigans and you sent a 1 year, 5 year, 10 year of the same cigar. The wrapper seams on #3 are what put it in the top spot. I enjoyed #2 the most. #1 the least.

Bring on the reveal.

Sounds pretty tasty for a yard ‘gar. Nice work on this review PW!

😂😂😂

Jake whuppin on Randy

That’s how you put your nutz up. Bold and confident, no wishy washy BS

Back from NYC and ready for round 3!

MC 3 - Box Pressed Toro, Maduro looking wrapper but the color is a bit off. Soft buttery wrapper with no tooth at all, tight seams i believe its a double cap but its hard to tell and could be a single.

slight leathery smell and a hint of barnyard on the foot with a bit of cocoa.

my first impression was CAO Brazilia but that is probably just a visual Triger as the wrapper is lighter then the CAO usually is.

Perfect Cutter had no issues, very easy/light draw right away

First impressions after light, A little astringent, nothing jumps out. just tobacco and Meh

First third, not a perfect burn but nothing that needs a touch up. Ash comes out in 1/2 inch chunks - still astringent with some barnyard, Creamy nuttiness - revising to say i don't think this is actually a Maduro after all. its something else that has a similar color to the wrapper.

Second Third, More of the same, less astringent, little more sweet cream and maybe a bit of shortbread cookie - Barnyard is all gone. still burning great and no touch ups needed construction is great.


Final Third disclaimer - the other reviews and this one until now have all been done with just water to drink but i NEEDED coffee after a late night so that may mess with me a bit. that being said - the sweet lessened and the creamy cookie remains with a hint of woodiness (not cedar though) and the barnyard is back, a little zing on the retro but not noticed otherwise.


It is a pleasant smoke with not ton of complex flavors or transitions but not bad, Total smoke time was 70 minutes. i could have gone another 10 or 15 but just wasn't feeling it - its not my usual preference for sure and i am certain it is not a Dominican Cigar, and it is NOT the CAO Brazillia as originally mentioned. no idea what it actually is though...


My thoughts on the 3 and the reveal as Cheno included an envelope which has the deets.


#2 is the premium - no doubt... Sticking to my thoughts that it is a Dominican, and it is a Fuente or Padron based on visual and flavor profile.

#1 and Number #3 could go either way for me,

#1 i thought was in line with an Undergrown shade as the mid tier but they don't make a closed foot and the size is off. i think this is a boutique brand that is probably new to me as i have no real guess and it could be the yardgar but i will stick to Mid

#3 is the Yardgar that punches up - Not a Dominican, but - that about all i got here. i would smoke it again if gifted but would not seek it out.



Now the reveal with a little help from the net

#1 Rojas Street Taco Carnitas feature a flawless Ecuador grown Connecticut wrapper over Nicaragua binder and fillers.The result is a smooth cigar with notes of cedar, buttered toast and a subtle white pepper. It's a mild-medium cigar. i have had 1 Roja before and remember liking it - i actually have 2 sitting in my Humi from a recent tag on here and now really looking forward to trying them as well.

#2 Arturo Fuente Opus X Destino - made at Tabacalera Fuente with notes of sweetness, vanilla and spice. This all-Dominican puro sports a delicious dark chocolatey maduro wrapper that has been specially fermented and aged.

#3 Cheno will need to help a bit as i dont know if this is the Maduro, San Andreas or the Corojo from the label but my belief is the SA based on my tasting notes- made from top quality Cuban-seed Nicaraguan tobaccos which is then draped by an oily San Andreas wrapper. It is a rich, medium to full-bodied cigar with flavors reminiscent of graham cracker, nuts, earth, and creaminess.


price point of the cigars on 1-3 could go either way so need cheno to specify which he feels is the yard gar here. I would put 3 as the Yardgar in my opinion and based on my preferences. 1 could fit that based on the size/cost but it was the better cigar to me.

Thanks Cheno! this was a blast!

drgInc, you nailed that Fuente like Babe Ruth! Very good job, you have a sensitive palette. Did #3 have a brand identification? Well done, sir!
EDIT: I mean the name of third cigar sent to Dan. Was it Buffalo Trace? I’m not familiar w/that one.

Interesting danm I also wasn’t super impressed with the h99 I guessed it was a run of the mill Roma craft

BLIND REVIEW CIGAR 1 FROM LEEBOT
Robusto about 5 x 48 or 50. Nice looking parejo, the double cap (I think) is not perfect, seems are visible but no problem, small veins well distributed, 1” from foot squishy soft spot. Surprisingly floral and nutty on nose / preflight draw. Lemon, spice, pepper, floral on kickoff. Sweet lemony retro. The soft spot presenting a burn issue, maybe it will self correct. Nice sweet buttery type smoke. Smooth, mellow, easy draw, copious smoke. Could be cinnamon in first to second transition. Long finish and mouth coating oils. Burn line is self correcting. Lemon and floral is gone, mildly woody flavor shows. Body picking up at transition to second third, more pepper with cinnamon sweetness hanging in there. I’m getting sweet smoked meat occasionally on retro. I’m enjoying this experience very much. Transition to last third burn line is getting slanted and smoke production suffering. Floral sweetness, cinnamon still here, pepper occasionally, picking back up on nutty creaminess. Had to touch up burn line, cigar is getting hot and mushy though I’ve slowed down on draws. Still tastes great. Installing my patented Tele-nubber.

Truly wonderful mellow smoke, probably got a year or more laying down if I know Lee. The color and flavor has my noob azz convinced that this was a Cammie. The best I can do is to say it wasn’t a LPH or RP or Hemingway which are the only Camaroons I have smoked. I’ll have to reserve which category it is until I smoke the others. But I will commit to Camaroon and that I enjoyed it very much. Thank you, Leebo.

Construction on that one sucked for one. It was just shy of plugged for starters, it struggled to stay lit throughout. Usually LP will happily smoke themselves. Then the flavors were cheap habano to start and progressed to a pepper blend similar to My Father's. Very little smoke production, especially for a LP usually those are clouds of blue smoke.

I've been tempted to pick some of those H99s up to try, glad I didn't spend my money on it.

No2 I liked the most but I was fairly certain it was JGRE. As that's a cigar I'm fairly familiar with though it's been a very long time. Last one I had was from ZRX in a beer trade.

No3 other than the tight draw, had no indication of yard gar. The wrapper was the nicest of the three. The flavor transitions kept me interested till the end. I would've put this in midrange and 2 at the top if I wasn't so sure of what no2 was(not).

Thank you DrgInc. This is why I love this chit. Wrong on all counts!

BLIND REVIEW CIGAR 2 FROM LEEBOT APRIL ‘24
This one also smells sweet and floral but noticeable cocoa on the foot, and somewhat nutty…Cashew?? I’m reaching. Beautiful toro 6” or maybe 6+ x 52(ish). Pigtail cap expertly attached, flawless invisible seems, tiny veins delicate and well distributed. Cigar feels light in weight but solid, light brown w/very little, but noticeable mottling. Wait…closed foot too. Never had one of these. (Good Ol’ Lee). Twist and pull, nothing on cold draw but the mouth tobacco is savory and sweet. Kickoff retro is like a curb stomp the smoke flavor is good enough to eat, savory w/a twang and sweet. The wrapper ain’t giving it this full bodied kick, I suspect there is dark tobacco inside there. Retro is pleasant after a couple draws. Having difficulty keeping it lit in this first inch. Easy draw, not too loose. If I keep this up I’ll hyperventilate. Burn line has exceeded 45 degrees, touch up. I’ve got a piece of charcoal I could write my name on the cement. It makes a clanging noise on my stinky stackable ashtray. Finally knocked it off and the burn line is offset at about an inch already. All the flavor and body are completely gone here in second third. Touch up #3 but at least it’s staying lit w/o constant puffing. Ash like Elmer Fudd’s busted shotgun. More charcoal. The juice on the cap end is removing layers of skin from my lips. Tunneling deep and wide where cherry should be. 1/2 way into final third it is under control, installing patented Tele-nubber. Faint honey sweet and mildly spicy. A pleasant savory note.
Just a guess at Corojo wrapper because it’s not too dark and is brownish-red. I suspect some dark tobacco inside so I’ll guess MSA because that seems to be popular. The flavors at kickoff were magnificent. I suspect this could be the premium and just needed to rest awhile longer, but I’m reserving judgement on category until I smoke mystery #3. I’ve definitely never smoked this before.

EDIT: when I stood up it suddenly occurred to me that this cigar might have a little oomph behind it.

I’m reserving final judgment on which category it falls into. It’d be just my luck to waste a nice premium.

On to my first in the series of three from the Jakester. Animals are the theme. We have a dog, a horse and a bull.

We'll begin with man's best friend. Big Grey the dog. Jake has chosen Grey over Gray and has instructed me to "deal with it". I like the spelling with the 'e' better anyway. Jake says it's a British dog. I don't think the cigar is British.

Good looking 5.25 x 50-52 medium or slightly darker brown

Looks like a triple cap, Multiple small veins. Not rough and only slight if any tooth. Has a mild sheen and any wrapper seams are tight and well done. Seems solid and firm with the exception of two softer spots opposite each other about 1/2" in from the foot.

Head to foot aroma of mild baking spice and cocoa with a light barnyard. Straight cut reveals simple tobacco flavor on the cold draw and a slight pepper as my tongue and lips meet the wrapper.

Lighting the cigar I am greeted with mild black pepper with some light chocolate. Early retro holds a mild pepper tinge that fades quickly. The first 6 to ten puffs and a hint of espresso forms with a basic tobacco flavor trying to make it's way through. Another couple puffs and the tobacco takes the front and pretty much bullies any other flavors out of the way.

Five minutes in and I see the affects of the soft spots just beyond the foot and the burn is a bit erratic. I'm going to try and power through and hope the burn self corrects. The wrapper ash is white and the inner tobacco ash is a dull grey with a little splayed bloom from the soft spots. Ample, but not copious smoke output.

Started and continues a strong medium on all counts and the nicotine doesn't wait for an invitation. 15 minutes and 1-1/2" in and I'm reaching for some other flavor. Maybe a little salt and mineral. The tobacco has a dry attribute and only a subtle sweetness.

The burn is not self correcting and has about a 1/2"-3/4" one sided irregularity which I end up evening out with my pocket knife. I hate touch-ups if avoidable. The added flame can damage flavors IMO and my lighter is out of butane. Finally about the 1/2 point the burn has manged a reasonable symmetry. Medium + still holds

But that's all this cigar is going to give in the flavor department. Pretty much straight up tobacco flavor for the last half. Maybe a little astringent, but that may have been me chuffing a little too much trying to get the cherry to even out the burn.

I'm too much of a noob to confidently call out a cigar, but I suspect there was at least some ligero filler in this one. It smoked with a strong nicotine component. I'll stick my neck out and say maybe a private label or club cigar.

Unlikely Big Grey is the premium, but I'll reserve yard and mid level until the others come to play.