I've never heard of this cigar... I'd be looking forward to a your reviewing one where the construction isn't such a problem. On construction, what does it take for a cigar to get, say, a "3" rating?

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My foot hurts

iduno. never had one that even came close. I try only to smoke good cigars so my reviews tend to score high. if i smoked everything then some more would get bad reviews.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

In NC (at least I think it's the whole state), they give health/cleanliness scores to restaurants based on inspections. They use a 100-point scale, and deduct points for items which go against code. A restaurant can also earn bonus credits for certain other items, so it is possible for a restaurant to receive a 105-ish score. If a restaurant scores below 90, that is bad, and if it scores below 80, it is unacceptable. While it is technically possible to score in the 20's or 30's, it is (in reality) impossible because the restaurant would have to break virtually every rule in the health code, and would have been shut down well before that. I think the lowest score I've heard about for a restaurant was something like a 72.

I figured your rating system was somewhat similar, in that a "3" construction is more of a theoretical possibility. If you found yourself smoking something that poor, you'd probably toss it before the score could even get that low.

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My foot hurts

thats a good way to put it.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

10-23-08 been in humi since 2-24-07
Gurkha Grand Master Dos Capos (8.5 x 52)
Wrapper: Cameroon, Brazilian Habana 2000
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan

This cigar is huge. It has an impressive stature to it. i mean seriously look at it:

There are however, a few flaws in the wrapper that are very easy to spot due to the very high contrast in the two wrappers. The Cameroon seems very fragile.
The smell is sweet barnyard, very much on the earth side. The lick on the cap has a very hay taste to it. Cut with a punch. The cut created a small crack in the cap. The draw test is very good.

Once lit the taste is sweet and earthy, almost moss in nature. Once the cigar develops a bit there is a coffee taste to it. Even after the first ash this cigar is still longer than most cigars that I tend to smoke. The ash fell at one inch. At that point a bit of a grassy flavor is hinted at. Mostly the initial tastes are still there. It isn’t very complex at this point. If it doesn’t become more complex will it get boring being that it will end up a 2- 3 hour smoke? The burn is even. I was worried about this because of the two different thicknesses of each wrapper.

Three inches in and an oak like taste comes out. I would still hesitate to call it “complex” but this oak is a welcome addition. The burn is still perfect.

Nearing the half way point (an hour and 15 min in) the cigar has built up a coffee taste on the finish. It’s a bit on the bitter side. Besides that the flavor is much of the same. There is no spice at all.

With about an inch left the taste has not changed. The initial flavor is significantly better than the aftertaste. It’s a good showpiece and it burns well but it lacks in the flavor department.

Burned to the nub.
Burn time: 2 hours 40 minutes.

Burn: 10
Draw: 9
Taste: 8
Aftertaste: 7
Construction: 9
Appearance: 8
Feel: 8

Overall: 8.4
3 smoke rings -- an average cigar


Recommended to:
golfers (given the hastle free burn and burn time)
people who buy cigars for looks only.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

I would say it looks very nice, but it's sad that it comes up short in the flavor dept..

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Would like a Gurkha HMR PM me if you have any extras...

I'd certainly rather have an ugly cigar that has a bang up flavor any day of any week. All looks and no flavor is just not for me. Good review as always, I'll be sure to steer clear of that one.

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When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

Thomas Jefferson

I need to keep in mind that we all get the occassional bad cigar in an otherwise quality line. I assume that happened yesterday with my first Gran Habano Blue Label. It was a robusto that had a few soft spots, but otherwise looked good. A good clip, but difficult light . . . one side didn't seem to want to light. Got it going, nice, easy draw, wonderful spicy, floral aroma and great flavor of spice, black pepper and oak -- but an ash that was ragged and terribly uneven color -- mostly charcoal gray to black on outside with some white inside but not uniformly white. Looked like some filler didn't want to burn. It dropped before hitting an inch. I was surprised the flavor and aroma stayed and got more complex throughout the smoke. No re-lights, but needed touch ups twice. One side of the wrapper just didn't want to burn., it just charred and started wrinkling. So I passed it off as a roller having a bad day. I have another, so I'll give it a try and see how it goes. The flavor, aroma and strength impressed me enough to try a few more before giving up.

What have your experiences been with this cigar?

 

i havent had it.

I have had the Gran Habano Habano #3. i remember a few burn issues as well but nothing too bad. I liked it enough to get another.

maybe they just have an issue with rollers there.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

I have had some minor burn issues with Gran Habano cigars. I've yet to try a Blue Label, but my experience comes from the #3 habano, #5 corojo and 3 Siglos. Again, nothing major, just every so often they required a touch-up.

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When the people fear their government, there is tyranny; when the government fears the people, there is liberty.

Thomas Jefferson

11-5-08 been in humi since 8-31-08

Padron 4000 Maduro (6.5 x 54)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan

The cigar is fairly large and has a bit of a tooth to it. It smells light. The color is a bit lighter than some other maduros that I have seen. I bought this cigar in Las Vegas and they cut it with a punch for me so I have no taste for the lick on the cap precut. The draw is good, maybe great. There is sweetness to the draw.

The first draws, after the light, are a bit bitter from the light. The wind is clearly a factor here; I had to light quickly. After it settles a bit the draw is round and has what I notice is in all Nicaraguan cigars: a round coffee and burnt coco taste. People often compare Nicaraguan and Honduran tobacco. I don’t know why they do. They both seem to have very unique features to me. The only common thread is that they are both very round in nature.

This cigar is not as sweet as I thought it would be from the prelight. There is also a wood like taste that might be similar to cork. This flavor was at the first ash, maybe an inch and a half in.

The flavor profile is not what I usually go for but the feel of this cigar is amazing, and unbelievably relaxing. The aroma is quite good as well with earth and wood abundant. A very light spice is sometimes present as well.

At the half way point the flavor is very much the same, good but not very complex.

The cigar burns fast. I have had no burn issues at all. I feel that the cigar is a bit on the dry side. …time to check the battery in my hygrometer.

As the cigar ends a great roundness develops. This is the first bit of real complexity in the cigar. I wish it would have done this at the midpoint.

Burn to the nub
Burn time: 1h 35min

Burn: 10
Draw: 9
Taste: 8
Aftertaste: 8
Construction: 9
Appearance: 8
Feel: 10

Overall: 8.8
3 smoke rings -- an average cigar

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

kuzi:

time to check the battery in my hygrometer

You mean "my ultra-cool, James Bond, secret decoder ring hygrometer."

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Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

urbino:

kuzi:

time to check the battery in my hygrometer

You mean "my ultra-cool, James Bond, secret decoder ring hygrometer."

damnit!! it runs on plutonium! where am i gunna find that in OHIO?


time to move to Iran.



or is that Uranium?

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate

You need a flux capacitor.

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Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

urbino:

You need a flux capacitor.

and a humidor that can do 88 miles per hour.

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Kuzi's cigar catalog blending 101 developing your palate