Latest Posts
The Arturo Fuente Maduro Cigars, They’re Like Buttah!
If you’re an avid cigar smoker, what do you think of when you hear the name Fuente? Hopefully you envision a name brand that is world-renowned for their outstanding tobacco which is always perfectly balanced, rich in flavor, impeccably constructed using the most outstanding tobacco leaves available, such as with the Arturo Fuente Maduro blend [...]
Review of Cuesta-Rey Natural Wrapper Cigars
In 1884 Angel La Madrid Cuesta, a young Spanish immigrant, opened a small cigar factory. He was soon accompanied by Peregrino Rey, and the Cuesta-Rey brand was born. Originally made in Cuba and the official cigar of Spain’s King Alfonso XIII, the Cuesta-Rey cigars are now being skillfully handmade by the famous Tabacalera A. [...]
Gurkha Assassin and Gurkha Ninja Cigars Reviewed
No, this is not a new Jackie Chan Kung Fu movie, but Gurkha’s latest cigar blends by K. Hansotia & Co. GURKHA ASSASSIN CIGARS: The Gurkha Assassin, a Nicaraguan blend with tons of charisma, debuted in the U.S. in 2009. Blended by Paul Flores, the Assassin is a full bodied line with a distinctive [...]
Gurkha Vintage Shaggy and Gurkha Cellar Reserve 15 Cigar Reviews
The Gurkha Vintage Shaggy and the Gurkha Cellar Reserve are both Gurkha blends that you might have a tough time finding in local cigar shops but an equally hard time finding online as well. GURKHA CELLAR RESERVE 15: This more rare Gurkha line got its name due to the 15 year old Dominican tobacco [...]
Rich, Chewy, Toasty and Flavorful – Cigar Review of A. Fuente’s Sun Grown Blend
The next time you are in the market to restock your humidor, take note of the Arturo Fuente Sungrown blend. Each A. Fuente Sun Grown is blended with their exclusive Ecuadorian sun-grown wrappers (which are distinguished from the other blends by the black ribbon/band at the foot of each cigar as opposed to a [...]
Cuesta-Rey Maduro Blend: If It Was Good Enough for the King, It Is Good Enough For The Everyday Smoker
Once the official cigar of Spanish King, King Alfonso XI, Cuesta-Rey Maduro cigars were originally made in Cuba. They are now handmade in the Dominican Republic at the Tabacalera A. Fuente factory and utilize only the finest Brazilian, Dominican, Cameroon and Connecticut Broadleaf aged, long-filler tobaccos. Smokers spanning the entire globe recognize the Cuesta-Rey brand [...]
Is the Gurkha Evil Cigar “Pure Evil?”
According to its creator, Kaizad Hansotia, it is! You won’t know what possessed you when you delve into a Gurkha Evil. The Evil blend is Gurkha’s latest addition to the already-prestigious lineup of all the other Gurkha lines. It is also their first full-bodied cigar and it definitely takes no prisoners. Available in a Robusto [...]
Cuesta-Rey Centro Fino Sungrown, the King’s Cigar
At one time they were rolled in Cuba and now they are handmade in the Tabacalera A. Fuente factory in the Dominican Republic, the Cuesta-Rey Centro Fino Sungrown cigars deliver a flavor-filled, medium-bodied smoke and a solid burn as well as construction. It is the official cigar of Spain’s King Alfonso XIII and is [...]
Deconstructing Arturo Fuente’s Finest, The Don Carlos Blend
The Don Carlos blend is hands down Fuente’s finest line to date. The Arturo Fuente Don Carlos is named after its legendary creator and the patriarch of the Fuente family, Don Carlos Fuente, Sr. When he was creating this line, Carlos Fuente, Sr. blended rare, vintage, hand-selected tobaccos, aged upward of ten years, and [...]
A Review of the Gurkha Grand Reserve Louis XIII Cigar – The Height of Elegance and Luxury!
When you light up a Gurkha Grand Reserve Louis XIII cigar you are truly in for a treat. The Gurkha Cigar Company has been making, what I would call, the worlds most distinctive cigars for over 120 years. Every Gurkha Grand Reserve cigar is infused in the legendary Louis XIII Cognac by Remy Martin. Just [...]
Cigar Review of Arturo Fuente Hemingway Cigars: Perfecting the Perfecto
If you are a true cigar enthusiast you might know how difficult it is to craft a Perfecto cigar. The Fuente family are true masters (and one of the only ones left) that still make the Perfecto cigars, and not just one but an entire line of them! The Arturo Fuente Hemingway line is a [...]
C&C Cigars: Affordable, Everyday Cigars for the Discerning Smoker
You might not have heard of C&C cigars as they are hard to find and are fairly new on the market, but you should not dismiss them as they offer 3 different blends that will satisfy just about everyone’s taste and are affordable to satisfy everyone’s pocket! C&C cigars, headquartered in Bradenton, Florida, are the [...]
The Bolivar 2005 and Bolivar Confradia Get Their Moment In The Limelight
This review is definitely geared toward the full-bodied cigar lovers. First we will break down the Bolivar blend from 2005, followed by the overlooked Bolivar Confradia. BOLIVAR 2005: Initially created to pay homage to one of the greatest liberators in history, Simon Bolivar, the premium, hand-made Bolivar cigar commands authority with its full-flavored, bold flavors [...]
The Java Mint: Creme de Menthe Meets Great Cigar
Picture this, you just devoured the most scrumptious, juicy steak dinner and are craving something sweet, but are also jonesing for a great after-dinner cigar. What better way to remedy that craving than with a creamy, medium-bodied, chocolatey, mocha and refreshing minty-flavored box-pressed cigar? That delight, that you will undoubtedly nub, would be the Java [...]
The Alec Bradley Tempus Cigar Offers Big and Delicious Flavor
The Alec Bradley Tempus is possibly Alec Bradley’s finest creation to date. It is well-balanced, bold and has substance – a 94-rated masterpiece! The Alec Bradley Tempus cigars were released in May, 2008 by Alec Bradley (run by Alan Rubin). They are handmade in Honduras at the Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas. Alec Bradley Tempus [...]
Ambos Mundos, Tatuaje’s More Affordable Line
Ambos Mundos No. 1 Habano cigars are yet another hit from Tatuaje’s Pete Johnson, made in the Esteli, Nicaragua factory headed by Don Pepin Garcia. Ambos Mundos, meaning “both worlds” is the more affordable cigar line from Tatuaje, by far! Hailing from Nicaragua it comes in the Habano wrapper (natural) or the Sumatra (full-bodied) and [...]
The Oliva Serie V Cigar Review – The Answer to a Ligero-Lover’s Wish
The Oliva Serie V is a ligero-lovers dream cigar! With its rich colors, beautiful oily wrapper and impeccable construction it comes together in great harmony. Created by Oliva Cigar Company (no relation to Oliva Tobacco Co.) is headquartered in Miami, Florida and rolls their cigars in Nicaragua. The company has slowly acquired its place on [...]
The Dunhill Signed Ranged, A Cigar I Personally Stand Behind
Oh, this cigar gets us very excited! Cigar Aficionado has named the 92-rated Dunhill Signed Range Toro the #19 Top Cigar of 2011 (and the #10 cigar of the year in 2007), and rightfully so! At the risk of sounding biased, the Dunhill Signed Range is by far one of our favorite cigars and it [...]
The Warlock (No, Not Charlie Sheen)
Most of you might assume that “Warlock” means a male version of a witch (and some of you younger folks might associate it with Charlie Sheen on one of his recent rants), but if you dig deeper, in “Old Norse” it actually means “caller of the spirits.” Ranked as the #9 cigar of 2011 by [...]
An Insight Into Hoyo de Monterrey’s Excalibur Blends
Today we honor the legendary Excalibur blends by Hoyo de Monterrey. Hoyo de Monterrey has always been a consistent, well made, reasonably priced brand. We will highlight the flavor characters of each of the following blends: Excalibur Legend, Excalibur Dark Knight, the Excalibur Cameroon blend and Excalibur (as well as Excalibur Maduro). Excalibur Legend: As [...]
The Illusione Cigar, A Stogie Even George Burns Would Have Enjoyed!
The Illusione is a progressive new blend by Dion Giolito. Giolito’s concept behind the Illusione cigars was to rebuild a taste profile from old-world Nicaragua, pre-Sandanistas 1979, that would have mass appeal to the cigar smokers of today. He managed to create a blend that won over cigar smokers from all over. The Illusione uses [...]
Montecristo Goes Platinum! Cigar Review of the Montecristo Platinum Series
With its new Platinum Series, Montecristo, long considered the international brand by which all other premiums are measured, sets new standards for luxury cigars. Crafted with selected San Andres Cubano wrapper (grown in the legendary San Andres Valley), along with a rich, Dominican binder and a special vintage blend of Nicaraguan, Peruvian and Dominican long [...]
The Montecristo Afrique: A Cigar Review of an African Rarity
The Montecristo Afrique, is a truly rare gem. Rarely is a truly unique, new blend created in the cigar industry, as most new brands are just remodifications of existing blends. One of the reasons being that there is a limited variety of black cigar tobacco available for cigar producers to create new blends. Master blenders, [...]
Tabak Especial Cigars, Blowing Smokers’ Minds Since 2008!
Jonathan Drew and the Drew Estate team do it again! Another successful infused blend by Drew Estate that appeals to cigar lovers AND coffee drinkers all over the world. The Tabak Especial cigar is the culmination of Drew Estate taking the art of blending coffee and cigars to new heights. The process involves slowly infusing [...]
