Garo 15th Aniversario Belicoso

 

Size: 6 ½ X 54

Wrapper: Habano 200 Ecuador

Binder: San Vincente

Filler: Creol/Crojo

 

After posting my review of the Garo Centum Salomon, I was contacted by Dr. Garo and received a nice package of cigars from his line. Today, I decided after already smoking a 15th Aniversario Belicoso about a week ago, to smoke another and review it.

 

Sitting on my front stoop during this 68 degree, overcast late afternoon, I hit play on my Windows Media Player and The Romantic Moods of Jackie Gleason begins playing and I take this honey colored cigar out of its cellophane wrapper. Light in veins and well-constructed, I place this stick under my nose and barnyard is the fragrance I smell. The band is an elegant combination of silver, purple, black and white colors and looks very nice on this cigar. A bottle of Smart Water will accompany this event.

 

I clip the pointed tip about a ¼ inch from the point and take a dry draw. Hay and a hint of sweetness is what I taste. It lights very easy with a wooden match and the first draws of full creamy smoke produce notes of roasted almonds in my mouth. About a quarter of the way in I begin to taste hints of cedar.

 

As the burn gets close to ending the first third of this stick, the grey ash falls for the first time.

 

The next third and I taste nutty notes highlighted by honey and a light spice. The burn is even and the smoke is kicking full and creamy. The ash falls for a second time at the halfway mark.

 

The last third and the flavors I experience are salted nuts, cedar and a few puffs of sweetness.  The smoke hasn’t yet let up its fullness.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The burn on this cigar remained pretty even almost throughout the whole smoke. It was during the very last few puffs that an uneven burn started. Not a big deal as it didn't effect the smoke. I didn't experience this on the other stick I smoked at an eariler date.

 

After smoking a couple of these full bodied sticks, the Garo 15th Aniversario Belicoso has become one of my favorites. If you see them anywhere, grab a few and put them in your humidor. Just beware not to smoke this cigar on an empty stomach because it is a powerful smoke and you will feel it when you are done. -March 19, 2013

 

 Robert Anthony Meyers

 robert@cigarassessor.com

H. Upmann Legacy Robusto

Size: 5 X 54

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra    

Binder: Nicaraguan    

Filler: Nicaraguan and Dominican

Tonight’s dinner consisted of a grilled medium rare rib eye steak, a baked potato and broccoli florets. Dessert will be a H. Upmann Robusto with some Glenmorangie Artein single malt scotch. Off to the stoop to enjoy dessert and kick on the sounds of Eric Vloeimans Live at Yoshi’s album Fugimundi.

This Robusto stick comes easily out of its wrapper and on first inspection is a great composition to gaze upon. Light chocolate in color, tiny minimal veins with one band at the foot that has the word Legacy on it and the other about an inch from the cap with H. Upmann printed on it.  The bands are elegant in design and color and wrap the stick like a piece of candy.

I place the cigar under my nose and immediately I smell cherry and cocoa, delicious. I second guess myself and call my wife over and she smells the same sweetness.

I clip the cap with my Xikar cutter and take a dry draw, open and smooth. After a few draws I taste pepper. I strike a wooden match and light the foot with ease. The smoke instantly pumps full with cocoa and dry cherries in flavor. It later transitions to hints of cedar.

The grey ash with a spotting of black holds its form strong until it crosses the one third mark of the cigar. Smoke is still cascading full and creamy. The burn is slightly uneven but not enough to care.

The second third evokes notes of wood and coffee, an enjoyable combination in this cigar. The smoke is white and delicious.

The last third and a hint of light fruity sweetness appears and disappears into notes of salt and nuts. The burn is now even and the smoke is still kicking. I eventually have to top the ash off.

I smoke this cigar until almost the very end. H. Upmann hit a homerun with this cigar. If you see any at your local Cigar shop, give it a try and I’ll bet you leave with a few. - March 16, 2013

Robert Anthony Meyers

robert@cigarassessor.com

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