[caption id="attachment_314" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="ACID Cigars at My Discount Cigars"][/caption]

ACID cigars are among the best cigars I have ever had the pleasure to smoke. In fact to this date, our most popular cigar we have ever sold online is the Acid Blondie and the Acid Kuba Kuba. Jonathan Drew and his partner Marvin Samel began their operation in 1998, Marvin from a warehouse office in Brooklyn and Drew in Esteli, Nicaragua.  In 1999 Drew returned to New York with a few blends but they were still missing something for their launch. That's when Scott "ACID" Chester came into the picture. Scott, an emerging artist in the DUMBO scene, was known for his industrial, urban, graffiti and motorcycle art, and he was the missing link for their grand launch.  The first cigar released was the La Vieja Habana followed by the infused cigar, Ambrosia, which gave way to Jonathan's vision of "Subculture."  In Scott Chester’s own words, “The ACID concept represents a lifestyle intended to depict a person who is not afraid to explore the Earth or explore life, whether on a motorcycle or in his thoughts and expressions.” Drew Estate wanted to create a cigar which would allow the smoker to experience the highest quality tobacco, as well as a stogie that is infused with the highest quality botanical essences, herbs and spices. After its debut at the RTDA show in Las Vegas in 1999, the cigar world has been turned upside down by Drew Estate's ACID cigars!

Hand made in Nicaragua at the Drew Estate factory, Acid cigars are unique in that the tobacco is cured in a large room called the cuarto armatico (aroma room) for several months prior to being rolled into one of several versions of cigar. That room is lined with over two hundred different herbs and oils that lend to one very unique tasting line. Acid cigars are made by hand in Nicaragua, using all natural materials only. Each of the acid cigars has a distinct flavor and bouquet, pleasing to the senses of the palate and spirit.

Drew Estate's mantra is "The Rebirth of Cigars" and it rightfully reflects how they approach all the decisions they make and everything they do. Definitely NOT your typical blends in the traditional sense. The ACID lines are a powerhouse of aromatics! Prepare to blow your senses away! Drew Estate offers 4 distinctly different lines offering quite the unique smoking experience.

ACID BLUE (Remi): This line offers sweet and mellow blends, captivating aromas for a relaxing and mild smoking experience.
ACID RED:  The Red line gives you a fare warning with their fiery bands to a very intense smoking experience. The RED line is a potent blend of ripe black tobaccos that are not for the timid. Challenge your senses and sample the RED line only if you dare.
ACID GOLD (Holistic):  The GOLD line, has a secret blend to soothe your soul and please your palate.
ACID PURPLE (Juggernaut):  The Purple line is the "dragon slayer" and will crush all in its path! It is the super star of complex aromatic hybrids and will release the most intense flavors you could fathom.

[caption id="attachment_315" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Acid Extra Ordinary Larry Cigars at My Discount Cigars"][/caption]

Just to name a few of the 25 plus blends from the ACID line:  Atom Maduro, Acid Acid Kuba Kuba, Liquid, Nasty, One, Roam, Wafe and many more not named here. The boxes smell incredible even long after all the cigars are smoked and gone!

If you consider yourself a cigar purist and just will not smoke 'flavored cigars', you do not know what you are missing. In our store in Colorado, my family and I have converted more traditional cigar smokers into Drew Estate brand devotees than any other brand we carry. There is a cult-like following for Acid cigars, and pretty much the entire Drew Estate output for that matter. We can talk all day and night about ACID cigars but the only way to grasp what they are all about is to experience them firsthand. You can thank us later.

RATED BETWEEN 80 AND 97 BY CIGAR AFICIONADO FOR MOST OF THEIR BLENDS!

Country of Origin: Nicaragua

Flavor: Mild to Medium
Filler: Nicaragua

ACID Cigars are available online here at: MyDiscountCigar.com.

You can read more about the ACID cigars online at the official Drew Estate website at: DrewEstate.com.

~ Peace, Love, Cigars! ~

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Smoke's Up Review of the ACID Toast Cigar

Posted: May 7, 2011 by Bear in Reviews

With visions of fine accessories, including a humidor series unlike anything else on the cigar market, and lighters as well as cutters, Matt Booth teamed up with Christian Eiroa, of Camacho Cigars, and Room 101 Cigars were born!  The Room 101 cigars are handcrafted and specially blended by Camacho Cigars in Honduras for California designer and musician Matt Booth. Matt teamed up with Camacho to launch Room101 cigars which are highly flavorful and enjoyable. Matt names each cigar in this line after area codes. He utilizes the very exclusive Semilla 101 wrapper from Habano-seed grown solely for this project by the Eiroa family's farm in Danli, Honduras. The Room 101 cigars are also blended with aged long-fillers from the Dominican Republic and Honduras, and a Honduran binder giving them a smooth, medium-bodied flavor.

The following sizes are currently available: Room101 213 (Corona), Room101 305 (Robusto), Room101 323 (Toro), Room101 404 (Torpedo), Room101 702 (11/18 Perfecto), and Room101 808 (Bertha Gordo). They are available in Connecticut shade as well as Maduro. The packaging the Room101 cigars come in are the traditional slide-top cedar boxes with a matte black lacquer and silver foil branding which was a collaboration between Matt Booth, Franco Vescovi and Dylan Austin.

[caption id="attachment_307" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Room101 at My Discount Cigars"][/caption]

Get ready for a burst of full-on flavors of earth, espresso, cocoa, spice, wood, cedar, pepper and cream in your mouth with the Room101 cigars! Every Room101 cigar is adorned with a silver and black band reminiscent of a cross between American tattoo culture and Japanese designs. With their excellent construction you won't have a need to relight the Room 101 stick after the initial light. They have an even burn, strong ash, and thick, billowy smoke.

With Matt Booth's unconventional, original, creative and diverse array of accessories, jewelry, leathers, wallet chains and other art, it's a delight that he has added the Room101 cigars to his fine line. He is a true visionary, original, gifted and creative and you can experience it first-hand with his Room101 cigars. Matt took a small idea, that was born in a small Hollywood apartment, and made it explode into a worldwide movement! For a tasty, easygoing and highly rated smoke, try one of the Room 101 cigars today and become a convert.

RATED 86 - 89 BY CIGAR INSIDER AND CIGAR AFICIONADO FOR SEVERAL OF THEIR BLENDS!

Country of Origin: Honduras
Flavor: Medium Body
Wrapper: Honduran Semilla 101
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Dominican Republic and Honduras

Room101 Cigars are available online here at MyDiscountCigar.com.

To read more information about the Room101 Cigars please visit their website at Room101cigars.com.

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Cigar Coop's Review of the Room101 #305 (Robusto) Connecticut Cigar

From talking to retailers and media, it seems as though a big theme for the 2011 cigar year has been the Connecticut/ Ecuadorian shade wrapper.   There have been some very good Connecticut/ Ecuadorian shade wrapper cigars introduced this year including the E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut, J&D Temptation Claro, and the Alec Bradley American Classic.  With these solid releases, I didn't know what to expect from the new releases at the IPCPR show.   When I visited the Room 101 section of the Davidoff booth, Room 101 founder Matt Booth handed me a sample of his new Connecticut cigar.  The end result was after smoking this cigar, the bar had been raised for 2011 for Connecticut/ Ecuadorian shade cigars.

As I said when I previewed this cigar last week, I consider Matt Booth a friend.  At the same time, Booth is the kind of guy who I know you could give honest feedback when it comes to his brand.  Therefore my thoughts here are not influenced one bit from that friendship.

Last year, I thought AJ Fernandez knocked it out of the park with his San Lotano Connecticut.  From my initial impressions of this sample, the Room 101 Connecticut is even better.   Since this was an unbanded sample and I still need to fill some holes in from a technical standpoint on this cigar, I've opted to go with a Pre-Review.  I'm confident this impression is accurate on what this cigar brings to the table.

Blend Profile

I have some repetition from when I previewed this cigar, but I want to include it for completeness.   For this Connecticut Shade wrapper, Booth was able to tap into being a part of the Davidoff family and leveraged a Davidoff tobacco for this wrapper.

Wrapper: Connecticut Shade (Ecuador)
Binder: Honduras Corojo
Filler: Honduras, Dominican Republic

Vitolas Available

213 (Corona): 5 1/2 x 44

305 (Robusto): 5 x 50
404 (Torpedo): 6 x 54
808 (Double Toro): 6 x 60
615 (Churchill): 7 x 48

702 (11/18 Perfecto): 6 x 48/54

Preparation for the Cigar Experience

The sample I received was an unbanded Room101 305c Connecticut cigar. Since I only had a straight cutter with me, I defaulted to a straight cut.  The initial flavors from the prelight draw were pretty much what I expected - a nice butter cream.  What surprised me was how robust the dry draw notes were.  It was then on to fire up this sample and see what would come next.


Flavor Profile

The butter notes I got on the initial draws were present right at the start.  There was also a hint of citrus sweetness at the beginning.  The butter notes soon got more robust.  I couldn't put my finger on what made these butter notes special and I mentioned it to Booth.  Booth responded by asking me if it had a taste like buttered popcorn - and I concurred with this.  Overall, the Room101 305C cigar produced one of the most unique butter tastes I ever got on a Connecticut shade wrapper.

As the smoking experience progressed through the first half, the citrus notes got more pronounced and meshed very well with the butter flavors.   Around the halfway point, some notes of spice emerged.  The spice was a nice cross between pepper and cedar spice.  The spice was the dominant flavor note in the second half, and much of the butter notes were pretty much diminished at this point.   The finish had a nice spice kick to it with no harshness.  The resulting nub was a little soft, but it was cool.

Burn and Draw

At IPCPR, sometimes it is typical to smoke a sample and have problems with the burn and draw due to storage and humidity.  Being IPCPR was in Las Vegas, there was an obvious shortage of humidity in the atmosphere.  However with my Room 101 305 (Robusto) sample, it shined when it came to burn and draw.   The burn was for the most part sharp with few touch-ups needed.  The Room 101 Connecticut never burned hot and it burned at a good rate.   The draw was excellent as well making for a very enjoyable smoke.

Burn of the Room 101 Connecticut

Strength and Body

The Room101 305c was a very interesting profile for a Connecticut Shade cigar.   From a nicotine standpoint, the Room 101 Connecticut falls into the mild to medium range.  From a body standpoint, this is where things got interesting.  The depth of the flavors are actually on the high end of the medium range - and in some cases, I detected the body to actually be medium to full.   The Room 101 305-Connecticut robusto is one of those cigars that makes it easy to distinguish the difference between strength and body.

Final Thoughts

The Room 101 #305 Connecticut cigar was a surprise to some that it was even being released.  It was even a bigger surprise as I do feel it was one of the highlights of IPCPR.   The flavors are pronounced and literally "dance at you" as you smoke this cigar.   This cigar was nothing short of a home run and I think will appeal to both new and seasoned cigar enthusiasts.    This one is well worth checking out.

Summary

Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Medium
Strength: Mild to Medium
Body: Medium (Medium to Full at times)

Source: This sample was received at the 2011 IPCPR Trade Show.  The sample was initiated by Matt Booth of Room 101 Cigars in order to provide feedback.   I am appreciative for the sample, but in no way does this influence this review.

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Thanks to William Cooper for this helpful review!

[caption id="attachment_295" align="alignright" width="150" caption="E.P. Carrillo New Wave Cigars at My Discount Cigars"][/caption]

E.P. Carrillo New Wave, rated 91 by Cigar Insider, is the newest addition to the E.P. Carrillo line. The E.P. Carrillo New Wave cigar is mild to medium-bodied, bursting with nutty, creamy, sweet and slightly spicy flavors, it is reasonably priced, sophisticated with a refined and long finish. Created by Ernesto Perez-Carrillo (originally known for the La Gloria Cubana cigars), one of the industry's finest cigar artisans, the E.P. Carrillo New Wave cigars are wrapped in a hand-selected, silky Ecuadorian Connecticut shade wrapper, filled with Nicaraguan and Dominican Cuban-seed longfillers, and the finest Dominican binders to create a savory and memorable smoking experience.

The E.P. Carrillo New Wave cigars permeate of honey, hay and wheat. They are a sight to behold with their sheen and silky smoothness to the touch.  Upon lighting the E.P. Carrillo New Wave you are met with intoxicating flavors of cedar, earth, and nutmeg and it holds the consistent medium body throughout the smoking experience. Prepare to be impressed and blown away as the flavors play off each other as you smoke your way through the E.P. Carrillo New Wave cigar experiencing notes of cream, wood, and nuts on the palate, then switching gears to cloves and cinnamon in the second half.

If you tend to favor cigars packed with flavor over body the E.P. Carrillo New Wave cigars are definitely perfect for you! Treat your palate with an array of incredible flavors and spring on a whole box of the E.P. Carrillo New Wave cigars! They are available in 5 different vitolas from the Brillantes (Robusto), Divinos (Toro), El Decano (Double Toro), Gran Via (Churchill) and Stellas (Corona) and come in a white wooden box and white bands (not to be confused with their original line with the black bands). The E P Carrillo New Waves are quite the treat!

Rated 91 by Cigar Insider!

Country of Origin: Dominican Republic

Flavor: Full

Body: Mild to Medium

Wrapper:  Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade

Binder: Dominican Republic

Filler:  Nicaragua, Dominican Republic

E.P. Carrillo New Wave cigars are available online here at MyDiscountCigar.com.

To read more about the E.P. Carrillo please visit EPCarrillo.com.

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The E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut Brillantes Cigar Review by Jameson Santos de Miami of Toasted Foot Cigar Reviews

Size: 5×50, Brillantes

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan and Dominican

Strength: Medium

Price: $4.50-7

Grade: 9.2

The E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut Edition is one of two new releases from the Carrillo family, the other being the Elencos Series, which is the same blend as the Edicion Limitada 2010 Elencos. These two blends are being released now to B&Ms.

The E.P. Carrillo New Wave cigar is available in five sizes and is priced very well. This will be a full addition to their portfolio and will be available year round.

• Stellas: 5 1/8 x 42 ($4.50 retail)
• Brillantes: 5 x 50 ($5.25 retail)
• Divinos: 6 x 52 ($6.25 retail)
• Gran Via: 7 x 49 ($7.00 retail)
• El Decano: 6 x 60 ($7.75 retail)

The EP Carrillo New Wave Brillantes brand has done nothing but blow us away here at Toasted Foot, with ratings of 9.2, 9.2, and 9.3. Their Inaugural Edicion 2009 is still one of the more complex and well balanced cigars I’ve ever had and easily ranks in my Top 10 all time. We’ve also reviewed the Core Line and the Short Run.

We are big fans and the anticipation for the New Wave is even higher for me, as I count Connecticut wrappers as my go to smokes. Now, on to the toast!

Pre-light, 1.7:
The first thing I notice on my two samples of the E.P. Carrillo New Wave Brillantes cigars is a very thin wrapper, that causes cracks across one sample and a very loose foot on the other. Moving beyond this however, there is little else that is negative. A subtle triple cap, an elegant band, and smooth almond colored wrapper highlight the EP Carrillo New Wave Connecticut Brillantes. The aroma on the E.P. Carrillo New Wave Brillantes cigar is incredibly strong – it is in fact one of the strongest cigars I’ve smelled. The pre-light aroma can be deducted from several feet away and has interesting, erratic, and at times musty notes of crisp hay, mild spice, nuts, and a cream that reminds me of a root beer float. This is one of the more lively profiles I’ve smelled in some time and at times is even pungent. Though that may sound negative, it in fact shows the depth of this cigar’s aroma. On the draw, the notes are much more subdued than the aroma and the primarily flavor is of nuts, or cashews specifically. The cut also reveals an open pull.

Burn, 1.7:
Though the one sample had cracking along the bottom half, it still managed to burn well and keep a steady draw. I will say that my two samples were shipped several times, as the first time they were sent to my old mailing address. It does still seem that the wrapper is a bit thin on the New Wave and will require some special care when stored. Overall, this is a clean burning cigar.

Flavor, 2.9:
The initial burst on the E.P. Carrillo New Wave Brillantes cigar is full of sugary cream and a smooth, underlying nuttiness. Moving into the first third, the balance on the cigar is wonderful, with thick creamy notes of butter and cedar. The second third provides a bit of transition, with a slightly fuller and more developed taste that shows all of the flavors merged into a steady profile of roasted nuts and butter. The last stretch of the New Wave is incredibly smooth and holds the most interest for me. Though the flavors are not quite as complex as I anticipated from the aroma, this is still an incredibly well balanced and medium to full flavored cigar, which is rather stunning for an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapped cigar. The E. P. Carrillo New Wave Brillantes cigar is smooth throughout and at times the finish is incredibly light, almost disappearing between draws. The Nicaraguan binder and the mixed Nicaraguan and Dominican binder do very well to complement the typically less flavored Connecticut shade wrapper. This is without question a winner in the flavor category.

Overall, 2.9:
This is not your usual Connecticut cigar and stands above most of what is on the market in this category. Though the burn was troublesome in spots, I attribute this to the shipping errors and not to the quality or construction. The flavor is full while the strength remains in the high Mild to low Medium spectrum. Add to that an excellent value, with the Robusto coming in at under $5, and you find an excellent cigar. I keep waiting for the Carrillo family to miss the mark somewhere, but it just hasn’t happened! If your B&M has these E.P. Carrillo New Wave Brillantes cigars, pick up a 5 pack and enjoy it with a nice cup of coffee. If you're unhappy with them, shoot me an email – I’ll gladly buy them off you!

(Total: 9.2)

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Jameson, an excellent review!!! Thanks!

The Rocky Patel Decade cigar is part of a special collector's edition in celebration of Rocky Patel being in the cigar industry for 10 years. With the plethora of Rocky Patel blends available on the market, many cigar smokers consider the Rocky Patel Decade blend his best work and blend to date. Released in November 2007, the box-pressed (except The Emperor, which is classic parejo shaped) Rocky Patel Decade cigars pack great flavors and use premium tobaccos such as the robust Nicaraguan longfillers, shimmery Ecuadorian Sumatra wrappers, and tobacco from Honduras, all handmade at the Nestor Plasencia El Paraiso Factory in Danli, Honduras.

[caption id="attachment_282" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Rocky Patel Decade at My Discount Cigars"][/caption]

The Rocky Patel Decade cigar is a well-balanced, rich, complex, medium to full-bodied cigar with full flavors consisting of black cherry, roasted coffee, dark spice, a touch of pepper and a nutty finish. Rocky Patel Decade has a full finish and a lingering sweetness on the palette and the resting smoke produces an intoxicating aroma that's similar to the Rocky Patel Vintage '90 or the Vintage '92.

Each box of the Rocky Patel Decade is produced in limited edition with an original sketch of Rocky on the inside of the lid. The Rocky Patel Decade cigars come in 8 various vitolas. Not only was The Decade line rated a 95 by Cigar Aficionado, the Rocky Patel Decade Torpedo was also named as one of their "Top 25 Cigars of the Year 2008!" Because of Cigar Aficionado's high ratings the demand for the Rocky Patel Decades has actually caused some shortages across the nation.  The Rocky Patel Decade cigar is a testament of just how far Rocky Patel has advanced in the last 10 years, he has become a star in the cigar industry. Between the excellent construction and great balance, the pleasant and distinct flavors of the elegant Rocky Patel Decade cigar will leave you wanting more.

RATED 95 BY CIGAR AFICIONADO!

Country of Origin: Honduras
Flavor: Medium to Full
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua

Rocky Patel Decade cigars are available online here at MyDiscountCigar.com.

Read more about the Rocky Patel Decade cigars at RockyPatel.com.

Review of The Rocky Patel Decade Lancero, by Charlie of The Cigar Feed

For a lot of smokers, the plethora of new lines and unique marketing tactics of Rocky Patel (particularly in the catalogs), seems to be a turn-off. I’ll admit that I’m really not sure where to start when it comes to the seemingly endless options that Rocky Patel offers. However, even those that don’t consider themselves to be fans of Rocky have little to complain about when it comes to the Rocky Patel Decade cigar. Many, particularly those not in the Rocky fan club, seem to consider it his greatest work to date. For me, the Nordings, recommended by Bill Davies of Tobacco Locker given my cluelessness regarding Rocky Patel, remain my favorite. Yet, my expectations for the Rocky Patel Decade Lancero are definitely higher than most would likely assume them at. Anyways, after the jump, my thoughts on the Decade, Rocky’s tribute to ten years.

Name: Rocky Patel Decade Lancero
Vitola: Lancero (Box-Pressed)
Size: 7 x 38
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Country: Honduras
Factory: El Paraiso
MSRP: $9.60 (Boxes of 26, $250)
Source: Cigar Warehouse ($9.50)
Time in Humidor: 2 Months

Cut: Montecristo Signature Cutter
Light: Lotus Torch
Beverage: Coke
Smoking Time: 1 Hour 40 Minutes

Today’s Smoke
Rocky’s marketing strategies are always exciting. A recent approach when characterizing the Rocky Patel 15th Anniversary seemed to be an us against the world strategy. While I don’t believe everything I read in the Holt’s catalog about what goes on in the Plasencia factory, Rocky isn’t lying about the hardships and difficulties he has had breaking into the culture of the industry. With a few breaks, Rocky went from just another start-up to a major force in the industry. Rather than celebrating his tenth anniversary in business by giving the finger to all those who doubted him, he created the Rocky Patel Decade cigar, a cigar that would be the virtual middle finger for all the naysayers. Introduced at the 2007 RTDA (now known as IPCPR) tradeshow in Houston, The Rocky Patel Decade cigars were a hit from the start. Each box employs the similar us against the world menatlity with “Against all odds” inscribed inside. While the cigars were good, a 95 rating by Cigar Aficionado took the Decade from “good” to “upping the ante, a few times over.”

When the Tatuaje Tattoo was announced, and the details were finally confirmed by Pete Johnson, the question of “is this the first box-pressed Lancero?” arose. While not the dean of Lanceros, okay, in some circles I guess I am. My first reaction was that Gurkha released a cigar called a Lancero in the form of their Gurkha Micro-Batch Liga TPB-1 for Cigars International, although at 6 1/2 x 44 seems more Lonsdale than El Laguito No. 1. A few hours later, the Rocky Patel Decade came to mind as the candidate. However, like many this is a 7 x 38 vitola, so on a technicality, the Tattoo is the first true box-pressed El Laguito No. 1. Anyways, it’s a dark earthy Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper with light veins. Two simple vanilla bands adorn the box-pressed cigar, perhaps Rocky’s best use of bands. Aromas are fully aged mixture of leather and cocoa at the full scale. It’s soft to the touch despite a consistent tight packing. The foot gives off a straightforward mix of leather, meatiness and spice, seems to be Rocky signature.

Lighting
After clipping the top of the Rocky Patel Decade Lancero, it’s leather, cedar and a bit of pepper, somewhere on medium-full. Cold draw is a bit tight with flavors of earth, dark tobacco, cedar and a hint of citrus. Aromas as the Ecuadorian, Honduran and Nicaraguan are lit are dark cocoa, cedar and a bit of musty earth. It begins with cocoa, then a heavier cedar and spice, lots of earthy spices finishing the cigar.

First Third
There’s a sweet darkness to the overall flavor profile of the Rocky Patel Decade Lancero cigar. Dark tobacco, mild cocoa, earth are joined with pepper to create a rather enjoyable flavor. It’s full and to the point, still containing quite a bit of complexity despite the direct nature. Finish is cocoa, earth, cedar and spice, full and medium in length. While the draw is fine and the burn is straight, the Decade Lancero consistently was plagued by an inability to stay lit, even in the first third. Strength is medium-full at the beginning with a subtle rise from the start.

Second Third
It’s much of the same… Most of the Decade vitolas seem to be more about subtle changes, rather than a complete change in flavor. A bit more earth with an added cedar note over the tobacco and cocoa. Finish is much of the same with a bit of grassiness sweetening the flavor profile. Smoke production is moderate through the entire smoke, a dark cedar profile for the air, nothing overly surprising. Strength is slightly into the full range by the halfway point of the Rocky Patel Decade Lancero, but it seems to stall (for the better), at that point.

FInal Third
The construction issues plague the final third a bit more than the rest of the Rocky Patel Lancero cigar, which is unfortunate. To be honest, I originally expected the cigar to fall apart flavor-wise, as many of the cigars that are of a relatively similar flavor profile and have problematic construction tend to do that, but it didn’t. It’s still a full dark tobacco, earth and cedary note. Sweetness comes from chocolate, which is now milky chocolate, citrus and some of the earth notes. A spice is easily one of the top two strongest notes, recognizingable a second or so after the smoke hits the palate. Finish of the Decade adds some herb and a bit less pepper, but still tasty. Eventually, with all three Decades I’ve smoked, the cigar had to be put down, too many relights.

For the Novice
Nicotine-wise this is a bit too strong. It’s a great smoke when it stays lit, but that is the Decade Lancero’s problem. Rocky Patel makes plenty of other cigars (cue laughter), and plenty for the novice, this just isn’t one of them. If you are just starting out and have had your fair share of Rocky’s and now progressing to a bit more experienced of a palate, wondering if there are any Rocky Patel products that can stay in your rotation, this is the line to look to.

In the End
For Rocky Patel fans who need to defend their beloved product against the sea of haters, the Rocky Patel Decade is the cigar you point to when people argue about the quality of product Rocky produces. Unfortunately, the Lancero is not the best vitola in terms of construction, which negatively impacts the flavor, as well as the overall experience of the cigar. Other vitolas have shown consistency and quality over time, enough that it’s worthy to make this a notable try for any smoker. Without a doubt the price tag raises the bar, however, for the most part Rocky Patel's Decade answers the challenge.

Charlie, thanks for a very well written review!

[caption id="attachment_273" align="alignright" width="150" caption="Tatuaje Cabinet Cigars at My Discount Cigar"][/caption]

Tatuaje, which is Spanish for "tattoo", are a collection of different lines of medium to full-bodied cigars in the true old world, Cuban-style, created in 2003 by Pete Johnson, musician, tattoo buff, and one laid-back and very approachable guy.  The Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador line (also known as the Brown Label line, or Miami line as well as the Cabinet line) was created by Pete with the help of Jose Don "Pepin" Garcia and are manufactured at the El Rey de los Habanos factory in Miami, Florida, and at Tabacalera Cubana S.A. in Esteli, Nicaragua. While Pete believes that Cuban cigars are the wheel in the cigar world, he points out that he isn't trying to reinvent the wheel, he's only trying to create the best copy of the Cuban profile possible.  In each Tatuaje blend and stick you smoke you will note that Pete gives each cigar a personal touch and the time it deserves. Pete values aroma and flavor above all other factors. With the Tatuaje Brown/Miami line Pete describes the blending and rolling process as "It is as if I'm the conductor and Pepin's the orchestra."

Rated in the high 90s by Cigar Aficionado, the Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador cigar is a highly-coveted cigar blended entirely of first generation Cuban-seed tobaccos grown in Nicaragua and cured to perfection, wrapped in a flavorful Ecuadorian Habano wrappers with a lovely Cuban-style triple-cap hand rolled by Master Rollers in Little Havana Miami, Florida. The Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador cigar will tantalize your taste buds with its robust, medium to full-bodied, leathery character and an abundance of other flavors such as wood, earth and pepper on the finish.

Tatuaje Cabinet, or "Brown Label," cigars are made in very limited quantities to be able to maintain its top-notch high level of consistency and quality making it one of the most rare cigars on the market. The Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador is Spanish for "The Hunter's Selection" and this line was actually named after one of Pete's dogs, Hunter (the first letter of each vitola's name spells H-U-N-T-E-R).  We have great respect for Pete and his fine lines of cigars and believe us, after sampling the rich, spicy, earthy and complex Tatuaje Miami cigar you will be a convert as well.

Country of Origin: Miami, USA
Flavor: Medium to Full
Wrapper: Nicaragua Corojo 99
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua

Tatuaje Miami (Cabinet, or Seleccion de Cazador) Cigars are available online here at MyDiscountCigar.com.

Read more about Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador cigars at TatuajeCigars.com.

A REVIEW OF THE TATUAJE SELECCION DE CAZADOR NOELLAS BY ADAM, FROM FIRE UP THAT CIGAR

Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Made In: Miami, FL USA – El Rey de los Habanos
Size: Noella, 5 1/8 x 42 Corona

Appearance & Construction: The Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador Noellas cigar is a spectacular sight. This nice looking corona has a darker brown colored wrapper with nice oils and some smaller veins. The construction is absolutely flawless with this cigar. Clean and even seam, extremely clean looking triple cap, and absolutely no soft or hard spots.

Smoking Characteristics: No surprises here; the Tatuaje Cabinet/Seleccion de Cazador Noellas cigar has a perfect draw that produces a good amount of smoke. The burn is a little off but quickly corrected itself as I smoked. The ash was average but was a little chunky in some areas.

Flavor: The Tatuaje Noellas cigar has nice complex flavors of cedar, coffee, chocolate, leather and a touch of pepper. The foundation of flavors is basic, but they come together so well. Everything is so complex and balanced to absolute perfection. In the second third, the chocolaty notes really took center stage and pushed the coffee to the side just a bit; it was still present but more in the background. At the beginning of the final third I picked up some nice tea-like flavors that took me down to the nub of this cigar. Body on the Tatuaje Noellas is medium to full and the strength is nothing to worry about.

Final Thoughts: The Tatuaje Miami Noellas cigar is not just a home run; it’s a walk off grand slam to win the World Series in game 7. Everything from the construction, to the draw, to the size, to the ash, the flavor – you name it, this cigar is fantastic. For the longest time, the Regios was my favorite size in the Tatuaje Seleccion de Cazador collection. That was until I picked up a few of these to review for the site. This size was never available locally for me and I just skipped this size all together. But the Noellas is the staple of the Tatuaje collection and is defiantly on my list to get a box of. If you are a fan of full flavored cigars, do yourself a favor and seek yourself out some of these. You will not regret it and you may even become a better man for it.

Cigar Rating: Excellent

Adam, thanks for the great review!