Cigar, Whiskey, Wine, Coffee, Shop, Reviews
Reviews of cigars, spirits, wines, coffee, and shops for the consumer, We strive to be honest and transparent in all our reviews.
Reserva Liga Texas Cigar Review Brand: Stogius Maximus Vitola: Robusto Filler: Nicaraguan Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Binder: Nicaraguan Smoking time: 57 minutes Body: Medium Flavor: Medium to Medium Full Price: $9.50 What Makes It Special Only a little information is available on this new release. Created by Scott “Stogius Maximus” Lewis, a ubiquitous broker in the Texas boutique cigar world (and silvery-voiced quartet member), this cigar is currently only listed for sale at the Underground Cigar Shop as far as I can tell via web search. Manufactured at the venerable AJ Fernandez facilities in Nicaragua, it promises great quality, with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, undisclosed binder, and fillers from Nicaragua. Intrigued at such a non-descript release, I was left only to try it and pass my gavel solely on its merits. So let’s go! Visual / Pre-light Draw I purchased two robustos of this cigar, and they are as dark and oily as one would expect from a Connecticut Broadleaf. Precut aromas were of coffee and earth with a grassy sweetness at the foot. After cutting, a cold draw brought a pleasant medium resistance and a creamy coffee flavor. There was a strong roasting coffee aroma while toasting. Lighting went well, if not perfectly straight, though nothing required a touchup. First Third First draws feature a robust and creamy coffee flavor, with a hint of spice on the retro. There is also a slight metallic tinge to the aftertaste, but nothing untoward. Smoke production is excellent, with a competent medium draw. Towards the end of the first third, the burn has corrected itself, and we enter a first kind of “break” in the flavor transitions where the creaminess is front and center, and all other flavors take a back seat. Second Third Lots of creaminess still with a more…
Leaf n Grain Cigar Review – TIMELESS PRESTIGE by Ferio Tego Brand: Ferio Tego Vitola: Hermoso 5.5×54 Filler: Dominican Republic & Nicaragua Wrapper: Honduran Maduro Binder: Dominican Republic Flavor Intensity: Medium Bold Body: Medium Boldness Price: $11 …
Ozgener Bosphorus Cigar Review by Joe Gulino Brand: Ozgener Family Cigar Vitola: 4.0×50 Box Press Filler: Nicaraguan (Esteli, Jalapa, Ometepe) Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra Binder: Ecuadorian Connecticut & Nicaraguan Jalapa Smoking time: 40 minutes Body: Medium Flavor: Medium Intensity Price: $11 What Makes It Special The former head of CAO, Tim Ozgener, has launched his first Bosphorus Ozgener Family Cigar line. Tim is the son of CAO Founder Cano Ozgener. The cigar’s name, Bosphorus, is a body of water that divides Europe and Asia and pays tribute to the Ozgener family’s Turkish roots. These cigars are produced by the Tabacalera Pichardo Factory in Nicaragua and distributed by Crowned Heads. This 4.0×50 was graciously provided by Crowned Heads Regional Sales Manager David Payne III during a by-chance meeting at Norwood Royal Cigars in Chicago. Although the cigar was gifted, my review of the cigar will remain honest and transparent, based on my personal smoking experience as a self-developed cigar and whisk(e)y pairing reviewer, under the guidance of Dave Yancey, aka Greybeard, and Ash Red. Its Ecuadorian wrapper leaf gets its varying spicy and sweet flavors from Ecuador’s rich volcanic soil and minerals, ideal for growing the most oily and pliable tobacco. Sumatra tobacco migrated from the Indonesian Sumatra Island, where it is known as ‘black tobacco.’ Ecuadorian Sumatra, made by blending Cubano and Sumatra varieties, is a mild and sweet leaf that produces sweet floral and earthy notes of cinnamon. The Nicaraguan fillers and binder will provide nice leathery notes and additional spice to the cigar. Visual / Pre-light Draw This is easily the smallest vitola to reach my hands. After a two-day dry boxing of the cigar, it was still slightly oily. It is smooth to the touch with tougher toothier-looking veins toward the head of the cigar. It has a…
Top 5 Old-Fashioned Cocktails in DFW-West I’ll have an Old Fashioned, please! History The Old Fashioned is a timeless, classic cocktail with roots dating back to the 1800s. The Pendennis Club of Louisville is often credited with its…
Kentucky Owl Takumi Edition Whiskey Review journey through a tasting Exploring a new whiskey is a journey. A journey that will explore all of your senses, beginning with your sight and ending with your sense of touch and taste. First, you will choose a bottle based on the name, the shape of the bottle, how the label captures your attention, or what you have read about the whiskey. Once you’ve picked the bottle up, you’ll notice details about the whiskey, such as the color, proof, blend, or age. If any of those are not what you are looking for, you’ll put the bottle down and move on to the next. Next, you will use your hearing to experience the whiskey you chose—the sound of the wax, foil, or paper around the cork. The anticipation builds up as you take the wrapper off for the satisfying sound of the cork popping out of the bottle and releasing the aromas that were trapped in the bottle. The aroma brings in the first time you use your sense of smell; however, the sound does not end there; while you are taking in the aroma, you will begin pouring the whiskey into your glass and listen to the sound as the liquid hits the glass. All this time, your sense of sight has been enhancing the experience, but now, this is where your eyes take over as you look closely at the color of the whiskey. Is it a deep amber, a light golden, or somewhere in between? How does it look as you begin swirling the whiskey in your glass? Does the liquid slowly move back down the glass into the bowl? How does it look when you bring the glass to your nose to dive deep into the aromas? It is time…
Mercury Chophouse Review Be Celebrated! A phrase that I often will tell others, whether it is on their promotions, birthdays, anniversaries, or just because. Recently I decided to take my advice and celebrate by treating myself to a…
Congratulations to @bertbesmokin1868 on winning the April Pairing of the Month. Below is his pairing review! Cigar Pairing Rojas Unfinished Business with Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge I went with the Rojas Unfinished Business Mareva, Box Press, by Noel Rojas with one of my favorite liqueurs Grand Marnier Cordon Rouge for my Pairing of the Month for April. This was a blind pairing but with it being an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, Nicaraguan Binder, Nicaraguan & Mexico filler, and the bitter orange, hazelnuts, and toffee in the drink; I just knew it was going to be an amazing pairing. The cigar had caramel and semi-sweet chocolate smell to it, on the cap and foot was a smell of chocolate. I decided to go with a V-cut and immediately from the cold draw I got hints of hazelnuts, cayenne, and hay. As soon as I got through the first third of the cigar I was hit with spices, the drink to Cigar was excellent. The cognac in the Grand Marnier brought out the woody and black peppercorn spices followed by an orange after taste that lingered in my mouth. The cigar to drink also yielded strong hints of black peppercorn which overpowered the citrus but still paired nicely with the cognac’s subtle spices. I continued to the second third, and it paired beautifully both ways from drink to cigar AND cigar to drink. The chocolate espresso and creamy coffee notes from the cigar with the spices of hazelnuts from the cognac made every puff enjoyable. The citrus aftertaste was also a big plus, almost like a chocolate orange coffee taste. Lastly, the final third. Wow, this last part took me by surprise, the creamy dark espresso, malty chocolate, and sweet cocoa notes of the cigar with the drink turned into an orange…