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2018 Spring mystery cigar reviews with a twist
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Just Relax Offline
#51 Posted: Tue, Mar 13 2018, 7:11 AM EST
Joined: 09-26-2016
Posts: 587
stinger88 wrote:
Just Relax's landed today. Very nice indeed. Bottle of homemade wine, salsa, and peach butter. Along with the three mysteries were 4 other fine cigars.

Ypetryna, yours goes out tomorrow.


David



Glad to hear it all made it safely.
stinger88 Offline
#52 Posted: Tue, Mar 13 2018, 1:51 PM EST
Joined: 05-29-2012
Posts: 6,574
Ypetryna,
Package went out today. When looking up your address, I realized that I sent to you last year for this. Hope you like the cigars. Pretty sure that they are all different than the ones I sent last year.

David
abjd14 Offline
#53 Posted: Tue, Mar 13 2018, 5:03 PM EST
Joined: 08-08-2012
Posts: 396
Package went out to tampa today. Didn't have a thing local but had something local from tampa. Maybe that still counts.
ypetryna Offline
#54 Posted: Wed, Mar 14 2018, 9:39 AM EST
Joined: 07-19-2012
Posts: 1,323
stinger88 wrote:
Ypetryna,
Package went out today. When looking up your address, I realized that I sent to you last year for this. Hope you like the cigars. Pretty sure that they are all different than the ones I sent last year.

David



looking forward to it brother. you sent some excellent smokes last year so im sure i'll enjoy. thank you

DK
Phil222 Offline
#55 Posted: Wed, Mar 14 2018, 6:57 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
Received my package from NWStogie today. Johnson’s Teriyaki Sausage Stix, Deadman’s Reach Coffee (smells amazing), and my five cigars. The two banded are a Davidoff Madison Avenue Exclusive?? And a River Oaks Royal. WOW. I’m really excited to try these.

This was a top-notch box, Matt. Thank you very much. I’m looking forward to doing these mystery reviews!!
NWStogie Offline
#56 Posted: Wed, Mar 14 2018, 7:00 PM EST
Joined: 07-25-2016
Posts: 736
Rock on, Brother. I picked up the Davidoff in the Madison Ave Davidoff shop last summer. Let me know what you think of it.
Phil222 Offline
#57 Posted: Wed, Mar 14 2018, 7:10 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
NWStogie wrote:
Rock on, Brother. I picked up the Davidoff in the Madison Ave Davidoff shop last summer. Let me know what you think of it.


You got it. ThumpUp
stinger88 Offline
#58 Posted: Wed, Mar 14 2018, 10:41 PM EST
Joined: 05-29-2012
Posts: 6,574
Just Relax...number 1 is in the bank. I will post up the review tomorrow.
RMAN4443 Offline
#59 Posted: Thu, Mar 15 2018, 2:09 PM EST
Joined: 09-29-2016
Posts: 7,683
Yaro, package arrived today.......some nice looking trout flies and floating "fly" worms........they look great, did you tie those yourself?
Nice work! You must have some abundance of patience.
Also some nice looking smokes......looking forward to that Johhny O.....damn that's one long cigar.....
Also the RASS, I've only smoked a couple of Cubans, but never one of them
I'll dig in and smoke one or two of the mystery cigars this weekend and post up the reviews.......Thanks for the oppurtunity
Phil222 Offline
#60 Posted: Thu, Mar 15 2018, 6:57 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
Mystery Cigar #3

Prelight: 5x52ish Robusto; beautiful light tan wrapper with a few veins and almost invisible seams. It feels very soft and smooth to the touch. It reminds me of a nice habano wrapper. It has a very nice pack with some decent weight to it.

First Third: After initial light up the wrapper cracked at the foot and up the side about a half-inch. It looks like it’s gonna affect the burn...maybe should have waited a few more days before reviewing. Right off the bat it has some Cubanesque qualities, but without the twang. Predominant flavors are leather, wood, nuts, and an aged tobacco taste. Creamy smoke. Some of the more subtle flavors that I get on occasion are cinnamon, mild pepper spice, hay, and cognac...oh my! Strength feels like it is leaning more towards medium at the moment. A slight oil-slick now on the tongue and back of the throat.

This thing has a perfect draw and sends billows of smoke throughout the room. The retrohale is smooth to the nose and gives off a slight wood and leather finish. Burn line is definitely off a bit from the crack, but it looks like it’s gonna correct itself...what a cigar! I close my eyes and slowly inhale the waft from the room through my nostrils in an almost meditative state...not bad. I would say that the aroma coming off this cigar is similar to the taste profile. Second retrohale reveals a slight cocoa finish...where did that come from? Burn line is perfect now. This is one of those cigars that you can sit down in the ashtray and come back to 5 minutes later and it will still draw perfectly. I retrohale again and it's not cocoa that I was tasting, but something else...can’t place it.

Second Third: The flavors are still the same as the first third with the addition of a slight hint of maple syrup on the finish of a couple pulls. There is something very subtle going on in the background that I can’t quite identify yet...maybe raisons? Still can’t identify the flavor that I’m getting from the retrohale either...man, I suck at this.

Final Third: Burn line is still perfect. I would say the strength is around medium-full now. The major flavors have not changed much throughout this entire smoke. Still predominantly leather, wood, nuts, and aged tobacco taste. The more subtle flavors have shifted to cocoa. Nothing else really changes down to the nub. Total smoke time was an hour and twenty minutes.

Draw - 2
Smoke Output - 2
Burn - 2
Construction - 2 (not taking off for the initial crack)
Taste - 1.5 (It needed something more to offset the leather and wood notes)
Total 9.5 out of 10

I really enjoyed this cigar and think it’s most likely the “10+” smoke. Blind guess would be a high-end Fuente. I really hope it’s the yard-gar though...hahaha!
stinger88 Offline
#61 Posted: Thu, Mar 15 2018, 8:48 PM EST
Joined: 05-29-2012
Posts: 6,574
Mystery Cigar #1 from Just Relax

Pre-light= Rich, dark brown, box press corona(maybe). The exterior of the cigar had the nice grainy feel to it. Smells like....an unlit cigar. Nothing crazy smell wise. Taste prelight had no pepper. Used the V-cut and noticed the filler was a good shade or two lighter than the dark brown wrapper. Even with a single V-cut there was a very airy, easy draw.

1st Third= The easy draw created a serious amount of smoke from the cigar.....which I like! Immediately it seemed like the cigar was going to be a kick in the @$$ strengthwise. I am not a big retrohale kinda guy but I wanted to really get to the heart of this cigar. Retrohale did not produce a very good result. I did not like the flavor during the retro. I tried again about 10 minutes later...still the same. During the first 30 minutes, I was able to have some fun with the huge amount of smoke this thing produced. I was able to produce some decent smoke rings that even a vape specialist would be proud of. Cigar had a medium gray ash that I had to tap off when it approached an inch (I thought it was about to drop on my lap). I wish I could annotate some cool flavors or texture that I got out of the cigar but I was pretty hard pressed to get anything out of it. It was pretty one note for me.

2nd Third= I kept waiting for the bouquet of flavors to start up but they just didn't for me. Tar started to build up and I had to "work the tip" to keep up the airy flow from the beginning.

3rd Third= I had a little trouble keeping it lit when it was down to about 2 inches. Plus I was starting to give up on it. It had been close to 2 hours of smoking by this point.

My wrap-up....it was an OK cigar. Which surprised me. The construction and the feel of the cigar gave me some pretty high hopes that this one was going to really knock my socks off. It didn't knock my socks off but it did supply me with a pretty decent cigar for almost 2 hours.

I am going to guess this is the Medium one just because of the very good construction.

Thanks for a good first round Dave.

David
NWStogie Offline
#62 Posted: Fri, Mar 16 2018, 12:13 AM EST
Joined: 07-25-2016
Posts: 736
Cool reviews!
Ewok126 Offline
#63 Posted: Fri, Mar 16 2018, 7:01 AM EST
Joined: 06-25-2017
Posts: 4,356
Very Cool Indeed. My pallet is nowhere near this educated.
Phil222 Offline
#64 Posted: Fri, Mar 16 2018, 8:42 AM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
This was my first review and I might have gotten a little carried away...ha! I got rid of any distractions and just focused on the cigar. If I tasted something even once, I wrote it down. At the end of an hour and twenty, I had a whole mess of notes.

It really is a different experience going in blind. I also tried to put a pretty dress on it because I wanted to have some fun with this... Cool
ypetryna Offline
#65 Posted: Fri, Mar 16 2018, 12:41 PM EST
Joined: 07-19-2012
Posts: 1,323
RMAN4443 wrote:
Yaro, package arrived today.......some nice looking trout flies and floating "fly" worms........they look great, did you tie those yourself?
Nice work! You must have some abundance of patience.
Also some nice looking smokes......looking forward to that Johhny O.....damn that's one long cigar.....
Also the RASS, I've only smoked a couple of Cubans, but never one of them
I'll dig in and smoke one or two of the mystery cigars this weekend and post up the reviews.......Thanks for the oppurtunity



enjoy man. hopefully i guess the proper kind of trout fishing, but ive had hits from all kinds of fish on those worms. while the peach and red dont last long, they give better action. good luck and enjoy the smokes. i try to be patient, lol

yeah, dry box the johhny o before you smoke for atleast 24 hours in my experience.
Just Relax Offline
#66 Posted: Fri, Mar 16 2018, 7:37 PM EST
Joined: 09-26-2016
Posts: 587
Stinger good review. Wish the flavor profile would have been a better fit. I enjoy that cigar at the casino as it tends to keep people away with all the smoke and last quite a while with not much maintenance.
stinger88 Offline
#67 Posted: Fri, Mar 16 2018, 7:55 PM EST
Joined: 05-29-2012
Posts: 6,574
Just Relax wrote:
Stinger good review. Wish the flavor profile would have been a better fit. I enjoy that cigar at the casino as it tends to keep people away with all the smoke and last quite a while with not much maintenance.



It was a good start to the reviewing. If the weather permits, I might be able to get in another one tomorrow.

As for smoking at a casino...I am all for it. Only problem is that I am an overly conscious smoker. I usually play craps and if you get a full table it tends to make me nervous that I am pouring smoke into another person. (However, if smoking a cigar is allowed, you better believe I take them up on it)

David
chazbo Offline
#68 Posted: Sun, Mar 18 2018, 8:21 PM EST
Joined: 01-21-2007
Posts: 8,160
Ok those who haven’t sent please try to ship this week👍 Cut off was on 12 March😎
Thanks
Looking forward to more reviews Herfing
danmdevries Offline
#69 Posted: Sun, Mar 18 2018, 10:27 PM EST
Joined: 02-11-2014
Posts: 17,358
9405803699300608480945
RMAN4443 Offline
#70 Posted: Mon, Mar 19 2018, 1:55 AM EST
Joined: 09-29-2016
Posts: 7,683
Unbanded cigar #1 from Yaro: paired with a Sam Adams Kellerbier

5.0x48 Robusto, Connecticut wrapper, Somewhat veiny with one large vein running the length of the cigar, and visible seams.

Double cap??hard to tell ....very firm.....I used a punch cut, my preferred method.......PLA-Barnyard and Raisins......PLD-very easy and open
Pre Light Flavors-Sweet tobacco and mild citrus........Toasted foot and cigar lit easily....Flavors at light up-mild tobacco and wood

1/3
wood and grassy flavors, wood fades to a yeasty flavor, but not really bready , retrohale has hints of cedar, burn line is uneven, ash is gray and flaky, ash falls at 1 inch

2/3
needs touchup, large vein is causing canoeing......mild cedar .....cigar is tunneling.....large crack in wrapper right over large vein mentioned earlier

3/3
cedar, so far cigar is pretty one-dimensional......cigar is self destructing....giving up with about an inch and a half or so left

Cigar wasn't terrible, but construction issues cause me to believe this was the yard gar.....flavors were ok and lasted about an hour and a half when I finally gave up on it.....
I probably won't get to smoke #2 until next weekend due to my work schedule, but looking forward to it
frankj1 Offline
#71 Posted: Mon, Mar 19 2018, 1:40 PM EST
Joined: 02-08-2007
Posts: 44,221
RMAN4443 wrote:
Unbanded cigar #1 from Yaro: paired with a Sam Adams Kellerbier

5.0x48 Robusto, Connecticut wrapper, Somewhat veiny with one large vein running the length of the cigar, and visible seams.

Double cap??hard to tell ....very firm.....I used a punch cut, my preferred method.......PLA-Barnyard and Raisins......PLD-very easy and open
Pre Light Flavors-Sweet tobacco and mild citrus........Toasted foot and cigar lit easily....Flavors at light up-mild tobacco and wood

1/3
wood and grassy flavors, wood fades to a yeasty flavor, but not really bready , retrohale has hints of cedar, burn line is uneven, ash is gray and flaky, ash falls at 1 inch

2/3
needs touchup, large vein is causing canoeing......mild cedar .....cigar is tunneling.....large crack in wrapper right over large vein mentioned earlier

3/3
cedar, so far cigar is pretty one-dimensional......cigar is self destructing....giving up with about an inch and a half or so left

Cigar wasn't terrible, but construction issues cause me to believe this was the yard gar.....flavors were ok and lasted about an hour and a half when I finally gave up on it.....
I probably won't get to smoke #2 until next weekend due to my work schedule, but looking forward to it

not joking, I looove that barnyard and raisin aroma. surprised how it went after that.
Phil222 Offline
#72 Posted: Mon, Mar 19 2018, 3:18 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
Mystery Cigar #2

Prelight: 5x50ish torpedo; dark brown wrapper; slightly toothy with some prominent veins; lightweight cigar with a semi-spongey pack.

First Third: Predominant flavors are pepper and spice with the more subtle flavors that I get being sweet tobacco, cinnamon, and wood. There is an oil slick on the tongue and lips with a very long pepper finish. First retrohale gives off a slight sting with a hint of sweet tobacco on the finish. Draw is very loose but doesn’t produce a ton of smoke...how is this possible? Burn line is good and I would say the strength is about medium. This thing has gotten noticeably sweeter and creamier heading into the second third. The ash comes off in one big chunk in the ashtray.

Second Third: The pepper and spice are back to being the predominant flavors. The sting that I got from the initial retrohale has mellowed a bit and it gives off a slight pepper and woody finish. Burn line is still decent. The more subtle flavors at this point are sweet tobacco and wood. This thing is extremely oily and peppery on the tongue and the back of the throat...WOW! Need agua! We are in medium-full strength territory now.

Final Third: The burn line is starting to get a little crazy at this point and needed a touch-up. This cigar has gotten a little warm for my tastes and the flavors are now bitter. I feel like we have probably seen the best this cigar has to offer. I’m gonna end this early in the final third. The total smoke time was 1 hour.

Draw - 1.5
Smoke Output - 1.5
Burn - 1.5
Construction - 1.5
Taste - 1
Total 7 out of 10

Overall, I thought this was a decent smoke. The flavors in this cigar started off very good and kind of went downhill from there. Combine that with some of the construction and performance issues I had, and it leads me to believe that this was the low-end smoke. Blind guess would be an obscure AJF blend.
NWStogie Offline
#73 Posted: Mon, Mar 19 2018, 4:20 PM EST
Joined: 07-25-2016
Posts: 736
Heh... This is good.
Phil222 Offline
#74 Posted: Mon, Mar 19 2018, 5:28 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
NWStogie wrote:
Heh... This is good.


This does not have me feeling very confident in my analysis...lol
tamapatom Offline
#75 Posted: Mon, Mar 19 2018, 5:31 PM EST
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
abjd14 wrote:
Package went out to tampa today. Didn't have a thing local but had something local from tampa. Maybe that still counts.


Just got your package today...........BTW mine went out and should hit you on Thursday.

Package includes:

3 mystery cigars..................can't wait

as for the two cigars that you can't get on cbid.....you're not kidding

Partagas Anejados
Sancho Panza

I am not worthy. Definitely a classy offering.

Lets not forget the nice little mini sampler of Glenfiditch cask collection!

And for the local(?) gift........... 2 tabanero cigars.....they run a nice shop. Duh I should have thrown back to you a couple of other local cigars but wasn't thinking. My local offering is a perishable staple of the area that is almost impossible to get outside the area and not easily mailed - hope it survives.
NWStogie Offline
#76 Posted: Mon, Mar 19 2018, 5:31 PM EST
Joined: 07-25-2016
Posts: 736
Phil222 wrote:
This does not have me feeling very confident in my analysis...lol


Actually, I think it is bang-on accurate. Don’t second guess yourself. And besides, it is your palate, your cigar and your time. The only person you need to be in agreement with is yourself.

Looking by forward to your last review!
Phil222 Offline
#77 Posted: Mon, Mar 19 2018, 5:40 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
Very good advice there...probably sit down and do my last one this weekend. Cool
stinger88 Offline
#78 Posted: Mon, Mar 19 2018, 7:33 PM EST
Joined: 05-29-2012
Posts: 6,574
Ypetryna....hopefully you received yours last week. If not, let me know.

David
ypetryna Offline
#79 Posted: Mon, Mar 19 2018, 9:33 PM EST
Joined: 07-19-2012
Posts: 1,323
David, it came in on Friday I believe. I have had a stomach since Friday and h avent looked at much beside water and to. have had some Chitty luck this march. wasted a great smoking day Sunday while being down and out. things are starting to look up so hopefully i will be able to put a spark to one soon. the size of the box thou, gotta admit it does have me worried to say the least

rmann sad to hear I sent a dud. if you want a revisit post review, I got you.
NWStogie Offline
#80 Posted: Mon, Mar 19 2018, 10:38 PM EST
Joined: 07-25-2016
Posts: 736
Cigar #2 from Chazbo

Appearance: 4x50 Triple cap. Natural. Smooth wrapper with slight oily sheen. Firmly packed.

Pre-light: Smells like sweet hay. I decide on a punch, with some doubts that I will get enough draw. Punch comes out without removing the punched cap. I pick it off and find the draw to be absolutely perfect. I have high hopes for this little friend. Cold draw gives me a peppery tingle on my lips with more sweet hay flavor.

1/3: Lighting it up, I get a burst of pepper. The sweetness is almost dwarfed by the spice. It tastes a little like smoky red-hots. There is a creamy undertone. Peppery, eye watering retrohale. I taste something tangy, like citrus. It has a razor-sharp burn. Uniform, grey ash with thick, rich smoke. Creamy peppery goodness.

2/3: The flavor evolves into caramel with spicy undertones. The delicate, aromatic wrapper cracked. Ash holding strong at 1.5 inches, then lets go with a gentle touch in my ash tray at 2 inches. Creamy, spicy, I’m loving this cigar.

3/3: More creamy caramel. Smoking through the cracked wrapper, the burn stays even. Wonderful, rich aroma. Thick, luxurious smoke. Lots of spice in the retrohale. Strength builds as I smoke this down to the nub. Small nicotine kick.

GREAT CIGAR! Very Cubanesque. I think this is the high-end one. I hope I’m wrong as I’d love to pick up a box without having to sell a kidney to get it.
Phil222 Offline
#81 Posted: Mon, Mar 19 2018, 11:13 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
Mmmmm...creamy caramel. Great review.
RMAN4443 Offline
#82 Posted: Tue, Mar 20 2018, 3:32 AM EST
Joined: 09-29-2016
Posts: 7,683
frankj1 wrote:
not joking, I looove that barnyard and raisin aroma. surprised how it went after that.

Yeah, I like the barnyard and raisin myself......I was hoping that vein, actually more of a stem, wasn't going to be a problem, but......


ypetryna wrote:


rmann sad to hear I sent a dud. if you want a revisit post review, I got you.


Not to worry Yaro, it's all part of the review process.......Like Forrest Gump said, "Life is like a box of chocolates, you never know what your gonna get" Beer
Hank_The_Tank Offline
#83 Posted: Tue, Mar 20 2018, 9:08 AM EST
Joined: 11-15-2016
Posts: 3,677
NWStogie wrote:
Cigar #2 from Chazbo

Appearance: 4x50 Triple cap. Natural. Smooth wrapper with slight oily sheen. Firmly packed.

Pre-light: Smells like sweet hay. I decide on a punch, with some doubts that I will get enough draw. Punch comes out without removing the punched cap. I pick it off and find the draw to be absolutely perfect. I have high hopes for this little friend. Cold draw gives me a peppery tingle on my lips with more sweet hay flavor.

1/3: Lighting it up, I get a burst of pepper. The sweetness is almost dwarfed by the spice. It tastes a little like smoky red-hots. There is a creamy undertone. Peppery, eye watering retrohale. I taste something tangy, like citrus. It has a razor-sharp burn. Uniform, grey ash with thick, rich smoke. Creamy peppery goodness.

2/3: The flavor evolves into caramel with spicy undertones. The delicate, aromatic wrapper cracked. Ash holding strong at 1.5 inches, then lets go with a gentle touch in my ash tray at 2 inches. Creamy, spicy, I’m loving this cigar.

3/3: More creamy caramel. Smoking through the cracked wrapper, the burn stays even. Wonderful, rich aroma. Thick, luxurious smoke. Lots of spice in the retrohale. Strength builds as I smoke this down to the nub. Small nicotine kick.

GREAT CIGAR! Very Cubanesque. I think this is the high-end one. I hope I’m wrong as I’d love to pick up a box without having to sell a kidney to get it.


Sounds like you made love to this cigar. Taste like dingleberries too?
Phil222 Offline
#84 Posted: Tue, Mar 20 2018, 11:38 AM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
Hank_The_Tank wrote:
The thicker, the darker, the better. MMM....love a big black stick. bahahahaha

While we're on the subject of making love to cigars...RollEyes
RMAN4443 Offline
#85 Posted: Tue, Mar 20 2018, 12:47 PM EST
Joined: 09-29-2016
Posts: 7,683
Hank_The_Tank wrote:
Sounds like you made love to this cigar. Taste like dingleberries too?


Probably doesn't have dingleberries.....you didn't send it, and nobody rubbed their sack on it Anxious
NWStogie Offline
#86 Posted: Tue, Mar 20 2018, 5:08 PM EST
Joined: 07-25-2016
Posts: 736
Holy moly! Only in the mind of the Hankster would the taste of dingleberries enter into thoughts of lovemaking. I think someone learned him a tad funny when it comes to this subject.

The cigar certainly was enjoyed. It was a sensual, delightful, experience without the band to give preconceptions or expectations.

I hope I get to repeat it.
NWStogie Offline
#87 Posted: Tue, Mar 20 2018, 8:56 PM EST
Joined: 07-25-2016
Posts: 736
#84: I was thinking the same thing. To each his own, I guess.
shaun341 Offline
#88 Posted: Wed, Mar 21 2018, 8:40 AM EST
Joined: 08-02-2012
Posts: 8,826
Sorry for the delay David but just got yours out today.

9505514396828080041282
Just Relax Offline
#89 Posted: Wed, Mar 21 2018, 10:50 AM EST
Joined: 09-26-2016
Posts: 587
Sounds good Shaun. It's been too cold here to enjoy one so no worries. Look forward to giving this a go.
abjd14 Offline
#90 Posted: Wed, Mar 21 2018, 11:31 AM EST
Joined: 08-08-2012
Posts: 396
tamapatom wrote:
My local offering is a perishable staple of the area that is almost impossible to get outside the area and not easily mailed - hope it survives.







Wow looking forward to that hopefully this noreaster doesn't effect shipping. Wasn't think non perishable. Would have sent down my favorite NY bagel. Despite what Shaun might think NY has better bagels and porkroll isn't a food.
Phil222 Offline
#91 Posted: Wed, Mar 21 2018, 5:33 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
Let's wrap this up!!

Mystery Cigar #1

Prelight: 6.5x54ish churchill/toro; dark brown wrapper; slightly toothy with invisible seams and a few prominent veins. Tight heavy pack ( heavy like I did a few curls with it before smoking just to get the biceps going)

First Third: A slight salt and pepper kick after the light-up. It has a tight draw and very good smoke output. It is very smooth and there’s a creaminess to it that’s almost sweet. An unidentified spice on the retrohale. Predominant flavors are pepper, spices, and just a nice overall smoothness. Some of the more subtle flavors that I’m getting are maduro-like sweetness, and clean linen (only tasted this once before in an AVO Syncro Nicaragua). Beautiful grey-white ash on this thing; like a stack of quarters. The ash held on for almost the entire third and showed no signs of weakness before falling in my lap. Burn line is razor sharp.

Second Third: Flavors still very much the same. I would say medium-full on the strength at this point. Mmmm...sweet spices, pepper, and dark chocolate. The aroma coming off of this thing is excellent too. It’s hard for me to really nail down these flavors...this is by far the toughest cigar of the bunch to review. There is a subtle nuts and wood thing going on in the background now. Retrohale burns with a citrus sting. Ash and burn line are still excellent. Getting bitter now...maybe I should slow down?

Final Third: Very bitter dark chocolate flavors at this point…ammonia too? A spice mix and we are at full strength. Flavors are definitely bitter and even more muddled at this point. This thing is going downhill fast. I’m gonna end it before I ruin my overall impression. Total smoke time was around an hour and thirty minutes. (Glad I ended this when I did because I turned green about ten minutes later...this thing kicked my arse)

Draw - 1.5
Smoke Output - 2
Burn - 2
Construction - 2
Taste - 1.5
Total - 9 out of 10

I thought this cigar performed very well. It would not shock me if this turned out to be the high-end smoke. I will say this was the mid-range simply because Mystery Cigar #3 just agreed with my palate a little more than this one. Blind guess would be an Oliva Serie V and Tatuaje Black baby on steroids.

Thanks again to Matt for these great cigars to review. Can’t wait to find out what they were...hoping I hit close to the mark on at least one of these.
NWStogie Offline
#92 Posted: Wed, Mar 21 2018, 5:40 PM EST
Joined: 07-25-2016
Posts: 736
Great review! Again, I find your assessment to be consistent with mine. (We should probably set up a trade at some point. I think our cigar preferences may be similar.) I can do the big reveal tonight, when I get home. I think you’ll find it interesting...
Phil222 Offline
#93 Posted: Wed, Mar 21 2018, 6:11 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
Yeah, definitely up for a swap in the future. Maybe a few of them unbanded...ha! Looking forward to the reveal...Cool
tamapatom Offline
#94 Posted: Wed, Mar 21 2018, 6:50 PM EST
Joined: 03-19-2015
Posts: 7,381
abjd14 wrote:
Wow looking forward to that hopefully this noreaster doesn't effect shipping. Wasn't think non perishable. Would have sent down my favorite NY bagel. Despite what Shaun might think NY has better bagels and porkroll isn't a food.



Lost the darn tracking number.........maybe incoming is better than outgoing.
abjd14 Offline
#95 Posted: Wed, Mar 21 2018, 7:19 PM EST
Joined: 08-08-2012
Posts: 396
I use USPS informed delivery. Don't know who else uses it but it's free and it shows u all the mail u get. They scan all the letters and have every package listed that is currently being shipped. I see one package due to arrive tomorrow originated from tampa.
stinger88 Offline
#96 Posted: Wed, Mar 21 2018, 8:12 PM EST
Joined: 05-29-2012
Posts: 6,574
Yaro,
Hope you feel better.


Just Relax....I smoked Mystery Cigar #2 tonight. I will try to post up the review tonight.

David
NWStogie Offline
#97 Posted: Wed, Mar 21 2018, 10:00 PM EST
Joined: 07-25-2016
Posts: 736
And here is NWStogie’s reveal:

#1: Swag S - MSRP $9.25, retail $3.00-$8.00 (low)

#2: Warped La Colmena Black Honey - MSRP $16.50, retail $15.00 (high)

#3: CLE Aladino - MSRP $10.00, retail $9.00 (medium)

The Swag is a hidden gem I discovered through a cigar of the month type “care package” I get from a couple of “guys.” They can be found through one source for $60 for a box of 20. I’ve stocked up on them. Great yard gar. PM me if’n you’d like the deets for yourself.

I was blown away by the Aladino. Great find through the same monthly package from the “guys.” I’ve only stocked up on a few singles. I’d love to get a box when I find them on sale.

I wanted to like the Black Honey more. It was difficult to find and spendy. It was OK, but I also had construction issues.
Phil222 Offline
#98 Posted: Wed, Mar 21 2018, 10:47 PM EST
Joined: 10-01-2017
Posts: 1,911
WOW! 0-3 and I inverted the low and high? Has to be the first time that has happened...hahaha! Well, can't do any worse than that gents...I guess the moral of the story is smoke what you like.

I've had one other CLE previously and really liked it too. Gonna look into more of their stuff for sure, and will hit you on the PM about #1. I'm sorry that I didn't like #2 more. Now I’m curious to see how some other people scored these cigars…

Big thanks to Chazbo for hosting this. I had a blast doing it. Looking forward to reading the remaining reviews...
delta1 Offline
#99 Posted: Wed, Mar 21 2018, 11:01 PM EST
Joined: 11-23-2011
Posts: 28,782
Nice job on the reviews guys. This process forces you to focus on the cigar...
NWStogie Offline
#100 Posted: Thu, Mar 22 2018, 8:15 AM EST
Joined: 07-25-2016
Posts: 736
Phil: I can include a Black Honey in a potential trade, if you’d like to revisit with the band on. (I don’t want to refer to it as #2, or someone might think I’m talking dingleberries.)
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