TacoSauce NC Diary

[TacoSauce]

Cavalier Genève USA Regional Exclusive Robusto (++): A robusto that feels solid in the hand and has a nice sheen on a dark, but not maduro wrapper. The pre-light aroma reminded me slightly of shoelaces and the cold draw had a faint lychee note. After lighting, the cigar opened at a mild-medium body and the first 1.4 inch was cereal and powdered sugar -- a bit like a raised donut. Phenomenal. Over the next inch, the body ramped quickly to just under full with a lot of intense bitterness coming to the front. You could still get some of the grain and sweetness in the background, but those flavors were not in the foreground. This bitterness wasn't the typical bitter wood that I've experienced from other Cavaliers. This stick lacked the woodiness and tended more towards bitter earth. At the final third the body fell back to medium-full and the sweet grain became more pronounced. Now it presented like a slightly over-cooked cruller donut. Still quite nice. While the middle portion of this cigar was too intense for me, I liked the start and finish quite a bit.

[TacoSauce]

Caldwell Savages Corona Extra (++): I really liked this blend in the Toro vitola. That prompted me to try it in a more reasonable size: the corona extra. This is a discontinued stick, so the stick I got a hold of had a bit of age as could be seen by some of the discoloration on the bands. The cold draw and pre-light aroma both had a rich hay and light barnyard note with a faint hint of dried fruit. After lighting, the body is just over medium and the first inch and a half mostly tasted of wood and faint walnut. Starting at the second third, some sweetness joins and the flavor profile transitions to chalk with the tiniest vanilla note. It reminded me a little bit of those old chalky candy cigarettes -- but without all the sweetness. This profile continued until the end. There was a bit more nicotine in this stick that I am used to and certainly more than I experienced with the Toro. This was a good stick, but it lacked the magic that I experienced with the Toro size.

[TacoSauce]

Cavalier Genève Small Batch USA Exclusive Petit Corona (++): A nicely sized, dark looking stick with the customary diamond of gold foil applied directly to the wrapper. Cold draw and pre-light aroma both give off vibes of a dark chocolate brownie. Nice. After lighting, I get that initial blast of grain and sugar typical of a Cavalier, but this one had a touch of chocolate. The initial flavor upon lighting any cigar from Cavalier is heavenly. If there was some way to make the whole cigar taste like that, the entire world would be smoking cigars. Per usual, that deliciousness transitions after the first 2-3 puffs. It is replaced by a toasted cedar / pencil shavings flavor delivered just under medium body. Reminds me of a mellowed out Placensia Fuego. Once we hit the second half, a bit of sweetness and cocoa join and this profile stays to the end. A very nice experience overall.

[TacoSauce]

2012 by Oscar Valladares Corojo Toro (++): Another one of those sticks that showed up in the humidor without me having any record or idea of how it got there. This is a big stick with a pronounced rectangular box press. Pre-light aroma is of old books dusted with sugar. The cold draw had a light note of beef jerky. After lighting, the cigar opened at medium-full and was tasty from the very start. The flavor was a straightforward "rosado" profile which I still can't describe other than to say it is slightly sweet and tangy with an undefined fruitiness at the edges. A very tangy experience. I think this was burning hotter than expected due to big, empty chasms running down the length of the cigar. Thankfully each void in the filler was only about an inch long. However, once one of them ended a new void opened up in a different area. Despite the poor construction, the cigar delivered an interesting and satisfying, but not complex, medium-full experience for the duration.

[TacoSauce]

Puro Desnudo Pyrimide N2 (+++): This stick was cut, but then stashed back in the humidor as it kept being too big to risk smoking given the rain that threatened day after day. Finally got a clear day to try it. Nothing coming off the pre-light wrapper and the cold draw only gave the faintest hint of pastry dough. After lighting, the cigar opened at a mild-medium body and the initial flavor matched the cold draw with a nice and mild pastry note. After the first inch, the cigar became very creamy and the whole experience was that of a cafe latte -- heavy on the latte and light on the cafe. Sort of like a Starbucks late where the coffee flavor is hidden in the background. There were still some pastry notes coming through at the edges. Very enjoyable. The experience stayed consistent until the last 2 inches where the body ramped up to medium and the pastry flavors intensified. This reminded me of a milder and creamier version of the Nudie petite corona. A great cigar for newbies and aficionados alike.

[TacoSauce]

Tatuaje 20th Anniversary Grande Merveille (+): A near Churchill-sized stick with a nice even pack. Pre-light aroma is of tangy wood and the cold draw is tingly on the lips and has a faint note of sourness. After lighting, the cigar opens with a medium-full body. The predominate flavor is sour wood with an oily tingliness on the lips. This experience is sour, not bitter; and the sour level is dialed in just right. The retrohale is manageable right from the start, but gives flavors identical to those on the palate. Starting the the second third, some burnt sugar joins giving a hint of creme brulee character -- but without the sweetness. By the time the stick is down to that last inch and a half, the body was ramped to full and it is too intense for me. This stick reminded me a bit of the Rocky Patel San Andreas, except the RP had fruit notes at the edges and this one had the burnt sugar note instead. Before it became too intense, I enjoyed this stick. However, I think the RP was better.

[TacoSauce]

Arturo Fuente Rosado Sungrown Magnum R 44 (+++): A 4 7/8 x 47 rg stick. This was reviewed recently by the Lizards and they classified this as a "short smoke." I think that speaks to the dearth of true short smokes in the NC world, given that this is nearly the same size as a CC Hermoso No.4 -- not a short smoke in my opinion at all. I have previously reviewed the MagR 52, which is the larger format of this blend. I thought that one had promise, but it was plagued by construction issues that prevented me from getting the true experience. The pre-light aroma off the wrapper of the MagR 44 had a funky, acidic fermented flavor -- something like sauerkraut -- very strange. The cold draw only tasted of wood. After lighting, the cigar opens at a medium body and the flavor is that of dark, mossy wood bark, with a velvety smoke texture. I get occasional notes of caramel. At the start of the second third, a light coffee and cinnamon flavor joins. This is dark, burnt cinnamon as opposed to bright, sweet cinnamon. By the half way point these flavors have all melded together to give an excellent and indescribable flavor that I've noticed most routinely in the Oliva Master Blend 3. I sometimes refer to this as the flavor becoming electric and starting to buzz. I love it! This profile is unchanged until the last inch where the cigar gets very hot and so I ended it there. This blend is much darker and more "burnt" than most Fuentes, but I find it to be complex and amazing. Full marks for this blend.

[TacoSauce]

Illusione Original Documents CG:4 White Horse (++): My experience with the "standard" Illusiones started with the Epernay, which I found to be too mild for my taste. I next tried the ~eccj~ aand really liked the bump to a solidly medium bodied profile. After this I tried the original Documents ~2~ belicoso and found it to have even more body, but not that interesting from a flavor perspective. Now I've got the CG:4, which is also from the Original Documents line. This stick gives off a bit of zest from the pre-light wrapper. Cold draw has that slightly sweet note that I think most of the Illusione line possess. After lighting, the body is just under medium-full and the flavor has a bit of white pepper, but mostly toasted bread. The retrohale is easy and has a similar flavor profile. Toasted/charred bread is the core flavor for the entire smoke. with occasional notes of wood and marmite. The wrapper also imparts a bit of sourness and intensity to the experience on the lips. This was much more interesting from a flavor perspective than the belicoso. From an intensity perspective the ranking is Epernay < ~eccj~ < CG:4. I think the ~eccj~ is the sweet spot, but the CG:4 definitely has a place for when you want something with more oomph.

[TacoSauce]

Espinosa Laranja Reserva Corona Grande (+): I've had this blend in the lancero before and there were hints of greatness, but it had construction problems that significantly diminished the experience. I'm back again with a vitola that might be less prone to rolling problems. Pre-light aroma and cold draw are both faint barnyard and hay. After lighting there is the expected Espinosa blast of black pepper that I have come to enjoy. The pepper lasts for 1/2 inch and the cigar mellows into a mild-medium bodied presentation of slightly creamy wood with the black pepper in the background and the occasional hint of orange peel on the edges. I think the orange peel note might come from the power of suggestion, but there is definitely some citrus peel tang going on. Definitely peel and not the fruit itself. This profile lasts until the end. I didn't get any of the vanilla pudding favors that briefly showed up with the lancero. Also, the first third of this cigar burned very well and produced a crazy amount of aromatic smoke. The second third, however, produced very little smoke and required multiple puffs to get any smoke and keep the darn thing lit. This corrected in the final third. That's two cigars in this blend having the same problem even though they were different vitolas.

[TacoSauce]

Knuckle Sandwich Habano Corona Gorda (++): A dark looking stick, but not quite a maduro. Pre-light aroma has a spicy kick and the cold draw is of dark wood bark. After lighting, the cigar opens at a medium-full body and the retrohale is surprisingly manageable for this body level. The initial flavor profile is wood and turtles. You know, turtles, the half-dollar-sized cluster of chocolate covered peanuts. A really interesting flavor that I've not experience elsewhere. Over the course of the smoke, the body eventually gets to full and while the core flavors remain the same, they get stronger and progressively more burnt-tasting. I made it to the 2-inch point before it became to intense for me. I really liked the flavor profile of the first half of this stick. Too much for me after that point.

[TacoSauce]

Espinosa Laranja Reserva Escuro Lancero (+): A dark maduro stick. Pre-light aroma is that of freshly polished wood and the cold draw has a slight sweetness. After the light, the expected Espinosa black pepper blast was completely missing! Shucks, my disappointment speaks to the fact that I've come to like that first peppery punch that Espinosa usually delivers. The cigar opens at a mild-medium body, which is unusual for a maduro. The typical maduro flavors are still there: a slightly sweet wood and earth with a hint of dried fruit somewhere in there. however, the flavor level is very low. As the stick progresses the body eventually builds through medium and ends just shy of medium-full. The flavor ends up settling on slightly sweet earth and after the first inch passed it remained a very one-dimensional smoke. Nothing offensive about this stick, but I don't see anything that would bring me back here.

[TacoSauce]

Ashton VSG Belicoso No.1 (+): I have reviewed the Illusion (corona) sized vitola in this blend before and enjoyed the experience. As a follow-up I ordered the belicoso. Pre-light aroma is dark chocolate and the cold-draw is cocoa with some unidentified dried fruit.  Upon lighting the body was medium-full, and the flavor was all toasty, aged, tobacco with a slight mustiness. After the first 3/4 inch, the cigar started to canoe. Examining the ash showed there was a significant empty channel running down one side. This caused the cigar to burn hot and for the body to shoot up towards full. The flavor experience was muddled and flat. After constant touchups, the void closed up in the final third and the stick started to smoke well again. In the final third, the flavor settled into a nice melding of toasty tobacco, wood, and the occasional note of dried fruit. However, the body stayed nearly full during this time, which was a bit overpowering for me.

[TacoSauce]

Patoro Serie P Brazilian Churchill (+): I have previously reviewed the Terre Blanche Robusto from this same blender and found it to be interesting, but too mild. This new stick looks great with a medium brown wrapper. Pre-light aroma reminds me a bit of childhood smell of getting into a hot car after it has been baking in the sun --in the era before car interiors were entirety made of plastic. Cold draw has that rare lychee note and a bit of cotton candy sweetness. Looking at the foot, I see there is a single leaf of black tobacco perfectly centered in lighter-colored filler. After lighting, the cigar opens at mild-medium and the flavor is mild wood and a very slight bitterness -- a very Dominican profile. Thankfully the bitterness didn't build. After an inch and a half of this unimpressive profile, a cooling, light-menthol-like sensation joins on top of the woodiness and is rounded out by a musty tobacco note. This is a nice flavor experience, but is still only mild-medium and it gets boring. In the final third some sweet Maraschino cherry notes are added -- the fluorescent, American kind, not the real European cherries. All the notes in the final third, taken together, remind me of an oaky, sour, fruit beer. While I wanted more oomph from this cigar, and probably won't have another at this price point, it has a really interesting flavor profile that would be a definite recommend for someone who likes milder sticks.

[TacoSauce]

Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Sonata Maestro Torpedo (+++): A recommendation from the Lizards' podcast. I have previously tried the Expressivo from Aging Room, and found it to be very flavorful, but a touch to intense. The Sonata is a well packed stick with a dark brown, handsome wrapper. Pre-light aroma reminds me of a leather chair and the cold draw has a slight chemical or plastic note that is a bit off-putting. After lighting the cigar opens just above medium-full body and the initial flavors are wood and milk chocolate. The first third is more intense than I like with a retrohale that can only be tolerated in tiny puffs. Thankfully, starting the second third the cigar settles down somewhere between medium and medium-full. The retrohale smooths out and the flavor shifts to milk chocolate and cappuccino with a bit of wood in the background. These flavors meld together to give a fantastic experience. The construction is excellent and the cigar burns at a slow pace. It gets too hot at the final inch and so I end it there. Recommended.

[TacoSauce]

Black Works Studio Rorshach (+): A smaller stick at 4.5 x 48. The pre-light aroma is strangely of cheese and the cold draw has no discernable flavor. After lighting, the cigar opens at a medium body and the flavor on the palate is that of charred wood bark. This stick is immediately retrohalable, and the flavor on the retro is that of  strange, alien cactuses -- similar to some Warped sticks like the La Colmena. Having this weird flavor only present on the retrohale is nice because I can choose how much of it I want to experience. It allows me to titrate in the flavor and worked out well. The stick maintained this profile until I put it down with an inch and half left. An interesting stick, but not my jam.

[TacoSauce]

Atabey Spiritus (+++): A 7 x 40 lancero stick with a light colored wrapper. Pre-light aroma reminds me of an empty Fritos bag and the cold draw has just a slight note of popcorn. After lighting, the cigar opens with a mild-medium body and the flavor reminds me of bread with olive oil -- no sweetness. This is novel and nice, but not at all complex. This lasts for 2 inches, and then the profile gets more complex. At this point, sweet cream and grain flavors join -- similar to some aspects of a HdM Epi No.2. Over the second third a heavier, and slightly gritty, bass note joins that reminds me a little of some of the core, background flavor you get in some trinis and cohiba. The combination of all these flavors is complex and great with the body staying under medium the whole time. This is really an excellent stick, and represents a good Cuban-alternative in the NC space. However, at $33 a stick, it makes more sense to spend that kind of coin on CCs themselves.

I wrote that last sentence before I threw out an unsmokable $60 HdM DC. Maybe the $33 Atabey is the better choice. 

[KCCubano]

25 minutes ago, TacoSauce said:

Atabey Spiritus (+++): A 7 x 40 lancero stick with a light colored wrapper. Pre-light aroma reminds me of an empty Fritos bag and the cold draw has just a slight note of popcorn. After lighting, the cigar opens with a mild-medium body and the flavor reminds me of bread with olive oil -- no sweetness. This is novel and nice, but not at all complex. This lasts for 2 inches, and then the profile gets more complex. At this point, sweet cream and grain flavors join -- similar to some aspects of a HdM Epi No.2. Over the second third a heavier, and slightly gritty, bass note joins that reminds me a little of some of the core, background flavor you get in some trinis and cohiba. The combination of all these flavors is complex and great with the body staying under medium the whole time. This is really an excellent stick, and represents a good Cuban-alternative in the NC space. However, at $33 a stick, it makes more sense to spend that kind of coin on CCs themselves.

I wrote that last sentence before I threw out an unsmokable $60 HdM DC. Maybe the $33 Atabey is the better choice. 

Nice review. Was that a Smallmouth Bass or Largemouth Bass note?? Lol

[TacoSauce]

14 minutes ago, KCCubano said:

Was that a Smallmouth Bass or Largemouth Bass note?? Lol

"A bass fish playing bass music on a double bass instrument"

[TacoSauce]

Black Works Studio Limited Edition Hyena Lonsdale (+): This stick combines two of my favorite things: Cameroon wrappers and Lonsdales! The aroma off the wrapper reminded me old musty old books and the cold draw had the faintest hint of canned fruit cocktail. After lighting, the body opened just above medium and the flavor was a straightforward combination of nuttiness and Cameroon sweetness. This was a nice combo of flavors but it was in no way nuanced or complex and it did not change at all over the course of the smoke. The only think that changed was the body, which ramped up and ended at medium-full. A solid stick, and nothing bad about it, but nothing really stood out about it. I don't need to have another of these.

[TacoSauce]

Puro Desnudo N7 Ninfas (+++): This is probably my 7th one of these long and skinnies. This cigar is consistently fantastic. To my mind, this cigar should be named "Punch," because it constantly punches you with flavor in not subtle ways -- but it is not harsh or offensive. And it does this while maintaining a just-above-medium body for the whole smoke. Also it has this novel fresh grape note (methyl anthranilate) that I haven't noticed on any other cigar. If you don't have any, you should get some. End of review.

[TacoSauce]

Davidoff Winston Churchill Belicoso (++): I picked up a tin of 4 after hearing the Lizards' review. This is indeed a tiny smoke for a NC stick. It feels quite spongy (but not wet). I think this is a lightly packed stick and this seems purposeful as it is consistent across all 4 in the tin. Pre-light aroma is of tangy leather and the cold draw has a hint of dried fruit. I took the Lizards' recommendation to just cut a small amount off the tip. This was the correct move as the draw is wide open. After lighting, the cigar opens at a medium body. The main flavor is toasty and aged tobacco. It has an intensity that is unexpected, but not unwelcome. Occasionally I get a note of browned butter at the edges. A satisfying and flavorful stick, but not complex at all. I would say that this might be considered the Vegueros of Davidoff: straightforward and simple, but a solid experience delivered at a cheaper price point.

[TacoSauce]

EP Carillo La Historia Parientes (+++): I've reviewed this one before. I liked it, but got a huge ammonia blast in the second half that marred the experience. I ordered another to give it another go. Once again this is a gnarly looking stick. It had a slight box press and there are hard bumps protruding all over this stick. It seems as if the stick is full of stems. The pre-light aroma is wood with a slight dish soap note. Not much on the cold draw. The draw is very restricted -- might have something to do with all those alleged stems. A quick poke with the perfect draw brings the draw to "good enough." After lighting, the body opens at a medium level and the flavor is a light dark bread (no caraway) and cocoa. As I transition into the second third aged tobacco joins and the overall flavor mix is top notch and not at all intense. In fact, the body never went above medium and at times I would say was a little below medium. In the final third, the occasional caramel note joined, and right near the end I got that maraschino cherry flavor a few times. No ammonia this time and the overall body seemed milder than before. While the cigar doesn't look refined, the flavor experience certainly is.

[TacoSauce]

Dapper Cubo Sumatra Corona Gorda (++): A nice ring gauge on this stick. The pre-light aroma off the wrapper is reminiscent of the pungent smell you get when you stick your nose in a paper bag containing freshly made, seasoned french fries. Not much coming off the cold draw. After lighting, the cigar opens at a medium body and wood and nut notes predominate. There is also a nice tanginess coming through on the lips from the wrapper. Lots of flavor delivered at a medium body -- this is right in my wheelhouse. At the halfway point the flavor takes a dip and a biterness dominates. Thankfully this only lasts for a half-inch or so and then the original profile is restored. In the final third some sherry notes join, giving some extra sophistication to the smoke. Nothing overly complex from this cigar, but it delivered well on all fronts. 

[TacoSauce]

Dapper Desvalido Robusto (-): I have previously reviewed the Desvalido Dilsa Lonsdale and loved it. This was my first sampling of another vitola from this line*. Pre-light, the wrapper smells like a freshly opened box of chocolate truffles and the cold draw has a delicious milk chocolate note. After lighting, the cigar opens at medium body with a mostly woody character. Over the first third, the woodiness intensifies and there is a strong astringency that is unpleasant. The flavor isn't a bitter wood like you get from Dominican puros, but the experience is similarly gross. I tossed the stick before getting to the half-way point. This was very disappointing given how good the Dilsa Lonasdale was. *Reading online, the Dilsa is technically a different blend. I guess I should have paid more attention when ordering this robusto. D'oh!

[TacoSauce]

Patoro Gran Anejo Reserva No.1 Churchill (+++): I have previously reviewed the Terre Blanche Robusto from this same company and found it to be interesting, but too mild. Then I tried the Serie P Brazilian, and found it to be just okay. This new stick looks similarly attractive as the others. Pre-light aroma gives off some sort of exotic wood scent and the cold draw has an identifiable note of dried dragonfruit. After lighting, the cigar opens at mild-medium and the flavor is light wood, some sweetness and some mild pastry flavor. After the first inch, the flavor rounds out into an elegant aged tobacco and pastry kind of vibe with that classic Patoro cooling note. This is similar to the Terre Blanche. This profile is maintained until the final 2 inches where the body jumps to medium and the flavor intensifies -- with the pastry flavor becoming more bready and the mild sweetness becoming more honey-like. This was an excellent and refined flavor experience. It was a little boring given how long the stick was, but I can see Patoro aficionados loving the consistent and prolonged delivery. I would have another of these, but in a shorter vitola. After smoking a few sticks from this brand, my overall conclusion is that, while these sticks aren't exactly in my wheelhouse, I think Patoro is a must-try brand. They provide a very unique style of cigar. Don't let the high price prevent you from trying the brand.