Super Bowl Sunday has passed, and if you are lucky, you are not nursing a nasty hangover.  To help you get through the day, here are a couple of cigar reviews on the Viaje Honey & Hand Grenades Rapier and the Padilla Reserva Maduro Toro.

Viaje Honey & Hand Grenades Rapier

To say that Honey & Hand Grenades is a unique name for a cigar line would be an understatement.  This line from the Viaje brand debuted around the middle of last year at the IPCPR show.  The Honey & Hand Grenades not only carries an odd name, but each vitola in the line is also a bit odd in its shape thanks to a round heat and a Torpedo foot.  I have enjoyed Viaje cigars in the past, and while they often cost more than I’d prefer to pay for a cigar, they do exude quality.  With that being said, let’s see what the Rapier from the Honey & Hand Grenades line has to offer.

The Viaje Honey & Hand Grenades Rapier measures 6 1/2 x 44.  There are two other sizes in the line: the 5 1/4 x 52 Shank and the 6 1/4 x 50 Shiv.  As you can see, all three of the vitolas are named after weapons.  The Honey & Hand Grenades is a Nicaraguan puro made completely of tobaccos from the Central American nation.  It’s highlighted by its Criollo wrapper, and the word is that this is a blend that took several months to put together.  As for the strength, the Rapier is said to be medium to full-bodied.

Viaje did a great job with the Honey & Hand Grenades’ presentation.  The band near the head is black, white, and silver and displays what appears to be a honeybee with part of its body in the shape of a grenade.  It’s a clever design.  Right beneath this band is some metallic red wrapping that covers the majority of the cigar.  The wrapping is supposed to signify blood that would appear if you stabbed somebody with a sword.  This ties in with the whole theme of the cigar and the weapon-related names.  The Rapier itself has a dark brown wrapper with some oil on the surface.  The texture of the cigar is a tad rough and features some medium-sized veins.  I feel no soft spots.  Prior to lighting I detect a scent of cedar, while the cold-taste is peppery.

Once in action, the Honey & Hand Grenades Rapier burns like a charm.  The draw is good and the cigar produces plenty of smoke.  No touch-ups are needed at all throughout the entire smoking experience.  Re-lights are not necessary either.  The gray ash is firm and hangs for over an inch.  Smoking time is right around 90 minutes total.