McClelland -- Holiday Spirit 2008

Brand: McClelland
Blend: Holiday Spirit 2008
Style: Aromatic
Pipe Used: Meerschaum
Price: $8.65/50g

Appearance: 7
Taste: 8
Room Note: 10
Value: 8
Overall: 8

McClelland Tobacco is well regarded for their annual Christmas Cheer seasonal blend. That is a straight Virginia and is well worth stocking and aging but, name aside, the flavor and aroma do little to evoke visions of St. Nick and all that. Perhaps to fill that void, McClelland has just introduced a brand new limited edition blend called Holiday Spirit.

Billed as a Burley, Virginia, and Cavendish blend with hints of dark rum, cocoa, and pecans, Holiday Spirit 2008 is one jam-packed aromatic. Upon opening the tin I was greeted with a ribbon-cut blend of black and tan tobaccos and a rich, sweet aroma reminiscent of fruit cake. It sure smelled like Christmas!

To debut this new blend I decided to use my Meerschaum pipe just in case the tobacco decided to get goopy. Some of the tan pieces were a bit irregular in shape which made packing tougher than usual but once I got the pipe filled it lit right up and away we went.

The initial flavor during and immediately after the charring light was somewhat waxy. If you've ever licked your fingertip after snuffing a candle then you know that taste. After that first less than pleasant experience the tobacco soon began to give off a mellow, rich flavor. The rum is very evident and the pecan topping comes across like dried fruit. The advertised cocoa provides more of a bittersweet base than a full-on candy bar flavor. This really is a fruit cake in a pipe.

Holiday Spirit provides a typical aromatic experience in that the flavor profile never really evolves into anything complex and the true tobacco flavors remain very much in the background.

Where it might lack in complex flavor, this blend more than makes up for it in aroma. The smoke is full of the scent of rich chocolate, fine rum, and holiday baked goods. I don't think I've ever encountered a better room note and Holiday Spirit is sure to evoke many pleasant memories for both the smoker and any bystanders not scared off by the demon smoke.

As is also typical for many aromatics, Holiday Spirit required quite a bit of tamping, relighting, and fiddling to keep it burning. This added attention is no big deal but this certainly isn't a fill it and forget it type of blend. Surprisingly the pipe never got too goopy and there was no tongue bite even though I was puffing away like mad to churn out huge clouds of sweet-smelling smoke.

All in all McClelland's Holiday Spirit 2008 is quite a Christmas treat. If you've ever wanted to smoke a booze-filled fruit cake then this is the blend for you. As much as I like my straight Virginias and true English blends, every once in a while I like to try an over-the-top aromatic that provides a wildly different flavor and a room-pleasing aroma.

Holiday Spirit 2008 is the perfect blend for tree trimming, light stringing, cookie baking, present wrapping, stocking stuffing, and any other holiday activities in which you may care to partake.

4noggins -- Essence of Vermont

Brand: 4noggins
Blend: Essence of Vermont
Style: Aromatic
Pipe Used: Savinelli Natural
Price: $10.99/4 oz.

Appearance: 8
Taste: 9
Room Note: 8
Value: 10
Overall: 9

Since I enjoyed Cornell & Diehl's Autumn Evening so much I decided to try out the bulk blend Essence of Vermont from 4noggins since I was placing an order with them anyways. This is billed as a Burley blend with hints of maple and a dash of St. James Parish Perique.

The blend is a rich, dark color and gives off a typical nutty Burley aroma with only a very faint scent of maple syrup. I loaded up my Savinelli natural and headed out to the porch with a book in hand.

The pipe lit right up and once it got going it was pretty much hassle free with only a few tampers required to keep things burning nicely which was much appreciated since I was trying to read while smoking. Toward the end of the bowl I did have to run a pipe cleaner down the stem to stop a bit of gurgling but that's par for the course with most aromatics.

The initial flavor was that of a traditional, mellow Burley -- nuttiness cut with a bit of dried fruit. Burleys are among my favorite tobaccos and Essence of Vermont is at its core a very solid Burley blend.

As for the maple flavoring, I was having a hard time detecting it until I started exhaling more through my nose. After that I could easily taste the sweetness of the maple and found it to be both a bit more natural in flavor than the Autumn Blend as well as more muted. I never really picked up the Perique in this blend save for a slightly spicy finish.

4noggins' Essence of Vermont is a great, two-headed blend. If you're just merrily puffing along it offers up a hearty Burley flavor with nary a tongue bite to be had. But if you slow down and sip at your pipe you'll be rewarded with a rich, cool, maple taste that lingers on the palate long after you're done. This would make for a perfect all day smoke since you can easily change the flavor profile at will.

While the taste of this tobacco was top-notch, the room aroma was surprisingly muted. What faint whiffs I did catch were very pleasant but not on par with the full on maple assault of the Autumn Evening blend.

In a head-to-head competition with Cornell & Diehl's offering for best maple-flavored tobacco the slight edge goes to Autumn Evening. But while that blend features all the sweetness one would expect from a maple aromatic, Essence of Vermont offers up a solid burley that can be enjoyed in its own right with the maple flavoring adding just a bit of icing on the cake.

Essence of Vermont is a great tobacco available exclusively in bulk from 4noggins and is a real bargain to boot. I can see this blend competing with Butternut Burley for primacy in my current rotation (can you tell I like Burleys?) since it's such a carefree smoke.

La Riqueza No. 1

Brand: La Riqueza
Cigar: No. 1
Shape: Lonsdale
Size: 6.5" x 42
Wrapper: Connecticut
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Price: $9.50

Appearance: 8
Construction: 9
Taste: 9
Value: 8
Overall: 9

The La Riqueza line is yet another collaboration between Pete Johnson and Jose "Pepin" Garcia. The No. 1 is a lonsdale featuring a traditional Cuban-style box press and is made up of Nicaraguan tobaccos wrapped in a dark Connecticut broadleaf.

The No. 1 is a great looking cigar with the nice veining and rough texture one expects to find in a sungrown variety. Construction was excellent and was highlighted by a nice uniform wrapper, a solid triple cap, and the cigar had plenty of give without feeling too soft in any one spot.

I lit the lonsdale using my no-name torch lighter and it fired right up with a nice cherry ember. The cigar required no relights or touch-ups throughout the entire length of the smoke which was a real wonder considering that I was smoking it outside during a driving rain. The burn line was razor sharp and the ash was a nice light gray. I haven't smoked a cigar that required so little TLC in quite some time.

The initial flavor upon lighting up was a serious hit of the classic Pepin spice. This peppery blast remained the predominant flavor throughout the first third of the cigar and left a tingling sensation on the lips and tongue like a good Thai meal.

For the second third the La Riqueza mellowed out a bit and some nice earthy flavors emerged from all the spice. There were even some hints of cocoa which one seldom finds outside of maduros.

During the final third the spice fell off a bit more and a subtle floral flavor came to the fore. As the nub started burning my fingers a little pepper kicked in to give the cigar a final send-off.

The La Riqueza No. 1 had one of the most complex flavor profiles I've yet encountered and the changing tastes made for a great cigar that never lost my interest. It was almost like three cigars in one and I didn't want it to end.

I'm a big Pepin fan and this cigar only further reinforced that high opinion. The La Riqueza No. 1 is a stellar, medium-bodied cigar featuring classic looks and an amazing abundance of flavors. The only thing left to do is go buy a box.

Cornell & Diehl -- Autumn Evening

Brand: Cornell & Diehl
Blend: Autumn Evening
Style: Aromatic
Pipe Used: Savinelli Natural
Price: $8.15/2oz.

Appearance: 8
Taste: 8
Room Note: 9
Value: 9
Overall: 9

In my continuing foray into the world of aromatics I recently placed an order for a tin of Cornell & Diehl's Autumn Evening. Billed as a Red Virginia Cavendish with a delicate maple flavor it sounded like just the thing for a crisp fall night.

Upon opening the tin I was greeted with a typical ribbon cut, black and brown tobacco. The blend was a bit drier than normal for an aromatic which was nice and it certainly had the sweet smell of maple syrup.

I packed and lit my Savinelli natural and was immediately engulfed in a wonderful cloud of smoke. The pipe required a few tampers and relights but nothing out of the ordinary and the blend smoked right down without ever once requiring a pipe cleaner swab. This was one dry aromatic and the lack of goop in the pipe was certainly appreciated.

While Autumn Evening gives off an incredible room note that smells of maple syrup and a warm campfire, the flavor is really not too cloyingly sweet. The Red Virgina Cavendish was more reminiscent of a traditional Virgina blend as the sweetness seemed to come from the tobacco leaf rather than the maple topping. There is a hint of maple there to be sure but not nearly the full on assault I feared.

Halfway through the bowl the tobacco added some additional flavors of spice that really perked things up. It was a bit peppery but tasted more like very fresh cinnamon with a hint of cloves. Maple syrup, rich Virginias, and pumpkin pie spice -- what could be better, or more fall-like, than that?

Cornell & Diehl's Autumn Evening is an incredibly satisfying aromatic. Anchored by the rich taste of well aged tobacco, the blend offers up hints of maple and spice that take the flavor profile to a whole new level. If you can, go ahead and load up a pipe, grab a book, and sit outside surrounded by the colors of changing leaves. This truly is the perfect autumn blend.

Padron 2000 Maduro

Brand: Padron
Cigar: 2000 Maduro
Shape: Robusto
Size: 5" x 50
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Price: $5.25

Appearance: 7
Construction: 8
Taste: 7
Value: 8
Overall: 7

I picked up a Padron 2000 maduro on one of my infrequent trips to the local brick and mortar store in July and finally got around to firing it up today. This cigar featured a maduro wrapper that was a few shades lighter than is typical for that style of cigar. The wrapper also displayed the typical maduro raspiness with many tiny bumps befitting a well-aged, sun drenched leaf. There was also very fine veining and the wrapper and cap were wonderfully constructed.

The cigar cut and lit easily, burned rather quickly but evenly, and maintained a razor sharp burn line throughout. I finally got to try out my new Palio cutter and it did a perfect job. The Padron 2000 required no touch ups and was a delightfully low maintenance cigar.

Pre-light aroma was nice and rich with a very strong sweet smell almost like roses. For the first few draws the cigar was a bit too astringent but once the ash got to about a quarter of an inch it mellowed out.

There was a bit of spiciness as one would expect with a Nicaraguan puro but the maduro wrapper really tempered it well. The primary flavors were of wood smoke and burnt caramel (there's that sweetness again) and I detected none of the cocoa or coffee flavors often found in maduro cigars.

At about the halfway point I hit a patch where the flavors turned almost gag inducing and it took some steady purging to get past that point. There was probably a bit of bad leaf tucked in there somewhere but fortunately it burned out pretty quickly and the Padron 2000 resumed its normal taste.

There wasn't much complexity nor did the cigar offer up any evolving flavors as I neared the end. As I retired the nub I was left with a nice taste on my palate but I found the Padron 2000 maduro to be a little too middle of the road for me.

As a member of the bargain line from the Padron family, the 2000 maduro is an affordable way to try these wonderfully made cigars without breaking the bank. At $5.25 a stick retail it's one of the best deals going locally. I have to say that I much prefer the natural wrapped Padrons but this was in no way a bad cigar just not what I look for in a maduro.

The Inmates Have Taken Over the Asylum

As most of you know the past few weeks have been full of turmoil for the members of many of the most popular cigar forums. Fortunately all of the old moderators from Club Stogie have ventured forth and founded the brand new Cigar Asylum. Come on over and join up so we can all get back to talking about cigars, pipes, and utter nonsense again.

Mac Baren -- Vanilla Cream

Brand: Mac Baren
Blend: Vanilla Cream
Style: Aromatic
Pipe Used: Savinelli Natural
Price: $8.75/3.5oz

Appearance: 8
Taste: 7
Room Note: 9
Value: 8
Overall: 8

Mac Baren's Vanilla Cream is a nice looking ribbon cut tobacco made up of Black Cavendish and Virginias with a natural vanilla topping. The tobacco smells wonderfully of vanilla backed with the sweet richness of Virginia leaf. The blend packed easily into my Savinelli Natural and lit right up. Other than a few tampers and relights this bowl required very little TLC.

Mac Baren blends are notorious for their tongue bite and since I tend to smoke hard and fast I was a bit worried. Much to my surprise I encountered absolutely no bite or burn from the Vanilla Cream and it remained a pleasantly cool and mild smoke from start to finish.

Whereas many aromatic blends are goopy and much too sweet, this blend offers up just a hint of sweetness and produced very little in the way of pipe gurgle. The foundation of Virginas and Black Cavendish make for a fairly benign smoke with the vanilla topping adding some much needed flavor.

The room aroma is top-notch and fades away gracefully without leaving any stale tobacco smells. This makes for a classically pleasant smoke that is likely to be remarked on and enjoyed by those around you.

Sometimes you just want a mild smoke to accompany you on a walk or while reading a book and Mac Baren Vanilla Cream certainly fits that bill. It's not a complex blend but it does offer up a nice, easy smoke that's pleasing to both the nose and palate.

San Cristobal Clasico

Brand: San Cristobal
Cigar: Clasico
Shape: Robusto
Size: 5" x 50
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Price: Gift

Appearance: 8
Construction: 9
Taste: 9
Value: 8
Overall: 9

As a big Jose "Don Pepin" Garcia fan I was excited to try my first ever San Cristobal. This was a gift from a friend and had been aged for about a year before I got it and then a further two months in my humdior. A Nicaraguan puro, the San Cristobal is yet another top drawer offering from Ashton.

The Clasico is a traditional robusto and featured a nice, dark wrapper. The appearance was excellent with a perfect triple cap and a very even wrapper. There were some subtle veins evident but nothing that would indicate any future burn issues. The cigar was at a perfect 65% rH and was nice and firm without being too hard or having any soft spots.

The cigar lit up easily and burned evenly from beginning to nub and required no touch-ups or relights of any sort even when left to its own devices for a few minutes at a time. The ash was a nice light gray and fell off at about an inch and a half due to some jostling in the ashtray.

The initial flavor featured the usual Pepin spice but it was much more subtle than in most of his other blends. The dark wrapper provided a nice toasty, earthy flavor that perfectly balanced the cigar's peppery bite. The San Cristobal maintained that flavor profile right up to the end and while this type of one dimensional flavor can be a negative in many cases I have no problem with it when that single dimension is as wonderful as this one.

While I don't usually comment on a cigar's room aroma (since they are almost by definition stinky) the San Cristobal gave off beautiful clouds of delicious smoke. As a pipe smoker I would compare it to the scent of a traditional English blend. It smelled of rich tobacco with a hint of Latakia spiciness without any cigar funkiness. What a treat.

The San Cristobal Clasico is a top-notch cigar and ranks right up there among my favorites. It was a pure pleasure to smoke and even now I find myself relishing the aftertaste.

Retailing for around $7.50 a stick, the San Cristobal falls squarely in the moderately priced camp and is well worth the slight increase from a bargain cigar. I'm also sitting on a handful of the Monumento size and it's a safe bet that they'll be smoked in the not too distant future given how much I enjoyed this cigar.

Taboo Limited Reserve Havana

Brand: Taboo
Cigar: Limited Reserve Havana
Shape: Figurado
Size: 6.5" x 54
Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Filler: Dominican
Binder: ?
Price: $6.99

Appearance: 8
Construction: 7
Taste: 7
Value: 8
Overall: 7

I picked up a sampler that included the three different wrappers of the new Limited Reserve line from Taboo Cigars -- Connecticut, Havana, and Maduro -- all in the unusual figurado shape. Today I decided to light up the Havana and give it a whirl.

The appearance of the cigar is pretty good with a medium colored wrapper tapering to the ends of the figurado. There was one big vein running down the length of the cigar that was a bit off-putting but all in all it's a nice looking cigar.

Pre-light aroma was leathery and the cigar had a very solid almost heavy feel. It was hard to get it lit as the draw was very tight at first but things loosened up after it got going. There were some major burn issues at the start with the burn line cutting almost a V shape up one side of the cigar. Quite a bit of touching up with the torch was required to get things nice and straight again.

Initial flavors were very mild with leather and smoky wood flavors and aroma. As smoking progressed the faint hint of dried fruit appeared but in general the cigar remained fairly consistent tasting from beginning to end. I detected no spice or pepper flavors and the cigar packed very little kick so I would classify it as a mild smoke.

After the difficulties at the start I was glad to find that the Taboo LR Havana figurado held together nicely right to the nub. The draw remained a bit tight but I had no trouble keeping the cigar lit and the smoke flowing. The smoke that was produced was fairly light and dispersed quickly.

The figurado is a nice fat cigar and I was content to leave it in my mouth most of the time while smoking. It has a real nice feel to it and at no point was I worried that all my chomping would cause it to unravel. This cigar can take some serious abuse it would seem.

One thing of note is that the cigar while being very mild on the palate has a wonderful aftertaste. I can't quite put my finger on what the flavor is but I was in no hurry to rush off to the normal post smoke routine of teeth brushing and mouth rinsing.

The Taboo Limited Reserve Havana figurado is a unique looking cigar and makes for an enjoyable smoke. I can't say that the mild flavor profile is my cup of tea but now I'm eager to try out the Connecticut and Maduro wrappers. I would love to have some of these LR figurados on hand so now I just need to settle on which of the three I like the best.

Just For Him -- Shortcut to Mushrooms

Brand: Just For Him
Blend: Shortcut to Mushrooms
Style: Aromatic
Pipe Used: Savinelli Natural
Price: $31.95/lb

Appearance: 8
Taste: 7
Room Note: 9
Value: 7
Overall: 8

Having just received a new Savinelli Natural pipe that I'm planning to use strictly for aromatics I decided to break it in by trying out this new blend. Shortcut to Mushrooms is available exclusively through the Just For Him website and store.

This blend is the fourth entry in their themed Middle Earth Pipeweed Series and I had heard so many good things about it I decided to give it a try. The tobacco is a very dark black ribbon cut and has a rich, sweet aroma. It was a little wet on arrival but after drying for a bit on the counter it was ready to go.

It packed and lit easily but was still a bit too damp so I had to relight the pipe fairly regularly. Even with the frequent lighting and puffing there was no tongue bite which is great for an aromatic blend. There was a bit of gurgling but that was easily rectified with a few pipe cleaners down the stem. The room note matched the pre-light aroma and left a sweet smell that lingered and never faded into a typical burnt tobacco odor.

The flavor profile was quite complex for an aromatic blend. It started off with a rich, buttery taste that then evolved into burnt caramel with a hint of smoky BBQ (likely due to the liberal use of Latakia). Some say that they actually taste a bit of sauteed mushroom in this blend but I just detected a bit of damp earthiness. Toward the end the tobacco became almost too sweet as the caramel came to the fore and overpowered the other flavors. At no point did the tobacco ever taste artificial like so many aromatics. This blend reminded me of the Frog Morton series in that it's a traditional, Latakia heavy English style blend with a bit of topping added to give it some sweetness.

I rather enjoyed Shortcut to Mushrooms but found it to be a bit too sweet for an everyday smoke. It does make a nice change of pace tobacco and those who enjoy aromatics with unusual flavors are encouraged to give it a try. Fans of "The Lord of the Rings" will want to pack it into a suitably Tolkienesque pipe and evoke memories of hobbits as well.

Fridgador

After fiddling with three different desktop humidors that could never hold steady temperature or humidity levels I switched to using a cooler as my primary cigar storage device last summer. It has done an admirable job but I always hated having to go to the closet and popping the lid just to ogle my sweet, sweet smokes. This week I finally broke down and bought an EdgeStar thermoelectric wine cooler to use for my stogie storage. With its smoked glass door I can now cast longing glances at my cigars whenever I wish and I can rely on the tight seal to keep a steady RH while the heat sink can come to the rescue the handful of times the ambient temperature here in the Pacific Northwest creeps dangerously close to beetle hatching levels.

Now I just need to get this sucker stabilized so I can start filling it up.

10/16/08
Updated to show MTMouse's custom Spanish cedar drawers and shelves.

Hoyo De Monterrey Dark Sumatra

Brand: Hoyo De Monterrey
Cigar: Dark Sumatra Espresso
Shape: Robusto
Size: 4 1/2" x 50
Wrapper: Ecuador
Filler: Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Dominican
Binder: Honduran, Nicaraguan, and Dominican
Price: $2.25

Appearance: 7
Construction: 7
Taste: 9
Value: 9
Overall: 8


As part of my never ending quest for the perfect maduro I took advantage of JR Cigars big fiver sale last weekend to stock up on some stogies I've been wanting to try. Last night I decided to fire up a Hoyo De Monterrey Dark Sumatra Espresso.

This cigar comes wrapped in a partial cedar sleeve which is a nice touch for a bargain smoke. The dark Ecuadorean wrapper was finely veined and the cigar had a solid feel for such a small vitola. The beautiful appearance was marred a bit by some sloppy rolling which was evident when looking at the cigar's foot. There were a few large air pockets and spots where the tobacco looked pinched.

Once again I used a punch as I usually do with smaller cigars and once again the cap ended up with a small tear in it. It didn't affect the smoking experience in the least but was still a bit annoying. The Espresso lit up right away, burned evenly and fast, and gave off smoke like nobody's business. It was pouring out so much smoke I had to hold it away from my face like I had a skunk in my hand. This cigar would make the perfect mosquito repellent.

Flavors started out with a great unsweetened cocoa and coffee taste (think a mocha without all the sugar) which stayed consistent through the first half of the cigar. At the halfway point a bit of pepper started to kick in but remained firmly in the background. Toward the end the Espresso really kicked into gear with a full-on, well, espresso flavor. This was a great tasting cigar and I only wish the little bugger hadn't burned itself out so fast.

The Hoyo De Monterrey Dark Sumatra Espresso stands as one of my favorite maduros to date and at about two bucks a stick on sale it's certainly easy on the wallet. My few minor quibbles with the appearance aside, the cigar smoked wonderfully -- if not a bit like a beekeeper's smoker -- and tasted great. Since it did smoke so fast I'll probably try out one of the larger sizes after my initial five pack is gone -- which shouldn't take too long at all.

CAO Brazilia

Brand: CAO
Cigar: Brazilia Gol!
Shape: Robusto
Size: 5" x 56
Wrapper: Brazil
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Price: $5.99

Appearance: 9
Construction: 8
Taste: 7
Value: 7
Overall: 8

I had been wanting to try one of these for some time so when I was at a local B&M a few months ago cleaning out their inventory of discontinued Dunhill pipe tobacco tins I grabbed a CAO Brazilia Gol! for $5.99 which is pretty cheap considering the steep Washington state taxes.

The cigar's appearance is top-notch and this has to be one of the best-looking brands currently available. The box and band offer up the colors of the Brazilian national flag and the cigar itself is an ebony delight with its dark Brazilian wrapper.

Construction was solid and the cigar lit easily and burned well. I used a punch on the cap and there was a bit of tearing around the hole after I had been smoking for a while. For such a large ring gauge I probably should have used a cutter instead.

Flavors were about what one would expect from a dark, robust cigar. There was a nice kick of pepper and spice upon the initial light and while it did fade a bit it was still evident at the final draw. The typical maduro tastes of rich leather, dark unsweetened cocoa, and strong coffee were all out in force as well. Toward the end the coffee flavors turned a bit too astringent for my tastes -- kind of like the last inch of a coffee pot that's been sitting on the hot plate for a bit too long.

Overall the CAO Brazilia Gol! was a fine cigar. I very much enjoyed the look of the stick as well as the first two-thirds of the flavor profile. A 56 ring gauge is a bit larger than I like in my robustos so my next order from the Brazilia line will consist of the smaller Piranhas which are 4.5" x 46.

Scotty's Blends -- Butternut Burely

Brand: Scotty's Blends
Blend: Butternut Burely
Style: Aromatic
Pipe Used: Cob
Price: $19.99/lb

Appearance: 8
Taste: 9
Room Note: 9
Value: 9
Overall: 9

Last night I decided to enjoy a bowl of Butternut Burley while watching a Horatio Hornblower movie since seafaring and pipe smoking go hand in hand. This is one of the bulk Scotty's Blends available exclusively through the Habana Premium Cigar Shoppe at PipesandCigars.com.

I loaded up one of my trusty cobs since that's what I usually smoke with aromatic blends. The tobacco was a nice black and tan ribbon-cut blend with a wonderful aroma of butterscotch. The pipe packed easily, stayed lit, and required only the usual amount of tamping to keep things burning smoothly.

The primary flavor was that of hot buttered rum but it wasn't overpowering or too sweet and the fine burley tobacco provided a great counterpoint. Hints of vanilla, honey, and almonds added even more complexity to the blend.

Surprisingly for an aromatic there was no tongue bite and the bowl stayed fairly cool even with heavy puffing. The room note was wonderful and lingered for a long time as did the faint taste of butterscotch left on the palate.

Butternut Burley is a great pipe tobacco and provides wonderfully consistent flavor at a bargain price.

Tatuaje Series P

Brand: Tatuaje
Cigar: Series P
Shape: Robusto
Size: 5" x 50
Wrapper: Cameroon
Filler: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Price: $4.75

Appearance: 7
Construction: 6
Taste: 5
Value: 6
Overall: 6



With all the hubbub surrounding Pete Johnson's Tatuaje line I decided to try out one of the more reasonably priced offerings. The Series P SP2 is a natural wrapped robusto that can be found for less than 5 bucks a stick.

The appearance of the cigar was good but nothing special. Construction was about average and there was a strange disconnect between the natural Nicaraguan wrapper and the filler tobacco blend. The wrapper burned unevenly and toward the middle of the cigar it began to swell and separate from the filler. It never came apart but it was a real chore to keep things burning nicely and touch-ups with the torch were frequently required. It seemed like the wrapper was wetter than the filler thus throwing off the connection between the two.

These are advertised as an inexpensive alternative to the pricier Tatuaje Havana VI cigars that still offer up the same medium-bodied, Cuban style flavor. While the SP2 was certainly medium-bodied it featured a fairly flavorless profile that didn't evolve at all as the smoke progressed. There was a bit of spice but overall it tasted like a very young cigar with a grassy, hay-like taste as the dominant factor.

I found myself quite bored with the cigar halfway through and it was a struggle to get down to the nub. There was just nothing interesting about the flavor to keep me engaged.

The Tatuaje Series P SP2 robusto was a fairly disappointing smoke and I hope that my next experience with a Tatuaje is much better. It tasted like a young cigar and maybe a bit of age and even some dry-boxing would help in the flavor and construction department.

Sancho Panza Double Maduro

Brand: Sancho Panza
Cigar: Double Maduro
Shape: Robusto
Size: 4 1/2" x 50
Wrapper: Connecticut
Filler: Honduras
Binder: Connecticut
Price: $1.75

Appearance: 7
Construction: 7
Taste: 8
Value: 10
Overall: 8



The Sancho Panza Double Maduro has got to be one of the greatest values in cigar smoking. A box of 20 will set you back all of $35 which is the same price as four or five average quality sticks at the local cigar store.

I bought a single stick to try out after hearing great things about this cigar. After finishing that inaugural smoke I immediately went online to order a box. If you do wind up with a box on your hands be sure to move the cigars to a humidor and let the box air out for a while as it arrives with a very strong lacquer smell and you don't want that to adversely impact your other cigars.

Construction and appearance are both very good with a thin veined, medium dark maduro wrapper. On occasion you might run into some construction issues so I would recommend the use of a punch or very sharp cutter to avoid having the cap come apart. The cigar lit easily and burned fairly evenly with only a few minor touch-ups required. The ash was a nice light gray and made it to about an inch and a half before a strong gust of wind knocked it off.

Unlike many maduros, the Sancho Panza is a fairly mellow smoke with stunning cocoa and leather overtones. There is little to no spice and none of the astringent, strong coffee taste usually associated with maduros. The flavors were very consistent and remained front and center from beginning to end.

All in all I found the Sancho Panza Double Maduro robusto to be a great everyday type of smoke. It doesn't tax the palate or the wallet and can be enjoyed anytime, anywhere. Sure there are better smokes out there but I haven't found one that costs less than two bucks and provides such great flavor. These have found a permanent place in my humidor.