Kristoff Sumatra Robusto

Size: 5 ½ X 54

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra

Binder: Brazilian

Filler: Cuban Seed Dominican, Cuban Seed Nicaraguan

 

Today I got my recent order from Tampa Humidor and I felt like a kid on Christmas Day as I opened the box and unpacked its contents. Now I need a bigger humidor. I have two humidors but prefer all my sticks to be inside one.

Since I have two different Kristoff Cigars in the package and I already smoked many Maduro Ligero Matadors, I am going to smoke the Kristoff Sumatra Robusto.  

 

I walk to the Jacuzzi set up shop and get in. I will be drinking filtered water and listening to Marvin Gaye’s - What’s Going On, an old favorite of mine which I heard for the first time on 8-Track.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This sandy brown stick with its shaggy foot and pigtail cap is light on veins and has a light sheen to it. These sticks come bare back. The band is pinkish red in color with the Kristoff name aching so slightly across the front in gold wrapped creme colored letters.

 

 

 

 

 

I take a sniff and cocoa and barnyard are the smells I inhale. I twist off the pigtail and take a dry draw and cinnamon stick flavor is what I taste. The draw is very smooth and open.

 

I light the shaggy foot and taste wood and citrus notes. The white smoke is full and velvet. Later in this third hints of roasted coffee are dominant.

As the first third of the cigar draws to a close, the grey ash with black highlight falls off after holding its form. The burn is slightly uneven.

The next third and the citrus returns and hints of cedar and wood appear in my mouth. The smoke is still flowing full and the burn is a little uneven.

Wood, cedar and coffee round off the last third of this stick as the burn becomes even and the smoke is still kicking on full strength.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I smoke this cigar until I can’t anymore. Here is another Kristoff that is a great smoke. I have become a big fan of his line of cigars and confidently recommend them to cigar smokers everywhere.

Robert Anthony Meyers

robert@cigarassessor.com

 

 

Garo Blue Line Torpedo

Garo Blue Line Torpedo

Size: 6 ½ X 52

Wrapper: Connecticut

Binder: Olor Dominican

Filler: Piloto Cubano

 

Today was a day to create homemade tomato gravy with fresh meatballs, a favorite at my house. However, as I was cooking I couldn’t stop thinking of my after dinner treat, a Garo Blue Line cigar and some Glenmorangie Artein single malt scotch.

 

There is a party going on where I usually smoke and relax, so I have to set up shop at the other end of the pool where I sit myself on a metal Chaise Lounge chair. The weather is beautiful and the music I pick  to accompany this cigar and scotch is Christian Scott, David Sanchez and Stefon Harris' album, Ninty Miles.

As I pop the brown sugar colored cigar out of its cellophane, I would guess this wrapper was grown in the shade because of its smaller and smoother veins. The band and its fleur-de-lis design is nice and simple.

The cigar has a strong barnyard aroma. I cut off the pointed end about a quarter of an inch in and take a draw. It has a very open and smooth earthy draw.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is an easy light with the piece of cedar I use to light the foot of this cigar. After a couple spins it is evenly lit.

The cigar’s smoke is full and creamy with a nutty note that embodies the smoke circling around in my mouth.  I also taste wood and cedar in the first third of this cigar.

 

The grey with streaks of black ash falls off as the first third of this stick is almost complete. The burn with its nice orange glow and black edge is even.

Roasted nuts and cedar are the dominate flavors in the second third of this cigar and the smoke is still full and undulating.

The last third of this stick has a complex flavor of salted nuts and cedar. I smoke it until I can no longer hold it and have to place it down.

 

 

I never was a fan of Connecticut wrappers as I mentioned in an earlier cigar review of mine. (March 1, 2013) That being said, I find this to be an example of a great cigar with a Connecticut wrapper.

I was only recently introduced to the Garo line by a friend and after smoking this second cigar in this line, I believe I will be enjoying more of his cigars. If you can get one of his cigars, I wouldn’t hesitate in grabbing a few. You won’t be disappointed.

                                                                                Robert Anthony Meyers

                                                                               robert@cigarassessor.com

 

 

Oliva Serie O Maduro Double Toro

Size: 6 X 60

Wrapper: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

Binder: Nicaragua

This is my last stick from a box of 10. I usually always save the last from a box for a few months before I’ll smoke it and today is the day to smoke this big bold Maduro cigar. From experience, I make sure to smoke it on a full stomach.

I head to the valley to meet up with a friend and afterward I head to the smoking room at my lodge to sit and relax with this cigar and a large bottle of smart water. I put on a cd that I made a while ago and it has tracks consisting of ultra-lounge music mixed with Miles Davis, Ray Charles, Nina Simone, Wayne Newton, Dave Brubeck and others.

This dark chocolate stick looks delicious with its light veins. I took a sniff at the foot before I pulled the whole cigar out of its clear cocoon and I smelled chocolate. It was very prevalent. I took the rest of the stick out and barnyard is the aroma I smelled.

I clipped the cap with a table cutter that offers four different cuts and I chose the biggest hole to clip the cap off. I placed it in my mouth and took a nice open draw and I tasted cocoa and hay.

This cigar ignited instantly with one wooden match and the first draws embraced hints of pepper. Roasted coffee and cocoa notes took over as the stick perfectly burns on. The smoke was full and very creamy.

The shades of grey colored ash had spots of black with a brown dusting. It held its form and eventually fell off around one third in and the black mascara colored burns edge underneath the ash is thick.

Hints of cocoa, cedar and wood dominated the second third of this cigar. The smoke remained full and the burn even.

 

The last third encompassed notes of wood and leather. As I got to the end, roasted coffee flavors return. The smoke never let up from this stick with it fullness and the burn never wavered from its even burn. When I looked down at the foot of this stick, I can see an orange glow underneath the ash.

Make sure you put aside about 90 plus minutes for this smoke. I was enjoying it so much, I lost track of time and had to dash out and finish the last few puffs of cigar while driving to my next destination. I didn’t want to waste a single bit.

If you like a nice bold, strong flavored cigar you should get a few of these for your humidor. This is another great cigar in the Oliva line of cigars. - March 12, 2013

Robert Anthony Meyers

robert@cigarassessor.com

Padron 5000 Maduro

Size: 5 1/2 X 56

Wrapper : Nicaragua

Filler : Nicaragua

Binder : Nicaragua

  

Today, I visited an old friend. A friend I visited over 200 times but not in recent times. The Padron 5000 Maduro. My old go to cigar which is a very consistent cigar that never let me down. I reviewed this bold stick after not paying much attention recently in this industry of the boutique cigar flooding the marketplace.

The drink I chose for this regal event is Glenlivet 15 year single malt scotch. The music is the from the album, Phenomenology by New York based trumpeter Liam Sillery. I pulled a chair to the table by the pool on this 70 degree day and pinched the dark chocolate stick with very visible veins out of its wrapper.







The band is simple and to the point. It's brown with white lettering and lines. Padron arching along the top of the circle and Handmade underneath the logo.

The prelight smell was earthy and reminded me of a baseball field smell. I clipped the cap and the very open smooth draw of this cigar contained a peppery and cocoa taste.

I lit the cigar with a wooden match and pepper and cedar were the flavors embracing the smoke entering my mouth. The white smoke flowed freely and was full and creamy.

  

The grey ash with its black highlights fell about a quarter of the way in and exploded into dust. This hasn’t been a common occurrence during my reviews as most of the ash that falls from the previous cigars stays in its shape for the most part.

The second third of this even burning stick has notes of coffee and cedar and the smoke was pumping out full and strong.

A leather note appeared in my palate during the last third and the flavor remains full. The smoke never let up and the burn stayed even throughout.

I smoke this cigar until I felt the heat on my lips. I placed in down and instantly the bell begins ringing from local Catholic church nearby.



The Padron 5000 Maduro has it's own distinct flavor of all the cigars I have smoked. It's not overly powerful but bold in its own right. If you haven't smoked one yet, you should. You won't be disappointed. -March 11, 2013

Robert Anthony Meyers

robert@cigarassessor.com

Garo Centum Salomon

Size: 7.5 X 58

Wrapper: Habano Ecuador

Binder: Habano Honduras

Filler: Nicaragua

 

 

Daylight savings began today which means I can enjoy a cigar while enjoying more of the sun's light as I smoke. This evening I will give it a try to celebrate.

A very good friend of mine is a huge fan of this cigar and handed this one over to me to review. I smoked one before because of his generosity but was in a small room of other cigar smokers and wasn’t reviewing at the time. I remember it being a good smoke but let’s see how it is now.

I sit in my usual place by the Jacuzzi and set up my event. This evening I will be drinking homemade Starbucks Italian Roast ice coffee. I like to put any leftover brewed coffee from the pot from the morning into the refrigerator and use it as ice coffee. I chose Pandora with my Hurricane Smith station as my music of the night.

This cigar came unwrapped and is light brown in color and with very light veins. The humble band is efficient.  I place it under my nose and sniff and coffee and barnyard is the scent that’s exhumed. The cut was smooth and clean. No pieces hanging. The prelight draw and I detect cinnamon stick. The draw on this cigar is slightly tight and isn’t as open as I’m used to. But it isn’t bad. I love the foot on this cigar. It reminded me of a missile and lighting it was easy with one wooden match.

The first taste is of roasted nuts and the smoke is a full creamy smoke swirling around. As I smoke on I taste hints of wood, ginger and clove, a very interesting array of notes. The burn is even with a strong black edge and warm orange glow inside.

 

 

The grey and black spotted ash is holding strong into the second third. I taste a blend of leather piquant mixed with a mild pepper and the burn remains even. The smoke is still kicking on full and thick.

The ash falls at the halfway point, about 4 inches in. I find that to be very cool.

 

 

The last third and I taste raisin, nuts, and pepper. Once I tasted salt on the back of my throat. I smoke this stick until I can’t smoke it anymore. It never had to be touched up or relighted and the burn remained even throughout.

 

This is a very fine, enjoyable cigar and thanks to my friend or I would have never got the chance to smoke one. I have never seen it in any of the cigar shops I visit. Here is a link to their website. http://garohabano.com/centum-by-garo-fine-cigars.asp - March 10, 2013

 

Robert Anthony Meyers

 robert@cigarassessor.com