Tagged "Honduras"


An Insight Into Hoyo de Monterrey's Excalibur Blends

Posted by freedomcigars on

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).

[caption id="attachment_393" align="alignleft" width="134" caption="Excalibur Legends at My Discount Cigar"]Excalibur Legends at My Discount Cigar[/caption]

Excalibur Legend:
As one of the most well-known brands to come from Honduras it is only fitting that the Hoyo de Monterrey's Excalibur Legend would pay homage to this brand's pedigree with such a regal title and its rich flavors that just command such attention. The Excalibur Legend is blended with proprietary tobacco cultivated exclusively for the company on the remote volcanic island of Ometepe and combines it with a potent Dominican ligero tobacco. All the tobaccos used to make this blend give it a complex combination  with a spicy and rich finish. General Cigar Company took the same wrapper for the Excalibur Legend that it used on the Excalibur Dark Knight blend, which should give you an idea of the boldness of your smoking experience. The Excalibur Legend is clearly designed to appeal to a more "seasoned" smoker who demands a full-flavored stogie.  With its well-earned 91 rating by Cigar Insider (of Cigar Aficionado) they describe it with the following terms "This thick cigar is rich with leather from the the first puff, developing to show tea and toast flavors. A balanced smoke with a profoundly leathery core."  We couldn't have said it better! So jump on the Excalibur Legend bandwagon and prepare for a smooth and intense ride.

Country of Origin: Honduras
Flavor: Full
Wrapper: Honduran Claro
Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
Filler, Nicaragua, Dominican, Honduras
Cigars in the Legend line: Excalibur Challenger (5 1/4 x 50), Excalibur Conquerer (6 1/4 x 54), Excalibur Crusader (5 3/4 x 45)

[caption id="attachment_395" align="alignleft" width="198" caption="Excalibur Dark Knight at My Discount Cigar"]Excalibur Dark Knight at My Discount Cigar[/caption]

Excalibur Dark Knight:
The Excalibur Dark Knight line, the cream of the Hoyo de Monterrey crop, is wrapped in a beautiful Cuban Havana seed wrapper, complex filler and binder, giving them a robust but exquisitely smooth taste. This line was originally part of the Excalibur 1066 line (phased out by the General Cigar Company in 2010), the Excalibur Dark Knight now has its own platform to highlight the incredible taste of its unique and rich wrapper. Even though with a name like "Dark Knight" it does not come with a bat logo, experienced cigar smokers will vouch that since its introduction in 2004 it does however pack a punch with its rich, dark and complex flavors and is housed in a stained dark wooden box that resembles a treasure chest. The Hoyo de Monterrey's Excalibur Dark Knight blend expertly balances a rich, full flavor with full body. The consistent and beautiful burn make this cigar a dream to smoke. The Excalibur Dark Knight has just the right draw and exudes hints of wood, leather and sweetness. Stick after stick the Excalibur Dark Knight  will give you a very fulfilling smoking experience that makes it worth your money and your while.

Country of Origin: Honduras
Flavor: Full
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
Filler: Dominican Republic
Cigars in the Excalibur Dark Knight line: Excalibur Dark Knight I (5 3/4 x 54), Excalibur Dark Knight II (6 1/2 x 52), Excalibur Dark Knight III (4 1/2 x 50), Excalibur Dark Knight IV Tubo (5 x 52)

Excalibur Cameroon:

After Hoyo de Monterrey phased out the 1066 line in 2010, the Excalibur Cameroon line was introduced. The Excalibur Cameroon cigar is a full-bodied Honduran cigar that is highlighted by its rich Cameroon wrapper and its flavorful Connecticut Broadleaf binder.  Its unique story is that the Excalibur Cameroon cigar was named "The People's Choice Cigar" because its blend was selected by cigar smokers who have a deep passion for cigars. The Cameroon series features a shiny Cameroon wrapper which enhances this collection with its uniquely spicy tone. The Excalibur Cameroon is a blend that combines Honduran, Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos. Its character is enhanced by a select Connecticut Broadleaf binder which is grown in the Connecticut River Valley.  Because the tobaccos of the Excalibur Cameroon are cured over a lengthy period of time, the flavors become richer with some spicy overtones, pleasing the most discriminating smoker. With an 88 rating by Cigar Insider (of Cigar Aficionado), the Excalibur Cameroon is undoubtedly a well-made cigar with a great draw and burn, a well-placed cap, silky smooth and balanced smoke, and flavors that range from pepper, ginger, floral, toasty, buttery, creamy with some chalky and vanilla notes throughout.

Country of Origin: Honduras
Flavor: Medium
Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf
Filler: Nicaragua, Honduras, Dominican Republic
Cigars in the Excalibur Cameroon line:  Excalibur Cameroon Galahad (6 3/4 x 47), the Excalibur Cameroon King Arthur (6 1/4 x 45), the Excalibur Cameroon Lancelot (7 1/4 x 54) and the Excalibur Cameroon Merlin (5 1/4 x 50)

[caption id="attachment_397" align="alignleft" width="172" caption="Excalibur Cigars at My Discount Cigars"]Excalibur Cigars at My Discount Cigars[/caption]

Excalibur (Excalibur Maduro):

The Excalibur cigar is the perfect example of Honduran craftsmanship that combines a golden USA Connecticut Shade wrapper with a rich binder and filler, exuding a creamy aroma and a long finish. A superb cigar with great detail to construction, Hoyo de Monterrey's Excalibur is lighter in color than a Cuban cigar due to its fine Connecticut Shade wrapper and the excellent quality using the top 10% of the factory's tobacco from Nicaragua and Honduras.  Once these fine cigars are rolled by master cigar makers in tradition that dates back to 1865, they are then carefully packaged in lovely Spanish cedar boxes to enhance their character and bouquet. The Excalibur is aged in cedar, is mild to medium-bodied and complex. Seasoned smokers favor the Excalibur cigar's complexity.  This golden brown Excalibur cigar tantalizes the palate with toasty smoke and an array of flavors ranging from cedar, spice, earth, wood, nuts and slight sweet notes. It is mild to medium in body, but if you prefer a bolder and fuller flavor try the Excalibur Maduro blend with a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper. The Excalibur Maduro is a dark and attractive cigar enveloped in an oily, and toothy Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper and a second layer of dark Connecticut Broadleaf for the binder. Not only did Cigar Insider (of Cigar Aficionado) rate the Excalibur Epicure Maduro as the #8 cigar of 2007 as "The 25 Best Cigars of the Year", Cigar Cyclopedia gave the collection an "A" rating as well. Excalibur, the cigar that was inspired by the legendary sword of King Arthur, strikes a perfect balance between the smooth flavors of its blonde wrapper and the straightforward taste of its rich filler tobaccos. With over 12 sizes and shapes to select from you have no excuse not to find one Excalibur to your liking.

Country of Origin: Honduras
Flavor: Mild to Medium
Wrapper: USA Connecticut Shade (Connecticut Broadleaf - Maduro)
Binder: Connecticut Shade (Connecticut Broadleaf - Maduro)
Filler: Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, Honduras
Cigars in the Excalibur (Maduro) line:  Excalibur #1 (Maduro #1) (7 1/4 x 54), Excalibur #2 (Maduro #2) (6 3/4 x 47), Excalibur #3 (Maduro #3) (6 1/8 x 48), Excalibur #4 (Maduro #4) (5 5/8 x 46), Excalibur #5 (Maduro #5) (6 1/4 x 45), Excalibur #6 (Maduro #6) (5 1/2 x 38), Excalibur #7 (Maduro #7) (5 x 43), Excalibur Cigarillos 20-Ct Tin (4 x 25), Excalibur Emperor (8 1/2 x 52), Excalibur Epicure (Epicure Maduro) (5 1/4 x 50), Excalibur Miniatures 20-Ct. Tin (3 x 22), Excalibur Prensado (6 1/8 x 48)

For the true test we suggest you try one of each of the Excalibur blends, starting with the Excalibur, followed by an Excalibur Cameroon, then sampling an Excalibur Legend and finishing off with an after-dinner smoke of an Excalibur Dark Knight blend.

The Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur blends are all available for purchase online at MyDiscountCigar.com.

To read more about Hoyo de Monterrey's Excalibur blends please visit their official site at CigarWorld.com.

~ Peace, Love, Cigars ~

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Seth Geise, of Seth's Humidor, Shares His Review of the Hoyo De Monterrey's Excalibur Epicure Maduro

[caption id="attachment_400" align="aligncenter" width="229" caption="Seth's Humidor Reviews Excalibur Epicure Maduro"]Seth's Humidor Reviews Excalibur Epicure Maduro[/caption]

The other day I was smoking an Illusione ~4/2g~ and a Ramon Allones Gigantes side by side when I was asked by a customer what my opinion was on the Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur Epicure Maduro. I immediately told him that I loved that cigar, and though I hadn’t smoke one in some time it was time to light one up. The cigar for me has always delivered wonderful flavors, nice medium body, and a great affordable price. The cigar did well by Cigar Aficionado in 2007, and I think they are just as great now as they were for the staff at Cigar Aficionado then. Though General Cigars and Altadis are not boutique manufacturers, the fact that they are so large gives them the opportunity to get some great tobacco that smaller manufacturers could never get. The Hoyo de Monterrey is one of the oldest cigar lines in the industry, and is one of the few lines that are made in and outside of Cuba to this day.

The Hoyo line began in Cuba in 1865, and was begun by Don José Gener y Batet. He originally came to Cuba from Spain in 1831, and before starting the line worked on the tobacco plantations in Pinar del Rio before starting his own factory in Habana, Cuba. The line quickly became one of the most popular lines in Cuba, and in a short time had the largest factory. Hoyo de Monterrey is translated as “hole of Monterrey”, and refers to the area in which the tobacco for this cigar came from. It was considered one of the best areas. Eventually the company was sold to Fernando Palicio who continued to make the Hoyo line along with the other lines they took on, Belinda and Punch. When the revolution came about in Cuba he sold the line to the Villazon Family, who was making cigars in Tampa, Florida at the time. There they continued to make the line from Honduran tobacco before being bought by another General. The company was run by Frank Llaneza at the time, and continued to be run by him till General Cigars bought them. Eventually the lines production was moved down to Honduras, and now it is made from tobacco from more than just Honduras.
My favorite cigar in the non-Cuban Hoyo line is the Excalibur Epicure Maduro. The Epicure measures 5 ¼” and has a 50 ring gauge. The cigar is composed of tobacco from four prominent growing nations, and from some of the best regions in those nations as well I imagine. The cigar begins with a Maduro Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper and binder, and has filler tobacco from the Dominican Republic, Honduras and Nicaragua. The factory in which the cigar is made is the Honduras American Tabaco S. A. in Cofradia, Honduras just outside of Danli. This is the same factory in which all Punch and Sancho Panza cigars are made. The Excalibur Epicure Maduro is truly a classic, and great to look at. The wrapper is a very dark brown, definitely maduro in coloring, and has a great cap to it. There are few veins if any present in the cigar, and it has a wonderful aroma of coffee, cocoa, wood and earth. It is slightly oily and toothy to touch as well.
As I light up the Excalibur Epicure Maduro cigar I am immediately greeted by flavors of coffee and cedar. The flavors are easy to pick out, and they stay with you on the long finish. As I get further into the first third I begin to pick up more notes of herbs, spices and rich chocolate. The cigar has a beautiful burn to it, it is perfect, and the ash is a very light gray. The ash is very strong and holding on to the cigar firmly, and it is producing a nice amount of smoke. The flavors are very pleasant and the cigar is a solid medium in body.
When I get into the second third the first thing that I notice is that the ash on this cigar is not letting go anytime soon, and I imagine that I will be able to hold on to it till the final third easily. I am still picking up those wonderful flavors of coffee, cedar and chocolate, but the herbal notes have faded some. The spice notes increase some in this third, but the cigar is still a solid medium. The flavors have not changed dramatically so far, but it is just delivering the wonderful flavors consistently, and that is what is most important, it is a solid smoke.
I am in the final third of the Excalibur Epicure Maduro now, and that beautiful ash is still there. The burn line on this cigar is still absolutely perfect, and it is producing a nice amount smoke after each draw. The flavors are fairly similar to that of the second third, and it is very enjoyable. The cigar is rich in cocoa, spice and coffee notes, and it makes the cigar perfect for me anytime of the day. The Excalibur Epicure Maduro is a cigar that is great to give to any smoker, and is a great everyday cigar. The cigar still has a spicy wood finish, and when I put the cigar down it was still smoking cool and wonderful.

Some might not have great things to say about this cigar because it is made by General, and because it is a cigar that is easily accessible and not boutique, but that is just silly. This is a cigar that always delivers, and never bores. It is not overly complex in the flavor department, but the flavors it does have are wonderful throughout and never dull. With flavors being consistent throughout the cigar has to be bunched just perfectly, and this cigar was. You could never go wrong with this cigar, and even though I do not smoke them often or have them in my humidor it does not mean it is bad. This is a cigar that every retailer should carry, and it will move. All the shops I recommend carry these smokes, and there is a reason for that. This is a consistent cigar aimed for every smoker. If I were to buy one cigar from General Cigars this Excalibur Epicure Maduro would be it, and following this it would be the Punch Uppercut. A 90 rated cigar that will always deliver. The Excalibur Epicure Maduro is a great cigar to share with your friends who are big time smokers, and a cigar that is great for newcomers as well.

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Thanks for a super review Seth!

 

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Alec Bradley Cigars Take the "Cigar of the Year" Title for 2011!

Posted by freedomcigars on

Our staff would like to extend a great big congratulations and pat on the back to Alec Bradley Cigars for earning the most prestigious title in the cigar industry  -  The Alec Bradley Prensado Churchill cigar was awarded "The 2011 Cigar of The Year" by Cigar Aficionado!!  Congratulations to Alan Rubin, founder of the Alec Bradley Cigar Company, and his staff! Their company is distinguished as a world-class boutique cigar producer and purveyor in the premium cigar industry.  The company is named after his 2 sons, Alec and Bradley. Alan started his cigar company in 1996 and has come a long way in 16 years. His company was the first to create a triangular shaped cigar. Alan hit it on the head in 2007 when he introduced the Alec Bradley Tempus and only 2 years later he created the Alec Bradley Prensado blend.

[caption id="attachment_327" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Alec Bradley Prensado Cigars at My Discount Cigars"]Alec Bradley Prensado Cigars at My Discount Cigars[/caption]

The Alec Bradley Prensado is blended using Central American tobacco exclusively, including a very dark wrapper leaf grown in a southern area of Honduras called Trojes.  The Alec Bradley Prensado is handmade at the Raices Cubanas factory in Danli, Honduras. It embodies the epitome of cigar perfection with its picture-perfect head, its stunning oily, practically veinless wrapper, the skillfully placed triple-cap, and its elegant and colorful band.  But more than its stunning presentation it is the incredible flavors and excellent draw that make the Alec Bradley Prensado a true classic!  The Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos are blended in a harmonious way presenting hints of chocolate, leather, spice notes and a lush, long finish. A perfect description of this beauty, "A richly colored cigar with superb construction. The first puffs are sweet and leathery, then turn toasty and nutty with a chocolate note. Sophisticated."

The Alec Bradley Prensado line is available in 6 sizes: Churchill, Corona Gorda, Double T, Gran Toro, Robusto and Torpedo are the first all box-pressed selection from Alec Bradley Cigars ("prensado" means pressed in Spanish) and by far their fullest-bodied blend. This blend will definitely give you something to sink your teeth into with its smooth buttery notes of rich and deep roasted coffee flavors and a dash of sweet pepper. The Alec Bradley Prensado will undoubtedly leave you thoroughly impressed proving why it got some of Cigar Aficionado's highest ratings!

[caption id="attachment_326" align="alignleft" width="150" caption="Alec Bradley Prensado Cigars at My Discount Cigars"]Alec Bradley Prensado Cigars at My Discount Cigars[/caption]

RATED 91-96 BY CIGAR AFICIONADO and TOP 25 CIGARS OF 2011, #1 FOR THE ALEC BRADLEY PRENSADO CHURCHILL!

Country of Origin: Honduras
Flavor: Full
Wrapper: Trojes, Honduras
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Trojes, Honduras and Nicaragua

The Alec Bradley Prensado cigars are available here at MyDiscountCigar.com.

To read more about the Alec Bradley Prensado blends please visit AlecBradley.com.

~ Peace, Love, Cigars ~

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CIGAR REVIEW OF THE ALEC BRADLEY PRENSADO ROBUSTO BY CIGARFAN

The Trojes revolution that started with the Tempus blend in 2008 is still going strong. Not long after the Tempus was released, Alec Bradley unleashed the Trojes-wrapped SCR (Select Cabinet Reserve) and about a year later the Alec Bradley Prensado Robusto appeared on the shelves. Since then, leaf from this small Honduran village has almost become synonymous with Alec Bradley.

Las Trojes is a tiny border town about 40 miles east of Danli, the heart of cigar making operations in Honduras. The Jalapa valley is just across the border in Nicaragua, and Esteli is a few more miles down the road, or what passes for a road in this part of the country. This is solid tobacco country, and Alec Bradley seems pretty happy with it. They’ve gone so far as to trademark the name Trojes, so it seems certain that this isn’t the last we’ve seen of this fine leaf.

For the Alec Bradley Prensado the blenders have chosen an aged 2006 Corojo wrapper from Trojes, a binder from Jalapa, and a Nicaraguan-Honduran filler combination. The cigar is pressed, which is nothing new for the company (remember the Trilogy?) but this fact is emphasized by the name — prensado means pressed in Spanish.

The cigar is made in the Raices Cubanas factory in Danli, where the Tempus is also made (along with many other cigars for various manufacturers.) Six sizes are in production:

Churchill – 7 x 48
Torpedo – 8 1/8 x 52
Gran Toro – 6 x 54
Corona Gorda – 5 5/8 x 46
Robusto – 5 x 50

Double T - 6 x 62

Construction Notes

The Alec Bradley Prensado Robusto is clearly pressed, but it’s not a severe press — a little more than box-pressed, but not a lot more. The wrapper is a dark colorado maduro with some inconspicuous veins. The head of the cigar is somewhat flat with classic Raices Cubanas finishing, including a smoothly executed triple cap. The draw is excellent and the burn is slow and mostly even. The ash is dirty gray, striated with black, and holds well.

Overall construction: Excellent.

Tasting Notes

The pungency of the pre-light tobacco comes through almost immediately as leather, and the smoke has a lengthy finish from the start. There is a peppery edge to it, which is supplemented by a sweet, nearly fruity accent. It is full-bodied, but smooth.  The combination of flavors here is impressively complex, which is unusual for the first inch of a cigar.

Flavors of cocoa or chocolate emerge after an inch or so into the cigar. The leather remains in the background while the pepper fades a bit. The fruity accent seems to evolve into a minty, cameroon-like flavor. Taken as a whole, the combination of flavors here is really interesting.

The Alec Bradley Prensado sails into band territory balanced and smooth, but it still hasn’t completed its voyage. The cocoa takes on a caramel-like tone, over which is laced a touch of vanilla. The cigar gets a bit sharp at the very end, but this is after an hour long journey with some gorgeous vistas.

Conclusion

The Alec Bradley Prensado is a fantastic cigar with a rare combination of complexity, smoothness, and body.  What is even rarer is that it wastes no time in getting to work — from first puff to last there is something to savor here. We’ve all had the “sweet spot” experience, but the Prensado seem to be all sweet spot.  The combination of leather, cocoa, sweetness and spice is extremely well balanced, and the construction is just about perfect.

The Alec Bradley Prensado Robustos are in the 7 to 8 USD range, and I’d say they’re worth the expense. It isn’t often that I enjoy a cigar from beginning to end, so I feel like I definitely got my dollar’s worth out of this one. The only thing I didn’t like about the Prensado is how long it took me to discover it.

Final Score: 93

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Superb review CigarFan!  Thanks!


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An Indepth Cigar Review of Matt Booth's Room 101 Cigars

Posted by freedomcigars on

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"]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!

 

 

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Review of the Rocky Patel "Decade" - Celebrating 10 Years in the Industry

Posted by freedomcigars on

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"]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!

 

 

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