El Titan De Bronze Redemption Sungrown Lancero Review

A uniform golden hue cigar with a clean foot and a pigtail cap.  Upon clipping and testing, the draw is a bit tight.  Still serviceable and employs spicy earthy flavours, vanilla cream with sweet toffee notes and hints of tangy citrus.  An enjoyable cigar, to be best smoked before dinner.

Cuban Stock Classico Toro Review

Truly one of the ugliest cigars I have ever had to chance to try, however despite its unattractive cosmetics, it had a firm feel, packed well with tobacco, and upon initial cutting sported an excellent draw.  Primary flavours include dry woodiness, sweet fruity notes, and hints of coffee and hazelnuts.  The nasal exhale revealed caramel flavours followed by a long spicy cinnamon finish.  I enjoyed this cigar and would suggest this to be savored either before or after dinner.

La Caya Fuerte Toro Review

Although the cigar had a clean foot and cap, its wrapper was flawed.  Upon clipping the head, there were forein particles in the bunch, which led me to question it's quality control.  The particles resembled torn pieces of flower pedals in texture, however a flower pedal wouldn't retain it's original elasticity through the fermentation and rolling processes, so I'm leaning towards some form of ribbon or plastic.

Upon smoking, mild flavours of sweetness, hints of leather, earthy notes, cedar spice, and a faint floral bouquet were detected.  The nasal exhale did not reveal any differences in tasting.  Overall an average cigar, and due to the dubious quality control of it's bunching and wrapping, I highly doubt I will try this cigar again.

Adrian Cigar Havana Toro

An interesting cigar presented to me, and not widely available here in NY, it's tight cap and neat foot were just examples of the solid construction emphasized with the amazingly good draw.  A medium cigar filled with spice, nuts, caramel notes, and hints of citrus peel.  The standard nasal exhale revealed earth and toasted nuts. 

I find this to be an excellent mid day smoke, definitely good before lunch, and definitely not after dinner.

Jesus Fuego Origen Original Perfecto Review

Thanks to Jesus for the opportunity to try this cigar.

A small free hand rolled perfecto.  An interesting take on construction, as it is precut, so careful observation is neccessary to discern the head from the foot by following the wrapper seam.  The cigar had an excellent draw, good construction, both testaments to the quality of construction since these are free hand rolled.  Smoking it revealed flavours of spice and earth, and a nasal exhale exhibited similar nuances.  Nice smoke, however monotonous and not complex, worthy of a simple after dinner smoke or just relaxing on the couch/front porch with a few friends.

Augusto Reyes Signature Robusto Review

Thanks to Augusto Reyes Sr. and Jr. for the opportunity to try this cigar.

An interesting cigar from a tenured name in the industry.  I honestly didn't know what to expect when lighting this one up, but was impressed by it's clean construction and easy draw.  Full flavours of dry spicy wood, hints of dill and a nasal exhale reveals oak and vanilla.  The most impressive feature of this particular smoke is it's silky and velvet smoke producing an interesting mouth feel.

Definitely a good choice for an after dinner desert.

Guillermo Leon 6x60

A massive 6x60 cigar with a clean foot, tight cap, and densely filled with tobacco, this cigar had an impressive draw.  As it's size and wrapper color might have implied, it is a heavy flavoured cigar consisting of creamy raisin sweetness, honey notes, toffee, and white pepper spice.  A nasal exhale revealed two interesting properties, an inviting floral bouquet and ammonia, which can be translated as having high aging potential.

I mostly shy away from such large cigars as the size for the most part represents inconsistency of flavours during the smoking, however this one performs well beyond my expectations.  A word to the wise though, not high in nicotine, this cigar is one of those to be enjoyed after a nice dinner.

Montana Azul Torpedo Connecticut Oscuro Review

A flawless wrapper sporting a neat cap and clean foot.  The draw is a bit loose, and upon a gentle squeeze felt underfilled.

Despite it's fairly benign construction issues, it smoked very well.  My palate is enveloped in flavours of vanilla cream, spice, exotic woods, with notes of citrus sweetness and earthy highlights.  After a few nasal exhales, I am blessed with a nice floral bouquet, certainly an outstanding cigar to be enjoyed at any time of the day.

Miura Directo de Fabrica Panamanian Rosado Magnum

At first glance, it is a giant torpedo, roughly 7x62, trunk pressed adorned in a smooth oily wrapper sporting a clean foot and tight cap.  Thanks to it's massive girth, the cigar has an easy draw.  Primary flavours consist of creamy earthy vanilla notes, spice, and coffee, topped off with a hidden citrus flavours revealed from a nasal exhale.  The cigar was mild at first, but eventually picked up intensity. 

An enormous smoke for someone who does have the time to spend roughly 2 hours, ideal for the 18 holes of golf.

Oliveros King Havano Black Knight Review.

Thanks to Rafael for the opportunity to try this cigar.

It is a box pressed chocolate candy bar with a neat foot.  As far as appearance goes, the wrapper shows a gradual color change getting darker at the foot.  It is somewhat soft to the touch, and upon clipping the draw is a bit tighter than I prefer it to be.  The flavours however were interesting, starting out with raisin sweetness and anise spice highlighted with creamy notes.  Mild at first, but after an inch the flavours started to really shine, and the nasal exhale discovers rich cocoa flavours.  Eventually leading up to a nice woody finish, most probably mesquite.

This cigar was definitely a pleasant surprise comprising of balance, complexity and of course the unique combination of flavours.

Berger & Argenti Entubar Robusto Natural Review

An interesting little concept where a small cylinder of ligero tobacco protrudes from the foot to offer more flavour and ensure a conical cherry whilst smoking.  Personally, a lot of these form vs function ideas are more like gimmicks such as the tickler head, shaggy feet, and excess wrapper over the foot.  However, the protrusion does add an extra dimension and really brings out the flavours.

It is a solid beautiful taupe cigar, neat cap, with a great draw.  The flavours are introduced with hints of spice, but later are solidified with woody accents, notes of cream and toasted almonds, finishing with earthy vanilla notes and exotic woods and vanilla cream with a dash of nutmeg spice.  Certainly a well balanced cigar, and an impressive treat after lunch, or before dinner.  And yes, the protruding foot nipple does enhance the smoking experience and helps the formation of a conical ember.

Alec Bradley MAXX Connecticut Review

One of the new additions to the Alec Bradley collections, I had a chance to try the MAXX Connecticut in what seems to be a Toro Size, roughly 6x54, although unsure of the exact dimensions.  The wrapper was a beautiful light gold similar to fancy maple syrup.  It sported an easy draw, solid construction, and had a good weight to it.  A mild cigar, consistent creamy flavours, nutty and cappuccino notes and underlying sweetness.  Not my favourite profile, but still an enjoyable cigar. Very appropriate for a pre-lunch smoke or on the golf course.

Quesada Tributo Alvarito Review

Had an opportunity to try a few of them and smoked one yesterday for review. 

The cigar measures 4.5x40 adorned in a flawless red hued hybrid wrapper.  Construction is impressive, tight neat cap and a cleanly cut foot.  After clipping the cigar, the initial draw was effortless.  Upon smoking, there are many outstanding complex flavours of spice, cocoa, notes of sweetness.  A nasal exhale revealed creamy undertones.  Truly an amazing well balanced cigar leading to a smooth oak finish. 

7-20-4 Dogwalker

First cigar to be tried by myself at the IPCPR NOLA 2010.  I am unsure of the exact dimensions but it belongs to the petite corona line, roughly 4.5 X 42.

Smooth construction, and easy draw, the size of the cigar is by no means indicative of it's flavours.  Pronounced leather and cocoa tones take center stage supported by notes of spice leading to a smooth creamy crescendo.  Lasting a good 40 minutes, the cigar had a consistent even burn, the flavours were well balanced, and held its own weight in nicotine.  Yes, I enjoyed this cigar.  This is the second one I've smoked, and am sure it won't be the last.

Does CRA really stand for Cigar Rights of America?

Depending on what in generation you were born in, CRA can have many different meanings.

Civil Rights Act.

Community Reinvestment Act.

And now Cigar Rights of America... or so many people would believe.

I recall when this organization first started up with major enrollment parties and a few founding members famous in the industry in three major Cities: New York, Chicago, and Miami.  And I was fairly interested in what they had to offer.  However, living in New York, I was given the option to enroll at a party hosted at Terrace on the Hudson for a whopping sum of ~$300, and to that I say no thank you.  How about something a little more affordable for the other 98% of the cigar smoking population in New York?

Then the organization offered a yearly membership at $35, and with that a little more interest had boiled over into an email inquiring about what they had planned.  Email as follows, sent on August 12, 2008.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Dear Sir and/or Madam

I am an avid cigar smoker and as such am very interested in your organization.  So in that aspect, I have a few inquiries about your organization.

1) How do you plan to oppose the smoking bans, and hopefully cease the limitations on our private freedoms, ultimately lifting the mandatory bans against smoking in public places.

2) What is your plan of action to oppose SCHIP and any other possible bills that might be proposed with the same methods of increasing tobacco taxes?

3) Do you have any lobbyists or politicians who directly endorse your company?  I see the videos posted on your

website, but I don't see anywhere on your website which directly claims your organization has any political pull to discourage the further limitations of our smoking rights.  If there is such a reference, please refer me to it.

4) On the website http://www.coronacigar.com/products/Cigar_Rights_of_America_Freedom_Tour_Orlando_Stop_pid546_cid20.html the Corona Cigar Company claims that your organization is a non-profit entity.  If that is the case then please justify the
price of admission including a full disclosure of what the membership fees are going towards. If it is not a non-profit entity, then would you please contact the Corona Cigar Company to change the wording of their advertisement.

5) Why is there such a discrepancy in prices of admission on the events between cities, NY especially.  In contrast to your outreach goals, the method of charging $300 for NYC is simply too outrageous, especially when compared to other cities.  The price of the event itself is a form of discrimination towards the average cigar smoker in NYC, especially if you really plan to encourage membership from the casual cigar smoker to the true aficionado.  What justifies the price and why pick such a high class location knowing that it will limit your overall member relationship?

Thank you for your time, hope to hear from you soon.



David Man

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++


As of yet, no response to my questions, they do have my email address as I do seldom receive updates from them.

Last e-mail I received was on June 30, 2010, concerning the victory in Pennsylvania, and prior to that June 26, 2009 about an overturn in Legislation in South Dakota on an implementation by the Citizens for Individual Freedom coalition.

So, with very little information at hand, I had to take direct action and talk to two different CRA Ambassadors, and they had interesting ideas, but no quantifiable answers to any questions, especially concerning a goal or mission statement.  In fact, the one thing they have both said to me numerous times is "we need more members, we need more money". 

Now I totally understand the need for numerical representation and capital to make political waves, but how about some transparency on where the money is going?  A casual smoker I was talking to on the subject told me an interesting opinion on the matter... "It's all fine if the Cigar Rights of America is focused on collecting money and throwing parties, but why only do the parties in major cities?  What about the guys who smoke cigars in the middle of Ohio?"

All I'm left with is questions and now doubts and skepticism about the entire organization.  I look at the CRA
site, and rarely do I see any activity other than the few and far inbetween positives.  Yes, I'm glad for
Pennsylvania, but I live in New York, what about the condition of tobacco taxes in New York? 

No, I am not a member of Cigar Rights of America, and so far they have not given me enough reason to be one.  I don't feel the urge to freely give my money to a clandestine organization under the guise of making smoking opportunites more available to me when in fact I don't even know where the money is going, who in the political realm is on board with the organization, and their laughable premise and mission statement.

A few more thoughts here because who knows if the Cigar Rights of America will even read their email, let alone respond to a few questions.

1) Cigar Rights of America is foolish to only focus on the cigar smoking community and exclude the rest of the
tobacco niches.  What about pipes and cigarettes?  Surely there are more cigarette smokers than cigar smokers, and numbers is the primary motivation for politicians to push bills.

2) $35 for a year membership?  $100 for a 10 cigar sampler of cigars with a secondary CRA band?  $10 for CRA tee shirts?  They need money, here is my suggestion.  Throw a party, or in this case a Herf (read cigar smoking party).  You have many reputed cigar companies on board, as well as tobacconists in your ranks, get some donations in, raffle them off, and you will be surprised how much money will come through.  I'm thinking 50 states, 50 cities, the companies donate whatever they can, and the minimum raffle price is $35 for the 1 year CRA membership plus 20 chances to win some of the nice cigars or swag, and the attendees who can buy more raffle tickets at $5 each.  If there is one thing I noticed at herfs which involve raffles and raising money, cigar smokers are not cheap when they feel their money is going towards something substantial.

3) Again... $100 for a 10 cigar sampler of cigars with a secondary CRA band?  $10 for CRA tee shirts?  Selling promotional items borders on ridiculous to me, as the main point of having a tee shirt with your logo on it is to promote it.  So I give you $100 for cigars that I already smoked before, and $10 for a tee shirt so I can walk around advertising your cause?  Really?  REALLY???!!!

4) CRA is a consumer-based, non-profit public advocacy organization that works at the local, state, and federal level of government to protect the freedoms of cigar enthusiasts. - Quote taken right off the Mission Statement.  You know what rallies government officials (politicians) more than letters and phonecalls from random people?  A direct meeting with their benefactors.  So how bout instead of an email telling us to send letters to a politician in a different state, organize a direct meeting where we can show up in person so we can objectively offer our thoughts and have these local, state, and federal officials see who we are, know that we do have a voice, and are not just random letters, emails, and phonecalls.  I hear townhall meetings are popular.

Civil Rights Act... CRA yes.

Community Reinvestment Act.. CRA yes.

Cigar Rights of America... more like CRAp.

Second Chances: A look at Arganese.

It's been a couple of weeks, and I apologize for not being so active here on the blog.  A lot of stuff had happened and I was physically unable to do much on the computer due to certain injuries, but that's a story for another day.  On to the topic of discussion: Second Chances.

We've all seen the movie "It's a Wonderful Life" and "Ground Hog's Day", and wouldn't it be great if we could get a fresh start after commiting a serious blunder?  But I wonder how others would truly feel about that aspect of us.

Personally, I don't mind giving people a second chance, unless other circumstances call for other means of resolution.  Forgiving someone is an act of compassion, and often performed not from the greatness in our humanity, but for the fact that the people who screwed up find it a necessity to move on and get a fresh start.  And that is the problem, as some people don't deserve a second chance.

One common case in point, 9/11 tragedy perpetrators don't deserve a second chance, because they made their intentions known and are not willing to compromise... so fuck them.   But seeing as how this is a cigar related issue, there are some in the industry who don't deserve a second chance.

Of the most recent blunders to come about... I'm calling out Gene Arganese, of Arganese Cigars.  As for those of you who might have been following this blog since it's inception, I executed a 20 cigar review of what I believe to be their best product, the CL3, and I absolutely love that cigar.  I find it an enjoyable smoke, and it's complex flavours, impressive balance, and overall quality and consistency comparable if not better than 85% of the competition.  Combined with the fact that originally I had believed and to a point of being a fact as far as I know he had the best intentions of building a cigar company, additionally gracious invited myself as well as others to his house in Santiago for a few days, fed us, showed us his fields and factory, and granted us an incredible educational experience

The problem is his recent failure to create a money making scheme in which he wasn't selling cigars, but a referral program with the C.E.O. banded cigars as the trade off.  If it was to generate capital, and provide smokers with an opportunity to acquire some interesting smokes and swag, then I'm all for it, however after the plan had failed, the cigars that would have been provided can now be found on Famous Smoke Shop affiliates such as Cigar Auctioneer and Cigar Monster (where I occasionally purchase other cigars, no not being paid by Famous, just a frugal consumer looking for a good Bargain). You might have read it on several other cigar related boards, and if not, do a Google search for "ceomlm" and several artricles have been posted about it. 

Those who have enrolled immediately after the ceomlm's launch had their money taken and I have yet to hear any form of satisfying resolution.  If you are one of these members, please feel free to write a comment here about what you had experienced, as I am very interested in the final outcome.  I had heard from a reliable source that after the project failed, Gene denied any involvement despite narrating the video.

This is the final dilemma of giving someone a second chance.  If someone I know did screw up somewhere, and was honest about it, owned up to their mistakes and made attempts to correct what had happened, then all is forgiven, however for those who do not accept any form of responsibility and are unwilling to compromise then why give that person or company another chance to profit?  Despite my love for his CL3, I refuse to give Gene a second chance to.  I know the idea of my "hypocrisy" will arise sooner or later, having done a series of reviews of one of his cigars, being invited to his house, and now airing out some dirty laundry about the company, but I must reaffirm it as objectivity.

There are other companies, organizations, and even people in this who do fit into this category, and I will write about them in due time   A forewarning, some of the future second chance entries will involve the more "reputable" organizations and create serious controversy.

Arganese CL3 robusto 20 of 20

Appearance - a lustrous reddish brown wrapper with an slight color variation on the wrapper, creating a barber effect.

Construction - the draw is tight on this one and it feels like a rock.  I immediately remove the band, and massage the head a big to loosen the tobacco, resulting in a decent draw.

Pre-light taste - tangy sweet with earth notes, no real spice in this one.

Initial lighting - well balanced of earth, vanilla, and sweet tangy licorice with hints of spice.  The flavours are directly contradictory to the usual CL3 flavours, but still good.

Aromas - smells of burnt toast with vanilla accents.  Reminds me of my days in college when I was drunk and didn't have full coherency in attempting to use the broiler to warm up my cinnamon bagels. 

Flavours of the smoke - a comprehensive complex balance of mainly earthy notes, sweet tangy licorice, and the dash of cinnamon spices throughout.  The flavours never evolved too much from start to finish and the nub was smooth with a long aftertaste of raisins and vanilla. 

Summary - Would have definitely been inclined to finish this series on an impressive cigar rather than this one, but unfortunately it fell a bit short of the awesome ones out of the box.  The tight draw and over filling of the bunch contributed to the deviations in flavours, although the sum of it's characteristics did fulfill everything I expect from a CL3.


Overall experience -

Well, it's been a grueling twenty (20) days of consecutive reviews, and I particularly enjoyed most of them for the their impressive performances.  Overall I would say only one out of the 20 underperformed resulting in disappointment, four were average, and the rest were impressive, if not real winners in any category of construction or flavour profile.  So on average, if I, or you as it were, went to a store that actually still carries these cigars, 75% of the time you will pick up an interesting smoke.  The dominant flavours are the sweet spicy cinnamon, the earthy vanilla and coffee, and the tangy licorice. 

The final outcome of the struggle in smoking these things comes to one final conclusion that even guys who try to start in the industry without the pedigree, fall to rough times, or even become the victims of their own shady devices can come up with an impressive cigar for all to enjoy.  Yes, I was buying them when they were retailing for ~$7 per stick, and the fact that I pick these babies up at less than 1/3 the price from a discount warehouse seller like CigarMonster just adds to the value.

Arganese CL3 robusto 19 of 20

Appearance - a glistening reddish brown wrapper adorned with very few small veins and no imperfections.

Construction - the draw iand elasticity are perfect again.

Pre-light taste - spicy cinnamon and tangy licorice.

Initial lighting - a blast of spice with impressive earthy vanilla tones

Aromas - a heavy vanilla lingers around the atmosphere in the presence of this cigar

Flavours of the smoke - not particularly balanced, but still a great cigar.  Spicy cinnamon and sweet vanilla overpower the licorice tang.  Probably one of the sweetest CL3s I have ever smoked, its flavours are complex and savory.  I might liken the flavour profile to a good tiramisu with plenty of cinnamon in lieu of the strong vanilla notes.  I am drinking only water with this cigar, but in hindsight it would hold up to a good cappuccino and a rich smore.

Summary - Slightly unbalanced, but significantly good.  An impressive combination of draw, construction, complex flavours with a smooth tangy licorice finish and a spicy savory vanilla aftertaste.  If only all of them were like this one.  I have been acquiring these cigars through CigarMonster at roughly $40 per box of 20, and needless to say the value of this one stick exceeds it's $2 price tag, performs better than most cigars in the $5-$8 range, and on par with the more famous Dominicans in the double digit price range.  1 more to go, and then a final summary on the average grab from an average box.

Arganese CL3 robusto 18 of 20

Appearance - reddish brown with a nice sheen, uniform throughout except for one small light brown circle in the wrapper.

Construction - the draw is perfect as is the elasticity.

Pre-light taste - sweet spice with tangy and earth notes.

Initial lighting - well balance of spice and earth with sweet tangy licorice.

Aromas - the usual bakery smell emanating from the cigar.

Flavours of the smoke - the cigar starts off well balanced consisting of spice and sweetness.  As it progresses, the spice dissipates and the earth and sweetness become more dominant, especially towards the end of the cigar.  Eventually it finishes with a sweet cinnamon and vanilla.

Summary - I particularly enjoyed this cigar thanks to the draw and wonderful mix of flavours, so much that this robusto endured a whole one hour and ten minutes of smoking, much longer than the usual 50 minutes.  Well balanced until the end toting complex flavours keeping me interested.

Arganese CL3 robusto 17 of 20

Appearance - a lustrous reddish brown color, uniform with very few thin veins.

Construction - the draw and elasticity are good.

Pre-light taste - a spicy tangy taste in the beginning with a few sweet notes.

Initial lighting - a blast of spice fills the palate with a few earthy and sweet notes peeking through.

Aromas - this time the smells are different, and it is like burning tobacco. Surprisingly not the bakery smells I am usually accustomed to.

Flavours of the smoke - the cigar is unbalanced, the spice overpowers all the other notes and flavours, although they do make their presence known in the overall scheme of flavours, the spice stays strong even till the nub.

Summary - Spicy, and spicy is good, the cigar is still enjoyable but doesn't rate up there with some of the other well balanced ones.  17 more to go, and I am looking forward to finishing this series of reviews so I can finally start leisurely enjoying smoking the cigar for what it is rather than concentrating on the flavours.

Arganese CL3 robusto 16 of 20

Appearance - a dull peanut brown color with a few green imperfections from water marks. 

Construction - the draw is again a little tight, and the elasticity is decent.

Pre-light taste - a spicy taste with none of the nuances of tangy sweetness or earthy notes.

Initial lighting - surprisingly balanced with sweet, spicy, tangy, and earthy despite it's prelight taste.

Aromas - like the same as always, smells like a bakery.

Flavours of the smoke - this cigar was surprisingly well balanced and enjoyable.  All the flavours weren't dull, and combined impressively into a wonderful marriage of flavours of spicy, sweet, tangy, and earthy.  The coffee notes were actually noticeable throughout the cigar from start to finish. providing an impressive overall experience.

Summary - So the wrapper was ugly, the draw was a bit tight, but despite it's compromised construction issues, the cigar performed well.  This provides a little insight to how cigars are ultimately judged, appearances aside if this cigar was uglier than a turd, and had drawing problems, I would still probably enjoy it to some degree as long as it's flavours are still consistent with what I have been experiencing from the previous 15.

Arganese CL3 robusto 15 of 20

Appearance - A reddish brown hue with a sheen, uniform in color and no blemishes

Construction - the draw is a bit tight, but still serviceable and the elasticity is in good condition.

Pre-light taste - a dull tobacco taste.  Surprisingly uncharacteristic as it lacks any of the usual spicy cinnamon or licorice.

Initial lighting - spicy and sweet.

Aromas - My sinuses are coming around, and I can smell the cigar now.  Like fresh baked bread, or walking into an Entenmann's factory.

Flavours of the smoke - This cigar was not well balanced, and more spicy than anything else along with sweet.  There were some earthy notes, however still not as consistent throughout the cigar as the other flavours.  Towards the end, the elements eventually came together in a balanced finish.

Summary - Yeah, these reviews are getting shorter and shorter.  I still do enjoy the cigar while I am smoking it, and I do like review cigar flavours, however this is seriously becoming a burden.  The CL3s are still good, and I would like to just sit down after this series to actually smoke it without having to contemplate the nuances of flavours for a straight 50 minutes.

Arganese CL3 robusto 14 of 20

Appearance - Another dull uniform brown color with no damage or imperfections.

Construction - the draw is good, and the elasticity is consistent.

Pre-light taste - spicy and sweet, cinnamon raisin bagel taste..

Initial lighting - spicy, spicy spicy.  It is well balanced though with constant sweet tangy licorice and earthy notes.

Aromas - Spent much of the afternoon planting trees in Jamaica, and being exposed to my dreaded enemy tree pollen, my sinuses are severely congested, so I couldn't smell anything again.  When I actually tried to directly smell the trail smoke, I come away choking on the hot fumes.

Flavours of the smoke - Spicy, tangy sweet, earthy, well balanced.  This is the fourteenth cigar of the series that I am reviewing, and I believe you readers are getting the picture.  The flavours are complex, and do keep me interested again, despite it being the fourteenth one of the series, on consecutive days, two weeks straight.

Summary - Amazing flavours and amazing draw on this cigar is what's really keeping me going on this series of reviews, hell they are even what got me to start this series of reviews on a box worth of CL3s.  Well, that and the bad reputation that Gene has attained in his recent activities in the cigar community, and in reflection have resulted in the disdain from many smokers, most of whom haven't even tried his cigars and refused to try them at all.  I am glad the box only contains 20 of them though, as I don't think I can really keep up with the consecutive reviews of the same cigar.  Although in the past I had no problem smoking through 2 boxes consecutively inside of 2 months, sometimes even two in the same day.  Adding the task of picking out the flavours, the defects, and interesting nuances is what's really taking the enjoyment out of smoking these wonderful sticks.  6 more to go.

Arganese CL3 robusto 13 of 20

Appearance - A dull smooth brown color, with a tiny tear in the wrapper in the middle of the cigar.  Uniform, with small veins and no discoloration.

Construction - the draw is once again good as well as it's elasticity.
Pre-light taste - spicy and earthy.

Initial lighting - a tingle of spice and lots of tangy sweetness and earth.

Aromas - Yeah, sinuses aren't doing any better today, so can't smell anything out of the ambient air.

Flavours of the smoke - An interesting cigar where the complex flavours rotate themselves between being spicy and sweet, spicy and tangy, spicy and earthy, or earthy and tangy.  This is not the first time I've experienced this type of sensation in the CL3 marca, however it is the first time in the series of reviews to come across this fascinating phenomenon, as the numerous combinations of flavours fade in and out of themselves, and create an enjoyable experience. 

Summary - The complex flavours and their simplicity of it's parts ebbing to and fro provide such an intriguing 50 minutes of smoking.  I am always fascinated by cigars that are able to rotate it's flavours, and very seldom do they accomplish this.  Usually they are very linear, either becoming stronger towards the end, becoming weaker, or maintaining their flavour profile throughout evenly.  This cigar became stronger to the end, and it's spicy flavours become consistent with every puff as the other tangy and earthy flavours fall into their rotations, respectively both becoming just as dominant as the spiciness that is the backbone of the CL3. 

Arganese CL3 robusto 12 of 20

Appearance - This one appears dark, like the bottle of pancake syrup or similar to the color of Killian's Irish Red.  No imperfections, and uniform in color, as well as almost no veins. 

Construction - the draw is exceptional on this one, and the elasticity is good.

Pre-light taste - spicy and earthy.

Initial lighting - spice galore.  The sweet licorice tang and earth are present, but not as strong.

Aromas - I forgot to take my generic claritin today, so my sinuses are horrible, and my nose feels like it's about to fall off after blowing it constantly.  As a result, I couldn't smell a damn thing from this cigar.

Flavours of the smoke - The spiciness is the dominant element in this cigar, and the earth and tang do make appearances, although not as I would have liked.  The flavour is still pleasant, and much welcomed, as while smoking this stogie, I battled with my congestion and am grateful for the generous amounts of flavour. When the nub came around, the spice was still strong, and eventually was complemented with the tangy and earthy flavours in the finish with a long after delicious aftertaste.

Summary - I liked this one, especially after pulling 12 hours at work with a congested nasal cavity and a slight headache.  Despite my hindrances thanks to the excessive tree pollen in the atmosphere, I was able to pick up the flavours inherent with the line, and would rank this as one of the best I've ever had, fitting the profile of the CL3 marca brilliantly.

Arganese CL3 robusto 11 of 20

Went to Club Mac today, and as such I like their coffee, and usually black, no sugar or milk.  I find it very smooth and soothing.  This is probably the first and only time during this series review that I will drink something other than water as an accompaniment.  The ventilation at Club Mac is one of the best I've ever experienced in any indoor location, but today seemed under par as the thick smell of other people's cigar smoke, and burning wrappers, food wafted into my nose.

Appearance - it wasn't the best lighting at Club Mac, so the appearance wasn't too apparent.  Honey brown wrapper, with very little veins.  Detected no signs of flaws or improper curing.

Construction - the draw is excellent on this cigar, and has good elasticity.

Pre-light taste - very well balance of spice and sweet earth.

Initial lighting - the balance of the cigar transfers into it's combustion, although this might be attributed to a slightly congested sinus cavity and the surrounding cigar smoke invading my personal space.  Earthiness is detected in the early part of the cigar, an interesting change up as this is usually present midway through and gets stronger at the head.

Aromas - couldn't smell a damn thing out of the cigar thanks to the uncanny sub par ventilation.  I wonder if the girls sitting at the next table smoking Davidoffs and Acids had anything to do with the interference of my aromatic observations.

Flavours of the smoke - A great smoke in the series, very impressive composition of flavours offering complexity with yet again spice, earth, sweet tang, and towards the end some raisin essence.  The coffee paired well, and brought out more earth in the smoke than expected. 

Summary - I should let you know, about this particular cigar in general, as well as the next following 9.  When I started this series of reviews, I wanted to do a whole single box, but had half a box left, and a whole one sitting on the side.  They were purchased from the same vendor, and had the same packing date 4/20/2009 on them, so theoretically they should be the same.  Although from previous observations of the wrapper and construction of each individual, not all the cigars are rolled in the same time frame for the entire box.  Suffice to say, the first ten of the series came from one box, and this next ten are from a different box. 

That being explained, this is an amazing smoke regardless of it's packaging origins.  I particularly enjoyed this one despite the many hindrances of invasive foreign cigar smoke, and the slight nasal congestion.  Coffee makes a wonderful complement to the complex flavours, and even enhances it's properties, although water to me is still the absolute apex when trying to naturally discern the cigar's inherent qualities.

Arganese CL3 robusto 10 of 20

Appearance - an ugly wrapper on this one.  Although the veins are small, there are several green spots, probably due to improper curing. 

Construction - the elasticity is a bit tough, doesn't have much give when I apply some pressure, although the draw is good.

Pre-light taste - My sinuses are better today after taking a generic form of claritin, my right nostril is free and clear while my left is clogged up and congested.  I am able to taste the spiciness though, and very small hints of earth and sweetness.

Initial lighting - the spiciness doesn't hit me as strongly like I thought it would, however the flavours are in balance, and I can taste the sweet tangy licorice along with the coffee and vanilla notes.  Surprisingly balanced despite the prelight taste.

Aromas - again, thanks to my allergies, I can't smell a damn thing out of this cigar.  No bread factory, no warm vanilla sugar, no coffee roasting here

Flavours of the smoke - A surprisingly good smoke, probably one of the best I've had, definitely better than the average of the box.  Sometimes I am amazed at what a great draw can do to bring out the flavours.  Sometimes while smoking this one, I wish I could nasally exhale this one, but I would doubt I'd get anything out of it other than a mucus mess dripping from my nostrils.  The flavours of spice, sweet tang, and earth are well balanced, and do present a complex profile very much to my enjoyment. 

Summary - Now that I am halfway done with this series of reviews, I have to say this is turning out to be more of a chore than an enjoyable experience.  I have a strong feeling that if I had just smoked these casually without the contemplative aspect of the flavours and it's harmonious melody, I could go through a box of these CL3s easily... no I have done so before in the past and I know I would enjoy them more.  Honestly if these cigars weren't so damn delicious, I probably would have given up after the fifth of the series of reviews.  Well, no point in stopping now, 10 more to go before I finally summarize the final tally of how consistent this cigar is, and present to you what I would consider an accurate cigar review.

Arganese CL3 robusto 9 of 20

Appearance -another dull wrapper, and fairly ugly.  Many small veins running through the cigar, although the color is again uniform.

Construction - the draw is excellent on this particular one, and the elasticity is exceptional.

Pre-light taste - A very balanced flavour.  Nothing really stands out in particular, however the flavours do mix well as you might have guessed from the previous reviews into a spicy sweet earthy combination.

Initial lighting - the balance doesn't stop at just the prelight draw, and continues through the initial lighting stage.  Tasty.

Aromas - the trail smoke doesn't remind me of a bakery or warm vanilla sugar this time around.  Might be the intrusion of carbon monoxide from the car next door, or the fact that my sinuses are getting congested from allergies.  Can't really pick up any form of environmental aroma here.

Flavours of the smoke - Another excellent one from the box thanks to the perfect draw.  Again, nothing is overpowered, and the balance of all the flavours are incredible.  The spice is not the dominant flavour, but doesn't get overpowered by the tangy licorice flavours, and the earthy coffee and vanilla become costars in an amazing performance.  If only my sinuses weren't taking a beating from the pollen and other crap in the air I could exhale nasally and get even more hidden flavours.

Summary - Thinking about it now, maybe I think it is balanced because my sense of smell isn't functioning as well as the other days.  Surely, there are some limitations the palate alone can detect, and perhaps spicy flavours are more prone to nasal stimulation rather than through the taste buds.  Either way, I enjoyed this cigar.

Arganese CL3 robusto 8 of 20

Appearance -a dull amber brown wrapper on this one, but no imperfections.  Smooth, veinless, and uniform.

Construction - the draw and elasticity are good.

Pre-light taste - Once again, spicy, but it doesn't overpower the other tangy and earthy flavours.

Initial lighting - a very balanced start to the cigar.  Spice and sweet earth are preludes to the flavours that will come.

Aromas - There is a supermarket in the neighborhood of Redhook known as Fairway, and in a particular section they have a bakery pumping out fresh bread, and coincidentally it is right next to the coffee bean roasting section.  Thinking about it now, the combination of the two produce a wonderful scent, not unlike this cigar.  Although at times when the cigar feels like it's about to go out, it does smell like old sweaty socks.

Flavours of the smoke - I am so glad the draw is good on this cigar, and I can get generous mouthfuls of smoke with each puff.  The balance of flavours is amazing, and provides complexity with a lot of things going on as the cigar burns.  Spicy cinnamon is of course the backbone of the flavour profile, but the earthy coffee and vanilla don't get overpowered, and combined with a sweet and sour tangy licorice note, puts me in the zone.

Summary - Definitely an above average cigar from the box.  It's components are simple, and although delicate flavours by themselves, they do combine to create a complex unity to stir my senses. The spiciness does dissipate in this cigar as it smokes down, but provides a long aftertaste to create an impression that it is still present.

Arganese CL3 robusto 7 of 20

Appearance -another reddish brown hue wrapper, no imperfections bordering on flawless.  Smooth, although not the glistening appearance usually seen in the catalogues, but still pleasing.

Construction - the draw is a bit tight, however the elasticity is still good and I am still able to pull from the cigar adequately.

Pre-light taste - spicy, spicy spicy.  Very little tangy flavours and more earth comes through.

Initial lighting - tastes like Emiril had a hand in making this recipe.  BAM!  There are light notes of tangy licorice peaking through the dominating tingly spice and earthy coffee and vanilla flavours.

Aromas - there is this perfume I am totally infatuated with, and when I asked a girl about it, she said it was something called "Warm Vanilla Sugar".  Just can't get enough of it, and this cigar, although not exactly the same, does bring in the same enjoyment.

Flavours of the smoke - the tight draw makes this cigar a bit hard to grasp, as I smoke it down spicy cinnamon overpowers everything else.  Elements of earth and tang are not as strong, but do make subtle cameo appearances once in a while.  This particular cigar is unbalanced, but still tasty.

Summary - Another average of the box.  When they are good, they are great, and when they are like this, they are enjoyable.  Despite this particular cigar's shortcomings, I still count them as indispensable from my rotation, and continue to enjoy all the nuances of complex, or in this case, lack of complex flavours.  Spicy is good too.

Arganese CL3 robusto 6 of 20

Appearance -a dull milk chocolate brown adorns this cigar, with a tear near the head.  The cap is secured and the tear doesn't compromise the cut, but later as the cherry moves up the cigar, it unravels a bit and reveals some of the binder, although the draw and overall functionality is not compromised.

Construction - the draw is a bit tight, but still able to get mouthfuls of smoke and flavour.  Elasticity is not an issue despite the slight overfilling.

Pre-light taste - spicy cinnamon and tangy licorice as the staple flavours of the line and this one is no exception.  Floral notes are present.

Initial lighting - spicy, sweet, sour, tangy, earthy, coffee, vanilla.  Seems like a good cigar to accompany a modest beverage, but water is still the main accompaniment

Aromas - as I keep smoking these, I imagine myself outside a bakery where freshly made cinnamon raisin bagels are made.  Yes, just like that.

Flavours of the smoke - Not the perfect cigar of the line, but still decent and very arousing to the palate.  I was even able to nasally exhale constantly from this cigar thanks to it's uncanny smoothness despite it's spicy flavours.  Bouquets of flowers and licorice definitely add an interesting dynamic to the earthy tangy spice filling my palate.


Summary - I would consider this one of the average cigars to be found in a box, seeing as how it's slightly tight draw hinders the experience somewhat.  Still an amazing smoke, and pleasant to nub down.  The spiciness isn't dominant towards the finish, and the floral bouquet builds to a satisfying experience on this one.  Not perfect, but still good.

Arganese CL3 robusto 5 of 20

Appearance -back to the pristine appearance of how the CL3 should be, reddish brown, smooth, and near flawless with no color variations.

Construction - the draw is perfect on this one, and the elasticity is good.  No problems such as the ones present in the fourth of the series.

Pre-light taste - spicy cinnamon and tangy licorice.  Light floral notes and coffee and vanilla tones give a pleasant combination of arousing flavours.

Initial lighting - the spicy cinnamon hits me like a bowl of 5 alarm chili.  Tangy sweet and sour combined with the earthiness foreshadow the tastes to come.

Aromas - pleasant and rich vanilla and coffee aromas surround me, oh so good.

Flavours of the smoke - the draw being perfect on this one helps greatly to detect the wonderful flavours.  Good complexity and rich flavours coat my palate, definitely a great combination this time around, especially when compared to the utterly disappointing predecessor.  The spicy cinnamon and tangy sweet and sour licorice never leave the cigar, always present although the earthy vanilla and coffee do pick up towards the end of the cigar, and combined with the floral bouquet gives me a near sensory overload.

Summary - oh yeah, I'm feeling the nicotine buzz, and a pleasant long lingering after taste.  This cigar never bores me unlike many of the other Dominican made cigars from other companies heralded as classics from other casual and aficionado smokers.  Well balanced along with a perfect construction raises the heights of this cigar as one of the world's finest, despite what a lot of people may think.  Yes, it is that good.

Arganese CL3 robusto 4 of 20

Appearance - the skin looks like a cheetah design with so many darker spots.  The wrapper is ugly on this one, many veins decorate the wrapper, with a faded brown, almost Connecticut shade with one green patch, definitely the result of improper curing.

Construction - the draw is incredibly tight on this one, almost near to the point of being plugged. The cigar feels a bit heavier, although since I didn't use a scale to weigh it.  The cigar doesn't have the same elasticity as the previous ancestors in the series, and along with the draw embedded in my mind that I will have a tough time on this one.  Hopefully the heat from the cherry will help to expand the bunch and allow for a smoother pull, and I remove the wrapper prior to lighting it as a precautionary measure.  Another attempt at a prelight draw doesn't show any positive results.

Pre-light taste - the tangy sweetness of licorice is very dominant, and uncharacteristically the spicy cinnamon takes a backseat, although still present.

Initial lighting - tangy licorice, very small tones of spicy cinnamon start off, although thanks to the lack of the usually dominant flavour, I can pick up more of the earthy coffee and vanilla notes.  An interesting change to what might have been a boring smoke.

Aromas - not much change in the aromas from the cherry, as the vanilla does permeate the surrounding environment again.  Pleasant, I hope the trail smoke is not the best thing about the cigar as I start to really work on it.

Flavours of the smoke - Although a tight draw, I can still pick up the complex flavours of tangy licorice and earthy vanilla and coffee.  The spicy cinnamon never picked up, and rather just rolled over and died on me.  I was having a real uncomfortable time trying to enjoy this cigar thanks to the extremely tight draw, and my lungs are getting tired.  The lack of cinnamon towards the end of my struggle turned this usually exciting cigar into an average smoke, the complexity of the flavours was disappointing to say the least, and I never nubbed this one, tossing it with roughly two inches left.  During the three inches of what I did smoke, the cigar did go out, and I had to relight it once, second time around it went out was at the three inch mark, and rather than try to make the reluctant cigar work, I felt my time was better spent smoking something else. 

Summary - Disappointing if I had to sum it up in one word.  Were I a person who didn't know anything about this cigar prior and bought it at a store, I would have terribly dissuaded to purchase another one for a long time, if at all.  From the experience, I can infer a few things to take note of.  The cigar was obviously overfilled given the lack of elasticity and tight draw, and with it comes the lack of the spicy cinnamon flavours which now I do believe comes from the wrapper alone.  The third in the series didn't have as tight of a draw, nor such an ugly wrapper, and did taste pleasing unlike this fourth one.

Arganese CL3 robusto 3 of 20

Appearance - a reddish brown hue adorns this wrapper, much like the first of the series, however it also retains some imperfections found in the second.  Although a smooth wrapper, there is no gradual discoloration showing a barberpole effect, but the many darker spots remind me of a leopard.  there are many small circular tears in the wrapper as well througout, most of them less than 1 millimeter in diameter and the largest one a little over two millimeters.

Construction - the draw is again good, although a bit tighter than the previous ones.  Elasticity remains the same when I press into it.

Pre-light taste - smooth cinnamon notes coat my tongue with hints of raisin sweetness.

Initial lighting - the spicy cinnamon flavour is again apparent, although there is a hint of sourness present.  Seems that cinnamon is the predominant characteristic in this particular line.

Aromas - much of the same aromas as the first robusto.  Vanilla spice fills my nasal cavities as I lightly inhale the trail smoke from the cherry.

Flavours of the smoke - Spicy cinnamon throughout, and notes of coffee and vanilla with a small sweet and tangy licorice essence.  The delicate earthiness comes and goes, but never overpowers the other flavours and works in a wonderful combination with the spicy cinnamon, the sweet tangy licorice, as well as the soothing coffee and vanilla to keep my interested in the smoke.  Towards the nub of the cigar, the spiciness subsides and the tangy licorice steps up, allowing for a smooth finish.

Summary - Well, this goes against the previous theory of the imperfections in the wrapper affecting the cigar as a whole.  The previous one might have been a dud, although still enjoyable, the third of the series has been just as tasty as the first.  So far, even though there are subtle differences in all the categories I take notes in, the construction has been so far the most consistent, not the same, just consistently well made in elasticity and drawing properties.  17 more to go, and I feel sooner or later I might have to start changing my accompaniment beverage from water to other beverages that cigar smokers tend to partake in, such as rums, scotches, coffees, beer, and soda.

Arganese CL3 robusto 2 of 20

A small point of reference will be made here to the usage of the word "patroon".  While I was on the Arganese tour, the factory manager mentioned it and explained how the wrapper leaves were fermented and cured.  Nicotine is a volatile chemical substance, thus it decomposes at a faster rate than the physical plant matter, however it is still strongly present in the stems and veins of the leaf.  While processing the wrapper leaves, the stems are removed, and used later to concoct a brew, usually consisting of alcohols and fruit juices, or whatever their secret recipes are, and later reapplied to the wrapper leaves via a spray bottle.  The patroon is meant to reintroduce the lost nicotine back into the leaf itself, as well as other vestigial or completely foreign flavours.  This practice is not isolated only to Arganese, but a few other companies as well and after hearing of this I wonder how far off from cigarettes are cigars really in terms of production models.

Appearance - Honey brown hugh wrapper with some flaws.  The wrapper was not applied to correctly over the bunch as a small sliver of binder was peeking through where an overlap should have been.  The cigar had a slight barber pole facade, along with several spots of darker discoloration.  Indications of characteristics lead me to believe the cigar was not optimally fermented and cured, or the patroon was applied unevenly.

Construction - draw was still good on the cigar.  Still retains the same elasticity as the previous robusto.

Pre-light taste - a sharp dry cinnamon flavour was present.

Initial lighting - a spicy cinnamon flavour was once again present, however the flavours of earthy vanilla and coffee were muted, and the licorice was replaced with an anise highlights.

Aromas - the bouquet was still pleasant, although not as appealing as the previous robusto.  A pungent scent lingered, a mix of ammonia and vanilla comes to mind.

Flavours of the smoke - the diminished coffee and vanilla notes really changed the entire smoke.  Although near the end, they did represent themselves accordingly, that did change the complexity of flavours from the first draw to the nub.  Cinnamon is still a dominant element, and while the tangy licorice was replaced with a tangy but sharper anise, the combination of the two still provided an enjoyable 50 minute reprieve.

Summary - These two came from the same box, from the same vendor, smoked on consecutive days.  Proof that not all cigars that are in the box are made at the same time, nor to the same quality control standards, as inferred by the imperfection on the wrapper.  I wonder if the difference in the processing of the wrapper made the major change of flavours in the cigar.

Arganese CL3 robusto 1 of 20

I've been wanting to do this for a while, and found it was about time to get started.  Over the past few years of seriously smoking cigars, a few reviews have been made and most of the time it's really based off of one cigar.  However for those who are more dedicated smokers understand that one cigar out of the entire production is not enough to summarize the main points, and poorly describe any form of accuracy, so I decided to put my plan of reviewing an entire box of cigars, one every day until the box runs out.  The starting box for me is a regular staple in my rotation, the Arganese CL3 robusto, consisting of 20 cigars to the box, thus 20 reviews over 20 consecutive days.

Appearance - reddish hugh wrapper, common color in the corojo leaf.  Smooth, near flawless, without any discoloration throughout.

Construction - after clipping the cigar, a pre-light draw is perfect.  Not too loose, not tight.  The feel of the cigar is a stiff elastic, a light squeeze on the fingertips and the cigar bounces back to original shape.

Pre-light taste - tastes like raisins and wood.  Haven't had the opportunity to put pieces of wood into my mouth for an exact flavour comparison, so your wood flavour may vary.

Initial lighting - spicy cinnamon flavours dominate the smoke, with strong licorice notes and hints of coffee and vanilla.  My tongue feels a slight bite from the spice, but it is not harsh, rather very smooth and robust.  A blast of nicotine leaves my lips and the tip of my tongue tingling.

Aromas - the bouquet is a vanilla and coffee combination with hint of floral essence.  Very pleasant aromas saturate the surrounding atmosphere.

Flavours of the smoke - the strong cinnamon dominates the majority of the cigar, with hints of licorice and raisins followed by notes of coffee and hints of vanilla beans.  A complex arrangement of flavours and aromas saturate the senses.  When I perform a nasal exhale, the cinnamon component subsides for a bit and earthy vanilla and coffee bean aggressively attack my palate. 

Summary - An impressive cigar by many standards, and possibly one of the best Domincan cigars I have smoked, thus it's constant presence in my regular rotation.  It is an interesting smoke to say the least, I have not been bored with the previous ones (and I must have smoked through quite a few boxes prior to this review) and this one retains the same level of enjoyment.  It is a powerhouse of nicotine, as the name itself Corojo Ligero the the 3rd power suggests.

An indepth look at perceptions and how they alter our daily activities.

Been a while since I posted something, anything here, and most of that is due to my laziness.  Although this subject has been in the back of my mind for quite some time, and I thought it's about time to get it out there into the general populace.  Yes, as you might infer from the title, it's about perceptions, and to me this has so much weight on it that I even added a poll to the blog page up top.

This started out a while ago for me, way back when in 2007 when I ran into a cigar manufacturer of certain infamy named Paul Magier.  He was the one who supposedly bought that large stockpile of pre-embargo cuban tobacco sitting untouched, and produced the Pinar line of cigars.  Very controversial, even to this day.  He even created a tobacco leaf that was supposedly grown in a swamp and used in a cigar called the Magus, dubbed the "Iron fist in a velvet glove".  In addition to that, also created one of the most interesting and delicious cigars I've ever tasted called the Lucky 8 mainly catered to the cigar smoking community in China.  However there are also reports that he has done some unethical activities in the past, such as schilling his cigars, paying people to say his cigars are great on a few cigar boards instead of letting the products speak for themselves. 

Personally, I'm more of a objective person, and I really don't care about his morals, only the cigars he makes, and I personally do like the Lucky 8 line.  And no, Paul didn't pay me to write this up.

Another person who recently arose in the infamy circle is the now gossiped about Gene Arganese.  I met Gene a few times, was invited once to his mansion in the Dominican Republic to spend a few days smoking his cigars, toured his tobacco fields and factory in Santiago.  Personally, when Gene started up the company, I didn't know what to make of his cigars, too many variations in his lines, and was very unimpressed at his cigars.  However, a few years ago he unleashed two new blends which I thought to be very good, the CL3 and ML3.  Yes, the CL3 is now a staple in my smoking rotation, I love that cigar, and plan to do some reviews on it sometime in the immediate future here.  However, Gene is a quirky guy, and has done some things that might put his character in question, but I'm not a person to base their products on the owner's morals and am more interested in the objects themselves that would benefit my life.

These are just two examples of people make cigars, and their reputations hindering the growth of their companies in certain ways because of pride from the consumer. 

I'll even give another interesting example, Cuban Cigars.  I've experienced quite a few in my time, either through traveling abroad and other various routes of procurement, and they are just like any other cigar, some taste good, some taste great, and some were just horrendous leading to the question of "Why would they make this in the first place?". 

However, this is where the humourous irony comes into play, when someone buys a Cuban Cigar, the money ultimately goes to support a regime that oppresses its people where even a simple product such as milk is not available because the country doesn't have enough power to support refrigerators, where most people don't even receive enough food in their daily rations, and border on overpopulation.  (Overpopulation is determined in this case when there is not enough food to feed everyone living in a certain vicinity while still providing the daily minimum nutritional requirements.) 

But cigar smokers tend to fall into two categories, "Cubans are the best, I must smoke more" and "I spent my life fighting Communism and won't start supporting them now".  Ideas based on objectivity such as mine are few and too far in between.  Some of the most delicious cigars I've smoked from that country are the Mexican Regional Release "Edmundo Dantes" from the Montecristo line, and the fairly new H. Upmann Mag 50, and contrary to the popular household name of Cohiba, I don't like them.  Funny, as this particular line was created under Castro's direction, in the lancero format, was used as diplomatic gifts for ambassadors visiting Cuba, and is the epitome of the Cuban Cigar "twang".  I suppose the forbidden fruit mentality takes a large role in the hype, much to the same as the limited release cigars such as the Fuente Fuente Opus X, Anejos, etc.

Yes, I used to chase the limited release forbidden fruit kool-aid as well, but have since opened my eyes when things that matter such as quality control, taste, construction, and value became a bigger part of my criteria for smoking.  Don't misunderstand me as you read through this diatribe, I still do enjoy the occasional Sancho Panza Molinos, Hoyo de Monterrey Des Dieux, Fuente Anejo, but I refuse to let these cigars blind myself to all the other obscure cigars out there.  I liked the Tatuajes for a while, but those fell short, Pepin's cigars have changed despite what anyone else tells me, he makes magic with Corojo and Criollo, but can't do justice to a Connecticut wrapper, and his best cigar to me is still the Habana Leon.  In my personal preference I have yet to find a Dominican cigar that holds up the CL3, and despite the myriad Nicaraguan cigars out there, one of my favourites from that country is the El Cobre, and to this day still remains in my staple rotation.

In the midst of the chase for the rare releases, and hard to find, hard to get cigar world, many of us cigar smokers are blinded by appearances, hype, disillusioned vestigial reputations that no longer apply to this modern cigar smoking world.  25 years ago Cuban cigars were the best, 12 years ago Dominican Puros were a milestone, 3 years ago a Padron perfecto was the shit.  I'm weary and wary of these gimmicks and superficial packaging attempts to lure me into the cult mindset, think back to a quote I read some where about a cigar is sometimes just a cigar, and just want to smoke a cigar that satisfies despite it's ambiguous origins.  How about you?

Walk on the wild side

So, it's been a while since I last visited St. Mark's Place in the Village.  Went back there because a friend wanted to try out an Indian restaurant called Brick Lane.  As seen on Man Vs Food, I ordered the Phaal, and it is as hot as they make it sound.  My friend had the Vindaloo, and tasted like tomato paste in comparison.  Despite it's atrocious ferocity, it has interesting flavours, spicy and sweet, spicy and sour, spicy and bitterness, with of course lingering spicy aftertaste.  Forget colonics, eating this rocket fuel recipe will drop more weight in one hour than 2 weeks on the treadmill.

And since this blog is called "Man vs Cigars" I had to smoke, of course prior to bombarding my taste buds with spicy pain. 

La Aurora Barrel Aged Robusto.  I won't bore you with any details like msrp, or how it's made seeing as it is officially discontinued, but still available from various sources.  Tasty, mellow oak, with hints of rum (yes, as the name implies they are aged in rum barrels), and tones of sweet molasses. 

Jaime Garcia Reserva Especial made exclusively for Cigar Inn, released on 12/12/09,  Had these sitting in the wine cooler for a while, and they've only become better.  Coffee flavours, wood notes, and hints of sweet cocao.  Despite the ambiguous origins of these cigars, they are still tasty.

First order of business, a little introduction

About myself....

My name is David Man.  I've dabbled in cigars and drinking since 2001, but only starting in 2006 have I really be serious about it as a hobby, and have been disciplined in the crude art of cigar smoking since.  My other passions are art, primarily comic books, sometimes movies, and even books provided that they are written at the adequate 3rd grade reading level. 

My goals for this blog are purely intellectual and self entertainment, and if I can get a few of you readers out there to slap your knees, and retort while pondering about the contents, then mission accomplished.  Enjoy.