Man O' War Dark Aged Maduro Robusto

Size: 5 X 52

Wrapper: Brazilian Habano Wrapper

Binder: ??????

Filler: Nicaraguan

Video Review

Alec Bradley warehouse is burglarized.Help get the word out to help find the criminals.

From Alec Bradley's facebook page.

We've been holding off on announcing anything regarding this as an investigation is still underway. On Saturday, September, 7 at approximately 6:30am, four thieves cut through the roof in our warehouse and loaded up pallets of cigars into a stolen truck and got away. We're asking everyone, especially in Florida and the Northeast, to keep their eyes and ears open for any suspicious offers selling Alec Bradley products. Someone broke into our home and took something we work very hard to make and we would like to see these people brought to justice.  

https://www.facebook.com/alecbradleycigar

Sam Leccia Black Robusto

Size: 5 X 52

Wrapper: Habano Eucador

Binder: Nicaraguan Rosado

Filler: Nicaraguan, Dominican, Mata Fina, Dark-Fire

I smoked my first Sam Leccia Black on my way back from IPCPR and really enjoyed it. I met Sam at IPCPR and he was a really cool dude. Reminded me of Kid Rock when I first saw him. We talked for a while and then he handed me a couple sticks.

I took this 5 X 52 well-constructed, minimally veined, honey brown stick from it's cellophane and smelled BBQ and hay from the foot and hay and barnyard from the stick. The band is simple and black with Sam's signature in white. It also has a black L and the word, "Black" in a white box and the word and Leccia Tobacco in white. I clipped the cap and tasted BBQ and hickory from the open dry draw. I toasted the foot and smoke immediately began billowing from the stick and hints of cedar and smokey BBQ were the notes I was tasting in the first few draws. Later, molasses, salt and woody notes were detected. The burn was uneven and the nice dense mish-mash of grey ash held it's form for this entire section. Smoke was pumping out full.

The dense ash fell for the first time at the halfway point and the burn evened out after a touch up. Hickory, BBQ, salt and molasses were the notes I tasted in this second third. The smoke remained kicking out full.

The band came off without incident of tearing the wrapper. No defects or cracks underneath. Wood, and BBQ and a mild sweetness are the notes that dominated the last third. The ash fell again and the burn was even.

This was a very nice smoke and a Cigar Assessor Approved Cigar. I smoked this stick until I couldn't hold it anymore. If you get a chance to smoke a Sam Leccia Black, do it. You'll be glad you did.  -September 11, 2013

Video Review

Drew Estate Feral Flying Pig

Size: 5 3/8 X 60

Wrapper: Connecticut Broad-leaf Viso

Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina

Filler: Nicaraguan Blend

Today, I was excited to smoke this stick given to me by my good friend Casey Aldulaimi. The famous Feral Flying Pig from Drew Estates. I took this 60 ring gauged stick from my humidor and decided  it was a good day to smoke in the pool. I set up the camera and relaxed in the pool and began my experience with the Pig.


This well-constructed minimally veined stick was dark chocolate in color and had a nice pig tail on the cap. The band was white and simple with the word "Feral" in type set on it and use the Drew Estate logo as the buckle. From the foot, I smelled hay and cocoa and barnyard was the smell I got from the stick. I twisted off the pig tail and clipped the cap. Taking a dry draw I tasted cocoa and hay. After toasting the foot I tasted cedar from my first few puffs of smoke. Later on in this first third I tasted notes of leather, citrus and cocoa from the nice full smoke. The dense gray ash held it's form and the burn was even.

In the second third the smoke continued to pump out full and the dense ash fell off a little of the way into this section. The burn continued even and hints of nuts, leather, white pepper and honey were the flavor notes I tasted.

The last third and smoke was full and burn remained even. The band came off easily without incident of sticking or tearing. No cracks or defects underneath. The ash fell again and notes of honey, wood, coffee and pepper was what I tasted. I smoked this cigar until I couldn't hold it anymore.

Now the only thing about these cigars that irritate me is the price point. The brick & mortars here on the west coast like to bump the price up quite a bit over suggested retail and it becomes out of my price point for a nice smoke.  If my friend Casey didn't place this stick in my hand, I wouldn't have been able to enjoy smoking it for a review. Other than that, the Feral Flying Pig is a very nice smoking experience and a Cigar Assessor Approved Cigar. Give it a smoke, you'll be glad you did. - September 1, 2013

Video Review

 

Ventura Cigar Company PSyKo Seven Robusto

Size: 5 1/2 X 50

Wrapper: Dominican Hybrid

Binder: Mexican Sumatra

Filler: Multiple Country Blend


Boy was I excited to be able to smoke a new cigar not yet on the market with the Brand Manager of the company making it. The PSyKo SEVEN was the cigar and Kevin Newman of the Ventura Cigar Company was going to be talking about the cigar and company in the video review. When I got to the offices of the V.C.C. I was pretty fried due to driving my Royal Enfield Motorcycle for an hour in 100 degree temperature. But as soon as I waked through the front doors into the foyer, my body forgot all about that ride through a pizza oven and cooled. I was met instantly by the receptionist and she contacted Kevin. He came and got me and walked me to their smoking break area which was bigger and more beautiful than my apartment. It was the size of a nice house, minus the bedrooms. I sat down at a conference table and set up my camera. Kevin sat beside me and the video review began. For the written review, I smoked another stick for the pictures and flavor notes. This was due to having such a great time talking with Kevin, I wanted to make sure I gave the flavors and burn my full attention.

The Video Review

This stick made at the Davidoff factory, is double banded with a prescription type band and a smaller band underneath. The bigger band has the company name, cigar name, type of tobacco and country of origin information on it along with the tag line, "Medicate Your Mind". The smaller white band underneath has the name PSyKo in black with SEVEN in red block letters. Medicate your mind all over and a V buckle.

I took this well constructed, minimally veined, honey brown stick from it's cellophane wrapper and sniffed cinnamon, cocoa and hay from the foot and barnyard from the stick. This stick has a oily sheen to it. I clip the cap and took a nice open draw of hay. I toasted the foot and tasted cedar from the first few draws. Later on, I tasted ginger and leather from the full smoke pumping out. The cigar burned even throughout this section.

The nice multi-toned dense gray ash held on for almost halfway before it fell and continued to pump out full smoke. Hints of honey, citrus, wood and white pepper are the notes I tasted in this section. The burn continues to burn even.

The third section and the band comes off without incident of sticking and there isn't any defects, cracks or tears underneath. The burn continues to burn even, the smoke is still kicking full and the flavors I tasted are coffee, honey and spice. The ash fell again and I smoked this stick until I couldn't smoke it anymore.

This cigar was a very nice smoking experience and a Cigar Assessor Approved Cigar. When this cigar hits the brick and mortars this month, give it a try, you be glad you did. - September 2, 2013
Video - October 9, 2013

Celebrate the 6 month anniversary of the Cigar Assessor Blog!

Celebrate the 6 month anniversary of the Cigar Assessor Blog!

Enter to win a sampler pack of some of my favorite cigar picks!

Alec Bradley, Altadis, Ventura Cigar Company, Wilson Adams and Garo have generously donated cigars to help celebrate! I cannot thank them enough for being a part of the festivities.

What would a Cigar Assessor contest be without a little good natured humor?

We all know how cigar lovers like to share pictures of themselves smoking their favorite cigar. With that in mind, lets get creative... Take a photo of yourself smoking a cigar as close to a Starbucks Coffee Store as possible. Make sure you can see Starbucks signage. Then upload the photo to the Cigar Assessor Facebook page to enter. Three pictures with the most likes will each win a 5 cigar sampler pack. One 10-pack Grand Prize will be awarded for most creative picture, at The Cigar Assessor's discretion. If grand prize winner also get the most likes, then the next runner up will win a 5 cigar sampler pack.       

The contest begins today and will close on, September 22nd at midnight. Winners will be notified via Facebook by September 24th.

Good luck to all!

www.facebook.com/cigarassessor

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