My 1st attempt at a review.
Arturo Fuente Grand Reserve Maduro
Robusto 4.5x50 (Although AF doesnt call it a Robusto, they call it a Chateau Fuente)
Wrapper - Connecticut Maduro
Binder - ??
Filler - AF Dominican
Ok, so on the car ride home last night I lit up an Arturo Fuente Grand Reserve Maduro. It was the robusto size (but they dont call it a Robusto 4.5 x 50). So I did try to review it sitting in my car before leaving the work parking lot.

Wrapper: Dark, not the black like many maduro's, but a nice dark brown, not very oily more toothy. Veins in the wrapper were few and far between and thin when you could make them out. One problem with the wrapper was a small 'chip' in one of the turns due to poor handling.
Smell: Real Tobacco, Ive heard Barnyard be used and that may have applied, but a strong tobacco smell --Im new at this so that is all I got of the whiff--

Lick the cap: I have never done this before, but see a few people do it here so here goes. --I got no flavor, but could feel the niccotine immediately hit my tongue.

I cut this with a double guillotine just enough to get a nice ring off the bottom (I dont know maybe 1/32 of an inch)

INSERT EDIT - I was asked about the draw pre light and I can only remember that I didnt recongnize any problems with the draw -- Not too tight or not too loose--

Here is where the fun begins -- I light it with a single flame torch. It lights up nicely, I blow on the end to ensure a nice even light.

INSERT EDIT -- I recently lit up a cigar with my torch lighter in the dark and realized that I have been cooking my sticks. You can really see the torch flame in the dark compared to in sunlight and lit porch etc. So when in doubt keep the torch a little further away!!!!!

I blow the 1st puff out the end of the stick --This is another first for me as I usually puff puff draw at this point -- The light is fired nicely and I really look at the smoke. It is that nice cobalt blue smoke with lots of smoke. So I take a puff puff draw and really try to get the flavor of the cigar swirling around my mouth. I know that the flavor may not build for a bit. So really Im not geting much in the flavor dept and ===BINGO cell phone rings and its work ===

So I have to talk for a few minutes and I have to re light by the time Im done with the call. Im doing most of the talking.
So I relight (see torching cigars above) and think I do a fairly good job of it. --Does this ruin a stick? after just 1-2 puffs?? Anyway I finish my call and get this thing re torched.

Again trying to get the flavor as I am smoking this. I couldnt get the smoke up and out my nose but will work on that aspect of tasting. Anyway as I am driving I get som pepper spice some other undetermined flavor and then all I can really describe the flavor as is a pine nut. Hmmm I was doubting myself at that point becasue I have never heard of a pine nut flavor in a cigar, but I kept coming back to that flavor along with some other flavor I couldnt quite put my finger on.

The ash has run about 1 1/4 inches without any problem, but Im in the car so I ash it as I dont want it to drop in my lap. It was a nice tight ash with a really nice contrast to the dark brown maduro cigar.
So the cigar has a burn issue after ashing and needs a corrective light and really after the half way point the flavors for me are out and all I get is tobacco (in a good way). With about 1 3/4 - 1 1/2 inches left the smoke turns pretty hot and my palate is burnt out at this piont.
INSERT EDIT -- Im thinking that this is due to me torching my cigars too much that I learned this weekend.

My tobacco guy said that this was medium to full body and my opinion is that this is full all the way. Not sure what other tasters have to say about this or if this is just that I havent smoked enough to really determine a full body cigar. The niccotine has a pretty good punch and I feel it when I get out of the car.

So I am at my dinner table last night eating - Roasted Brussel Sprouts and I eat the first one -- I think I had a flashback as that was the flavor that I really couldnt put my finger on. A nice roasted bitter flavor. Not necessarily brussel sprouts, but could be any roasted dark vegetebal. I thought I was crazy, again, but remembered reading a kuzi Post saying he tasted spinach in a cigar.

I wont try and hit this with a number scale rating - but overall I would smoke this cigar again. I think I wouldnt smoke it right from the shop but would let it rest for a while. I have a 2nd that is in my humi that I will let rest for a couple months and see how it smokes compared to this one.

ADDED EDIT
This is a good cigar for those who like full bodied cigars. I would say that this would go nicely after a full hearty dinner (Think STEAK) with a nice glass of Cabernet, maybe even a mixed whiskey drink - A rob roy or possibly a Rum - cubre libre.

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MOW Badge: Honorable Service recipient 9/21/2010



Work called! They said if you dont come in on Friday, dont bother to come in on Monday! - Whoo hoo four day weekend!

Ok, Do I thought that I would get a few comments on this one, but NADA. Please feel free to hack away at my review. Im looking for constructive criticism here. I havent re-read the review. I do have a question. At the end of what I would think would be a paragraph, I hit enter. When I post the message the enter lines are taken out. How do I get spaces into the text between lines??

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MOW Badge: Honorable Service recipient 9/21/2010



Work called! They said if you dont come in on Friday, dont bother to come in on Monday! - Whoo hoo four day weekend!

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phobicsquirrel:

ummm milk it..

it was a pretty good review. make sure next time you add the spaces cuz its really hard to read. also be more despcriptive with the cigar like the size filler wrapper etc. just so we know which one you are smoking. the barnyard smell is more like a heyy type of smell i personally dont like it. the nut flavor is incredible like when u have that peanut oil taste its deliscious. anyways good job on the review keep reading other reviews for ideas and keep writing you will pick up more and more flavors sents and more. also how was the draw? was it hard? easy? average? wat did the wrapper taste like? sweet? spicy? etc. just trying to get you to think of a few things.

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-living the good life-

You'll probably get more readers and comments if you reformat it. I know when I see a big blob of unformatted text like that, my eyes cross and I click away from it.

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Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.

Awesome,

thanks for the feed back. Ill add the additional comments and reformat and see how it goes.
My biggest question was the roasted vegetable. I mean it makes sense because tobacco is a green leafy veggie thats fermented and then roasted to hell when you smoke it right?

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MOW Badge: Honorable Service recipient 9/21/2010



Work called! They said if you dont come in on Friday, dont bother to come in on Monday! - Whoo hoo four day weekend!

I had a Nub Connecticut last night. I will be putting up a full review either tomorrow or Monday. Pretty good cigar, some interesting comments I'll make.

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MOW Badge: Honorable Service recipient 9/21/2010



Work called! They said if you dont come in on Friday, dont bother to come in on Monday! - Whoo hoo four day weekend!

look forward to reading it. has anybody been to the Big Smoke convention? also dont forget spaces this time :) thanks.

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-living the good life-

I got a NUB sampler from CCom last week and I had to smoke 1 out of the box. Funny this sampler came in a very small box. I was surprised that 6 rather fat cigars tumbled out of this little box.

In humidor 9-18-08 - Smoked 9-19-08
Nub Connecticut 358
3.7 x 58
Wrapper - Connecticut Shade
Binder - ???
Filler - Nicaraguan

No drink to accompany this cigar - just a solo smoke

The Look:
Other than this cigar is about the same shape and size as my BIG TOE the cigar looks fantastic. The cigar is made well, no blemishes on the wrapper. There are minimal veins. This has a really nice cream color.
The Feel: This cigar is solid. From the feel I think I am going to have draw issues

I take the stick and turn it over a couple times. I look at it an smell the exterior of the wrapper and the foot and the head of the cigar. I am amazed at the scent that I get when I smell this. I actually smell the cigar 3 or four times. (I am in my car driving at this point). So I drive about a mile down the road and smell it again because I cannot beleive that there isnt an outside influence, but I smell it agian and there it is -- YES -- Lobster Bisque -- It smelled like a creamy buttery lobster bisque. Maybe with a little hint of Sherry in there. NO JOKE. I was amazed. I have never cleary gotten this stong of a scent off a cigar and I was really anxious to smoke this thing.

I cut the end with a double guillotine. I can only describe the cut as a pig in a blanket. After I cut the cigar the tobaco on the end puffed out every so slightly for a really funny look. I brushed off the end and took a pull to test the draw. From what I though would be a very tough draw, It wasnt. It was very light and thought that I may have burn issues due to the ease of the draw. Probably from the huge ring gauge

I light this thing in the dark ( I actully pulled over into a parking lot to get a good light on it). I fire up my new triple flame torch and the flame shoots out of it about 3 inches. So I put that down and go back to my old single flame torch. I light it up and realize that the flame is about 1.5-2 inches long and that I previously have been cooking my cigars instead of getting a nice slow roast on them. I evenly cook the end to get a nice even burn. I blow on the end and it appears to be evenly lit. I blow the first puff out the end of the stick (or thumb)

There isnt a lot of smoke coming off the foot of the cigar, but there is quite a bit on every draw.

So my first couple draws I get absolutely nothing. No hay, no chocolate, no cream. Just dry cool smoke. Then for about the first half inch it is clearly dry grass flavor. At this point I am really dissapointed becasue of what I have heard of these cigars and that they develop flavor quickly. (remember I cannot put the smoke out my nose yet, Im just also trying to smell the smoke).

After the first 1/2 in the flavor kicks in like a tidal wave. It is clearly a buttered toast/clotted cream on scone flavor. Just a really nice creamy sweet flavor that I loved. At this point I am really impressed with this cigar despite my previous dissapointment. I smoke this about 1/2 way and this flavor is really good without changing much, just a nice sweet creamy flavor. At this point I am going to say that this is a mild/medium cigar --definately leaning toward mild.

I arrive to where I am going and smoke for another fifteen to twenty minutes.

This is the 2nd half of the cigar: The sweet cream flavor really subsided into the finish and I am getting a nice pepper flavor to it. I am thinking a white pepper & pepper flavor, but clearly peppery. At this point I am still thinking that this cigar is a mild/medium with a slight lean toward mild. Really nice cigar. The smoke continued to be cool all the way to the end

I smoke this down to the band and a little beyond the band (I slid it off at some point). I wanted to smoke this to the NUB (no pun intended) but couldnt because there was some beer and friends calling me insid the bar I was going to.

Overall I really liked this cigar. I would smoke this cigar again. I think this would be a good cigar with a coffee (if you dring it with cream and sugar) Black coffee may overwhelm the flavors. I drink vodka tonic (not G&T) and I think that this cigar would go well with both of those drinks. I think that anything contrasting the flavor of this cigar may wipe it out. So I would say smoke this after a light breakfast or lunch. If you smoke it after eating something hearty the full flavor food may wipe out the flavor of the cigar completely. I havent tested this last statement, but just my thoughts. Enjoy -- I look forward to some feedback.

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MOW Badge: Honorable Service recipient 9/21/2010



Work called! They said if you dont come in on Friday, dont bother to come in on Monday! - Whoo hoo four day weekend!

I had a Macanudo 1968 at a tasting party at my local B&M.
I'm not going to do a full review as above, but will give some details to the story

Macanudo 1968 maduro
Robusto - 5x50
Wrapper - Honduran San Agustin Havanna Seed
Binder - Connecticut Habano
Filler - Dominican, nicaraguan and Ometepe
MSRP on this is $8.50 they were charging $13.75 at the B&M for this one!
Ok, so the event cost $20 with that you got a cigar, a cutter and a free draft beer. I went with the Sam Adams. So when I got there a little late they ran out of cutters. So the lady said hold on Ill get you one from the back and came out with a nice double guillotine. I was wondering if I missed out or got the better of that deal. Later on in the night someon left the cutter that came in the package and it was a single blade pos with the macanudo 1968 label on it.

The cigar looked fantastic. Black, Oily nice construction. not too tight not too firm. Nice cut, nice draw after the cut. It lit up nicely.

I knew I was in for a ride after about an inch in and I could already feel this thing in my belly. It was strong. I cannot even try to pin down the flavors as I wiped out my palate pretty quickly with the big strong flavors in this thing. So I cannot recommend nor say that this is a bad cigar. I will say I didnt care for it. I cannot even compare it to something I've had only to say that I prefer a regular macanudo maduro or a Padron maduro 2000 over this cigar.

About half way through the stick I move onto stella atois for a beer and try to push the smoke through my nose. I do -- YEAH CONGRATS TO ME -- And again the flavors are intense. I am going to have to look into the leather taste, becasue this may be the taste of this cigar.
I get a little cocky with the nose smoke thing and get a super burn in my sinus and have a small coughing fit.... maybe lasted 10 seconds over 3-4 coughs.

About 2/3 the way into this cigar it just goes out.... Im not neglecting it, it just poof goes out.

I relight.
So there are about 50 folks ther and all but 1 person are all smoking the same cigar. It way just a bit too smokey in the place, not bad, just a bit over the edge
They had some nice give aways and I walked out of the place with 4 of these 1968 robustos to take home. I was with a friend who liked the cigar, didnt love it. He had no burn issues with his cigar.
They are also giving away a humidor full of these at each of these tastings (so the rep stated when I was there) The humi and the cigars were gone by the time I arrived as they give away keys when you walk in and eveyone gets a turn. I smoked this thing for about 1.25 hours or so. I am really interested in seeing what other folks think of this particual cigar. It was way too full bodied for me at this point in my cigar life. I have a 'Cigar" hangover today as I like to term it. Anyway let me know what you guys think. Love to hear your feedback! So, 5 smokes for $20 isnt a bad deal. but I think still too $ for this cigar. AT the prices listed above, I think that this is WAY WAY too much $$ for this smoke.

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MOW Badge: Honorable Service recipient 9/21/2010



Work called! They said if you dont come in on Friday, dont bother to come in on Monday! - Whoo hoo four day weekend!

To anyone looking to try this one. Macanudo is running a promotion on them - 3 for $10 with shipping. I haven't tried mine yet but I'm sure that's cheaper than the local shops will be. Just do a google search for macanudo 1968. I normally don't go with macanudo's as they're a bit bland, but for that price, it's worth it to try them.

Yeah, That price is sure to be much less than the B&M and it is much less than what they are pegging the msrp at.

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MOW Badge: Honorable Service recipient 9/21/2010



Work called! They said if you dont come in on Friday, dont bother to come in on Monday! - Whoo hoo four day weekend!

I had a Nub Camaroon yesterday on the car ride home from work!
I will have a full review either over the weekend or on Monday!
I will say this it was DELICIOUS!
Nub maybe my go to stick!
I think they may bounce Padron 2000/3000 either natural or maduro and leap into the coveted reach for stick when I go out to smoke!

I'm excited, because this one was good yesterday, Im gonna smoke today and Monday!

Love it! Typically I can only get a cigar in once a week or twice a month! YEAH!

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MOW Badge: Honorable Service recipient 9/21/2010



Work called! They said if you dont come in on Friday, dont bother to come in on Monday! - Whoo hoo four day weekend!

Yeah, I am going to pick a few this week I think. After Wednesday though. That is when my credit card cycle is over.

Nub Camaroon quick review:

In Humi 9-18-08 Smoked 10-17-08

This was the torpedo and I do not remember the exact size but will look it up. I didnt write down my review so most of it is lost at this point.

This was my first camaroon of any brand cigar so I couldnt really pinpoint any particular flavor. Although it was very flavourful, I cannot remember what those flavors are. Nub stats it should have some flavors of coffee and chocolate, but I was unable to pick those flavors up.

Wrapper was nearly perfect IMHO

Look was great

The cigar felt like a brick when I was feeling it to see how firm it was. Ive had this same exp with all Nubs that I think they will have draw issues when I "feel them up"

Draw was fairly loose on the draw test.

I remember loving this cigar. I have found this with almost all the nubs I have smoked. They have a great deal of flavour about 1/2 way through the stick then the 2nd half usually changes to a straight pepper spice flavour.

I smoked this to the Nub and was able to hold the ash for about 2.5 inches. The ash would have held longer but I was driving in my car and worried that the ash would fall on my pants.

Ive since had another nub connecticut that I was able to smoke and kept the same ash the entire stick!

I smoked the cameroon to the nub and this cigar solidified Nub as my go to cigar for the time being.

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MOW Badge: Honorable Service recipient 9/21/2010



Work called! They said if you dont come in on Friday, dont bother to come in on Monday! - Whoo hoo four day weekend!