Hoyo Monterrey Excalibur Legend Challenger

Coming out of the prestigious General Cigar Co., this cigar invokes images of the mighty King Arthur vanquishing foes on the battlefield. And the cigar more than earns the name “legend”. Featuring tobacco from what is arguably one of the rarest tobaccos on the planet, namely Nicaraguan Ometepe, the Legend is full-bodied and home to an excellent blend of flavors.

I would be remiss if I did not mention that Nicaraguan Ometepe is grown in a valley snugly nestled between two volcanoes. When you taste the spicy hint of cinnamon in this one, you may ask yourself if the molten lava maybe added a taste of two. Rounding out that slight spice is a smooth vanilla, backed-up by sweet cedar, and maybe a hint of coffee.

The cigar sports a golden wrapper with medium veins, namely a Connecticut Habano. When you first light up, expect a tight, firm draw, which should even out as the cigar burns. Aside from the bumpy first few minutes, this cigar was overall very pleasing and a nice conversation piece, making me seem a little smarter by saying a big word like Ometepe.

Size: 5 ¼ x 50

Rating: 87.8

Petrus Prestige Robusto

Made by Felipe Gregorio, this cigar is touted as the first pure Puro to come out of the Dominican Republic. Based in Tamboril, Felipe has a very interesting history, and studied under quite a few of the biggest names in tobacco. By his own accounts, he began smoking at the tender age of 16, enjoying a bounty of Cuban cigars (he grew up in Europe), which no doubt led to his obsession with creating his own blend of premium, hand made cigars.

The Petrus Prestige caught my eye for a number of reasons, first because of its rag tag, beat up looking wrapper, which to me look a little bit like something Frankenstein’s Monster might smoke. Very veiny with a nice oily sheen. The name Prestige caught my eye as well, because I am a big fan of the movie of the same name. Top it off by the knowledge that it is a Felipe cigar, and I couldn’t not try it out.

The draw on this cigar was nearly perfect from beginning to end. It let off a pleasant bouquet of old woodshop leather, topped off with burning cedar. I think I even detected some hints of orange spicyness, which is always a pleasure in my book. A great cigar with a lot of character and taste to back it up.

Size: 5 x 50

Rating: 90.0