Madurolover's Great Blind Tasting

[bobarian]

Received my smokes for the Blind Tasting earlier in the week. Decided to start this evening. As this is a blind tasting, I reached into the bag and grabbed my first stick without looking. #6 is what came out!

A nice approx 6x40/42 long corona. Light colored wrapper, Colorado or Habano seed is my guess. Cut with the Palio and draw was quite tight, so I shaved a bit more off. Still tight but not plugged. Not much from the prelight draw, so I toasted the foot and away we go!

Tight draw made it difficult to place flavors at first. But it did have the smoothness of a CC. Luckily my Henry's Tools are always at the ready and once again they saved a tight stick. After about an inch it opened up to some nice toasty bread flavors. Still very smooth, so I am going to guess this one has some age. Not the fresh grassy/hay flavor of a fresh Cuban. This was a very good smoke. Halfway, the toasted bread flavor picked up intensity. At first I am thinking Hoyo(I had a Hoyo Churchill earlier today), this had similar but more complex flavors. Same size as the Hoyo des Dieux I smoked last night, but that was fresh off the truck. This tasted different from the des Dieux. Smoother and toastier. More like the Punch Corona I had earlier in the week. Not as strong as an RS12, but smoother than the ones I have had recently. Last third was just as good as the first 2/3rd's. Not as strong as a Partagas or Boli, this was more Upmann/Punchy. As I dont have much experience with Upmann's, I will go with a well aged Punch. Thanks for the fantastic smoke, Donnie!

[madurolover]

Excellent review Bob. Sorry that it was plugged but I'm glad you were able to get it to open up. This is the one thing I hate about sending cubans in a BTT.

You should have stuck with your first guess because cigar #6 was in fact a '01 HdM Des Dieux.

Looking forward to the rest of your reviews.

[Andyman]

Thanks for your review, thinking out loud on how it compares to other marcas was very cool. Made me think about some that I have had recently.

[bobarian]

Interesting, it was a much lighter wrapper than the des Dieux I just picked up. No tasting today, we are herfing!

[madurolover]

Originally Posted by bobarian

Interesting, it was a much lighter wrapper than the des Dieux I just picked up. No tasting today, we are herfing!

Sounds good brother.

[ksibew]

Nice review. Sounds like a pretty good cigar.

[bobarian]

As promised the second cigar was fired up this evening. Blindly pulled #5 out of the bag, a nice approx 4 3/4 x 50 robusto. Dark natural wrapper, had one minor vein running the length of the cigar. Perfect prelight draw with just a bit of resistance. A bit of sweetness came through prelight.

At first I was thinking Pepin based upon the wrapper and construction. But when I fired it up none of the Pepin spice and pepper was noticed. Nice toasty flavors, but I am having trouble placing any specific flavors. My palate may be a bit shot after yesterday's herf. Ash was more gray than the white I usually find in a Nic puro and this was too smooth to be Nic. Not the heaviness of a Honduran either. Did I pull another Cuban? As the cigar progressed through the first half, the nice toasty flavor continued. Too full bodied for a Dominican, so I am solidifying my guess as Cuban. It didnt have the layers of gray and white that I usually get from a Partagas or Boli and it was not quite as full as I usually find those marca's. It's the semi large vein that has me puzzled. But the toasty flavors and smoothness on the nose exhale that has me convinced it is from my favorite island in the Caribbean.

Second half continued with large amounts of nicely aromatic smoke. Still just tasting toasty goodness. No harshness or off flavors. This was a very good cigar. The dark wrapper and vein are making me wonder which marca this could be. The toasty flavors remind me of VR, but I dont think so because of the wrapper. My guess is this is a Juan Lopez #2. Another fine cigar, I can only hope the remaining sticks are as good as the first two I have smoked.

[kayaker]

Thanks for the great review.

[Jimbo14]

I like this game, so madurolover what was cigar #5?

[madurolover]

Very nice, detailed review Bob.

This cigar was actually a Pepin blend
La Aroma de Cuba!! Seems it was named appropriately huh? Good luck with the rest of the samples.

[Jimbo14]

Bring on cigar #4!

[madurolover]

Originally Posted by Jimbo14

Bring on cigar #4!

Jimbo have you ever done a blind tasting?

[bobarian]

Well I did another blind pull and just for Jimbo #4 came up! A approx 5 1/4 x 50 Robusto. Dark wrapper, nice aroma. solid construction. One medium sized vein, so I will guess non Cuban. Cut with the Palio and the wrapper exploded!
Near disaster, pulled out the pectin and did a hasty repair and after about 20 minutes we were good to go. The wrapper explosion had me thinking Padilla, but all the Padilla robusto's I have smoked were all standard 5x50's, this was a bit longer. Some nice peppery undertones, but not the strength of most Nic puro's. Maybe a blend of Nic and others? This was a solid medium strength smoke so I think JdN is out. I had to baby this one so the wrapper would not come apart, but the pectin held. Mild spicyness continued through the end so I am sticking with a blend. The only other stick I have ever had wrapper problems with was a Graycliff, but this did not seem to have the quality or profile of a Graycliff. I am a bit stumped by this one, so I will go back to my first impression. Padilla, maybe an original Achilles or 1932.

[madurolover]

Sorry to hear about the wrapper Bob. I am also surprised that the quality was off on this stick as this one is usually known for it's superior craftsmanship.

Cigar #4 was a Tatuaje Cabinet Regios

Here is to hoping the next one is a much better experience for you!

[LegalEagle]

Originally Posted by bobarian

But the toasty flavors and smoothness on the nose exhale that has me convinced it is from my favorite island in the Caribbean.

Originally Posted by madurolover

La Aroma de Cuba!! Seems it was named appropriately huh? Good luck with the rest of the samples.

Great review! And very interesting! Anybody think this review will drive prices of LAdC's up on CBid?