Padilla Reservea Maduro Toro

Tonight we have the Padilla Reserva Maduro in Toro.  This cigar comes in at 5.7 X 50.  It has a dark brown toothy maduro wrapper.  It has no visible veins and few seems.  At first light there is a firm draw that needs two puffs to produce adequate smoke output.  The draw flavors are a black pepper flavor and zing.  The finish is a chocolate note, followed by a bitter coffee.  The finish flavors last till the next draw.  The body is at a medium to full.  The burn is a little wavy through the first inch but did not require a touch up.

Two inches down and the draw and finish flavors from the first update remain.  A leather has come in on the finish.  Its slightly sweet.  The burn did require a touch up and the draw is still requiring two to three puffs before it produces adequate smoke output.  The body is at a full.  The cigar is starting to warm up quite a bit.  The cigar is mushy and warm all the way to the band point.  The burn required a touch-up and has gone completely wavy.  One side is a half an inch higher than the other.

Three inches down and the cigar has become warm and mushy.  The only flavors are a chard tobacco.  I sat it down for the last time at the 48 minute mark.  Overall, I was pretty disappointed about the performance of this cigar.  before it got to hot it had lots of good flavor but diminished quickly.

Price: $8.75
Appearance: 90
Draw: 82
Burn: 80
Flavor: 88
Complexity: 80
Burn Time: 86

Overall Score: 84







 

Emilio AF Suave in Toro

On another beautiful Central Illinois evening we have the Emilio AF Suave in Toro.  This cigar has a light tan connecticut wrapper.  It comes in at 6 X 50.  It has invisible seems and some veins.  At first light a nice pepper and cedar are present on the draw.  The pepper is there with the "zing" and the pepper flavor.  The wood is sweet and creamy.  The finish is the pepper and some earth.  The draw is perfect and so is the burn.  Currently it is at a medium body and is very smooth and silky.

Two inches down and the draw now has added in a vanilla flavor that goes really well with the pepper and creamy cedar.  The finish is all earth and pepper.  The draw is still perfect as is the burn line.  The body is at a solid medium and sometimes floats to a full.

With two inches left a warm nutty flavor has started to come in on the draw.  The finish is still the pepper and cedar.  The flavors are getting warm and are starting to get washed out by the heat.  I sat it down for the last time at the one hour and 2 minute mark.  Overall, it wasn't very complex but the flavors were very pleasant.  It was not your typical connecticut cigar.  It had some nice body and wasn't boring like some connecitucts can be.

Thanks to Gary Griffith for sending this cigar in for review.  Please check out House of Emilio for more information!!

Price: 7.25
Appearance: 90
Draw: 98
Burn: 98
Flavor: 85
Complexity: 85
Burn Time: 87

Overall Score: 90

Tattoo Caballeros by Tatuaje

The Tattoo Caballeros by Tatuaje is a new budget line from Tatuaje Cigars.  It comes in with a medium brown Ecuador Habano wrapper.  It has invisible seems and a few veins.  Its oily to the touch and has a nice feel in the hand.  It comes in a 5 X 50.  At first light there is a nice black pepper flavor and zing on the draw. There's a nice coffee/coco note and some slight vanilla on the finish.  The draw is very good, slightly snug but producing large amounts of smoke.  The burn is slightly wavy but not presenting an issue so far.  The body is at a medium but is starting to come up to a full.

Two inches down and the same draw flavors are present.  On the finish the coffee/coco are being accompanied by a sweet tea note.   Its a pretty unique flavor.  It fades away quickly and a earthiness is left on the palate till the next draw.  The smoke is now up to a medium to full.  The draw is still producing good smoke.  The burn has evened out and is now near razor sharp.

With around two inches left the cigar is getting warm and mushy.  The smoke however is staying fairly cool and is transitioning a little as far as the flavors are concerned.  The body is up to a full.  On the draw the black pepper zing has come way up and the flavor is there as well.  A nice leather and pepper with some slight citrus notes are present on the finish.  It stays with you and goes down into your chest with a warming sensation.  Finally, at the 50 minute mark it got to warm to smoke and I sat it in the ashtray for the last time.

For a budget cigar this was absolutely outstanding.  It did have a little bit of "young-ness" to it.  But overall if you would have told me that this cigar is under five dollars I would not believe it.  I will definitely be finding more of these.  I think this will be a huge hit for Tatuaje.  Overall, for the price this is a very solid cigar.

Price: 4.75
Appearance: 93
Draw: 93
Burn: 92
Flavor: 92
Complexity: 90
Burn Time: 87

Overall Score: 91

La Herencia Cubana Toro

On this absolutely, freaking, amazingly, beautiful Central Illinois evening we have the La Herencia Cubana in toro.  It has a medium brown wrapper with visible seems and lots of veins.  It comes in at 6 1/2 X 52.  At first light I'm met with a nice pepper note.  It does not have the normal pepper "zing" but just the pepepr flavor.  There are also some sweet cedar notes on the draw as well.  The finish is a sweet earth and pepper.  The earth last long into the next draw.  The body is at a solid medium.  The burn is razor sharp.  The draw is slightly snug but not presenting any problems.  It takes one puff to get it going and then one puff to produce good some output.  So far, its a pretty tasty smoke!

Two inches in and everything is going great.  The draw has opened up and is now producing great smoke out put with one draw instead of two.  On the draw the pepper is still the main flavor with the the sweet cedar.  A earthy note is now present on the draw as well.  The finish is the pepper, followed by the earth and now a coffee note.  The coffee fades quickly but is a very nice change and good combo with the pepper.  The burn is still razor sharp and has not required any attention.  The smoke is at a medium to full in body and tends to be going back and forth between the two.

Four inches in the flavors on the draw and finish have stayed the exact same, but a nice citrus note is coming in on the finish keeping things interesting.  The body has settled at a full and the draw is still excellent.  The burn is still perfect.  The cigar is also burning very slow and is giving me a great experience.

With a inch and a half left I sat the cigar down for the last time.  It smoked for an hour and 38 minutes!  For a budget cigar, it wasn't very complex but the flavors were plentiful, it burned perfectly and gave a great smoke time.  Its hard to ask for anything more.  I will definitely be picking up a box of these.  Check out Cigars International for more info.

Price: 4.25
Appearance: 90
Draw: 93
Burn: 98
Flavor: 90
Complexity: 87
Burn Time: 96

Overall Score: 92

Casa Fuente Corona Gorda

Tonight we have the Casa Fuente Corona Gorda.  This cigar is the house cigar for the Casa Fuente cigar shop in Las Vegas Nevada.  Rumor has it that it has a tweaked Opus X blend inside for the filler.  It comes in at 5 5/8 X 46.  It has a light brown cameroon wrapper.  There are visible seems and lots of veins, it actually has a really rustic look to it.  At first light it has a near perfect draw.  Its producing large amounts of smoke.  The draw has some black pepper and cedar.  The pepper is at a 6 out of 10 on the pepper "zing" scale.  The finish has a very creamy coffee and coco note.  The pepper comes back in after the initial finish flavors and stays on the palate till the next draw  Every few puffs a citrus flavor comes in on the finish which is a nice compliment to the pepper.  The burn is razor sharp and everything is going very well through the first third.

Two inches down and some flavor changes are starting to happen.  The pepper is still present on the draw, still at its 6 out of 10 on the "zing" scale.  A leather note is also on the draw.  Its very sweet and salty.  On the finish there is a salty caramel and some slight coffee.  The citrus note also comes and goes between draws on the finish.  The pepper comes in again late on the finish and is still dominating till the next draw.  The burn and draw continue to be perfect.  This is a very nice cigar.

Now with three inches left, on the draw the leather has faded, but a nice sweet, creamy vanilla and coffee note come in followed by the ever present pepper.  The finish is a sweet coffee and coco.  The salty caramel comes in and out every few puffs on the finish as well.  Just like before, near the end of the finish the pepper "zing" and now a black pepper flavor dominate till the next draw.  Some cedar also comes in and out.  The citrus has left, never to return again.  The smoke is very complex and has maxed out at a solid medium body.

With an inch and a half left I sat the cigar down for the last time.  The flavors started to get washed out by a warm leather and pepper.  The total smoke time was 1 hour and 19 minutes.  I thoroughly enjoyed this cigar.  If you're ever in Vegas, you absolutely must pick some of these up!

Price: 18.95
Appearance: 89
Draw: 98
Burn: 97
Flavor: 98
Complexity: 97
Burn Time: 95

Overall Score: 95

Don Pepin Garica Cuban Classic 1979

Tonight we have The Don Pepin Garica Cuban Classic 1979.  It comes in at 5 X 50.  My wife picked this cigar out for review tonight.  It has a medium brown wrapper.  It has visible seems and a few veins.  At first light the draw is wide open.  Its producing lots of smoke.  The draw flavors are a sweet cedar raisin note with some green pepper flavor and spice "zing" sensation.  The pepper is at a 6-10 and is quite potent through the nose on the retro-hale.  The finish is the green pepper flavor and a slight coffee note that stays on the palate till the next draw.  The burn is wavy but not an issue.  The body is at a medium to full and is starting to ramp up to a full.

One inch down and the flavors remain the same but the pepper is taking over the draw and finish flavors.  The body has gone full.  The cedar has dropped the sweetness and the raisin note.  The finish is all  black pepper.  The green pepper has been completely replaced by the black pepper and the coffee note is in the background but fades quickly. The smoke is getting warm and the cigar is already starting to get mushy due to the open draw.  I am trying to baby the cigar, letting it go two to three minutes before taking draws.  I'm making small but deliberate puffs and the cigar, unfortunately, continues to be mushy and warm.  The burn is wavy but not presenting any issues.

Three and a half inches down and the whole cigar has gone mushy and warm.  I sat the cigar down because it was completely unsatisfying, at the 38 minute mark.  I will pick up another sample of this cigar to give it another try.  But, for now, I will be picking the cigars to review. =)

Price: 6.25
Appearance: 91
Draw: 82
Burn: 88
Flavor: 85
Complexity: 85
Burn Time: 78

Overall Score: 84

Emilio Cigars Los Regalos Quetzal in Toro

On this rainy Illinois evening, I smoked the Emilio Cigars Los Regalos Quetzal in toro.  Its a medium brown 6 X 50 stick.  It has invisible seems and a few veins.  First light shows a slightly snug draw that is producing large amounts of smoke output.  The flavors on the draw are a intense pepper "zing" and flavor.  The "zing" is about a 6 out of 10 on the pepper scale.  There is a nice sweet creamy flavor and some coffee on the finish.  The smoke is at a medium to full in body and is very tasty.  The burn is absolutely razor sharp.

Two inches down and the draw flavors are still the same with the pepper zing and flavor.  The finish flavors add in a nice coco note with the sweet cream and coffee notes.  The smoke is still at a medium to full in body and the flavors stay on the palate until the next draw.  A few more puffs and the pepper starts to come way up on the draw and the finish.  The draw and finish flavors remain in the background but the pepper is more intense and dominating the finish.  The burn remains razor sharp and the draw is still producing large amounts of smoke.

About four inches down and the cigar has calmed down as far as the pepper is concerned.  The draw has the pepper and some sweet creamy cedar.  The finish is all pepper and coffee.  The coffee is the dominant note on the finish and is lasting till the next draw.  The smoke is starting to get creamier and is settling into a medium body.  The burn is razor sharp and the draw is still excellent.

With two and a quarter inches left the cigar has gone warm.  The pepper has come back up and is dominating the draw and finish once more.  There is a slight coffee on the finish but the pepper quickly kicks it to the background.  I sat the cigar in the ashtray for the last time at the 1 hour and 10 minute mark.

Thanks to Gary Griffith for sending me this cigar in for review.  Every cigar I have reviewed from Gary have been excellent.  I highly recommend you check out House of Emilio.com for more information.

Price: N/A
Appearance: 93
Draw: 94
Burn: 96
Flavor: 93
Complexity: 90
Burn Time: 93

Overall Score: 93