Casa Fernandez Miami Titan Reserva

Size: 6 X 60

Wrapper: Nicaraguan

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Today I decided to smoke a cigar from the Casa Fernandez line. The Miami Reserva is a nice honey nut brown colored, well constructed stick with minimal veinage. It has two bands, one with the company name and the other a smaller band with the word Reserva written in gold. I poured a nice 2011 petite sirah from the Maggio Family Vineyards to accompany this cigar. Placing the foot under my nose I smelled a floral and chocolate aroma from it and a chocolate smell from the stick. I clipped the cap and took a nice open dry draw of cinnamon. After torching the foot a mild cedar flavor was first to fill my mouth. Other flavors in this third were notes of citrus, leather and nuts. The medium dense grey ash with some streaks of black held it's form nicely and the burn was almost even. The smoke was pumping out full.

                               

 

Hints of saltiness, nuts, cedar and a mild black pepper spice dominated the flavor notes of the second section of this nice burning cigar. The smoke was still kicking full and the ash fell for the first time around the halfway point. I peeled off the first band without incident of tearing and there weren't any cracks, glue or defects in the wrapper underneath.

The last third and I removed the second band without incident. The smoke was full and the burn even. Leather, cedar and roasted coffee were the flavors I tasted. The ash fell once again and I smoked this cigar until I couldn't hold it anymore.

This medium to full bodied cigar wan an enjoyable smoke and would be a nice addition to any well humidified humidor. - May 29, 2013

 Robert Anthony Meyers

robert@cigarassessor.com

Video Review

Edgar Hoill EH Cultura

Size: 4 1/2 x 38 x 54

Wrapper: Nicaraguan

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

I decided my next review would be another Edgar Hoill EH cigar. He has only one line but three cigar sizes. The Vida, Cultura and Pasion. I reviewed the Pasion earlier (May 2) and today, I reviewed the Cultura. I paired this cigar with Talisker Distiller's Edition, 12 year single malt scotch.

Sitting by the pool listening to some Paris Cafe on jazzradio.com, I slipped this cigar from it's spiderweb designed white paper. I sniffed the foot and smelled hay and sweet barnyard from the stick. This well constructed dark brown stick had minimal veins. The ring gage slopes up from 38 from the cap to 54 at the foot. I clipped the cap and got a strong spice from my first open draw and then I tasted hay. I lit the foot and tasted strong cedar and then cocoa from the full white smoke. Later on I tasted nutty notes.

The nice dense grey ash with a couple spots of black held on until about half way and then it fell. The smoke was still kicking full and the burn was a little uneven. The uneven burn could be due to a mild breeze on this 74 degree overcast day. I tasted notes of cinnamon, nuts and a sweetness.

During the last part of this cigar, there were hints of leather, nuts and sweetness.  The smoke was still pumping out full and white and the ash fell again during this section. I smoked this cigar until I couldn't hold it anymore.

This artisan cigar was a pleasure to smoke. If you are able to get this nice bold Nicaraguan cigar, you should get a few.You won't be disappointed.

Edgar Hoill & Robert Anthony Meyers

robert@cigarassessor.com

Video Review

Perdomo Bugatti Maduro Churchill

Size: 7 X 54

Wrapper: Nicaraguan

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

This cigar was recommended to me as a very good smoke so I bought a stick and put it in my humidor for a few weeks. Today, I decided to take it out and smoke it for a review. I set up my gear by the pool and looked forward to smoking this big maduro cigar.

I pinched this cigar from it's wrapper and smelled hay from the foot and barnyard and oil from the stick. I clipped the cap with my Xikar Xi1 cutter and took an open draw and tasted nothing. After a few more draws a slight hint of hay appears. I lit the foot and tasted cedar in it's full smoke. The nice medium dense grey ash fell about a quarter of the way in. The first third and I tasted cedar and a slight mild hint of leather.

The second section and the grey ash fell again around the half way point. The smoke was still pumping full and the flavors were no where to be found. Just tasting smoke and tobacco. My mouth was getting very dry. At this point I would have usually put the cigar down and gotten a different one but for this review, I held out hope.

The last third and the only thing going for this cigar was the full smoke. It was tasteless and then bitter. At this point my mouth wasn't happy and was very dry. I decided I couldn't take anymore and stopped smoking.

I was very disappointed with this cigar considering it was recommended to me as a good cigar. Other reviewers wrote that they tasted chocolate, nutmeg, cocoa, sweetness and so on. I wish I even tasted one of those flavors. Maybe a bad cigar in the box or a bad box or batch. However, when you spend your hard earned money, this isn't what you should expect to get. I wouldn't purchase another one of these and would pass on it if I were you. If someone gives one to you, well that's a different story.
-May 23, 2013

Robert Anthony Meyers

robert@cigarassessor.com

Video Review

Alec Bradley Nica Puro 1685 Robusto

Size: 5 X 50

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

I was introduced to this cigar by Maurice Karroum who gave me one to try while hanging at his cigar shop, Havana Cigars in Studio City. I liked it so much, I purchased another one for this review. I will be paring this cigar with some Virgil's Root Beer and Trader Joe's Dark Coconut, Caramel Bar.

I pinched this nicely sheened, darkish chocolate, well-constructed, minimal veined stick from it's wrapper and smelled hay and earth from the foot and earthy baseball field from the stick. It is double banded. Very nice and colorful bands. I clipped the cap and got a burst of spice from the nice open draw. After a couple of peppery dry draws, I lit the foot and tasted cedar from the full creamy smoked flowing from the stick. Later notes of coffee and caramel join strong cedar in this section. The nice grey medium dense ash held it's form for a third of the stick before it fell. The burn was a little uneven, but this could be due to the wind on this day. **The other ABNP 1685 that I smoked inside had a perfect burn.

The second third and roasted coffee, sweetness and salt were the notes I tasted. The draw was still open and the smoke kicking out full. The burn was still a little uneven. Both bands came off easily without an incident of tearing and there wasn't any defects underneath.

The last third and the burn almost evened out after a touch up. The nice grey ash fell again during this section and the white smoke was still pumping out full and creamy. Flavor notes of leather, citrus and toward the end a nice sweetness to finish the cigar.

I smoked this cigar until I couldn't grasp it with my index finger and thumb anymore. I didn't want it to end. This could be my favorite cigar of the year so far. I wish I had a few more in my humidor. If you see this cigar grab a few and try them out, you won't be disappointed. This is definitely a Cigar Assessor Approved Cigar.
-May 21, 2013

                                           ** The first cigar I smoke a few days earlier.

Robert Anthony Meyers

robert@cigarassessor.com

 

Video Review

Liga Privada UF-13

Size: 5 1/2 X 52

Wrapper: Connecticut Broad-leaf

Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina

Filler: Honduran and Nicaraguan

It was a beautiful Sunday afternoon when I decided to go for a ride on my motorcycle, Maxine down Sunset Blvd to the Pacific Coast Highway to Topanga Canyon and then onto Mulholland Drive and Highway to the famous motorcycle hangout called the Rock Store. Luckily, I took my Liga Privada UF-13 with me. I found out you can smoke outside the establishment. So, I set up my camera and mini tripod on my bike's saddle bags and decided to record the review of the cigar I purchased specifically to review. No chocolate or drink with me so it will be all cigar. 

 

This dark chocolate well constructed, minimal veined cigar has a pigtail that looks like a mini fan. 

The band has a simple factory look and as if someone hand wrote UF-13 with a sharpie on it. I sniffed the foot and smelled cocoa and hay. A smell of sweetness and hay flowed from the stick. I clipped the cap with my Xikar cutter and the cap piece unraveled. I moistened it and put it back on. I tasted old damp basement from the first dry open draws. First time for that. I lit the foot and white  full smoked kicked out from the start and I tasted a strong cedar flavor and citrus.I noticed a small crack between the cap and band. Later in this section, I got hints of nuts, salt and molasses. The nice dense grey ash held on through this section and the burn was slightly uneven. 

The second section is where the grey dense ash fell for the first time, a little before the halfway point. The burn was almost even and the nice white smoke still pumping out full and creamy. Notes of nuts, cedar, leather and bitter coffee was the flavors I tasted.

In the last section I took off the band and the ash fell for a second time. I noticed the tear I saw earlier continued from under the band. It didn't affect the cigar in any other way than appearance. The burn was almost evened out and the grey ash with streaks of black was still dense and holding on. 

This cigar was a very nice smoke, however the price point and marketing has a bit to make me happy. After reviewing the Liga Privada No.9 and Drew Estate Undercrown, I wanted to review another Liga Privada and couldn't find them anywhere I purchase cigars. I finally found them at one shop and paid almost $19.00 for this stick. This after paying $12.50 a piece for a few No.9.

Now that will affect the way I view this stick because that is a lot of money for this cigar and it isn't worth that kind of money in my opinion. I enjoyed the No.9 much more and the UF-13 doesn't live up to the L.P. lines hype at that price and availability. -May 20, 2013

Robert Anthony Meyers

robert@cigarassessor.com

Video Review