CIGARS 091812

Hola aficionados!  it's time for another installment of cigars!  I haven't been smoking much but I have quite the back log of sticks to cover!  My body is a fucking wreck right now!  I have irritated scar tissue in my ankle, my left knee has some damage to the PCL and there are several other things I'm currently experiencing that all culminate to me feeling like shit!  So I really haven't been in the mood to smoke plus the whole Indiana smoking ban has put a wrench in things to be honest!  Enough of my whining, I sound like a woman!  Let's talk Stogies! 

Hammer and Sickle Robusto:  I read about these cigars in a catalog from Corona Cigar.  At first glance I was intrigued.  Amazingly enough I was at a local cigar shop in Terre Haute, Indiana and I found a box of these!  The original box these were shipped in was a glass case and it was pretty cool!  I thought the cigar was pricey for a robusto size but since I have disposable income I said "fuck it" and bought one to take home and smoke!  I didn't wait my normal grace period of 1 month to smoke this baby.  I lit it up that evening and began enjoying it!  

Hammer & Sickle Robusto Natural cigars boast a five-year-aged Connecticut wrapper with a three-year-aged filler from the Dominican Republic. The smoke is medium bodied and ultra-smooth with notes of pepper and some sweetness along the journey, while pampering the palate with a luxuriously creamy finish. These cigars received rave reviews at the 2009 IPCPR trade show in New Orleans. 

I thought this was a fantastic smoke to be honest!  It was a mild to medium body smoke.  From start to finish the smoke was smooth and tasteful.  I found hints of leather, wood, and slight pepper.  What impressed me most about this cigar was the construction.  This was a well made cigar.  I actually managed to smoke it down to the label without the ash breaking off.  I was very impressed with that!  Overall I was happy with this cigar even though the price was a little steep!  I planned on buying a box of these back then, but I never got around to it.  I should get another couple of these cigars to keep in the humidor!

Padron 3000 Maduro: I first tried a Padron cigar about 2.5 years ago on a recommendation from EDG.  I bought a 2000 Maduro at Friar Tuck in Champaign, IL!  I was very impressed with that cigar!  A few months later I was at a cigar shop in Bloomington, IL - Smokers Choice.  For the record Smokers Choice is a great cigar shop!  They have an excellent selection of cigars and a place to enjoy them.  What is awesome though is they have a community beer fridge in their smoking lounge and that is cool!  I bought two Padron 3000 Maduros and put them in my humidor to acclimate!  I smoked the first one about a month or so after I bought them.  I was pretty disappointed in that cigar and got pretty sower on Padron as a result.  I forgot about that second cigar for a loooong time, but a few months ago I decided to try my last one and it was a lot better!

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.

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!