PADRON 4000 NATURAL

PADRON 4000 NATURAL
TORO

Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Sun grown
Binder: Nicaraguan Sun grown
Filler: Nicaraguan Sun grown

Place of purchase: Famous Smoke Shop Online


TASTING SHEET RESULTS

SIZE: 6.5x54
APPEARANCE: poor to average: this one is no looker, veiny with some larger veins, evenly colored colorado maduro wrapper, slight oily sheen, slapped on cap
CONSTRUCTION: poor to average: soft bunch indicating underfill, soft, excessive give, tried to counteract with a punch cut, hastily applied cap
DRAW: loose
BURN: very good to excellent
AROMA: very good
FLAVOR: good to very good
DOMINANT FLAVORS: nut, cocoa, leather, pepper
AFTERTASTE: worn leather
STRENGHT: moderate

SMOKING TIME: ~ 2 hours
GENERAL IMPRESSION: good

CUT: punch

PRELIGHT: earth, salty tobacco
LIGHT: torch flame lighter, easily
BEVERAGE: espresso


1/3:
First puffs deliver nutty flavor, underlined by leather and pepper. It tingles back of the throat immediately. Nose blow nutty with generous pepper - not recommended for new smokers. Draw loose, even with punch cut. Thin burn line with somewhat loose ash. It continues in nutty fashion strongly backed by pepper and a touch of worn leather. Abundant smoke. Nearing second third salty notes join nut and pepper in the foreground, while cocoa is detected in the back. Ashing reveals cone. Body in the medium.

2/3:
Slowly, unsweetened cocoa appears from the background and starts dominating. Pepper eased out of the picture and nuts retreat to the back, but still show presence. Light charry, salty finish. I really have to pace myself to preserve flavors, as the smoke overheats very easily due to excessively loose draw. Body in the solid medium. Wonderful aroma: chocolate and roasted nuts.

3/3:
Flavors at this point are static. Finish remains salty, with charry notes increasing. Pepper slowly returns and takes centerstage.

NUB:
Bitterness dominates with pepper trailing. Body stayed in the medium. No tar build-up, nice fermentation. Finish long, spicy bitter wood with just a touch of leather.


What to say about Padrons? They are really consistent cigars, good quality, value oriented cigars with great flavors and aroma. I just love them.... when they are good. My consistent ("PADRON" THE PUN :-) problem is loose draw. I don`t mind haphazard appearance, as I "judge" a smoke on its flavor and performance, not cosmetics, but loose draw really spoils the enjoyment I get out of these, as I have to pay really close attention not to overheat the smoke. I guess Padrons really loathe plugged smokes, so they over-insure it does not happen with their smokes. Otherwise, these are fantastic and every cigar smoker should at least try these.

JOSE L. PIEDRA CONSERVAS

JOSE L. PIEDRA

CONSERVAS

Origin: Cuba
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba

This smoke is machine made short/mixed filler with hand applied wrapper. It consists of scrapings of tobacco of more prestigious brands.

Place of purchase: Local B & M



TASTING SHEET RESULTS

SIZE: 5.5x44
APPEARANCE: very good, especially for a cheapie: veiny with some larger veins, evenly colored colorado claro wrapper, slight oily sheen, as far as short filler smokes go, this one is quite nice
CONSTRUCTION: very good: well applied wrapper and double cap, firm, nicely filled bunch - machine made, with fine give, nice tight seams
DRAW: perfect
BURN: good to very good, tipical cuban
AROMA: good
FLAVOR: good
DOMINANT FLAVORS: earth, cedar, salt
AFTERTASTE: earth, cedar, some leather, salt
STRENGHT: somewhat mild

SMOKING TIME: ~ 90 minutes
GENERAL IMPRESSION: good

CUT: Double guillotine
PRELIGHT: earth, salty tobacco
LIGHT: torch flame lighter, easily
BEVERAGE: 7 years old Havana Club Anejo Rum


1/3:
Upon light intense earth and salt hit the palate, with wood and leather in the background. Smooth with no bite whatsoever. Nose blow effortless and defines salty notes on top of leather. Smoke leaves palate dry, so have a drink on hand. I sure did. Tipical cuban burn.
Rum brings out floral notes with wonderful non-sweetened caramel aroma and toasty finish. Ash is fragile and easily drops. Body in the mild to medium range.

2/3:
No surprises here, complex is not a word to describe this smoke. Flavors are static, but not unpleasant or boring. Body barely medium. Ash drops yet again and cannot even grow to an inch. A thing really going for this cheapie on value but not on performance is constant flavor. It does not budge and delivers what its got tall and proud. No bitterness, no tar, good aroma, thick, rich smoke and good, albeit thick burn.

3/3:
This is definitely a single tone tune, but it rocks anyway. A faint citrus note is finally picked up on the nose blow and also on the finish.

NUB:
More of the same `ol. It`s interesting to note that neither body nor flavor increased in the final third. Not even a hair. A textbook constant.

Jose L. Piedra are some of the cheapest cuban cigars you can buy. But they are definitely not "cheap". Sure, there is no complexity, no divine aromas, no silky wrappers... but there is honest cuban flavor and experience. For a short-mixed filler cigar or a cuban daily smoke you can hardly do better. At the prices they go for, you can stock up on them, let them rest for a couple of years and you truly have a small gem on your hands, plus your wallet will thank you.

I ought to mention that rum complimented smoke well, but failed to bring out more delicate nuances. It did, however, "lend" a substantial "body" to the smoke :-)

AVO XO INTERMEZZO

AVO XO INTERMEZZO
ROBUSTO

Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: US Connecticut Shade
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic

Place of purchase: Local B & M

TASTING SHEET RESULTS

SIZE: 5.5x50
APPEARANCE: very good: a couple of larger veins, wrinkled, evenly colored claro wrapper, dry with just a slight oily sheen, but definitely not an ugly stick
CONSTRUCTION: very good: nicely applied wrapper and tipical dominican cap, firm, nicely filled bunch, with the perfect amount of give, a bit loose seams on several spots
DRAW: perfect
BURN: average to good, problems upon light in the first inch
AROMA: very good
FLAVOR: good
DOMINANT FLAVORS: earth, hay, salty floral notes
AFTERTASTE: earthy, charred wood
STRENGHT: somewhat mild

SMOKING TIME: ~ 90 minutes
GENERAL IMPRESSION: good

CUT: Scissors
PRELIGHT: cedar, hay, barnyard, licorice??
LIGHT: torch flame lighter, took some time
BEVERAGE: Courvoisier V.S. Cognac


1/3:
This cigar starts with generous earth, hay and distinct floral notes. Salt in the background. Not a lot of smoke, even with perfect draw, indicates bunching issue. Thick burn line and wavy burn. All this usually means a hole in the filler and I hate this even more than a plugged smoke.


After an inch of working through the problem, the burn normalizes and finally flavors start to shine. Nice smooth, clean tobacco taste with fruity notes and easy nose blow on the apple-cinnamon side. Unusual and probably result of great pairing with young cognac. Very enjoyable. The ash looks kinda funny, compact, but definitely not "healthy" all around.

2/3:
Brings about distinct citrus along salty tobacco. Body in mild to medium range. Wife compliments on the aroma. Finish is very light. Burn finally evens out and ash regains "healthy" look. Apple persistently trails on the nose with only a hint of cinnamon. Short salty finish.

3/3:
Body climbed to medium. Flavors from the second third static. Physical performance admirable with no problems whatsoever.

NUB:
Salty tobacco with bitter woody notes. No tar build-up. Long salty, charred wood finish.

This is my "keep a few in the humidor for a change of pace" stick. It is well priced, quality, flavorful dominican smoke made by Hendrik Kelner. On its own, I label it ideal for someone who enjoys milder, but not mild smokes or a morning smoke. Courvoisier was great company to this smoke with its youthful, fruity profile. It "lended" a solid body to this smoke, making it also perfect for someone who enjoys a "hammer" of a smoke.

SANCHO PANZA BELICOSO

SANCHO PANZA
CAMPANA

Origin: Cuba
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba

Place of purchase: Local B & M

TASTING SHEET RESULTS

SIZE: 5.5x52
APPEARANCE: average to good: veins all over the place - varicose variety, evenly colored wrapper, nice oily sheen
CONSTRUCTION: very good to excellent: nicely applied wrapper and cap, firm, nicely filled bunch with fine give, slight box press
DRAW: perfect to firm
BURN: very good to perfect
AROMA: very good
FLAVOR: very good
DOMINANT FLAVORS: earth, cedar, leather, some pepper
AFTERTASTE: earthy, some wood
STRENGHT: somewhat mild

SMOKING TIME: ~ 2 hours
GENERAL IMPRESSION: excellent

CUT: Scissors
PRELIGHT: earth, cedar
LIGHT: easily with a torch flame lighter
BEVERAGE: coffee with milk


1/3:
Earth, cedar and thin pepper greet me at the outset of this smoke. Nose blow floral, smooth. Vanilla reveales itself on the nose. I really enjoy this fantastic aroma. Tipical cuban burn, mild to medium body. After half an inch, leather and wood join earth, while cedar fades to background. Pepper is no longer detected. The smoke is smooth with woody finish on a slightly bitter side, but not unpleasant. I noticed substantial rest burn. Nose blow picking up citrus notes.


2/3:
Citrus becomes prominent with wood accent, leather and earth retreat to back, but don`t go unnoticed. Body climbes to medium and holds. Vanilla persists on the nose. Nearing the final third, cocoa is gaining momentum with ever-so-slightly anise, just barely enough to notice.
I have never picked this note before and it took a while to pinpoint. Sort of reminiscent of greek spirit Ouzo.

3/3:
Even though very compact, the ash suddenly drops. Small cones formed throughout the smoke, indicating aged, rested cigar, but no way to confirm this as I purchased singles and haven`t checked the box when buying. Flavorwise, wood dominates with bitterness slowly rearing its ugly head. Luckily, it didn`t last but a few puffs. Finish fruity - citrus and anise. Body settled in solid medium. Tunnel starts forming at this point.

NUB:
Enjoying this one so much, I burned the band. Nothing new transitioning to the nub, everything just complementing everything. Delivers until I burned my fingers.

This cigar is usually too mild for me, but today I was really beat from rearranging our bedroom for my soon-to-be-born baby girl and it was just what the doctor ordered. At 9 EUR per stick it`s a little steep for me for a box buy, but I will always have a couple on hand.

PUNCH PUNCH

PUNCH PUNCH
CORONA GORDA

Origin: Cuba
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba

Place of purchase: Local B & M

TASTING SHEET RESULTS

SIZE: 5 5/8x46
APPEARANCE: very good: a bit veiny, evenly colored colorado wrapper with dark splotches, dryish with slight oily sheen
CONSTRUCTION: very good to excellent: firm, nicely filled bunch, well applied wrapper and triple cap, slight box press
DRAW: perfect to firm
BURN: very good, but tipical cuban
AROMA: excellent
FLAVOR: very good
DOMINANT FLAVORS: leather, pepper, earth
AFTERTASTE: leather, citrus, tobacco
STRENGHT: somewhat strong to strong

SMOKING TIME: ~ 2 hours
GENERAL IMPRESSION: excellent


CUT: XIKAR
PRELIGHT: leather, wood, molasses, sweet tobacco
LIGHT: torch flame lighter, easily
BEVERAGE: coffee with milk

1/3
Opens with a dose of black pepper riding on the notes of earth and cedar. Nose blow pure pepper - not recommended. This is one strong puppy. After only a few puffs, I can feel it`s effect. At quarter inch pepper is easing up a bit and earth with cedar dominate. There is faint vanilla on the nose already and my wife compliments the aroma. Tipical cuban burn: wavy with thick mascara.

2/3
The ash is fragile and suddenly drops. Leather is gaining on earth and cedar with spice firmly in the back. Vanilla persists on the nose and compliments smoke nicely. Body in the lower full. The ash flowers a bit, but no biggie. I have picked up a nuance in this smoke, but can`t put a finger on it. I just remember sensation from the past. No burning cones for this smoke - this usually signs a well aged smoke. Have no idea how old this stick is as I picked up just a fiver, but had it in my humidor for about 6-8 months.


3/3
At this point, the smoke gets steady, no sudden turns anymore, a nice flavor symphony just continues with pronounced vanilla on the nose. No tar build-up anywhere in sight, the burn continuing in cuban fashion. The cigar can withstand a bout of overpuffing easily without spoiling the flavor, which is very deep and rich.

NUB:
Body settles in full. The aforementioned flavors continue with citrus finish that is not very heavy and lingers nicely on the palate. My fingers smell fantastic.


Great smoke, lots of complexity. Subtle notes come and go until final, when everything just plays really well together. If not for 9 EUR a pop, (approx. 13 USD local rate) I would smoke this constantly.

UPDATE II.

I have added a section containing links to web sites I check regularly if not daily. These are IMO the most informative, in-depth, concise, readable, fun and enjoyable cigar spots on the Web.

I will also be adding another section on great places to shop for cigars, with emphasis FROM all-over the world - TO all over the world.
Being from Europe, trying to buy online from US-based shops, I more often than not get the "we only ship domestically". Too bad, as there are a lot of great non cuban smokes people don`t know about overseas. Hope that will change sometime soon.

ROMEO & JULIETA MILLE FLEURS

ROMEO & JULIETA MILLE FLEURS

PETIT CORONA

Origin: Cuba

Wrapper: Cuba

Binder: Cuba

Filler: Cuba

In the past, these were machine bunched with hand applied wrapper. My box from 2007 states "TOTALMENTE A MANO"

Place of purchase: Local B & M

TASTING SHEET RESULTS

SIZE: 5x42

APPEARANCE: very good: uniform brown color with a few minor dark and green specks, veiny wrapper, with nice seams and triple cap, slight box-press with oily sheen

CONSTRUCTION: very good: firm bunch, tight seams, but with a patched head

DRAW: firm

BURN: average to good, tipical thick »cuban« mascara, wavy with problems halfway into the smoke, a couple of touch-ups needed

AROMA: excellent, buttery cocoa and leather

FLAVOR: very good

DOMINANT FLAVORS: leather, earth, caramel, coffee

AFTERTASTE: earth, leather, a touch of cocoa

STRENGHT: moderate

SMOKING TIME: ~ 100 minutes

GENERAL IMPRESSION: average

CUT: Xikar

PRELIGHT: leather earth, floral notes

LIGHT: torch flame lighter, took some time

BEVERAGE: coffee black

1/3:

Upon light, leather opens the show immediately with earth and slightly floral and bitter notes. Nose blow salty leather with a hint of caramel. The smoke is smooth. Nearing second third toasty caramel joins the mix, complementing leather. By now, all bitterness subsided. Very compact ash.

2/3:

Leather still dominates with woody finish and coffee undertones, while hints of vanilla start popping in and out. Burn issues appear.

3/3:

Leather keeps the centerstage. At this point burn issues really start to annoy and it shows on the smoke as bitterness returns with wood charr. Ashing reveals a hole in the filler, causing problems. Two touch-ups were applied but the smoke just kept going south.

NUB:

Bitter wood. No tar build-up.

This one is from my second box of these. I have half a box left. Based on their performance, I will not purchase a third box. They are not very expensive, but not greatest value for money based on what they deliver. They are okay, but nothing to write home about.