Tatuaje Verocu #9

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It’s been a while since I’ve done a review, but I finally have some time to sit down and type one out. I was going through my cigars, and I found a couple of Tatuaje Verocu #9’s. These cigars are available exclusively from Holts. The talk surrounding them is that they are typical of most Tatuaje products, in that they are very tasty, and very well constructed. I figured it was about time to smoke a couple and find out what the talk was all about!

Pre-Light: When I looked at this cigar, I noticed that it was pretty much flawless, as most Tatuaje products seem to be. It felt prettty tightly packed with tobacco. I got a nice pepper smell on the foot, with lots of nice fresh tobacco smell. So far, I am liking the way this cigar looks and smells, and I am anxious to light it up! I clipped it with my trusty Palio, and lit it up with my Ronson Jetlite.

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1/3: As I started on this cigar, I got blasted with a nice white pepper taste, along with an incredible straight forward tobacco taste. The smoke billowed nicely out of this cigar, and the draw, even though the cigar seemed packed full of tobacco, was perfect! So far, I’m glad I found a couple of these rolling around in the wine-a-dor!

2/3: As I got to the second portion of this cigar, I got a lot of straight forward tobacco taste, with nice billowing smoke, and a perfect draw. As I continued on this portion, the raw tobacco taste began to have a slight peppery finish. So far, I am really enjoying this cigar.

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3/3: As I finished up this cigar, the pepper that was on the finish blasted through the other flavors, and made itself known once again. Still burning nicely, and the draw is outstanding. It’s to the point where my fingers are starting to burn. I don’t like this, because it means the cigar is almost over. I am really glad I picked this cigar for the next review, as I am REALLY enjoying it.

Overall Impression: Overall, this cigar offered enough changes in tastes to keep me interested, and they were all flavors I enjoyed A LOT. The cigar burned straight as an arrow throughout the whole thing, and the draw was perfect. The smoke was always billowing plenty of thick smoke. I only have a couple very small gripes with these. The first gripe is that they are smaller cigars, so they only last about 40 minutes or so. At 4.5×49, they are smaller than I generally like to smoke, and the box is over $100. I generally like to keep my box purchases under $100 for daily smoking. These can be found at Holt’s for around $130, which is still reasonable. Overall, if you are a fan of Tatuaje products, don’t hesitate to pickup a few of these.

Smoke Em If You Got Em, Buy Em If You Don’t!
Scott

2/3:

Mederos Fifty 1 Robusto

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I know, its been a while since an update, but life’s been getting in the way.  A few weeks on twitter, I was talking to Mederos Cigars, and he mentioned that he’d like to send me a couple samples to review, so I finally had some time to sit, smoke and enjoy.  As a disclaimer, I was given these cigars, with no charge, on the premise that I would review them with an unbiased opinion.

Wrapper: Corojo from Jalapa, Nicaragua

Binder: Esteli, Nicaragua

Filler: Esteli, Nicaragua

Pre-Light: As I pulled this cigar out of my wine-a-dor, and then out of the cellophane, I ran it across my nose.  As I smelled the cigar, I got nice notes of barnyard, with some pepper on the foot.  As you can see by the specs, this is a Nicaraguan puro.  I have yet to smoke a Nicaraguan puro that I didn’t enjoy, so I was really looking forward to this one.  I clipped it with my Palio, and lit it up with my Ronson Jetlite.

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1/3:  As I toasted and lit this cigar, I couldn’t help but notice the great smells I was getting off the smoke that was passing my nose.
Lots of nice pepper and leather smells, with hints of barnyard.  As I took my first few puffs, I got the typical Nicaraguan pepper blast along with some nice cedar notes, and some faint barnyard and grassy flavors on the finish.  The finish with each puff is fairly short, which is nice.  Smoke is average in volume, which is ok with me.  So far, I am glad I agreed to review this smoke.

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2/3:  As I got to the next portion of this cigar, the burn started to get a little bit wavy, but I didn’t feel the need to correct it just yet.  Still got more of the same cedar, spice and hay flavors I was getting in the first portion, but the spice seems to have picked up a bit.  I think the cigar is tunneling just a bit, as it’s starting to get hot where I am holding it.  I decided to slow down on my smoking to see if that helps with the heat issue.  Still really enjoying the amount of smoke I am getting.  So far, this is a very enjoyable smoke, despite the minor burn issues.

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3/3:  As I finished up this cigar, I was still getting heavy spice, with hints of cedar and hay.  It seems to be  getting a little bit hot, so I decided to pitch it before I was completely done, but that’s just because I couldn’t really hold it well.  The smoke is now billowing more than it has the last couple sections of the cigar.

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Overall Impression:  Overall, this cigar was fairly straightforward, and not overly complex.  The flavors of spice, cedar and hay are pleasant, and it made for a very nice smoking experience.  I am going to be looking for some of these shortly.  While not overly complex, the flavors in this cigar were very good, and worthy of keeping a few on hand for smoking.

Cigamate Collapsable Cigar Receptacle

cigamate4As most of my readers know, I do most of my smoking outdoors.  Currently, if I am smoking at my home, I ash in my stinky ashtray, and then dump the ashes into a small trashcan, and leave them there.  This does require a little bit of work, but I’d gotten used to it.  I
was doing some searching for an easier way to take care of the cigar butts and ashes when I smoked at home, and I ran across the Cigamate.

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The Cigamate is not an ashtray, but rather a portable cigar and cigarette disposal unit.  The unit is made out of what looks like ABS plastic, and has been fire tested for safety.  The unit comes apart in two pieces, and in the center of the base, there is a small metal cup, where the butts and ashes from your cigars or cigarettes fall when pushed into the opening at the top of the unit.  To use this receptacle, it couldn’t really get much simpler.  All you need to do is simply twist the top and pull upward to expand the unit, and viola, you’re in business.

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Another great feature of this Cigar receptacle is that it has handles on each side, and is light weight.  This makes it easy for portability.  This makes it easy to take with you to campsites, or outdoor activities, and will allow you to properly dispose of your cigar butts without littering.  The Cigamate also has an open area around the inside of the base, that if needed, can be filled with sand or small gravel or rocks, to anchor the base.  The problem I see with that, is that you might loose some of the portability if you weigh the base down.

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Other great feature of the Cigamate is that at the top of the unit, it is square and flat, kind of like a portable coaster/beer holder/cigar holder.  It seemed to work well for me, and made it easy to enjoy a smoke and a beer outdoors!

Overall, this Cigamate cigar/cigarette receptacle fits the bill nicely.  Not only does it act as an environmentally friendly place to put your cigar butts, but it also serves as a nice coaster and place to put your cigar when not being smoked.  If you are looking for something you can take with you to take care of your cigar smoking needs, be sure to look at the Cigamate!  You can find information regarding the Cigamate below.  Thanks to Jason of Cigamate for sending me one of these complimentary to review!

Cigamate Cigar Receptacle

http://www.cigamate.com

516.882.3110

Smoke Em If You Got Em, Buy Em If You Don’t!

Scott

Tatuaje “Boris”

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Ok, so I figured I ought to do a Halloween review of a cigar, and since I just got the “Drac” review done yesterday, I figured why not throw up the review of the “Boris”.  I picked up this cigar at my local retailer, with a price point of $12.99 plus tax.  The box it comes in is very plain, but a nice looking box nonetheless.  After being disappointed in the “Drac”, I wasn’t really sure what to expect from this cigar.  Tatuaje’s website says this about the “Boris”:

The Boris (The Frank out of Costume) 7 x 49 Churchill – Wrapper: Sumatra Ecuador Rosado – 1,000 boxes of 10 produced

So, I don’t know if essentially this is a “Frank” with a different band, or if its a different blend. I do seem to recall the “Frank” being quite a bit larger in ring gauge and length, but I could very well be wrong about that, as I’ve never had a “Frank” first hand.  Anyhow, on to the review!

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Pre-Light:  Before I lit this up, I took a good look at it.  The first thing I noticed was this particular stick was really well rolled, with very little in the way of veins or any imperfections.  I ran this cigar across my nose, and got some of that typical Tatuaje spice, with a little bit of a sweet tobacco smell on the foot.  I clipped this cigar with the ever trusty Palio, and lit it up with my Ronson Jetlite.

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1/3:  As I started in on this cigar, I got a nice blast of spice, typically found in most Tatuaje’s.  This was followed immediately after with some pure tobacco flavors, along with some nice sweetness mixed in.  The smoke was incredibly thick, and billowed nicely.  As I retrohaled on this cigar, I got ALOT of the spice that I was getting on the beginning of this cigar.  Not so much spice that it was uncomfortable, but just enough!  The burn is really straight on this one at this point, despite it being a bit breezy at the house today.  The ash is a nice white/grey color, but it very flakey, and tends to want to fall every 1/2″ or so.  That doesn’t really bother me, as I have an ash tray right next to where I am sitting.  So far, I am REALLY enjoying this cigar, and it reminds me a little bit of a larger Tatuaje Black Label, just a bit.  Not every flavor I am getting is the same, but it does have some of the same nuances.

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2/3:  As I continued on this cigar, not a whole lot has changed.  I am getting a little bit more of that nice straight tobacco flavor, but other than that, this cigar is staying pretty consistent.  I am ok with that, because I am really enjoying the flavors I am getting out of this cigar.  The ash is still flaking off at about the 1/2″ point every time, and the burn is staying pretty darn straight.  At this point, I am seriously wishing I had a box of these to keep around for a while longer, since these are going to be difficult to find shortly.

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3/3:  At the final third, the typical Tatuaje spice came back, this time full force.  The natual tobacco flavors have seemed to diminish a bit, and I am getting mostly spice.  It was a nice change, that I wasn’t expecting.  The smoke is still coating my mouth nicely, and the finish is fairly short on this cigar.  Now I am REALLY kicking myself.  I really want a box, but I have no room in the wine-a-dor, and I have no money.  Crappy predicament to be in, for sure,  but alas, such is life.

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Overall Impression:  Overall, the “Boris” is hands down one of the best cigars I have ever had the pleasure of smoking.  I am very disappointed that I didn’t buy more of these.  I recommend these highly, and enjoyed it very much.  If you haven’t had the pleasure of smoking this cigar, start running around now to try and find one or 10.

Smoke Em If You Got Em, Buy Em If You Don’t!
Scott

Tatuaje “The Drac”

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Ok, so for anyone that follows me on Twitter, or any number of the cigar forums knows that I was not happy with the way the Drac/Boris rolled out.  I had mentioned I was boycotting Tatuaje, and a few retailers, simply because of the way things had been going down, with price gouging, and a few other things.  I am writing this review, because I simply felt it necessary.  I bought 3 dracs and 3 Boris at a respective price of $12.99 for the Boris, and $14.99 for the Drac each, just because I stumbled upon them.  I started smoking the Drac with an open mind, simply because I enjoyed most Tatuaje’s, and being as limited as this cigar is, I really wanted to keep an open mind regarding this cigar.  Let’s see how it went!

Pre-Light:  The first thing I noticed was that this particular cigar that I photographed was rolled pretty well, although it felt a little soft as I ran my fingers down the length of it.  I clipped the torpedo shaped head, and took a pre-light draw.  The first thing I noticed was that it was I got a little bit of fruity taste, with a little bit of peppermint like taste on the finish.  I clipped this cigar with my trusty Palio, and lit it up with the ever so trusty, Ronson Jetlite.

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1/3:  As I toasted up this cigar, and took a few puffs, the first thing I noticed was that I was getting a little bit of a blast of a candy/peppermint flavor, along with some white peppery spice.  The draw was pretty much effortless, and the smoke was billowing nicely.  The finish on this cigar was heavy, and very long.  The taste of fruity/peppermint held on to my tongue like it didn’t want to let go.  At this point, the peppermint/fruity flavor is not a bad flavor, but overall not something I enjoy usually.  As I finish up the first portion of this cigar, some of the typical Tatuaje peppery flavors were ones that I was enjoying, but this taste of fruit/peppermint on the finish was not all that great.

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2/3:  As I moved on to the second portion of this cigar, the burn was starting to canoe, and I attempted to correct it.  At this point, I am not really happy with the way the burn is moving along, but as long as I am getting the nice Tatuaje peppery spice flavors, I will keep smoking.  I was still getting a consistent peppermint flavor.  The smoke was billowing really nicely, and the smoke smelled great.  The burn just would NOT correct itself, and before I got to the last portion of the cigar, I had to correct the burn 2-3 times.  One of my biggest pet peeves on any cigar is one that won’t burn at least FAIRLY straight.  This cigar didn’t burn worth a crap.  It kept wanting to canoe, and I made SURE that I lit it correctly.  At this point, I am getting frustrated with it, but I keep with it, just because I want to see if there are any changes coming.

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3/3:  As I finish up this cigar, I got more of the typical Tatuaje spice, which came on stronger than the last couple sections.  The peppermint flavors and finish started to die down a bit, and I was starting to really enjoy this cigars flavors, with the diminishing of the peppermint flavors.  The smoke is billowing great, and the burn seems to have straightened itself out quite a bit.

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Overall Impression:  Ok, so as many of you have noticed, I mentioned I was boycotting Tatuaje and a few retailers because of the way they handled the Drac/Boris rollout.  I am using this review to say a couple things.  As I sat here smoking this cigar, I realized one thing.  Pete did what he could to release this Limited Edition cigar, and make it fair.  I, however, did not agree with the way a number of retailers handled the release, and gouged people.  That being said, I decided I won’t be boycotting Tatuaje products, as Pete still makes great sticks that are not Limited Edition, and he has said himself that there were problems with this release, and he is working to correct it for next year.  I will be boycotting certain retailers though, that had bogus ways of “allowing” people to get the Drac/Boris.

Ok, now, since that disclaimer is over, on to the impression of this cigar.  Overall, this cigar is not one for me.  I did get some flavors that I enjoyed, and the typical Tatuaje spice was there, but the peppermint/fruity flavors were not good at all.  I have one more that I will let sit until next halloween, and we’ll see how it does next year.  This semi fresh Drac, however, was not something I will hunt out anymore of this year.

Smoke Em If you Got Em, Buy Em if You Don’t!

Scott

Room 101 404 Torpedo 6×54

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If you are a cigar lover, unless you’ve been living under a rock, you’ve heard of the collaboration of Matt Booth of Room 101 Jewelry, and Camacho Cigars.  Camacho cigars blended and rolled a line of cigars for Room 101 jewelry.  I finally was able to find a few of these at a local shop, so I had to pickup a few.  For this review, I picked up 4 of them.  My friend Nick @pepinblue on Twitter and I decided we would both smoke them, and review them side by side.  The release of this cigar was hyped up, like most new releases, and now is the time to see if the hype is lived up to!

Wrapper: Semilla 101 (Honduras)

Binder: Honduras

Filler: Honduras, Dominican Republic

Pre-Light: I handed Nick his Room 101, and I took mine.  We both pulled them out of the cellophane, and rolled the cigars in our finger tips.  We both noted that they were just about perfectly humidified.  We both noticed that the wrappers on these cigars were very thick, which made for a nice roll of the cigar.  In my cigar, there were no noticeable veins, and there was one small vein in the one Nick was smoking.  We clipped both these cigars with my Palio and lit them up with my Ronson Jetlite.

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1/3:  For me, the first third was a lot of black pepper spice, with a touch of sweetness.  Nick mentioned he got a lot of spice in his cigar, especially on retrohale.  We both noted that the smoke was thick, and coated our mouths nicely, which made for a longer finish.  We both also noted that the cigar, that the cigar was very smooth.  Nick’s cigar had a little bit of an ash explosion, and wasn’t burning that great, but with some touch ups, it seemed to correct itself.  So far, I know I am enjoying the spice and smoothness in this cigar, and I get the feeling Nick is doing the same.

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2/3:  On this portion of the cigar, as it started up, Nick and I both looked at each other and he said “It’s getting strong isn’t it?” At this point, all I could do is nod in agreement.  I did not want to take the cigar out of my mouth, as I was enjoying the spice, coupled with the smoothness, and the nice sweetness on the finish.  The smoke still coated my mouth, and came out in huge volumes.  As mentioned earlier, Nick’s cigar burn problems started to straighten out, and my cigar only needed one minor touch up.  Its official, as this portion of the cigar ends, we are both impressed with this cigar.

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3/3:  As we finished up this cigar, any chatting we were doing has stopped.  we are both fully concentrating on the end of this cigar.  The spice has calmed down for both of us at this point, and the cigar is still incredibly smooth.  The smoke is still billowing, and for me, as I hit the end of this cigar, it wasn’t getting hot at all, and still burning great.  Nick’s smoke at this point is still burning decent, and has corrected itself nicely.

Overall Impression:  I think Nick and I have come to the same conclusion on this cigar.  We both enjoyed this cigar a lot and would not mind having a few more of these in the humidor for smoking.  The general consensus between Nick and myself was that Room 101 and Camacho cigars have hit a home run with this cigar.  I will be looking for more!

Smoke Em If You Got Em, Buy Em If You Don’t!

Scott

Marco V Gold Label Brazilian Grand Reserve

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I had been hearing a lot about the Marco V cigars on Twitter, from fellow cigar bloggers, as well as Marco V himself, who is on Twitter.  All the good words about this cigar had me really wanting to try one.  I sent Marc over at Marco V cigars a note, and bought 6 cigars from him.  I bought 3 of the Brazilian Grand Reserve, and 3 of the Platinum Label Grand Reserve.  I decided the first one I would write up for my readers is the Brazilian Grand Reserve, so here we go!

Filler:
Blend of three tobaccos: Esteli, Nicaraguan Ligero – Dominicano de Olor and Piloto Cubano from the Cibao Valley, Dominican Republic

Binder:
De Olor, Dominican Republic

Wrapper:
Arapiraca, Brazilian Maduro

Pre-Light: The first thing I noticed about this cigar when I took it out of the cello was that it was hefty.  Being a 5×60 stick, it had some girth to it.  My fear was that the cigar was going to be hard to draw from being so dense and heavy.  On pre-light smell, I got a lot of nice barnyard smells, with some slight peppery smells, as well as a nice leather smell.  I clipped this bad boy with my trusty Palio, and toasted/lit it with my Ronson Jetlite.

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1/3:  As I started on the first third of this cigar, I was pleasantly surprised with many aspects.  The first thing I noticed was the draw was just about perfect.  Not too tight at all like I was expecting with a cigar of this heft.  It was producing MASSIVE volumes of smoke, and was burning straight and nicely.  I was getting some very slight pepper on the finish.  The predominant flavors I was getting were nice earth flavors, with some slight sweetness along with a hint of leather.  So far, I am really enjoying this smoke, and am glad I bought a few of these!

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2/3:  As I continued into the 2/3 of this cigar, I was getting a lot of the same flavors of earth and leather, with slight pepper on the finish.  The smoke was still billowing nicely and the cigar was burning great.  So far, I am impressed with the construction of this cigar.  The ash is holding on nicely, and its tasting very good.  At this point, I am enjoying every aspect of this cigar.  While its not overly complex, its definitely tasty.

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3/3:  As I finished up with this cigar, it did have a small construction problem down toward the head of the cigar, and cracked a touch, and the wrapper peeled up.  Out of the 3 of these cigars, this one that I photographed was the only one to have this problem.  I am going to attribute this to operator error.  I got the leather and earth flavors with a little more pepper on the finish toward the end.  It’s just as enjoyable at this point as it has been since the beginning.

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Overall Impression:  Overall, for the price ( About $6-7/stick) I would say these are worth keeping a few around for something nice to smoke.  I enjoyed the smoke, and plan on picking more up now that I am out of them.  Now I am off to find a few more of these smokes to try.

Smoke Em If You Got Em, Buy Em If You Don’t!

Scott

CAO La Traviata Radiante

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I first heard about this cigar from @caocigars on Twitter.  I was really excited about this cigar.  With a price point of between $5.00 to $7.00 depending on size, this seemed like a nice price point.  After hanging around on twitter for a while, reviews started to pop up on this cigar, and the consensus was that the La Traviata was a VERY good cigar for the money.  After a few tweets on twitter, and reading through a few reviews on different blogs, I finally broke down and had a friend pick me up a few of these so I could review a couple.  I can’t seem to find them anywhere in California, so I had to rely on friends to grab me a few.  Thanks to Tim for hooking me up with these!  You can read about Tim’s take on the La Traviata over at Stogielife.com, another great BOTL’s cigar blog!

Wrapper: Ecuadoran Habano
Binder: Cameroon
Filler: Nicaraguan ligero and Dominican blend
Size: Radiante 6″ x 52
Price:  ~$5.95

Pre-Light:  As I took a look at this cigar before lighting, the first thing I noticed was that the wrapper was nice and oily, and had a great sheen to it.  Oily wrappers for me are usually a double edged sword.  Usually, with oily wrappers, the cigar tastes really good, but I also tend to have trouble keeping it burning straight.  As I ran this cigar across my nose, I got hints of spice, with a pure tobacco smell.  I clipped this cigar with my ever trusty Palio, and lit up with my Ronson Jetlite.

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1/3: As I started in on this cigar, the first flavors I got were some nice earth tones, with a little spice on the back of the pallete.  As I continued on this first portion of the cigar, I got some nice coffee notes, with some leather.  The smoke was very creamy, and coated my mouth nicely.  The smoke billowed nicely as well.  I was also very impressed with the draw on this cigar.  It was a bit tight, but not so tight that I wasn’t enjoying it.  It allowed just the right amount of resistance.  The burn was a little bit wavy, but not so wavy that I found it necessary to take out my lighter and touch it up.

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2/3:  As I continued on this cigar, I went ahead and ashed the cigar, because I really didn’t want it getting all over me.  It was a bit flaky, but at the price point, I almost expected it, so it wasn’t bothering me.  At this point, I got some more of the earthy, leather flavors, with a little spice on the finish.  The smoke is still nice and creamy, and plentiful as well.  So far, for the price point, I am certainly enjoying this cigar.

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3/3: As I finished up this cigar, I got more leathery, earthy notes, with the creamy smoke, and nice spice on the finish.  I smoked this cigar down until my fingers were burning, and finally decided I needed to put it down, even if I didn’t want to.

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Overall impression:  Overall, this is a really good cigar. The price point is one that cannot be ignored.  While its not the most complex cigar out there, the flavors I was getting were very very good, and the construction was outstanding.  It is my opinion that the CAO La Traviata is worthy of a box purchase.  Since smoking this review cigar, I have smoked 3 others, and they have all been just as great.  I really enjoyed this cigar, and I recommend any cigar smoker, new or seasoned, give this cigar a shot!

Smoke Em If You Got Em, Buy Em If You Don’t!
Scott

The Cigar Spike

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As many, if not all of my readers know, I am active on Twitter.  As luck would have it, so is Bryan at Cigar Spike.  I started talking to him about his product, and lo and behold, he offered to send me a few for review.  So, without further ado, here is my review for my loyal readers.

The first thing I noticed about this was that its some sort of plastic.  Before receiving it, and looking at the pictures, I expected it to be some sort of metal.  Nothing wrong with plastic, it just threw me off a bit, because I was expecting metal for some reason.  I put the Cigar Spike onto my key chain, and went to work, knowing that at lunch, I’d get the chance to test this thing out.

Lunchtime came around, and I quickly walked outside to the truck, and grabbed a cigar.  Now, this tool is straightforward, and easy to use.  I simply stuck the head of the cigar into my mouth, to get the leaf a little wet before spiking it.  I gently pushed the spike into the end of the cigar, and it worked well, with one problem.  I pushed too hard, and heard a nice *CRACK* sound.  It did manage to split the head of the cigar a little bit, but did not mend it unsmokeable.

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Even with the small crack, as I smoked the cigar, I noticed that the smoke was coming to me in full mouthfuls, but a lot cooler than when I use my Palio to cut the cigar.  Another thing I noticed with the use of this particular tool, is that I was getting a little bit of tar buildup at the head.  Not too big of a deal, but not something I am used to with a good old fashioned cut.

Overall, with a little practice, the Cigar Spike can be a very useful tool, that will yield mouthfuls of cool smoke.  Its a nice, light item to keep on a key chain, and contrary to my first impression, I have yet to stab myself in the leg with it.  I can’t see this replacing my trusty Palio for every day use, but for a change of pace once in a while, the Cigar Spike definitely has its place.  At a price of $2.99 for 3 of them shipped, they are certainly affordable.   You can check out more info on the Cigar Spike at www.Cigarspike.com.

Smoke Em If You Got Em, Buy Em If You Don’t!

Scott

Macanudo Millionaire Contest!

Got an email from General Cigar, with a Press release for a cool contest they are doing.  Here are the details for those interested!

For Immediate Release

September 15, 2009

Contact: Victoria McKee

General Cigar Co. Inc.

732 721 0317 or 732 580 5215

vmckee@gcigar.com

MACANUDO CONTEST FEATURES A CHANCE TO WIN $1,000,000

Richmond, VA—What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, unless you win the $1,000,000 prize in the Macanudo® Millionaire contest.

Macanudo®, America’s number-one-selling premium cigar brand is teaming up with Playboy to award one lucky consumer and three guests with the grand prize in the Macanudo Millionaire sweepstakes, an all-expense paid, three-day, two night trip to the Palms Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. While in Sin City, the winner and his or her guests will be treated to a VIP evening at the legendary Playboy Club, where they will be accompanied by two Playboy Playmates who will stand in for Lady Luck when the contestant gets a chance to spin a roulette wheel to win the $1,000,000 prize.

In the contest’s website (www.macanudomillionaire.com), Hope Dworaczyk, Playboy’s Miss April 2009, entices Macanudo smokers with the lure of Las Vegas and the chance to win a cool million dollars. Flanked by two fellow Playboy Playmates in her call to entry, Hope encourages consumers of legal smoking age to visit their favorite U.S. tobacco shop between September 14 and October 31, 2009 to purchase a specially-marked four-pack containing Macanudo Café, Maduro, Robust and Gold Label cigars. Inside the pack, consumers will find details about how they can enter videos, photos and brief essays expressing their need to win the trip to the strip and the $1,000,000 prize.

Consumers can also enter the contest by visiting macanudomillionaire.com or by purchasing cigars through participating online cigar retailers. No purchase necessary. For official rules, visit www.macanudomillionaire.com/official-rules.php

Debo Mukherjee, vice president of marketing for General Cigar, parent company of Macanudo, comments, “Macanudo Millionaire is the most exciting promotion we’ve created to date. The trip for the winner and three guests to a weekend in Las Vegas, complete with a VIP evening at the Playboy Club speaks volumes about the brand’s connection to socializing with friends. Of course, the $1,000,000 prize speaks for itself.”

The winner of the Macanudo Millionaire contest will be selected on or before November 21, 2009 and the “Big Spin” to win the $1,000,000 will take place at the Palms Hotel and Casino on December 12, 2009. Additional details about the Big Spin will be updated on macanudomillionaire.com.

About Macanudo Cigars

Since their introduction in 1968, Macanudo cigars have been a favorite among premium cigar connoisseurs. The brand continues to be the best selling premium cigar brand in the U.S. and also sells in more than 90 countries worldwide. In addition to the base brand of Macanudo cigars, the brand also features these collections: Macanudo Maduro, Macanudo Robust, Macanudo Gold Label, Macanudo Vintage and Macanudo 1968.

Macanudo cigars are produced by General Cigar Co. Inc., which manufactures and markets handcrafted cigars for the premium market. Committed to delivering cigars of the finest quality, General Cigar also produces Macanudo, Cohiba®, Partagas® Hoyo de Monterrey®, Excalibur®, La Gloria Cubana® and several other leading premium brands. In addition, the company grows its own premium Connecticut Shade wrapper tobacco, as well as natural and candela wrapper in the Dominican Republic. General Cigar also operates Club Macanudo®, a cigar bar in New York City. Based in Richmond, VA, General Cigar sells through tobacconists nationwide. For more information, please visit www.cigarworld.com.

® Macanudo, Cohiba, Partagas, Hoyo de Monterrey, Excalibur, La Gloria Cubana and Club Macanudo are registered trademarks of General Cigar Co. Inc.

Playboy, Playboy Club, PLAYMATES and Miss April are trademarks of Playboy and used with permission by General Cigar Co. Inc.  Playboy is not a sponsor of this contest. # # #

I know I’ll get into this contest. Sounds interesting!

Smoke Em If You Got Em, Buy Em If You Don’t!

Scott