The Expert Review Library
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Sean G - Gurkha Black Ops Rubicon05/28/2015
Look, I’ll admit it. I totally got sucked into the packaging of this beauty. An ammo can? A sleek beanie? Shiny foil?! Ok, none of that means anything when it comes down to the cigar itself but I still like to be romanced from time to time.
So what is the blend like? Rubicon is made in Nicaragua with Dominican tobaccos and finished with Pennsylvania Broadleaf maduro. The blend starts off with a wallop of spice that wasn’t very welcome but it settled in quite nicely after that. The smoke is heavy and thick and just hung on palate with an incredibly long finish. Notes of cedar, espresso, and dark chocolate stay with you long after the cigar is finished. I wouldn’t start my day with a Rubicon but it’ll definitely be my go-to cigar after a long summer day.
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Sean L - Daniel Marshall Red Label05/26/2015
When we hear the name Daniel Marshall, we automatically think of the world’s most beautifully crafted humidors. The craftsmanship, dedication, and creativity are endless and reverberate through these works of Art. His humidors have been used in films, rest in the homes of stars such as Al Pacino and Arnold Schwarzenegger and have been given to notable heads of state, such as George W. Bush. Even the late George Burns could contest to the standard of excellence, he stated in personal letter to Daniel Marshall, "Actually, the humidor is so beautiful that I'm going to start smoking better cigars." Finally, these same skill sets have been used to craft one of the finest cigars on the market today, the Daniel Marshall Red Label.
The Daniel Marshall Red Label was created in the Plasencia tabacalera in Esteli Nicaragua, one of the finest tabacaleras in Central America to date. This particular blend is laden with Nicaraguan long leaves, hailing from the Jalapa Valley, one of the most lush growing regions in the country. Next, it is sealed with a Nicaraguan binder from Esteli, then finally cloaked with a five year aged Cuban seed wrapper--once again from the Jalapa Valley. The wrapper itself is toothy and gives sweet cedar notes to the blend along with a consistent lite spice and notes of cream, which echo throughout the cigar from foot to head. The key to this blend is it's consistency; from start to finish it kept me pleased and not for one moment disappointed or bored. The ash was thick and stable and the thick plumes of smoke billowed across my parlor as I took puff after puff. The smoke was so think and creamy you can literally feel it coat your palate, leaving a lite nutty and cherry finish.
The flavor consistency really made this cigar perfect for pairing. I enjoyed this particular one with a single malt Scotch. The beautiful thing about this stick is that it never once over powered my palate, instead it perfectly complimented my drink, leading to one of those awe inspiring, perfect smoking experiences. This is another reason why I have so many of these sticks in my humidor, despite the plethora of other cigars, I always find my self reaching for one of these beauties. Whether I am out back on the deck firing up the grill, or sitting in the parlor with a book and a glass of Scotch, the Daniel Marshall Red Label is always there to perfectly compliment the moment.
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Andrew - Diesel Uncut05/26/2015
If you read through more than three issues of our catalog you know I have a rather large affinity for anything AJ Fernandez makes. One of his newest releases the Diesel uncut is one of my newest everyday smokes but they do pack a punch so I tend to leave these for my last smoke of the evening. As the name might infer the uncut has an unfinished foot resembling something like a turtle neck that’s collapsed upon it’s self but gives it’s a rustic feeling on first removal from the cello. Don’t worry about the unfinished bit as it won’t need to be sheared off, but I do prefer this smoked via a punch or v-cut. The Pennsylvania broadleaf used here appears smooth with just a bit of tooth, but upon lighting it will bare it’s teeth with a good blast of pepper and spice. Once you hit the second inch, it will start to mellow or maybe just get akin to the spice and the real character starts to show. In the sweet spot, the blend still has a very full character with a rich heavy smoke the cedar and burnt espresso notes which combine nicely with the slight hints of sweetness that is inherent with the sugar content of your average maduro. This one goes out just like it came with a good measure of spice and best paired with a rum or bourbon that holds just a bit of sweetness of notes of vanilla. Also considering the price of $4.00 or less per cigar this is a good solid smoke that even the most budget conscious can afford.
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Alex - Oliva Serie 'V'05/26/2015
If you are like me, you seem to have a new favorite cigar every month. No matter my favorite at the time, I do tend to have that mainstay list of five or so brands that I just find myself always reaching for. This month, I am deviating away from my “flavor of the week” picks to a mainstay in my rotation and a long time favorite, Oliva Serie V. This cigar debuted in 2007 (to much acclaim with a 94 rating from Cigar Aficionado and the No. 4 spot on their annual Top 25 list that year) and in my humble opinion was a pioneer blend setting the standard today for what a full bodied cigar should really be all about. Unlike the full bodied selections of the day which were crafted with the sole purpose of blowing your face off, Oliva brought the horse power with V but with a refined elegance and balance a true connoisseur can appreciate. The secret to the sauce in this blend is the slow, patient and lengthy fermentation that the ligero fillers undergo which takes out all the bite and leaves all the flavor and goodness in a thick and creamy smoke presentation that still delivers just the right shot to your gut reminding you that it is still as strong as it is flavorful. Forget about notes of “this” and nuances of “that”, this cigar is 100% good old fashioned tasty tobacco that envelopes the palate completely and leaves a long finish.
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Tim - Nica Libre Silver 25th Anniversary05/26/2015
Nica Libre or Free Nicaragua is a brand that not only celebrates the people’s emancipation but also the amazing tobaccos that are grown and imported into the Central American country. The latest installment of Nica Libre is called the Silver 25th Anniversary in honor of Violeta Chamorro’s victory in the 1990 Nicaraguan general election. While my teacher friends could tell you much more about the details, I’ll save my limited vocabulary to try and cover the cigar’s character and complexity.
Construction, Smoke & Burn
The wrapper is a dark, magohany brown with no tooth. Even colored, you can tell by looking at it the high priming of the leaf and the high quality. Using my soft flame it takes awhile to toast the foot. Next time I’ll use a torch. The cigar is thick at a 56 gauge and the tobacco are tightly packed. Despite this the draw is perfect and once I get the foot burning there’s clouds of smoke. Burn is razor sharp and damn, this cigars feels good in the hand.
SCORE: 33/35Flavor & Body
This is my 3rd or 5th Silver now and I have to say without a doubt, the next tastes better than the last and the last one was awesome. At this rate it’ll be my favorite cigar in a few months! Seriously though I’m really impressed with how the flavor starts, holds steady until about half way through, and then develops a bit on the final 3rd. Savory is the term that keeps coming to mind. Toast and light spices give way to a bevy of nuances that include chocolate and vanilla and even apricot. Wild, really impressive complexity. Body is medium-full, retrohale makes my eyes sweat and get out the clippers - it puts (more) hair on my chest.
SCORE: 23/25Impression
What’s not to like? It averages about $5 per, so the price is right. The flavor approaches the quality and complexity Ashton VSG and Cohiba Nicaragua. Impression? I’m impressed.
SCORE: 37/40OVERALL SCORE: 93/100
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Kirsten - HC Series Criollo05/26/2015
Any given Friday, you can find my father and I standing under the oven hood sharing a cigar and perhaps a few whiskeys. Blowing clouds of smoke into the exhaust, refilling our whiskey glasses here and there, and recommending each other whatever smokes the other hasn't sampled yet. Recently he handed me an HC Series Criollo and told me that he could not believe how well-crafted and flavorful it was. Now my father and I normally find ourselves enjoying fuller bodied cigar but this medium-bodied smoke has a very pleasant nutty, woody taste with soft, lingering spice, right up my alley. This is definitely one of those cigars that just get better as you smoke it. The initial match up of this cigar may throw you with its subtle, tea-like aroma into thinking it's more of a mellow to medium smoke but as the cigar progresses, the woody and leathery flavors develop quite nicely. I did find that the second half of this cigar developed some creamy and toasted notes. The HC Series was created by the ever-growing Xikar accessory maker back in 2008 when it was originally named 'Defiance'. Xikar teamed up with the very talented Jesus Fuego to produce what is now known as the HC Series Criollo. Although the cigar originates from Nicaragua, my all-time favorite tobacco country, it shares both Nicaraguan and Honduran fillers. One of my favorite attributes of this cigar is the oily and smooth wrapper. The Criollo wrapper is a 5 year aged shade grown wrapper from Nicaragua. When I first heard this, I expected a hefty price tag for the work and time they put into this particular cigar. Much to my surprise, I found these beauties ranged between $6-$8 apiece. We all have that one friend, you know, the guy who takes a $15 cigar out of your humidor and leaves most of it un-smoked in the ashtray. Next time, hand him one of these. Not only will you find yourself not having to lock your humidor and hide the key but you may see that guy actually finish a cigar for once. All in all, the HC Series Criollo is truly a bang for your buck.
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Alex - Gurkha Hudson Bay04/27/2015
Maybe it’s just me but I’m really into this packaging. The crisp, clean design and the elegant logo caught my eye right away amongst a sea of new products in our conference room. But great packaging usually doesn’t translate into a good cigar. The blend is combination of hand-selected Nicaraguan Cuban-seed long-fillers. It’s then finished with a San Andres wrapper that is extremely smooth to the touch and loaded with natural oils. Construction-wise you can’t really ask for more.
Upon lighting the cigar, it hit my palate with a blast of spice. Not the best start but serviceable. As it progresses, that spice subsides into a medium-bodied profile with earthy and oaky notes. Those notes remain prevalent throughout most of the smoke but I ended up getting subtle hints of spice towards the end of the cigar. While I didn’t have glass of bourbon on hand, I suspect it would have improved the overall experience. Overall, not the best blend I’ve ever had but for the price I’ll happily pick up a box and use them as an everyday option throughout the summer. -
Dave - AVO XO04/24/2015
AVO XO was one of the first premium cigars I ever had. They began selling in New York in 1988 following a relationship between master cigar maker Hendrik Kelner in the Dominican Republic and the musician and cigar aficionado, Avo Uvezian. A smooth and seamless Connecticut wrapper is rolled flawlessly around a complex, five country long filler blend. The strength is on the lighter side of medium the cigar offers smooth, earthy flavors mixed with hints of cedar and toasted nuts. A slight spice is noticed on the finish occasionally and a subtle floral aroma fills the air. While the ash is a bit weak and flaky at times, the burn is always even and the draw is effortless. AVO XO is a very balanced, smooth Dominican blend with complex flavors and a delightful aromatic quality. I enjoy these as a morning or mid-day indulgence when I’m looking for something with a ton of flavor without all the strength.
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Dave - E.P. Carrillo Cardinal Maduro04/23/2015
This cigar features immaculate construction and a dark, oily wrapper. Zero soft spots were detected throughout and the wrapper was applied seamlessly. Once lit, powerful notes of espresso and spice swarm the palate along with a slight sweetness from the wrapper. The performance of this cigar in terms of draw and burn were highly manageable. It produces thick clouds of intense smoke that filled the room resulting in a satisfying aroma. E.P. Carrillo Cardinal Maduro is a strong cigar with a complex flavor profile yet remains balanced due to a harmonious blend of tobaccos. This is one of E.P. Carrillo’s strongest releases and quite possibly his finest. Certainly a cigar that stands out from the crowd.
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Kirsten - Rocky Patel Royal Vintage04/13/2015
Of the near endless Rocky Patel blends, Royal Vintage consistently gets rave reviews from my VIP’s. They appreciate the fact it doesn’t go over the top strength and spice. Royal Vintage has everything a cigar should have: fantastic flavor, perfect construction, and easy on the eyes - so you should have one, too!
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