The Expert Review Library
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Bella - Room101 Muzzle Loader Gordo09/24/2021
Room101 Muzzle Loader has an extraordinary Nicaraguan wrapper surrounding a delicious blend of Mexican and Nicaraguan tobaccos. This well-constructed beauty is what you would expect coming out of AJ's factory. Hefty in size, producing a nice, firm ash that holds together, this premium is a must-try with notes of leathery goodness and hints of cream and cedar.
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Quinn - CAO Italia Robusto09/24/2021
As one the only cigars that utilizes Italian-grown long-filler tobaccos, CAO Italia delivers a truly unique experience. The Habano Maduro wrapper shimmers in the light, while also displaying a damp, oily texture. Upon ignition, this medium-bodied beauty burns like a dream, providing thick, creamy smoke. Italia is a profoundly quintessential, yet distinctive CAO experience.
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Kelly - HC Series Connecticut Churchill08/13/2021
I was pleasantly surprised with the '92' rated HC Series Connecticut. Well-rounded, complex flavors within the tri-country blend of tobaccos from Costa Rica, Mexico, and Nicaragua certainly made up for the full-bodied profile I have grown accustomed to, while the Ecuador Connecticut wrapper kept the smoke smooth on the palate—a risk worth taking!
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Lindsay - E.P. Carrillo Seleccion Oscuro Roubsto08/13/2021The boldest within the Elite Series, the '94' rated Selección Oscuro was the #4 Cigar of 2016 with good reason: its nuanced profile and impeccable construction remind long-time fans of EPC's Little Havana days. Notes of spice, chocolate, cedar, and dried-fruit sweetness all remain balanced, because only a true master is capable of such harmony.
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Michael - La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial Robusto08/13/2021
La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial is '94' rated for good reasons. Medium to full-bodied, a high-priming Ecuadorian Habano wrapper gives intense woody notes. The Nicaraguan binder and fillers round it out well, with deep flavors of cocoa and espresso. As the nights start to get chilly, Edicion Especial would pair nicely with a Sazerac.
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Quinn - Southern Draw Cedrus Belicoso08/13/2021
Cedrus easily takes the throne as Southern Draw's most distinct cigar blend. Beneath its Indonesian wrapper is a gorgeous medley of aromatic tobaccos which impart complex notes from start to finish. A considerable amount of spice complements notes of cocoa, espresso, and a sweet, fruity finish that is simply divine. Cigars like Cedrus never disappoint!
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Bella - Brick House Maduro Gordo08/13/2021
JC Newman kicks it up a notch with this bolder, zestier version of the original Brick House cigar. Featuring a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan long-fillers, this beauty is encased in a dark, spicy Brazilian Arapiraca Maduro wrapper. From first draw until finish, this cigar delivers with notes of cocoa, spice, pepper, and hints of natural sweetness.
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Bella - Cohiba Black Robusto07/02/2021
Cohiba Black Robusto is what maduro dreams are made of! The gorgeous dark, oily Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper piqued my interest, along with a Dominican Politico binder and Dominican long-fillers, which are aged for 3 years in large tercios. Upon first draw, I experienced notes of spice, licorice, and wood with hints of natural sweetness.
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Kelly - Mark Twain Riverboat Churchill07/02/2021
New to the Mark Twain portfolio, Riverboat is the perfect summertime selection. With both a Connecticut and Maduro wrapper, this barber pole-style premium presents robust Nicaraguan binder and long-fillers — experience notes of earth, toast, cedar, and sweet spice. Medium in body, this blend brings forth a subtle boldness that inspires both your palate and senses.
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Lindsay - JdN Antano Connecticut Toro07/02/2021Sometimes I want a medium-full-flavor profile without the fuller-body, and that’s why I love the Joya de Nicaragua Antaño Connecticut. There’s still a woody, sweet-and-spicy interplay; however, the Ecuadorian CT wrapper adds a creamy note, taking this premium down to medium-bodied. ‘93’ rated, expect an even burn, draw, and to always have this cigar on-hand.
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