thoughts about recent cigars I've had:
Partagas, great taste and flavor, draw is always too tight.
Carlos Torano, from an auction here last fall, the big Churchill is a true delight, very flavorful and light.
H. Upman, draw is normally tight, goes out easily, and a very juicy cigar, decent taste.
Leon Jimenes, pretty boring
Astral, can burn hot, dry woody taste
El Original, people, you need to find this cigar!! In fact I should do a post just on this cigar. My interest was perked a few months ago in Smoke when it was given the best write up I have seen, not by numbers, I don't go buy their numberical ratings as I think each person has his own ideas what the scale is suppose to mean, but if you read all the taster's opinion, it is obvious that everyone of them just loved this cigar. I had to call the editor of Smoke just to find this cigar, and I will say the effort was well worth it. Now, CI, you seem to have some kind of relationship with Smoke magazine, and the owner of El Original is friends with Smoke magazine, get my drift?, and this cigar does not have a major distributor, I think CI you should get this cigar in your hands and make a lot of noise about it.
Anyway, that was my last three days worth of cigars.