Review Notes: Nice smoke for 5 dollars. Good burn, med bodied, great for golf course.

Review Notes: The Experience * Appearance & Aroma … This cigar looked like something that should be lodged betwixt the lips of Hannibal Smith — a man’s cigar, with a medium-dark wrapper. Initial aroma was favorable, with a slightly earthy scent that promised a flavorful smoke. 8/10 * Lighting, Burning & Ash … The Brick House was easy to light with a standard three-jet butane torch. The cigar burned evenly but did go out once mid-stick despite being carefully tended, and it produced more smoke than an average cigar. The ash was ugly and flaky but was nevertheless compact enough to remain on the cigar until removed. 7/10 * Consistency & Draw … The smoking experience remained solid through the first three-fourths of the cigar. No acridity was noted until the final 2 inches. The peppery spice of the smoke increased noticeably, the deeper the draw. 9/10. * Maintenance … The cigar went out once, and several times I had to give it several puffs to keep it going — despite smoking it at a decent speed and in optimal environmental conditions. 5/10 * Flavor … For being billed as a medium-to-full stick, the Brick House provided a solid but not harsh smoking experience that was more robust than some other full-flavored cigars I’ve sampled. Earthy overtones permeated the smoke, with hints of pepper and and apricot. There was definitely a bite to the smoke, but not so much that it was unpleasant. 8/10 The Reflection * I saw that Cigar Aficionado had given this particular cigar scores of 88 and 89, and Cigar Spy seemed to like it. The Nicaraguan puro tobacco revealed its presence with an uncharacteristically high nicotine content; smokers who aren’t as comfortable with nicotine may wish to enjoy this cigar with a nice glass of tawny port to help keep their blood-sugar levels better regulated. Overall, despite favoring the mild blends, I was not displeased with the Brick House. The VLO Satisfaction Index * This cigar scores a 74 percent satisfaction rating. Although it wasn’t the most enjoyable smoke I’ve ever experienced, I would smoke another, and I would recommend the Brick House to any smoker who enjoys the fuller-flavored end of the spectrum.

Review Notes: The taste is right for the price.

Review Notes: This is definitely a Nicaraguan puro, it has that classic nic taste. I'd say it is similar to a Padron; however, I'm sure the Padron worshippers will disagree. The burn and draw were both good, but the ash could have held on a little longer. Anyway, a good cigar that I will be smoking again.

Review Notes: This was part of a package called "The Contenders" that I was given for X'mas. They are considered to be contenders for "Cigar of the Year" 2009. It's now the end of May that I tried this, and I like it very much. I'm going to get some more.