CAMACHO BLACKOUT @camachocigars

We finally had some decent weather this past weekend and I definitely took advantage of it by checking out some live Comedy at the Iron Post, DD’n it till 3:00 am complete with strippers but more importantly I was able to enjoy a nice cigar!  I’ve had these Camacho Blackouts in the Ark for a few months now and as the sun warmed things up I broke one out and I wasn’t disappointed!

Country: Honduras

Wrapper: Honduran

Price: $6.00

Strength: Full

Length: 5

Gauge: 50

The new Camacho Limited Edition 2013 utilizes tobaccos from 4 different years. The wrapper was grown in 2006, while the binder is from 2009 with fillers from 2003, 2008, 2009.  The rolled cigars were then aged together for two years, when the marrying process Is normally just a few months.  The cigars prominent dark wrapper is the result of “press-fermentation” and sun ripening.  The result of these processes is a cigar that is full in flavor and body!

Like I mentioned up top I’ve had these in the Ark for a few months now and i’ve definitely been jones’n for one!  The cigar is of excellent construction which should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with Camacho and their respective cigars.  They’re always well-constructed and look great!  I guess the only thing I don’t like about Camacho is their newly designed labels and marketing campaign!  I liked the old art better, but that has dick to do with how their cigars perform which is always top notch!  The Blackout is no different.  The Cigar was a very dark color with a murdered-out label hence the name “Blackout”!  The cigar cut true.  I gave it a few cuts to get the perfect draw.  The dry draw was fine with hints of coffee and oil!  After I lit the foot I gave it a few puffs yielding a dry and bitter taste that was similar to some Nicaraguan cigars I’ve had recently.  The cigar had a hard time staying even throughout the smoke and I had to true it up several times.  I found notes of mocha, coffee, dark chocolate along with earthy and nutty hints.  It was light on my palate and left a pleasant aftertaste!  Camacho lists this as a full strength cigar however I found it to be on the milder side of full…the body was full flavored though! 

I’d say of all the Camacho cigars I’ve tried from the Corojo to the Triple Maduro the Blackout has to be right up there not just in quality but taste!  Despite the chill in the air and he poor even burn this was a very enjoyable cigar!  I enjoyed it with a nice German Coffee blend as well!  That was a great combo to say the least!  Not sure when I’ll get a chance for another cigar with the weather going to shit but this was worth it!  If you’re at a shop that carries Camacho definitely grab a Blackout and see for yourself!

Cheers!

FUENTE FUENTE OPUSX

Fuente Fuente OpusX Belicoso – this was the second OpusX I’ve had with the first being the Perfection No. 10.  I enjoyed this cigar on Thanksgiving Day after everyone had gone home and I was fully engulfed in a stress free environment.  Yep Just me a few beers and a bottle of wine sitting on my porch enjoying a cigar!  Needless to say I was drunk when I had this cigar, which I consider to be highly irresponsible especially when you’re smoking an OpusX. 

Country: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Natural 
Price: $9.25
Strength: Full
Length: 4 5/8
Gauge: 48

The OpusX line of Cigars is one of the most famous and sought after cigars because of their distinct flavor and aroma, constant ratings of over 90 by Cigar Aficionado, and rarity. If you're looking for the best of the best - these cigars are it. The OpusX is full of flavor and punch!

Nestled in the risk, volcanic soil of the Dominican Republic lies Chateau De La Fuente, home of the finest cigars of our time, the coveted Fuente OpusX!

The mineral rich soils of the Dominican Republic, once deemed unsuitable for wrapper tobacco, had never met with the expertise and tenacity of the Fuente family.  Together they cultivated a glorious wrapper tobacco that becomes the foundation for the infamous Fuente Fuente OpusX, the first ever Dominican Puro.

Today Fuente is regarded as the pinnacle of cigar perfection, and the standard by which all cigars are measured. The unique combination of Fuente tobaccos produce flavors both smooth and bold, in harmony with the sweet lingering fullness of the exclusive Fuente Fuente OpusX wrapper tobacco.  Flawless construction, exquisite flavor and a century of mastery and tradition!

To be honest I wasn’t very impressed with this particular cigar.  In fact I liked the Perfection better by far.  I guess you could say this cigar was a bit of a letdown.  It had been in my humidor for about a year too.  It just wasn’t as complex as I was anticipating.  Maybe I was to amped up and made this cigar out to be way more than I should have.  Or maybe it was the fact IW as drunk as skunk…uh yeah that was probably it so I should issue an apology to the Fuentes for my carelessness in this case! 

The Belicoso was smooth from what I remember and it did have more of a full flavor.  I actually should go drop another $10 and get one and try it when I’m not drunk and then do another review!  Maybe I will!

Cheers!

UNDERCROWN BY LIGA @JonathanDrew1

I first saw Liga cigars in a mail order cigar magazine!  They're made by Drew Estate.  For those of you not familiar with Drew Estate they're a cigar company started from scratch by a couple of college guys!  They're mainly known for their infused cigar brand ACID (flavored, but they hate that moniker)!  I have tried a couple of their infused cigars and wasn't a big fan to be honest, but to each his own.  I didn't realize that Drew Estate had been making natural cigars and great ones at that.  The Liga Privada Undercrown apparently falls under the great cigar heading or at least that's what the magazines said!  I have to admit it was hard for me to get past the whole infused cigar label attached to Drew Estate but I put on the blinders and broke down and bought a Liga Privada Undercrown at a local cigar shop!  The particular cigar I purchased was the robusto!  At a little over $8 a stick this was a pricey smoke indeed!  I left it in the humidor for about a week or so and then texted up EDG to bring a stick over and have a nice Sunday evening smoke!  

Country: Nicaragua

Wrapper: San Andres

Price: $7.45

Strength: Full

Length: 5

Gauge: 54

Created by the rollers of the Drew Estate factory, the Liga Privada Undercrown uses tobaccos similar to the Liga Privada #9 but that are more readily available. While the Liga Privada #9 is full flavored treat, the Undercrown is a little lighter on the palate. Wrapped in a dark San Andres maduro wrapper, the Undercrown starts with notes of coffee with a slight hint of spice that becomes more prominent as the smoke progresses. Even as it progresses, the cigar still manages to round out as a medium to full-bodied treat.

To be honest I wasn't very impressed with this cigar!  But let me first say that this baby was very well made and looks very nice in hand!  But sadly I didn't find the smoke to be very complex at all nor did I find it to be a powerful and full bodied cigar like I was expecting!  The draw was decent but I had to work the cigar a lot which is exhausting after a bit.  The smoke was full and rich smelling and the burn was true and even!  The cigar was a slow smoke which I didn't mind!  I don't know if I got a stick out of a green batch or I didn't let this thing acclimate in my humidor long enough!  I usually let any cigar I buy sit in my humidor a month prior to smoking and I didn't do that!  I'd like to give this another try sometime and hell I may even buy another and let it sit all winter!  I've saved about $2000 in my war-chest to spend on myself for Christmas this year to celebrate 3 years of freedom from slavery and I plan on buying some cigars so I may give this another try!  But if you're looking to try a beautiful looking cigar then get this and see what you think!  Everyone has different tastes!

LA AURORA 107 @LaAuroraCigars

This is the second 107 I've tried actually!  The first one I bought at John's Pipe shop in Champaign!  During that time period I was still trying to help my x turn her sorry fucking life around but sadly she was extorting me out of money and I was too stupid to notice!  During that time I was up in Champaign helping her out with what I don't recall but I'm pretty sure it was something worthless!  We stopped in John's and this giant black dude highly recommended I buy this cigar (La Aurora 107)  Even his young son who couldn't have been much older than 18 was in there smoking one!  So I dropped $13.75 and bought the belicoso shape!  In hindsight that $13.75 I spent on that cigar was better money spent than all the money I gave my x after we got divorced!  Ultimately I don't remember smoking this cigar I just remember I smoked it during the great purge of 2011!  So flash forward to a few months back!  I was on my Cigar Monster App for the Iphone and found a 5 pack of 107 robustos so I ordered them up!

Country: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuadorian
Price: $8.40
Strength: Medium
Length: 6.25
Gauge: 52


Crafted in celebration of the 107th Anniversary of La Aurora, this new medium to full-bodied handmade is impressive. Featuring a dark, oily Ecuadorian sun-grown wrapper leaf and a dense long-filler blend from Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic, La Aurora 107 unleashes a rich and balanced smoke that’s layered with notes of cedar, spices, earth, and a slightly sweet finish. As it burns, it builds slightly in body and the flavors intensify before an impressively flavorful finale. Beautifully presented in Spanish cedar boxes of 21 cigars.

I smoked the 107 about three days after aforementioned Liga!  Again my smoking buddy was EDG!  I paired the 107 with a Rail Splitter IPA!  The 107 started off a little bitter and I'm not sure if that was from lighting it?  As the cigar progressed I found hints of predominantly wood!  At times throughout the smoke I found there to be a nutty to roasty taste!  The last 3rd was smooth to the end!  The 107 burned nice and even and the draw was excellent!  Overall I enjoyed this cigar and I have 4 more to enjoy!  Sadly every time I look at these it reminds me of that shitty time period so I probably will give these to friends to smoke when they come over!  Happy Smoking!

Cheers!

PADRON 2000 @PADRONCIGAR

Padron cigars are patiently handmade with long-aged Cuban seed tobaccos grown entirely in Nicaragua. A true classic and unique-tasting cigar whose outstanding quality defies its affordable price. Distinguished by their square-pressed shapes, dark, oily wrappers and medium-to-full bodied flavor, these perfectly balanced puros brim with complexity and the essence of coffee and cocoa bean. Their consistency is attributed to limited annual production, which keep them at the peak of flavor.

Country: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Nicaragua

Price: $4.60

Strength: Full

Length: 5

Gauge: 50

This was one smooth cigar!  The smoke was rich from start to finish.  The draw was excellent!  I got hints of coffee and wood followed by some spice.  I'm not sure why the first one disappointed me so much. The only reason I can think of it this one sat in my humidor for an extended period of time and mellowed?  Either way I highly recommend Padron cigars!  

Well there ya have it!  I have a few more reviews to post in the next few weeks!  One is the Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente Sungrown!  Another is the Room 101 Namakubi!  Both cigars were excellent by the way!  Be on the lookout!

Cheers!

A-FUENTE CHATEAU FUENTE @A_Fuente_Cigars

My buddy EDG turned me onto Fuente when I was just getting into cigars.  I thank him every chance I get because a Fuente cigar is some of the finest smoking on the planet! 

Country: Dominican Republic

Wrapper: Dominican

Price: $4.55

Strength: Medium

Length: 4.5

Gauge: 50

 The Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente natural is one of the hardest cigars to find, so if you see them in stock, don't delay. Made with smooth, aromatic, Connecticut shade wrappers and blanketed inside cedar sleeves, the Chateau Fuente offers a mild, memorable smoke.

I love these cigars.  The smoke wasn’t extremely long as is the case with the Rothschild size.  Right from the start the smoke is rich and smooth.  I’ve found with a lot of cigars in this category (Fuente) start off a bit harsh then become better as the smoke progresses.  This isn’t the case with any Fuente I’ve smoked and the Chateau series is no exception.  I found hints of roast nuts and pepper wrapped in a smooth aromatic earthy flavor.  I’ve paired this cigar with various beers, but I find a darker beer is a better pair!  Definitely worth a try!

Cheers!