UNREAL cheapo cigar!

[borndead1]

I stopped at the drug store with my girlfriend to get some....uhhh....vitamins. While at the counter I saw a bunch of bundles of what looked like "real" cigars in with all the Phillies/Swishers/etc. They also had a standup box of these monstrous tubos. At around $4 I HAD to get one. When I showed it to my girl, her eyes opened up wide and she said "Are you gonna smoke that whole thing?" I smiled at her and replied "Actually, I was thinking we could play Bill & Monica."

She punched me.


Cigar: Blender's Gold Viajante en Tubo

Size: 7.5 X 52

I got this thing just for shits and giggles and it turned out to be a decent cigar. Couldn't believe it. I couldn't find much info online about these, and all the band says is "Imported from Honduras".
Medium brown wrapper, I would guess maybe Connecticut Shade. Nicely applied cap, medium-tight draw, easy 2 match light. Appears to be mixed filler.
The flavor at first is pretty one dimensional but pleasant, mild and sweet/earthy with a tiny bit of spice on the finish and when French inhaled. No "weird" taste, no construction issues. Pretty well made, no soft spots or major flaws in the wrapper. The cigar remained firm all the way and burned flawlessly with a light gray ash that held for over 1". Not a bit of harshness. I was expecting this thing to taste awful and fall apart!
With about 3" left, I am smoking, smiling, and shaking my head in disbelief. A bit of a floral/fruit flavor is coming on, which is mild and tastes pretty nice. Normally I don't smoke anything bigger than a toro, but I gotta nub this thing just to see if I can find something wrong with it!


I couldn't. Couldn't find anything wrong with this no-name, drugstore monstrosity of a stogie-log. Honestly, I enjoyed it very much. So much, in fact, that I may just have to check out the bundles.

Thanks for reading.

[mike32312]

It's neat to come across a gem like that every now and than. Hey if you like it that's all that matter. Good review. Thanks for sharing. By the way I'm sure that cigar was longer than Bill.

[4WheelVFR]

That's cool. Pleasant surprises like that are hard to beat.

[Papichulo]

Originally Posted by borndead1

I stopped at the drug store with my girlfriend to get some....uhhh....vitamins. While at the counter I saw a bunch of bundles of what looked like "real" cigars in with all the Phillies/Swishers/etc. They also had a standup box of these monstrous tubos. At around $4 I HAD to get one. When I showed it to my girl, her eyes opened up wide and she said "Are you gonna smoke that whole thing?" I smiled at her and replied "Actually, I was thinking we could play Bill & Monica."

She punched me.


Cigar: Blender's Gold Viajante en Tubo

Size: 7.5 X 52

I got this thing just for shits and giggles and it turned out to be a decent cigar. Couldn't believe it. I couldn't find much info online about these, and all the band says is "Imported from Honduras".
Medium brown wrapper, I would guess maybe Connecticut Shade. Nicely applied cap, medium-tight draw, easy 2 match light. Appears to be mixed filler.
The flavor at first is pretty one dimensional but pleasant, mild and sweet/earthy with a tiny bit of spice on the finish and when French inhaled. No "weird" taste, no construction issues. Pretty well made, no soft spots or major flaws in the wrapper. The cigar remained firm all the way and burned flawlessly with a light gray ash that held for over 1". Not a bit of harshness. I was expecting this thing to taste awful and fall apart!
With about 3" left, I am smoking, smiling, and shaking my head in disbelief. A bit of a floral/fruit flavor is coming on, which is mild and tastes pretty nice. Normally I don't smoke anything bigger than a toro, but I gotta nub this thing just to see if I can find something wrong with it!


I couldn't. Couldn't find anything wrong with this no-name, drugstore monstrosity of a stogie-log. Honestly, I enjoyed it very much. So much, in fact, that I may just have to check out the bundles.

Thanks for reading.

What a story and review... Thanks,

[TheDirector]

Know what you mean. I got reintroduced to the slope a couple years back by an absolutely dee-lishous cheapo I was gifted...can't remember the name...starts with an M.....

But the rest is history!

[Dubxl152]

I wish cool things like that happend to me when i have to go "vitamin" shopping.... im lucky if i get a bag of gummie bears & a pack of marlboro reds.

[Triolent]

Thanks for the review! I actually work at Walgreens, which does carry the Blender's Gold. I've stared at these many times, never actually trying then, though. The sticks we carry are the Toro tubo and Viajante Tubo, with a few new additions in the singles as well as the 5pks, as of last week. If these are worth the money, I will have to pick them up and try.


Did you get these at Walgreen's? I was thinking they were exclusive, but never actually knew for sure.

AFAIK the Toro is $2.99 and Viajante is $3.99.

PS. I still wouldn't try the Blender's Gold version of Phillies. I've checked them out. They look 100% machine made and whatnot. Maybe someday, though.

[borndead1]

Originally Posted by Triolent

Did you get these at Walgreen's? I was thinking they were exclusive, but never actually knew for sure.

Yes, I did get it at Walgreen's! I also thought that they might be exclusive, but I didn't think a chain drug store would have their own line of cigars. The bundles are pretty cheap, I may try a few more of the tubos to make sure it wasn't a fluke. I broke the butt open to inspect the innards, and it was a mixed filler cigar but 100% tobacco. It burned and held together really well for a no name mixed filler cigar.

[texasbadbob]

Cool story and review.

[Triolent]

Originally Posted by borndead1

Yes, I did get it at Walgreen's! I also thought that they might be exclusive, but I didn't think a chain drug store would have their own line of cigars. The bundles are pretty cheap, I may try a few more of the tubos to make sure it wasn't a fluke. I broke the butt open to inspect the innards, and it was a mixed filler cigar but 100% tobacco. It burned and held together really well for a no name mixed filler cigar.

Cool I will find out if these are at least a private label. It's hard to believe that Walgreen's would have their own line, or blend, or anything.

We do carry a nice line of 5 and 10 packs, as well as the tubos. Naturals, Maduros, Sweets, whatever. I still need to pick one up...

[txmatt]

Originally Posted by borndead1

"Actually, I was thinking we could play Bill & Monica."

She punched me.

So after you smoked the cigar you still had the tubo.. Did you talk the girlfriend into it?

[Sponge-Bob]

High,

I´m new here!
I am from Austria - not Australia!
You wouldn´t belive how i found the Blender´s Gold Tubos...
It was during a 4 week holiday in the staates in the summer 2008 .
A great surprise!

The question: how can I get the tobos in europe (austria)?
We haven´t Walgreens here...

Also no matches in the web .
Regards and many thanks