Cigar Reviews
Monthly Recap – November 2014 – Jeremy Hensley Edition
At the start of 2014, I began tracking each and every cigar I have smoked. Well, I may have missed one or two. Based on discussions I’ve seen on Twitter and questions on this site and others, I decided to compile some information that I thought you might find interesting.
Monthly Recap – November
Number of Cigars Smoked: 24
Of those smoked:
- Purchased: 10 or 42%
- Gifted: 8 or 33%
- Samples Provided: 6 or 25%
Of those purchased:
- Brick & Mortar: 1 or 10%
- Online: 9 or 90%
Most Memorable Cigars Smoked
#1. Illusione – Fume D’ Amour: As I write today, I could not detail any of the specific flavors I noted, but I can tell you that as soon as the smoke began to seep out of the lit foot of the Fume D’ Amour, I was taken from the snowy streets of Gladstone, Michigan to the sandy beaches of somewhere much warmer. This cigar was awarded the #3 spot on Cigar Aficionado’s Top 25 Cigars of 2014 list for good reason. It does not only showcase a very well balanced blend, but it takes you on a memorable experience to much simpler (warmer) times. In my opinion, the Illusione Fume D’ Amour is everything I look for but do not find in Cuban cigars. You can check out Tony’s review of the Fume D’ Amour HERE.
#2. Emlio Cigars – La Musa Melete Lancero: Earlier this year, a good friend and Casas Fumando guest reviewer, Jeff Oda, bombed me with a handful of cigars that he thought I would enjoy . One of the sticks being the Emilio La Musa Melete Lancero. I sung high praises of the Melete toro when I reviewed it in a Quick Draw format back in May so I was anxious to light up the lancero. Restraining myself for six months, I finally broke down and fired up the Melete Lancero. The cigar delivered full flavors showcasing a ton of sweetness, along with rich notes of cedar, earth, and coffee. One thing I did not find in the lancero version was the citrus, orange peel flavor I picked up on in the toro size. I was blown away by the Melete Lancero and now I wish I would have grabbed a handful up while they were still available. But even if you cannot find the lancero, it is worth hunting down the other vitolas in the La Musa Melete line.
Cigar Reviews
PDR Cigars – Flores Y Rodriguez Habano Cabinet Seleccion
The more Flores Y Rodriguez Habano Cabinet Seleccions I smoke the more I am astonished that the cigar is a Dominican puro made out of one varietal of Cuban seed. The Habano Cabinet Seleccion delivers a complex experience that can be rare in puros. The play between the sweetness and citrus notes kept me engaged the entire smoke, while the core flavors of pepper, cedar, and leather were right in my comfort zone. I hope I can find another bargain on these sticks as this is a cigar I would love to maintain in my weekly rotation.
Kuuts, LLC – Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend
For a cigar coming in around $6, a very reasonably priced cigar in my book, Kuuts Nicaraguan Blend is a solid offering. The profile was well balanced, rich, and sweet with a core of cedar and pepper. The cigar performed well with a perfect draw, satisfying amount of smoke, decent burn, and a fairly nice ash.
Ezra Zion Cigar Company – Tantrum P.A.
The Ezra Zion Tantrum P.A. delivered full, balanced flavors, a good draw, satisfying amount of smoke, and a decent burn. This cigar fits right into my wheelhouse with it bold flavors and full strength, but the strength did not overwhelm me.
Tony’s Reviews
Tatuaje Jekyll Monster Series #7
The Jekyll is a solid cigar sporting some great flavors, creamy balance, and a great experience. It wasn’t one of my favorites in the Monster Series, but I still felt it was worthy of a box purchase even having purchased a handful before pulling the trigger on the box. One thing that did impress me about the Jekyll was the evident departure from the rest of the cigars in the Monster Series line.
Needless to say I fell in love with the La Palina Black Label. I’ve been a long time fan of La Palina. While not all of their blends fit my profile, many of them find their way into my daily rotation. The La Palina Black offers a great, full bodied, full strength experience at a decent price point. While the strength was in the full area, never once did it muddy up the flavors as they were a bit complex, very pure, and extremely enjoyable.
If it wasn’t already obvious i fell in love with the Fratello from the first time I smoked one. The bold experience, great construction, price and availably all hit a sweet spot with me. Without giving too much away, I’d be shocked if this didn’t make it in my top 10 list this year.
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