TacoSauce NC Diary

[TacoSauce]

Aladino Cameroon Robusto (+): In general, I like a Cameroon wrapper. I like any Fuente with a Cameroon wrapper and don't much care for the rest of their line-up. I find the same thing with the Aladinos I've tried. This Cameroon has a nice sweetness and a bit of a nutty flavor, while the regular and classic Aladinos just come across as flat tobacco. That being said, I wouldn't smoke this again if there was a Fuente Cameroon to be had. This comes across as the poor man's Fuente. However, Fuentes are already reasonably priced, and this isn't bringing anything extra, so I don't see a place for this.

[TacoSauce]

Caldwell The King is Dead Diamond Girl (+): Another lonsdale! My second experience with this vitola. I just love the shape. Pre-light aroma is baryard with a little sourness. After lighting it takes a half-inch before settling into a mild-medium experience the rest of the way. Not a single sharp flavor note stood out, but that didn't necessarily make it flavorless. The only thing I can say is that it tasted generally "powdery", and this built over the course of the cigar. I think this "powdery" flavor is something that many of the Caldwell sticks possess. This was enjoyable overall, but I think that may have had more to do with my satisfaction with the vitola rather than the blend.

[TacoSauce]

La Palina Classic Natural Gordo (+): Another stupid-big 6 x 60 stick. This one was definitely more intense than the CT version I smoked recently, and still had the nice Palina sweet core. However, Perhaps due to the giant form of this stick, the favors are more muddled and less interesting than the rosado version I smoked a while back. I would return to the rosado version again over this one.

[TacoSauce]

Edition One Cloud Hopper No 53 (++): A nice petit corona sized stick. Maybe a little longer than usual for this vitola. The presence of the word "cloud" put cotton candy in mind even before I lit it and that influenced how I experienced the taste. I got a sweet note throughout which underlied toasted grain, a bit of chocolate and coffee. Nothing strong in the flavor or body. It was medium bodied throughout. A very enjoyable smoke overall.

[TacoSauce]

Perdomo Habano Connecticut Epicure 6 (+): I had a great experience with the Perdomo BBA CT and so set out to explore the other cigars from this brand. I am under the impression that this is substantially the same blend as the BBA CT, but without the bourbon-barrel aging. The experience for this stick is similar to the BBA, but the flavors are fewer and more muted. Less sweetness and less vanilla. This is certainly consistent with the lack of bourbon-barrel aging. Perhaps my original thought that the BBA aspect was just a gimmick was wrong. If I had never experienced the BBA I might rank this cigar higher, but given that I had the BBA first, I would much rather have the BBA over this.

[TacoSauce]

Perdomo Habano Sungrown Robusto 5 (+): I had a great experience with the Perdomo BBA CT, and less of a great experience with the CT-version of this same stick. From this Sungrown version I get the same core Perdomo sweet, nutty, and woody core flavors. However, the sungrown wrapper adds a decent amount of spice and a nicotine kick. The wrapper seems to hide some of the nice core flavors and so again I would go back to the BBA CT version over this one.

[TacoSauce]

Rojas KSG Lonsdale (+++): Another lonsdale! What a great looking stick -- even has a little pigtail cap. Not getting too much off the pre-light aroma. After lighting, the first half is a refined, medium experience that reminds me of a delicate chocolate mousse. Maybe this is more of a texture thing since the chocolate flavor isn't very strong. Once I get into the second half, intense caramel and cherry-like flavor kicks in. This lasts until the end with the body increasing to medium-full. Thole whole experience reminds me of an aged Monte #1, but on steroids. A great experience.

[TacoSauce]

Perdomo Habano Maduro Robusto 5 (+): This is the last of the Perdomo Habano singles I purchased (Habano Natural, Sungrown, & Maduro). I tried these as a follow-up to the great experience I had with the Perdomo BBA CT. The core Perdomo sweet, nutty, and woody core flavors are still there, but they only peek out occasionally because the maduro wrapper dominates. Since I am chasing those amazing core flavors as exemplified by the BBA, this stick dramatically under-delivers. Apparently Perdomo also sells a BBA version of both the Sungrown and Maduro. I probably should have tried those instead. Live and learn.

[TacoSauce]

Rocky Patel Vintage 1992 Robusto (++): Another Rocky. This one is mild-medium and shares the same core profile with the other Rockys that I've tried. I don't get much out of the first third, but that could be because my palette is toast from a Partagas earlier in the day. The flavor kicks in for the rest of the cigar and it gives the same nice profile as the Rocky Number 6, but with an extra caramel note. I think the Number 6 is a bit more refined than this one, but I would definitely try this one again as the first stick of the day.

[TacoSauce]

Caldwell Pacific Standard Double Robusto (+++): Pre-light this stick has the appearance and the aroma of a damp paper grocery bag. Not that there is anything wrong with that. After lighting, this thing smoked like a dream! Draw and burn were fantastic. Great smoke output from start to finish and an easy retrohale. The flavors throughout were leather, nuts (cashew), and the burnt part of toast. Not a hint of sweetness anywhere to be found. In the past, I have found the lack of sweetness in Caldwell sticks to be problematic because there is nothing to balance out the bitter notes. There was, however, not even a hint of bitterness in this one so the lack of sweetness wasn't an issue. This was a refined smoking experience. Recommended. ...Apparently these aren't being made anymore? If true, that is a shame. Looks like they were a special release in 2018; so this stick had 5 years of extra age.

[TacoSauce]

Liga Undercrown Shade Gran Toro (++): A nice looking CT stick with an aroma of barnyard and a hint of milk chocolate. After lighting I can make an immediate comparison to a Monte Edmundo. It isn't an Edmundo doppelgänger, but these sticks are definitely cousins. Faint chocolate notes and a bit of woody sweetness over a twang that isn't Cuban, but is in the neighborhood. This strengthens in the second third giving a nice experience. A slow burn rate and a perfect burn line with the ash holding on for 2-inch chunks. The smoke was almost velvety and the retrohale delivered some extra flavor. Rain started up and make me abandon the smoke in the second third, so I don't know how this would have finished, but it was on a great trajectory. Interesting to note that this stick didn't produce the copious amounts of smoke that I expect from Drew Estates, but that isn't a drawback. If I had been able to finish the whole thing, I wonder if this would have ended up with a '+++' rating. I'll have to get another in a smaller ring gauge to find out.
 

[TacoSauce]

Casdagli D'Boiss DB-52 (+++): A nice looking little robusto. The pre-light aroma triggers memories of the smell coming from boxes of freshly printed event programs -- paper and fresh ink. I wonder if this aroma is coming from the cigar or from the band. I can't tell. After lighting, the first 1/2 inch gives me serious pause. The flavor is that of most Dominican puros: slightly bitter construction lumber. And as the cigar heats, it starts to swell in the middle and the wrapper starts to shred just below the band. The band was likely put on much too tightly. I can't, however, just remove the band since it is possible that the wrapper might completely destroy itself. Thankfully once I get past the 3/4 inch point, the bitterness fades and the cigar transitions into an elegant, mild-medium experience. The flavor of rock candy joins. Not with the sweetness of rock candy, but with rock candy's other sugar-related flavors. Also a cooling menthol-like flavor starts to ramp up at this point. These flavors continue to strengthen over the remainder of the cigar and last until the end. The retro is cool and delightful. Elegant and refined characterizes this cigar. For other cigars, elegance is usually derived from the mustiness of aged tobacco, but for this cigar it is something different, new, and mysterious to me. The cooling/mint/menthol flavor is something I've not experienced in a cigar before. I am somewhat suspicious that one or more of the filler leaves was brushed with a menthol solution before rolling. Not a complaint; I like it. The swelling and wrapper issues ended up being contained to the band region and I was able to smoke through the damage without too much annoyance.

[trader1974]

I just wanted to say thanks for doing these reviews.  I find them very interesting.  I had the same experience you did with the La Palina line (Rosada is the way to go).  Your review of the Caldwell Pacific peaked my interest enough to order a five pack to try out.  I would love to hear your take on the Tatuaje Brown label-my personal NC favorite.

[TacoSauce]

10 hours ago, trader1974 said:

I just wanted to say thanks for doing these reviews.  I find them very interesting.  I had the same experience you did with the La Palina line (Rosada is the way to go).  Your review of the Caldwell Pacific peaked my interest enough to order a five pack to try out.  I would love to hear your take on the Tatuaje Brown label-my personal NC favorite.

Thank you for the kind words. I haven't tried the Tatuaje Brown label. The only stick I have from Tatuaje in the holding pen is the petite cazadores based on the recommendation of @LizardGizmo and the other Lizards. I will add the brown label to my next order of singles and get it in the queue! Thanks!

[TacoSauce]

Illusione Haut 10 Robusto Extra (+): A nice looking stick with a perfect pigtail cap and an easy pre-light draw. After lighting, I get quite a bit of spice and a retrohale that burns the nose. After a 1/4 inch it mellows out to more manageable medium level with less spice. The first third is just tobacco with a little peppery spice to make it interesting. The second third transitions into a smooth, savory, & refined smoke with a bit of fruit at the edges. The retrohale is easy and pleasant. The last third was more of the same. Burn and draw were perfect from start to finish and overall the stick burned very slowly with a tight ash. An enjoyable and refined smoke, but honestly kind of boring.  It was less interesting and tasty than my first-ever JLP Conservas that I smoked on the previous day (I know, I know... but I was captivated by the weird floral taste). This $14 NC certainly beats the pants off the JLP on construction and performance, but if I had to choose, I would choose the JLP over this.

[LizardGizmo]

14 hours ago, TacoSauce said:

Thank you for the kind words. I haven't tried the Tatuaje Brown label. The only stick I have from Tatuaje in the holding pen is the petite cazadores based on the recommendation of @LizardGizmo and the other Lizards. I will add the brown label to my next order of singles and get it in the queue! Thanks!

It's unfortunately the only Tatuaje I really like. Pete's blending style is not in my wheelhouse at all.

[TacoSauce]

Joya de Nicaragua Numero Uno L'Attache (++): A good sized & clean looking stick. The label is quite large and looks silly on a cigar of this size. Overall this stick is quite squishy and loosely packed. It makes me a little nervous about how fast this thing will smoke. The pre-light aroma is that of paper grocery bags with a little bit of spice. The smell reminds me of grade school when we would have to make protective book covers for each of our textbooks. The smell of damp paper bags and paste. After lighting I get a mild-medium experience with core nicaraguan tobacco flavor. No spice however and the retrohale is easy and pleasant. After the first inch a slight sweetness kicks in mixed with the original tobacco flavor. This is different than many of the other premium NCs I've had. Those other cigars typically go for a high level of sweetness as the predominate flavor, where this cigar manages to bring some sweetness while maintaining the toasty tobacco flavors. I like that. This continues to the end with a little bit of cooling menthol/mint joining in the final third. Performance and burn were very good and not impacted by the squishiness. However, I was displeased with feel of the squishy cigar in my hand and the way it flattened at the point where I was holding it. Very flimsy feeling. Overall this was not very Cuban-like but a nice experience for a NC.

[TacoSauce]

CLE Connecticut Gordo (++): Another 6 x 60 monstrosity. I just get angry looking at this thing. But again, this is what was available for purchase as a single. Pre-light the stick appears to have good construction, but doesn't have much in the way of aroma. Upon lighting, I immediately get a good toasty flavor and the aroma from the smoke is delicious. First third is more of the same satisfying toastiness. The second third brings in a tiny bit of sweetness and some bready notes. It is very light, but I definitely get some Upmann character here -- very nice! In the final third intensity kicks up a notch and I am reminded of a VR famosos. A great flavor profile, but very much on the mild-medium side for the whole thing. On the downside, one side of the cigar was definitely packed more loosely than the other -- as was evident from examining the ash. This meant that for the entire smoke there was a 1/2 to 3/4 inch lopsided burn that could not be fixed. It was madenning. I could certainly see a smaller size, a more even burn, or a bump in body could perhaps raise the ranking to a '+++'. Looks like the smallest available vitola in this line is a 5 x 50 robusto. I will definitely be giving this a try. Apparently they used to make a 5 3/4 x 46 corona size (what a delight!), but it was discontinued. Probably because it was too small for the American market. America, get your **** together.

[Lamboinee]

On 11/8/2023 at 7:26 PM, TacoSauce said:

just wanted to say thanks

Harumph harumph.

Lately I have been contemplating the differences in how I enjoy CCs compared to NCs.  I have many more boxes and partial boxes of CC's compared to proportionately more singles and 2-3 of-a-kind of NCs. I feel smoking through cigars from the same box adds an additional dimension to the smoking experience.  It is more grounded and connected by the nature of their box yearness, single same factory of origin, and there spatial (and perhaps happenchance) relation to each cigar making up its other box brothers and box sisters.  It's like a tribe of cannibals savoring each generation of a shipwrecked society in an orderly fashion that develops with each course/generation of human flesh that is eaten....rather than just noshing haphazardly on sporadic selections from amongst a crossunificated non-generational uncategorized smattering of non-sequitor vending options in the Cannibal University dining hall.  Oh, the humanity. 

The process of smoking through a box rather than singles provides a more comprehensive perspective.?.? I also worry that I've dog-cussed a few NC's undeservedly because I just smoked 1 or 2 random cigars from different boxes from different stores in different years..... and maybe duds were the order of the day because God just hates me, and not because the cigars sucked. Do you find your experience with NCs to be similar?  Is this your ENTIRE NC experience being documented and we are reading the very origin and early development stories of you NC life? 

Officially yours in loquacious correspondence

- Misster Missivee

[TacoSauce]

48 minutes ago, Lamboinee said:

Harumph harumph.

Lately I have been contemplating the differences in how I enjoy CCs compared to NCs.  I have many more boxes and partial boxes of CC's compared to proportionately more singles and 2-3 of-a-kind of NCs. I feel smoking through cigars from the same box adds an additional dimension to the smoking experience.  It is more grounded and connected by the nature of their box yearness, single same factory of origin, and there spatial (and perhaps happenchance) relation to each cigar making up its other box brothers and box sisters.  It's like a tribe of cannibals savoring each generation of a shipwrecked society in an orderly fashion that develops with each course/generation of human flesh that is eaten....rather than just noshing haphazardly on sporadic selections from amongst a crossunificated non-generational uncategorized smattering of non-sequitor vending options in the Cannibal University dining hall.  Oh, the humanity. 

The process of smoking through a box rather than singles provides a more comprehensive perspective.?.? I also worry that I've dog-cussed a few NC's undeservedly because I just smoked 1 or 2 random cigars from different boxes from different stores in different years..... and maybe duds were the order of the day because God just hates me, and not because the cigars sucked. Do you find your experience with NCs to be similar?  Is this your ENTIRE NC experience being documented and we are reading the very origin and early development stories of you NC life? 

Officially yours in loquacious correspondence

- Misster Missivee

You are not seeing my first experience with NCs, however you are seeing my first experience with the sticks listed. I started in the late 1990s and have smoked off and on since then. My main takeaway from that whole experience is that I didn't like most NCs. Not having the awareness or money to explore the boutique stuff, I ended up sticking to: Padron naturals, AB Tempus, Oliva Serie V, & La Unicas that I could get at the local shop. Overall, I learned that Dominican puros mostly tasted of bitter construction lumber. Nicaraguans were mostly spice bombs that I didn't enjoy. Honduran cigars, however, had a deep earthiness that I liked. 

Flash forward many years and I get my first box of CCs. Blown away by how much better they are compared to NCs. Even if the flavor profile of a given stick doesn't suit me, I will probably still be happy due to the core flavors of Cuban tobacco. Bad timing for me since I discovered CCs early 2023 when the prices are out of control. Now I'm on the same quest as everyone else to see if there is a more wallet-friendly path to cigars I like. I know a little more than I did back in the day and have a bit more money to try new things.

On the possible perils of passing judgement based on a single stick: that's just the way it goes. I would be so sad if I had a full box remaining for most of the NC sticks I've tried. Even 5-packs. Will I miss out on something along the way? Probably. But smoking more than one won't necessarily help. For example, every single Partagas Serie cigar I have ever had has been unsmokable. Either due to completely plugged construction or due to completely fireproof tobacco. I believe these are probably pretty good cigars based on feedback from others, but the Gods have decreed that they are not for me. And so it goes! I'll find something else.

[Lamboinee]

2 hours ago, TacoSauce said:

La Unicas

I swear I've had some of these were oustrandinger-than-all-get-out!

 

2 hours ago, TacoSauce said:

Honduran cigars,

Always been intriguing to me.  Especially as JRE got running big time.

 

2 hours ago, TacoSauce said:

every single Partagas Serie cigar I

Want one that will smoke?

 

2 hours ago, TacoSauce said:

to see if there is a more wallet-friendly path to cigars I like.

 

My wallet's an asshole and never friendly.  But, irre-regardless, no. Never. The good stuff in life that you get without spending goobers of money for the best is stuff that never cost no dang money to begin with no ways. Having good taste can often be bitter-sweet?  That's gotta be a type of ninja pun or something. I'm liking the the content and format you are using..... it's short bing-bang in-out "thanks for last night. Better get tested" ....and I'm diggin it.

[TacoSauce]

El Rey del Mundo Rectangulares Natural (+++): I bought this a while back with the intention of comparing against the Cuban ERdM (mostly as a joke for myself), but forgot about it and never got a chance to smoke them side-by-side. It finally surfaced and now I have a chance to evaluate on its own. A great sized stick with a 46 ring gauge. So refreshing after all these ridiculous 60 gauged "gordos". The stick has a well-defined box press (hence the name "Rectangulares") and is solidly packed. The wrapper is very thin and sustained a some minor damage when I removed the tissue paper outer sleeve. Not much pre-draw aroma, but the cold draw gives a strong dirt flavor. This is different from a generic "earth" flavor in that it tastes specifically of petrachor (geomsin). After lighting, the flavor settles into a strong cedar flavor. Here I don't mean it has notes of cedar; I mean it is the main and predominate flavor. Huge cedar flavor and it is fantastic (Cedar bomb!). Strangely there is zero finish. You get these big cedar flavors on the draw, and then it is entirely gone. This bugs me somewhat, but the in-your-face cedar flavor is so novel that I can overlook this. After the first third, a cinnamon flavor stars to join. This is especially notable in the retrohale where it manifests as a sweet cinnamon on top of the cedar. There is no sting or spice on the retro, just big flavor. Also note that this isn't "baking spice" or artificial cinnamon flavor: this is straight, natural, woody cinnamon. In the final third the cedar stays constant, but the cinnamon ramps up and stays on the finish with a bit of the tingly taste you would expect from eating cinnamon. A fantastic profile for an autumn smoke. Overall, I loved this for the uniqueness and novelty. There was no complexity or nuance to this stick (as one might expect for < $5), just big cedar and cinnamon flavors.

[TacoSauce]

Bolivar Cofradia Torpedo (+): I bought this a while back with the intention of comparing against the Cuban BBF, but forgot about it and never got a chance to smoke them side-by-side. It finally surfaced and now I have a chance to evaluate it on its own. A pyrimides-sized stick with an attractive dark wrapper. The vendor I bought this single from described it as "A bold and flavorful smoke with spicy and earthy notes," and gave it a medium-full rating. I was therefore expecting a spicy powerhouse that I might not enjoy. After lighting, this stick is mild, mild, mild with an easy and enjoyable retrohale. No spice at all. The flavor profile is a mild leather with a little toasty bread at the edges and maybe a hint of dried fruit once you get into the final third. By the end it has ramped up to mild-medium at max. Perfect construction and burn. Unoffensive and easy to smoke with a very light but enjoyable profile. This is a big stick that would be great as a smoke you didn't need to pay attention to -- for example if you were golfing or mowing the lawn. Turns out I don't golf, nor do I mow lawns, so I won't be pursuing this one again.

[TacoSauce]

Liga Privada No 9 Toro (+): Another Toro.  Aware of the hype around these, I saved this one for a special occasion. A good looking, dark stick. Other than the bulky size, this is an attractive looking stick. it took a little longer to get this one lit since the wrapper is thicker than most cigars. After lighting I made the mistake of retrohaling early on. Whoops! The retrohale was so intense I think I blew out my ability to taste anything right at the start of the smoke. It took an inch and a half before I was able to taste anything again. After that I got a musty taste of coffee with a hint of dried fruit. Something along the lines of Monte perhaps, but much darker. Overall, a meduim-full stick with regard to the heaviness on the palate, but the individual flavors were pretty faint -- could be my palate was still toast from that first retrohale. Looking at the ash I could see an unfilled channel that went the length of the cigar. Absolutely zero resistance on the draw, and I think the void probably contributed to this. Further, this made 1/4 of the circumference burn faster than the rest and as a result I had to constantly touch up the burn line. Interestingly, when you take a torch to the wrapper at the burn line, the wrapper ignites and sustains a flame for a few second before extinguishing. This must be one oily wrapper! I smoked the whole thing, but was unimpressed overall. Maybe I had a dud stick, but the Liga undercrown 10th anniversary is a way better cigar IMO. I bought two of these so I'll be able to revisit the Liga #9 and give it another chance to impress me.

[TacoSauce]

Warped La Colmena Amado No 44 (+): Fantastic looking stick with a pigtail in a great size. Not much in the way of pre-light aroma. The pre-light draw is very tight. Oh no! Lighting the cigar I realize that it has a closed foot and I feel like an idiot having worried about the tight draw. The draw opens up immediately on the first puff. The first 3/4 inch of this is rough. Insane amount of tingly pepper. My entire mouth and nose is tingling and irritated and this triggers post-nasal drip that is uncomfortable and won't stop. I feel like I am smoking fresh leaves of something that isn't tobacco. I feel slightly sick. What a great start! After the first inch it mellows to a medium level and a faint sweetness arrives to try to balance out the profile. There is a slight graham cracker note, but overall the flavor is still mostly vegetal and "green" tasting. I'm reminded of some of the candela wrapped cigars that I sampled years ago. While the body is medium, the finish is very long but it feels sharp and prickly. I feel tingling and astringency for the entire smoke, but there is no bitterness. In the final third some hints of berries arrive, but this is minor compared ot the vegetal core flavors that dominate. Overall I'm left with the impression that they decided to make a cigar out of some new, alien plant leaves instead of tobacco. An interesting experience, but not one that I would want to repeat.