Archive for April 2, 2008

Arturo Fuente 8-5-8 Maduro

{ April 2, 2008 @ 9:30 pm } · { Cigars, Everyday, Maduro }
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  • Blend: Maduro
  • Wrapper: Maduro
  • Dimensions: 6 x 47 (Cabinet Corona Gorda)
  • Region: Dominican Republic (Current)
  • Price: Single: 4.50 – 6.00 Box: 192.50 (Box of 50)

Reminiscent of an old brand I started on (Diablos: Picantes). Slightly harsh start, very tight draw (which I prefer). Six inches seems to be a very “middle of the road length”. You are not committed to the hour or more a nice Churchill or Presidente could require, but you still get the length allowing a lot of the smoke to be drawn over the cooler tobacco, imparting more flavor, for longer. VERY spicy, VERY full-bodied. Getting close to the band (about an inch or so) flavor becomes a bit iffy, allowing a little harshness and bitterness to push through the spicy, peppery taste it gave you on the ride down. I don’t recall taking the band off. Slight bitter chocolate taste, no emotes of any nuts that I could detect.

  • Flavor: 7/10
  • Aroma: 4/10
  • Ember: 5/10
  • Draw: 9/10
  • Maintenance: 7/10
  • Overall: Thirteentcor: 8/10, Weasel: 6/10

Re-Buy? Yes

Duration: 30-45min

Don Tomas Presidente and Robusto Maduro

{ April 2, 2008 @ 4:49 am } · { Cigars, Everyday, Maduro }
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  • Blend: Maduro
  • Wrapper: Maduro
  • Dimensions: 7 1/2 x 50 and 6 x 50
  • Region: Honduran
  • Price: Single: 3.50 – 4.50 Box: 56.50 – 98.25

Description: This cigar is one of my all-time favorite smokes. Hand-rolled, the ligero tends to be down the long, central axis of the cigar, as opposed to shot through, with many different folds of the leaves. (Like Camacho or Partagas occasionally.) I believe this lends to the sheer consistency of the flavor, and maintains a very spicy, oak/pine flavor that is felt throughout the entire smoke. I tend to notice this feature on the more consistent cigars I’ve smoked. I was surprised to find this stability here; Presidente cigars and Churchills tend to actually be a bit inconsistent because of their length, and I usually shy away from them, preferring Robustos. Initial lighting is actually quite pleasant, and not at all harsh. Not a cigar full of hints of chocolate or nuts. If it had to be, I would say dip a Serrano pepper in biter chocolate and take a bite! As for aroma, If the cigar didn’t taste so good, I would use them for incense! Out of all the cigars I have smoked at cigar shops, this is the only one that actually caused a gentleman sitting across from me to put his newspaper down, and ask me what I was smoking, because he couldn’t resist how it smelled! I noticed when he got up to leave he bought a few as he was heading towards the door.

Both the Robusto and the Presidente burn consistently down to within 1″/1.5″ of the band. After taking the band off, if I feel like doing that, flavor tends to be hit or miss depending on how heavily and quickly I smoked the rest of it. Some of the spiciness tends to dissipate, and a little harshness can set in. However, I count any cigar that makes it within an inch of the band and good all the way there as a “good smoke”. Anything tasty after the band I count as good fortune.Everyday Smoke. Great Price.

  • Flavor: 8/10
  • Aroma: 9/10
  • Ember: 10/10
  • Draw: 7.5/10
  • Maintenance: 9/10
  • Overall: Thirteenthcor 9!/10, Weasel 8.5/10

Re-Buy? Box

Duration: 1hr-1hr 15min and 45min