Punch London Club EMS

Punch London Club EMS 

5 x 40 Petit Corona

Made in Honduras          

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra

Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf

Filler:  Dominican, Nicaraguan, Honduran

Paid: $10 CDN)

Drink: Diet Pepsi with Jack Daniels

I smoked one of these yesterday for the first time, while I was out and about.  I was so impressed I decided to light this one, and see if it really was that good.  So this review will encompass the experience of both sticks.

I've had a couple of them sitting in my humidor for a few months now.  They were purchased from different locations, and I noted that one had darker wrapper then the other, and it wasn't the maduro version.

They both are made well, and burn perfect.

The first stick started out with a strong wood flavour, with a mild floral taste in the background.  At the halfway point it switched up to strong floral, and the wood took the back seat.  Very pleasing.  The best of the two sticks.

The second stick I got a strong earth, mixed with some floral, and woody tastes.  The taste was similar to a Cuban Hoyo de Monterey.  By the last half, the earth subsided, and all I was getting is floral.  I don't know what tobacco gives that flavour, but it's great.  Kinda tastes like soap, which sounds bad, but not in this case.  

This cigar is nothing mind blowing, but a very enjoyable stick.  The tobacco strength is mild, and the taste is just right, and leaves no aftertaste.   

A box of 25 can be had in the US for as little as $50-60, and I'm going to pull the trigger on one in the near future, as they tend to go for about $10 a stick here.  This is one of the better Non-Cuban cigars I've smoked, and probably the first I can definitively say I would smoke on a regular basis, if I can get them for $2-3 a stick.

TTT Trinidad Robusto

TTT Trinidad Robusto 

5 x 50

Made in Dominican Republic          
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra

Binder: Connecticut Broadleaf

Filler:  Dominican, Nicaraguan, Peruvian

Paid: $30 for a sampler of 8 from JR Cigars ($4 CDN)

Drink: Diet Pepsi with Jack Daniels

The pre-light aroma on this is the best I've smelt to date.  Tremendous aroma of caramel, chocolate, and some leather.  I really want to eat this stick  In my experience, this is usually followed by a huge let down (Alec Bradley Family Blend comes to mind).  Another bone of contention I have coming in is, smoking traditional Cuban brands, in a non Cuban format.  Their never as good as the Cuban.  We'll see.

It lights fine, the construction looks and feels great.  The burn is perfect from front to back.  I get some long ashes with this one.

While not nowhere near as bad as the Alec Bradley Family Blend, the flavour is as I suspected.  Bland.  It's a very smooth, mild tobacco flavour, with some kind of sweetness, that I find common in Dominican cigars, it's just nowhere near the point of quenching my pallets thirst for flavour, like I get in a Cuban cigar.  The last third really gets ashy tasting.

Every now and then you get the rich taste of the wrapper on your tongue, but that same feat can be accomplished by not lighting the cigar. There was no harshness, and the smoke did have a creaminess to it, which is another plus.  Very mild in body, flavour. and strength.  Could easily be smoke by anyone new or old to cigars.

Overall I can't say anything bad about the stick. It's smokable.  I'd have no problem smoking another, just nothing exciting, and no where near the experience of smoking a Cuban Trinidad.  Also nowhere near the price of it's Cuban counterpart either.  This cigar would probably retail in the $12 range, while a Cuban can be as much as triple that.

My search for a non-Cuban cigar that impresses me, and I can love as much as a Cuban continues...

Frank Correnti Maduro Robusto

Frank Correntti Maduro Robusto
4 3/4 x 50
Hand Rolled in Toronto, Canada
All Imported Cuban Tobacco
$11.50 CDN

Frank Correnti is the only maker of Cuban hand made cigars.  He's located at 606 King St W, Toronto.  You have to walk down a laneway to the very back where you'll find the door leading up to his second floor factory.  Like you're doing something illegal, and need to know the secret knock to get in.

The place is nice, and you can see where they hand roll, and store them.  There is also a lounge.  The cigars are unbanded, and unboxed, though you can purchase those options for extra if you want.

They sell each vitola in a Claro wrapper, or Maduro.  In my opinion the Maduro is the best. I have not had good luck with the Claro's in construction, and taste.  Very Bland.

This Maduro Robusto you can see is not well constructed if that matters to you.  I find all his cigars have an overall poor construction, and loose draw when compared to a brand name cuban.  It's really hit or miss, however I don't smoke them for looks.

This cigar I got nice flavours of sweet wood, mild earth, pepper on the exhale, and a nice caramel creamy after taste. None of these flavours are overwhelming.  The wood is really pronounced.

He claims all tobacco is aged five years, but occasionally I get a slight ammonia in the smoke.  I find all his cigars on the mild to medium side of strength.

While I don't think these cigars come close to standing up to a cuban cigar like Hoyo de Monterrey, Montecristo, Partagas, etc... they are still really good, especially when you factor in the price.  A single robusto from the aforementioned brands will garner $20 and up in Canada.  So not a bad trade off.  I would certainly rank them well above the Guantanamera, and Quintero lines of Cuban cigars.

You can check them out online at http://www.correnticigars.com/, and if your in Toronto certainly take the time to visit.  I like to go buy a few cigars every now and then, just to support the cigar business in general.

TE-AMO World Selection Series Nicaragua Blend

TE-AMO World Selection Series 

Nicaragua Blend

4 x 62 Gran Corto

Made in Mexico          
Wrapper: Mexican Cuban Ciriollo seed

Binder: Mexican

Filler: Nicaraguan 

Paid: $7 CDN from Cheers Smoke Shop 

Drink: Diet Pepsi

I'm just going to start this off, by saying this was a surprisingly good cigar.  I'm always weary of any cigar south of $10 in Canada.

The girth of this thing is a site.  If your putting a football team of cigars together, this is the NT.  A little pitbull of a cigar looking as wide as it does long.

It lights well, and feels well constructed.  I cut a little to much off, and the draw ended up being loose.

The first flavour I got was that sweet hay, or bitter sweet wine taste I've described in other cigars, that I can't stand.  I was expecting to turf it by the half way point.  Thankfully it only lasted the first few draws, and transformed into an amazing tasting cigar.

I was hit with so many flavours that seemed to change back in forth, or combine, that I couldn't describe them all.  The predominant theme was a nice creamy caramel, cocoa, and woody taste. I was in bliss, it tasted that good.  The smoke coming off this thing was very thick.

I got to the half way point and for some reason it went for shit.  Gone were all the great flavours, and I was either getting no flavour, or a bitter acidic, varnish flavour. I blew it out every now and then, which helped remove the varnish flavour, but just left it completely flavourless.

The size is a nice quick, well burning smoke, which took about 45 minutes, leaving the pyramid end unsmoked.  I was also surprised at how mild in tobacco strength this was.  Very mild, that a beginner like myself had no problem handling.

I'm really torn on this one.  How could the first half be so amazing, and just bomb on the second half.  The first half was so good, that I'm going to get a couple more to rest for awhile, and see if that helps the second half, and try to get a few of the bigger vitolas as well.

Ultimately I would say TRY IT.

W&D Honduran Robusto

W&D Honduran Robusto
5 x 50
Orgin: Honduran
Paid: $5 from Holy Smokes (Loblaw Superstore)

Paraphrased from www.bonitasmokeshop.com
"Often compared to the well known Don Thomas premium cigar line these W & D cigars are a great buy. Those in the know realize that this is in fact a Don Thomas cigar with ever so slight imperfections which do not in any way affect the smooth silky cigar... Nothing "second" about these cigars except for being in a bundle and costing far less..."

The construciton looks good, and it feels packed full of tobacco.  Upon lighting, it's extremely tight.  I cut it two more times, before finally cutting the entire cap off, and it was still very tight.  Made it difficult to smoke, and enjoy.

This cigar was probably the most mild cigar I've smoked to date, in both strength, and flavour.  Very sweet, like hay, or a bitter sweet wine.  The only time I tasted this flavour was when I smoked an Arturo Fuente Brevas Royal, and I'm not a big fan of the taste either.  I also dislike wine.  It also had some earth to it.  By the half way point the flavour only get more dull, to the point I'm not really tasting anything.

This thing smoked, and burned good, but the tight draw was a real set back.  I really had to work for this thing.  I ultimately set it down shortly after starting the last third, as it was flavourless, and too tight to draw from.

The draw problems aside, I don't like the flavour profile of this.  That Sweet hay or wine taste I'm getting is OK for a short while, but gets annoying, and tastes weird.

I have Don Tomas Maduro Robusto in my humidor, and I hope it tastes nothing like this.  I don't recommend this cigar.

Montecristo Edmundo

Montecristo Edmundo

5 3/8 × 52 Robusto

Made in Cuba

Drink: Diet Pepsi

Box date: Sept 09

In continuation of my great run at the Montecirsto line, I'm smoking a Edmundo.  I split a box of these with a co-worker, so it better be good.  I wasn't to worried.  I smoked the Petit Edmundo yesterday, and was expecting an identical experience, just a half hour longer.

I found the draw on this thing a little tight, and it opened up to a normal draw by the half way point.  The smoke is thick, and creamy, coating my mouth with flavour.

The flavours were the same as the PE, but far more mellow, and spread out.  You get the woodiness, and the earth kicks in after an inch or so.  By the half way point I then get the chocolate/cocoa flavour on the back my tongue.

This is not a powerful stick.  I usually can't take a robusto to the nub, but did it with ease here.  I loved the Bolivar Royal Corona, which is a little shorter then this, and couldn't finish it due to the strength.

Overall a really great smoke, and I'm happy I have a dozen of these waiting.  If I had to choose based on now smoking one of each, the PE would get the nod. The PE had a stronger flavour, which I got from start to finish.    Perhaps the PE would get equally as mellow with a year and half of age.

Another great Monte, I highly recommend. 

CAO Cameroon Box Pressed Robusto

CAO Cameroon - Box Pressed 

Robusto 5.5 x 50

Wrapper: West African Cameroon

Binder & Filler: Nicaraguan 

Paid: $11 CDN from local Holy Smokes (Loblaws Superstore) 

Drink: Diet Pepsi

Smoked this one a few days ago, and never got a chance to post about it.

I continue to try and find a Non-cuban I can love, and hold to call my own.  The box press is very cool looking, and feels great in the hand.  It has a rich chocolate aroma coming off the wrapper, and is very well made.

I clipped this one a little too much, and the draw was very loose, though as you'll see, I don't realize it till later.  I started smoking it, and it was really hot, and dry.  I went through half the cigar, and was getting no flavour.  Just bland smoke.  I was about to set this thing down, when I decided to change up how I smoked it.

I began to draw really slow.  This change up made a huge difference.  It was then that I realized that I opened it up to much, and/or was drawing to hard on it.  With the slow controlled draw I all of a sudden had a very sweet creamy flavour, that I would describe as caramel.  There was also a wood flavour in there too.

Shortly after the last third, I unfortunately had to walk away from this thing right as I was enjoying it.  I was just overwhelmed by it's strength, and had to go lay down.  I've never been that f*cked off a cigar.  I felt a huge weight in my stomach that lasted well into the next day.  I think the loose draw, mixed with a strong draw was my downfall.  It's said to be a medium strength cigar, but sure seemed very strong.

I really want to try this one again down the road with a slower/tighter draw, and really take it easy.  I think it may be a really good smoke, but perhaps not for a newer smoker.  I'll keep my eye out for a deal.