The first cigar I smoked was a Dutch Masters President - given to me in celebration of the birth of my first nephew in 1977. I was a teen then. It wasn't until the mid-90's that I got into premium cigars.
This is the first of this box. I have had others in the Undercrown line, but never this one before now. It had a "barnyard" pre-light aroma. It had an...
I received this cigar in trade. What a wonderful experience. This stick had an excellent pre-light aroma. The initial burn was a little wonky (pilot e...
Number 11 of this box. I must admit that I do enjoy an occasional infused cigar. A local B&M turned me on to these. While I would prefer a Tabak or Na...
Number 5 of this box. I have been very impressed with each of the AM line I have had. This is no exception.And, a great value for money. Very good smo...
This was my first experience with this machine made Habanos. The pre-light aroma was just typical tobacco. There was not a lot of noteworthy aromas. I...
I had previously had two Hoyo de Monterrey, the petit robusto and the Epicure No. 2, It was in the first bunch of Cuban cigars I had received as a sam...
This is first Sancho Panza Habanos I have had. It's easy to compare it to the Monte #2, the Diplo #2, or the Partagas Serie P #2. Compared to those, t...
Number 1 of this box. I am a big fan of the Ave Maria brand. This is my first of the Knights Templar line. Like other AMs, this too has fine construct...
Number 2 of this batch. I'm glad I stumbled across these H&S cigars. I have become a fan of these, and with them no longer in production (so I believe...
First one of this batch. I've had the E-III (Double Corona) of this brand. This particular version was just as good as the literal brother, but in a s...
I've reviewed this one before, but it's worth another shout-out. This cigar was number 17 of this box. This cigar (to me) is just as good as a Monte #...
This was the first Vegas Robaina that I have had. The presentation of the box, and in the box was very good. Typical Cuban dress box. The pre-light co...
This is the first of this "Box." Previous versions of Vegueros came in a tin. This particular version came in four boxes of four. I think the Centrofi...
Number 7 of this box. This is not a bad cigar. The infusion is somewhat mild, which is a good thing. Good value for money when bought on an auction si...
Number 19 of this batch. Can't say that I ever got to the point where the smokiness of this cigar caught on. Doubtful that I'll buy any more of these....
Number 15 of this box. I am down to 10 left. It was so hard to find these, that as soon as I found another box I snagged it. Such a good cigar. Very s...
This is my first ever of the Cohiba Siglo line. This is the smallest of them all, the Siglo I. I was impressed with the box presentation. The pre-ligh...
First cigar of this box. A good change from the Java and Isla del Sol coffee infused cigars. The tip is not as sweet as either of those two. A good de...
First cigar of this batch. I have had several of the Ave Maria line before. Only one of the line has left me unimpressed. This cigar is not in that sa...
This is the first cigar from this box. I have been impressed with the other "My Father" cigars that I have had, and this one doesn't does not disappoi...
I've had several versions of ACID cigars, from the mild Opulence 3 to the waaaay out there Kuba Kuba. This version falls somewhere in the middle of th...
This was the first ever Cuban San Cristobal that I have smoked. I got this box about a month and a half ago. It's been sitting undisturbed in the humi...
This was the first of this box. Great presentation and smoke production. Good flavors as well. Smoke time was long for me (for a Churchill). Very enjo...
This was my first Juan Lopez, and the first cigar from this box.The box date of these sticks was May, 2018, so they are barely a year old. The SLB box...
This is the first cigar of this box. And, this was my first Quay D'Orsay of any kind. I was really looking forward to trying this cigar. The presentat...
This is the first cigar from this box. I have to admit, the presentation of these cigars is over the top. Each of the 12 cigars comes in it's own coff...
Number 3 of this box. I am continually impressed with this cheap infused stick. Like all Islas, this was a good pleasant smoke. The infusion of flavor...
I am very pleased with this cigar. I was expecting a strange smoke flavor, given the faint smell of pesticide on the pre-light aroma. Maybe the smell ...
Having always wanted to smoke one of CAO's "Sopranos" cigars, I figured I had missed the boat on that. I was glad to come across the CAO Consigliere. ...
This is the first cigar I have had of the Berlin Wall variation of Hammer & Sickle. Elegant looking stick with a paper backed metallic band. Like the ...
I've always wanted to try an Opus X. While this wan't one of the primo versions, it was more than I would normally pay for a cigar. After cutting, a c...
This is the first cigar from this box, and my first Trinidad. It's a fairly new box, and deserves more time in the humidor, but I couldn't wait to try...
Number 11 of this box. OK, I must admit that I had this cigar after finishing a off a small Cuaba. Thinking that the two cigars would make for a "larg...
Number 7 of this box. A funky little cigar good for a quick smoke. These have been camping out in my humidor for over two years. The figurado tip, and...
I think this was number 8 of this batch. Still not a fan. This one didn't have nearly as bad a "menthol" flavor as the previous ones. Still, Java has ...
A new ACID for me. The closed foot didn't make a lot of sense to me. This cigar looked well built, and had the normal, hard to describe, ACID pre-ligh...
This is the first cigar of this box. I've reviewed the Java Latte before in Robusto. The Toro here is just like it, but bigger. Sweet on the lip, mild...
Number 9 of this box. This is the first of this box for which I have been disappointed. The draw was tight. I used my draw poker to work that out. The...
This was my first Cuban Punch. I suppose I should have let it set a while longer in the humidor, but I couldn't wait. It had a distinctive Cuban pre-l...
This is the first Cuaba I have smoked. Off the bat, I'd say that I should have gone for a larger size. This was a flavorful cigar. It just ended too e...
This is the first Hammer & Sickle Trademark Maduro. The look was very dark and oily. The pre-light aroma was somewhat like wet hay. The cigar produced...
This was my first Mint Java in quite a long time. The mouth feel was sweet, but didn't really get a lot of "mint" from the smoke. It was flavored, but...
I tried my first Java Red today. Pre-light aroma was typical Java in fashion. It was sweet smelling, but not overpowering like an Acid Kuba Kuba. The ...
This was the fourth stick of this batch. So far, time in the humidor hasn't changed things. It isn't a bad smoke, it's just not too memorable. Not bad...
Very elegant looking stick. Nice band, as is the case with other Hammer & Sickle sticks I have smoked. The pre-light aroma was not spicy at all. Very ...
I like a mildly infused cigar every now and again. I have had the Natural brand before, but never the "Root" version. This version of the line didn't ...
This is my second Cohiba Blue. The first single was a Robusto. This stick is from a new box of Rothschilds that I picked up a few weeks ago. The pre-l...
My first experience with a Rafael Gonzalez was this very Perlas cigar. It had a pleasant pre-light aroma. There wasn't any specific aromas I could det...
This was my second short filler Cuban (first was Quintero). The appearance was a little lumpy, as might be expected by a short filler. Pre-light aroma...
This is my first venture with a Man 'O War. The pre-light aroma was very strong. It reminded me of tobacco curing in a barn. The wrapper was dark and ...
This was my first Serie V Melanio. The presentation was excellent, with a slight box press. The good smooth wrapper seemed tight. Great smoke producti...
This sort of sounds like a confession...it's been almost 10 months since my first Quintero review. My first in this batch was in early November 2016. ...
I received a batch of these cigars along with a box of Serie V Melanio Churchills. I think I made a good choice to try this one first, because I bet t...
In typical ACID form this stick packed a pungent aroma, both pre-light and foot-smoke after lighting. I really couldn't distinguish the flavors of thi...
First off, don't let the "price per stick" amount of $2.33 below fool you. I use "cost basis" to value my cigars, and this batch was part of a major c...
I was impressed by the high ratings that this cigar has received. I was able to secure a box of these at a pretty good price due to CI's February ship...
I've bought cigars before because I like the label (Ave Maria). Now, I've bought some because of the box. You have to give Hammer & Sickle kudos on th...
I was very impressed by the box pressing on this stick. The shape proved to be wider than tall. The pre-light aroma was very strong - spicy with good ...
I'm not sure I see the point of a double perfecto. More on that later. This stick had a fine feel and good pre-light aroma. That aroma didn't really c...
Excellent presentation in the box. The pre-light aroma was strong with pepper, spice, and rich tobacco. Burn was marvelous, with ash dropping only twi...
I've always been fond of Tabak sticks. This one started off mild and flavorful. The smoke production was good all the way through. On the last third, ...
I got these sticks as part of a freebie offer. I really had no expectations on how good or bad this cigar would be. I must admit that I was presently ...
This was a fine looking cigar. Everything about this cigar gave the impression of fine construction. It had a firm pack, and a very dense feel. The dr...
First perfecto in a long time. This cigar had a very strong pre-light aroma. Overall look was good - nice oily sheen, but an obvious imperfection on t...
These Natural cigars are always a pleasant diversion from regular sticks. As with a previous Big Juicy review, this Dirt Torpedo garnered most of its ...
This is a smaller version of the KFCs I've previously had. Like the others, there is a distinct smoke aroma pre-light. This particular stick had a ver...
My first Cuban Cohiba Maduro. For such a small package, this stick packed a wallop. Right off the bat the flavors were very strong. This lasted well i...
This stick was not nearly as good as an Asylum Insidious (non Habanos) that I had earlier. The initial few draws were quite harsh. The pungent flavor ...
For the most part this was a decent cigar. Flavors were remarkably average. There was a knot or something at the start of the last third, and the ciga...
I had my first Nat Sherman a few weeks ago - the Connecticut. I was at my local B&M and picked up a maduro this time. I was pleasantly surprised. Thes...
Second review on this stick. Flavors improved over the initial review. I suppose the additional month or so in the humidor helped. I took a little mor...
This stick was stuffed in the back of my humidor. I had forgotten about it. It had a good pre-light aroma, and a nice firm feel to it. The flavors wer...
Never had a Nat Sherman before today. Overall it was a good experience, not outstanding, but good. The pre-light aroma was unique - sort of a sour sme...
One has to love the presentation of this cigar - long sleek shape, nice varnished box. I'm not normally a big fan of skinny cigars, but this stick was...
This cigar was a first for me. The pre-light aroma was almost sweet. I thought for a moment that it might have been infused, but it wasn't. It had a v...
This "No. 2" pyramid is very similar in looks to the Montecristo & Diplolmaticos. The flavors are just as good. The pre-light aroma of this cigar was ...
I bought a box of these in tubos on the recommendation of of a fella down at the local B&M. I got the tubos as they were in boxes of 10, and I didn't ...
I was expecting this big-arse stick to knock me back on my big arse, but it was not as intimidating as it looked. The pre-light aroma had a hint of pe...
I was really looking forward to this stick, and it did not disappoint. The cigar had a good earthy/spicy pre-light aroma. It produced tons of flavorfu...
I'm not too fond of Churchills as they tend to overpower me before I finish. This one, however, did not. It was very easygoing all the way through. Go...
This was a fine looking cigar. The box presentation is wonderful. The pre-light aroma was medium bodied and very pleasant. Upon lighting, a vein burne...
I had high hopes for this stick. The pre-light aroma of this cigar was spicy with lots of pepper. The first 5-10 minutes had superb flavor...then the ...
Good value for money if one is looking for a a decent short smoke. Flavors are just average - nothing outstanding. These have a box date of April 2016...
This is the second review of this stick. If one is a scotch fan, then you'll like this stick. If one is a Johnnie Walker Double Black fan, or any fan ...
I've settled on the Robusto size on the Isla del Sol. The longer stick of this type seem to get funky toward the end. This stick had a perfect burn fr...
To be honest, I wasn't expecting a big "Wow" from this stick. I was pleasantly surprised. The construction of this cigar was very good. The pre-light ...
Sometimes I think that cigars with elaborate bands are trying to overcompensate for mediocre flavor and performance. I must admit that I bought this s...
The Tabak sticks never seem to disappoint. Unlike some of Drew Estate's other infused cigars, this one wasn't overpowering on the pre-light aroma, nor...
I was really excited to try my first Ramon Allones Specially Selected. This stick looked wonderfully made. It had a nice oily texture and a firm feel....
As with all cigars in the Java line, this one too had a very sweet pre-light aroma. The sugary tip wore off rather quickly. Unlike a previous stick in...
Alison Krauss has a song called "New Favorite." I may have a new cigar that is also my new favorite. Comparable in all ways to a Monte #2, the Diplima...
Not sure why they call this a "Cherrybomb." Other than the pre-light aroma, there wasn't much non-tobacco flavor to it. A very average infused cigar. ...
This stick had a very good pre-light aroma. It smelled of rich tobacco and pepper. Upon lighting the cigar produced a lot of good smoke. The flavors w...
This stick was suggested to me by the local B&M store. I think he was trying to get rid of them because they stink. The pre-light aroma smelled of sta...
This stick started out very good, but went downhill very fast after about half-way through. The pre-light aroma of this stick was very pleasant. It ha...
This was a good looking stick. Smoke production was good throughout, with a consistent burn through to the end. Good average tobacco flavors. Nothing ...
Another cheap Cuban review. This stick is very similar to the La Flor de Cano petit corona. Unlike the former's flowery note, this stick had a pre-lig...
I sort of working my way through the Acid Blue cigars. Like the Kuba Kuba and the Robusto, the pre-light aroma was very strong; as if getting hit with...
This stick had a nice dark oily looking wrapper. The pre-light aroma was rich and peppery. From the onset the draw was rather tight, and did not produ...
Right off the bat, this stick had a distinct flower note. I've never noticed that in a non-infused cigar before. There was good smoke production throu...
These Drew Estate Naturals are always a nice pleasant change from my regular cigars. This stick, unlike the Big Juicy I had a few months ago, didn't s...
I'm doing a live real-time review. Right off the bat, it started off tasting like the stick had a hint of kerosene. Not too tasty. After seven minutes...
Thank goodness for having an "infused" humidor. I've had this ACID in there for a good while. I always forget how pungent they are. The pre-light arom...
I haven't had a perfecto in quite a while. I didn't cut any of the foot end, and lit it with the small opening as-is. The burn was just fine. In fact,...
The last time I had one of these I reported that it had a very tight draw all the way to the end. This was not the case this time around. Perhaps the ...
The last time a reviewed this cigar I wrote "the cigar started to get mushy to the touch. By the end, it was as if I was smoking one of my long-gone u...
I keep my trimmings when I cut my cigars to enjoy in my pipes. When you buy a Leaf by Oscar, you're getting pretty much a whole leaf as a wrapper inst...
This is the second from this same batch. I normally don't post duplicate reviews on the same stick unless there is a distinct change (good or bad). I ...
I like the Tabak sticks. For an infused, there not as off the wall as an Acid. This one was a good mild cigar. The burn was good and produced a lot of...
Graded the "look & feel" and "burn & construction" low due to a wonky wrapper. Almost immediately after lighting, both ends of the stick started to un...
This stick had great construction and feel. The pre-light aroma was spicy with a touch of wood. The cigar produced a great amount of smoke. Good tobac...
I've always loved this double ligero chisel stick. This smoke started off very strong and dwindled toward the middle. At the end it picked back up aga...
For the first time in a long time, a Churchill that I did not get tired of before the end. I was given this sick by a friend, and it sat in my humidor...
This time around Jose did not disappoint. The overall flavor and experience of this second attempt at a Jose L. Piedra Brevas was better than the firs...
This was my first Torano in quite a long time. This stick had a very good look and feel. Pre-light aroma was wonderful. At first light I picked up a s...
This was a nice looking stick. The post-light foot smell was wonderful. The start was a nice pepper flavor. The only downside to this, hence the low b...
Look and feel knocked down a bit due to some peeling of the wrapper toward the foot. Burn and construction was good. Flavor was average, but pleasant....
As will all Tabaks I've smoked, this one too had a very sweet pre-light aroma. At first light, the foot smoke had almost a "rope" smell. This faded qu...
Right off the bat this cigar was very spicy. My lips started to feel a little heat at the start. This subsided after about ten minutes. Good medium fl...
I hadn't had a Churchill in quite a while. The foot of this stick was a little frayed, but did not hamper the initial burn. Also, a bit of the wrapper...
Very tight draw from the beginning through to the end. I was surprised at this. It did produce a lot of good smoke regardless. Great tobacco flavor, w...
At first light the draw was so loose that I assumed that the wrapper had a hole in it somewhere. It was producing great smoke, so I guess it was just ...
This Monte #2 was of the same batch that I previously reviewed three months ago. I was hoping that those three months sitting in my humidor had allowe...
This was a nice looking cigar, with a very tight pack. In fact, I think the pack was too tight, as it may have contributed to the extremely tight draw...
This cigar had a lumpy pack, and was a little soft to the touch. Not too may outstanding flavors to report. Rated low on burn & construction as it req...
This stick started off with a strong pepper flavor, then died down to just a strong tobacco flavor. I was surprised that this somewhat short cigar pac...
I thought I'd try this one with morning coffee. It worked well. The pig-tail cap really did nothing for me, especially since it come off when cutting....
I hadn't had this version of Gurkha since 2013. Good burning cigar with average flavor. Good construction - ash drops were in almost 30 minute segment...
Sweet to the tongue as always. The first half the stick held up pretty well. After that the cigar started to get mushy to the touch. By the end, it wa...
First off, this stick had a very short cap. It was so short that even a very shallow snip caused the wrapper to start to come loose. It wasn't that bi...
I was looking forward to this one. The pre-light aroma was unique. Very smokey, as the name might indicate. The flavors did not disappoint. Good smoke...
Not a lot of flavors to really report on this Hoyo. It started out with a little pepper, then migrated to a typical tobacco flavor. I'm still not into...
Lumpy look and feel. There was sort of a hay aroma pre-light. Nice milk chocolate colored wrapper, with one big vein extending about 3/4 the way to th...
The wrapper on this stick had one rather large vein that sort of took away from the overall look and feel of this small cigar. At the onset the draw w...
I hadn't had an Acid in a long time. Mercy! The flavors were very strong for the first ten minutes or so. They either died down, or I just got used to...
Flavor started out really strong, with a lot of pepper. Toward the middle that died down significantly. There was decent smoke production. First three...
Hadn't had a Java in a long while. After the sugar tip wore off the cigar seemed to lose some of the infused flavor. The flavor picked back up after t...
Good smoke production, although the stick had to have two touch-ups. Fairly quick smoke. Started out spicy, but moved to more average flavors after ab...
Overall good smoke production. Ash fell in two nice sized chunks. I was surprised at how long this cigar lasted. There were no outstanding flavors to ...
Well constructed cigar. Burn was consistent all the way through. I had to do a few touch ups, but nothing major. Great smoke production, Strength seem...
My first Cuban Hoyo. This stick had a good spicy aroma before lighting up. The draw was a little tight at the start, but cleared up after about ten mi...
You know "they say" that one's taste bud effectiveness diminishes with age. I'm not an old fogie just yet (in my 50s), but I'm not having good luck on...
This stick had an excellent draw, but the ash seemed to drop earlier than I had anticipated. No real phenomenal flavors seemed present in this cigar. ...
This cigar produced a lot of smoke. It started off peppery, and never really changed along the way. Overall, it was good, but nothing special. Still l...
This was my first Habanos. It was a legit stick, I have no doubt. I tried my best to keep my expectations in check for this momentous occasion. There...
