Video Review - JSK Tyrannical Buc Corona

[MoeFOH]

 

[Weeqi]

I find JSK to be a C tier boutique brand. That is, they aren't pumping out trash like General Ciger et al, but there's no reason to smoke them when you have access to blends by Kelner Jr, Holt, Gellis, Saka, Mellio, Giolito, ect (all of whom produce vitolas in the corona range) who are competing at the same price range. 

I'd never want to put anyone down for following his passion and for opening up a business and going for it, but I find the following is everything I have to say about JSK. Everytime I get a cigar of the month shipment from retailers in the US, I groan when I see a Red Knight or something or other taking up a slot that could have gone to an interesting cigar. 

[PrairieSmoke]

I haven’t had this one yet, but the description reminds me of the Zlatno Sonce he used to make - it was the only cigar in his line I really liked. 

[JoeyBones777]

I've been interested in trying this one. Sounds right up my alley. Thanks for the review, @El Presidente!

I agree wholeheartedly with the overuse of ligero in NC's. I think that is why I enjoy Illusione Epernay so much. To my recollection there is no ligero in the entire line.

[Cairo]

47 minutes ago, JoeyBones777 said:

I agree wholeheartedly with the overuse of ligero in NC's. I think that is why I enjoy Illusione Epernay so much.

I snagged a box after reading the recommendation here, and I am smoking one of these now (after letting it sit a couple of days).    I am also a fan of the Epernays.     Fortunately the Epernays seem to be able to keep their taste for several years (since I have a couple of cabs of them).       

I like to smoke the milder Cubans in the morning so my fresh palate can pick up all the nuances, and these are definitely morning smokes as well imho.      The taste is very different than any smokes I have had (CC or NC)--I liked the "French bakery" description in the review.    These are definitely worth a try--a nice change of pace.

[Lant63]

JSK is hands down one of the best NC brands out there. He has really opened my eyes to what a good NC blend should be and while I enjoy some AVO, Davidoff, and Warped products almost everything in the lineup is great to exceptional (aside from the Kralots).  The Zlatno Sonce are a great blend as is this Connie Tbuc,  If you have a chance smoke the magnum 50 version you wont be disappointed.  I have smoked close to 30 of these coronas and the consistence in terms of flavor and construction is next level.  I look forward to a lonsdale or lancero in this blend. 

[El Presidente]

15 hours ago, Weeqi said:

I find JSK to be a C tier boutique brand. That is, they aren't pumping out trash like General Ciger et al, but there's no reason to smoke them when you have access to blends by Kelner Jr, Holt, Gellis, Saka, Mellio, Giolito, ect (all of whom produce vitolas in the corona range) who are competing at the same price range. 

I'd never want to put anyone down for following his passion and for opening up a business and going for it, but I find the following is everything I have to say about JSK. Everytime I get a cigar of the month shipment from retailers in the US, I groan when I see a Red Knight or something or other taking up a slot that could have gone to an interesting cigar. 

To be fair, I didn't like some of the others. 

I loved this specific cigar and it's Petit Robusto brother (same moniker). 

Gino and AJ also smoked this specific cigar on recommendation and they smoked it to the nub. 

We review cigars not brands.  This one cigar deserves the kudos. 

[El Presidente]

11 hours ago, juri said:

rob impressed by a NC alert the media! ? 

id love to see you guys review something like the oliva serie v lancero, not all NC are giant 60 RG monsters heh, you can age NC and get rid of the elbows and knees brands like Tatuaje but most NC are already aged or to use aged tobacco so you wont see that huge improvement 

 

 

I tried the Oliva petit corona and couldn't get past the first third. They didn't have the lancero with them at Dortmund but that is one that I intend to try. 

[Duxnutz]

Should have some referral link from the video! Just bought a 5 pack of the Petite Robustos (corona out of stock funnily enough). 

I smoke NCs here and there, mainly when it’s above 70% humidity as they burn better and are more flavourful. I buy bundles of Connecticut house rolls from a cigar shop on the mainland that are amazingly consistent and very well priced. ?

Keen to give these a whirl.

[Weeqi]

3 hours ago, El Presidente said:

We review cigars not brands.  This one cigar deserves the kudos. 

I dunno, man. As is said, Gurkha probably has a 95 point cigar hidden out there somewhere, but that doesn't change the fact that we have a pretty good reason to avoid a cigar purely because it comes from them. 

Maybe when you're spending 95% of your time reviewing cigars that all come from Havana, I can see how it makes sense to not review the brand. But it's way more useful to understand what a brand is trying to do over understanding what one of their blends did.

I haven't smoked every Illusione, but I've got enough understanding of what Dion's goal is make a decision about what I smoke if presented by something of his against something from Pete Johnson or Padron. Whereas I've smoked 5 or so Andalusian Bulls, I understand what that cigar is about, but I have no experience to speak of with the rest of LFD and can't speak much to what that company is trying to do. 

All that to say, I think "we review cigars not brands" should be reconsidered, and interrogated for any vale with reviewing brands as tool for not only selecting which cigar to smoke, but how that cigar interacts with the rest of brand's. What was the intention of this cigar, knowing how it contrasts with others from the same blender? In that way, understanding the brand is more important than understanding every note of the cigar in question, when it comes to reviewing it. 

[JoeyBones777]

34 minutes ago, Weeqi said:

I dunno, man. As is said, Gurkha probably has a 95 point cigar hidden out there somewhere, but that doesn't change the fact that we have a pretty good reason to avoid a cigar purely because it comes from them. 

Maybe when you're spending 95% of your time reviewing cigars that all come from Havana, I can see how it makes sense to not review the brand. But it's way more useful to understand what a brand is trying to do over understanding what one of their blends did.

I haven't smoked every Illusione, but I've got enough understanding of what Dion's goal is make a decision about what I smoke if presented by something of his against something from Pete Johnson or Padron. Whereas I've smoked 5 or so Andalusian Bulls, I understand what that cigar is about, but I have no experience to speak of with the rest of LFD and can't speak much to what that company is trying to do. 

All that to say, I think "we review cigars not brands" should be reconsidered, and interrogated for any vale with reviewing brands as tool for not only selecting which cigar to smoke, but how that cigar interacts with the rest of brand's. What was the intention of this cigar, knowing how it contrasts with others from the same blender? In that way, understanding the brand is more important than understanding every note of the cigar in question, when it comes to reviewing it. 

A good cigar is a good cigar. Personally I don't really care about what the company is trying to do. If I like the cigar and it is consistent then I'm in. The only time I would be concerned about the companies intentions is if they are involved in something morally reprehensible such as supporting terrorism or putting pineapple on pizza. Can't support that...you know...on an ethical level. The cigar would still be good though. 

[El Presidente]

3 hours ago, Weeqi said:

I dunno, man. As is said, Gurkha probably has a 95 point cigar hidden out there somewhere, but that doesn't change the fact that we have a pretty good reason to avoid a cigar purely because it comes from them. 

Maybe when you're spending 95% of your time reviewing cigars that all come from Havana, I can see how it makes sense to not review the brand. But it's way more useful to understand what a brand is trying to do over understanding what one of their blends did.

I haven't smoked every Illusione, but I've got enough understanding of what Dion's goal is make a decision about what I smoke if presented by something of his against something from Pete Johnson or Padron. Whereas I've smoked 5 or so Andalusian Bulls, I understand what that cigar is about, but I have no experience to speak of with the rest of LFD and can't speak much to what that company is trying to do. 

All that to say, I think "we review cigars not brands" should be reconsidered, and interrogated for any vale with reviewing brands as tool for not only selecting which cigar to smoke, but how that cigar interacts with the rest of brand's. What was the intention of this cigar, knowing how it contrasts with others from the same blender? In that way, understanding the brand is more important than understanding every note of the cigar in question, when it comes to reviewing it. 

That makes no sense to me, but I agree to disagree 

What I try to do is avoid inbuilt prejudice that pervades this hobby in spades. I actively seek to challenge my preconceived ideas on cigars/tobacco and that does lead me to lighting some rubbish from time to time. However from time to time you also hit gold. 

After this corona (I smoked three of them over the two days), I sought out Riste for a one on one quick interview. I wanted to ask the questions you raised in the above post. I will play it next week. 

If I took your advice and wrote off the brand upfront , I wouldn't have come across the cigar and subsequently I wouldn't have met Riste and gained a better understanding of him, his process and  NC tobacco in general.  In summary,  I would have short changed myself. 

 

 

 

 

[Islandboy]

2 hours ago, JoeyBones777 said:

putting pineapple on pizza. Can't support that...you know...on an ethical level.

Hey, wait a minute, I spent 20 years with Maui Pineapple Company growing and harvesting the King of fruits....well, yeah, pineapple on pizza is stupid and very non-Hawaiian. 

Now that we have that clear, variety is the spice of life. As uniquely flavored as Cubans are, varying moods and foods are best paired with varying flavors of beverages and cigars. Since discovering the world of CCc’s, I find most NC’s to be offensively lacking finesse, balance and flavors that please. But I agree that to lump them together and write them off entirely, or by Brand, is foolish. To each their own. 

[IanMcLean68]

I think it is a bit short sighted to right-off NCs entirely based on brand, even though my luck so far suggests that maybe I should with many of the major brands.

I may not buy NC's anymore for my humidor, but if I am out at a cigar venue, and they have both CCs and NCs available, and you feel obligated to buy from their stock, which I will do out of respect for the establishment, I will quite often choose to pick an NC for something different to try to what I am used to.

What I have learned from this is that you may need to step away from the bigger NC brands to find the gold. I haven't yet met a Padron, Oliva, Opus, Tatuaje, Ashton, or Liga Privada that sits too well with me, but I keep trying (every now and again). I find most Nicaraguan blends to be one dimensional pepper bombs, Dominican like bitter, sour, oversized cigarettes.

Oh, and I certainly agree, pineapple is for fruit salads, upside-down cakes, and pina coladas, not for bloody pizza ?

 

[Duxnutz]

10 hours ago, juri said:

Yeah you need to up the humidity for NC if you store them with Cubans at 60-65% they will burn hot and harsh 70% is good spot

That’s not what I was saying. 

[mwaller]

In the review, Rob talks about a Cameroon wrapper.

Online, I find references to Connecticut Shade and Maduro.  Is the Cameroon a European market option?

[Cairo]

10 minutes ago, mwaller said:

In the review, Rob talks about a Cameroon wrapper.

Online, I find references to Connecticut Shade and Maduro.  Is the Cameroon a European market option?

The version I had was a CT wrapper and it had the tasting notes described in the review (but I don't know the answer to your question).

[El Presidente]

1 hour ago, mwaller said:

In the review, Rob talks about a Cameroon wrapper.

Online, I find references to Connecticut Shade and Maduro.  Is the Cameroon a European market option?

 I go that one wrong.  Clarified that with Riste the following day

[pure_lunatic]

21 hours ago, El Presidente said:

 I go that one wrong.  Clarified that with Riste the following day

Was it the CT or the maduro? Looked pretty dark in the video...

[El Presidente]

CT

 

[gllerner]

CT
 

I smoked a few of them
Well I started them and tossed them
Not impressed




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cigarzfan]

On 10/4/2019 at 11:50 PM, El Presidente said:

That makes no sense to me, but I agree to disagree 

What I try to do is avoid inbuilt prejudice that pervades this hobby in spades. I actively seek to challenge my preconceived ideas on cigars/tobacco and that does lead me to lighting some rubbish from time to time. However from time to time you also hit gold. 

After this corona (I smoked three of them over the two days), I sought out Riste for a one on one quick interview. I wanted to ask the questions you raised in the above post. I will play it next week. 

If I took your advice and wrote off the brand upfront , I wouldn't have come across the cigar and subsequently I wouldn't have met Riste and gained a better understanding of him, his process and  NC tobacco in general.  In summary,  I would have short changed myself. 

 

 

 

 

Do you have this video? 
Thanks!