A Cigars Tale

Review by

Nathan D. Hale

 

Cigar Name: Vintage Reserve Lancero 1973

Cigar Brand: MBombay   

Wrapper: Ecuador            

Binder: Dominican Republic                  

Filler: Dominican Republic and Peru               

Vitola Reviewed: Lancero (38x8.5)     

Strength: Medium

Body: Medium                   

Price: $13.50                  

Visual: As I inspect the wrapper I take note of the color. It reminds me of the color on a brown paper lunch sack. The seams are tight and nonexistent. The cigar construction is of good quality which is a staple of the MBombay brand. The cigar is firm with zero soft spots.

 

Cold Aroma: The wrapper presents with cedar, leather, and cinnamon (to name a few). The foot brings black pepper, coffee, cocoa, cream, and a hint of bell pepper to the mix of the before mentioned cedar, leather, and cinnamon.

Cold Draw: The prelit draw brings us a profile including cloves, cedar, crushed red pepper, salt, grass, hay, brown sugar, and nutmeg.

 1st Third: The first third delivers notes of coffee, grass, hay, cocoa, cream, cedar, cinnamon, crushed red pepper, and black pepper.

 

2nd Third: The second third has a profile of espresso, hay, walnut, cocoa, butter, vanilla, crushed red pepper, cloves, leather, and cedar. I also note the salt and pepper ash.

 last Third: Moving into the final third, we note the flavors of citrus, cedar, leather, crushed red pepper, cumin, brown sugar, caramel, cream, toast, walnut, coffee, cocoa, black pepper, and hints of floral. The burn remained even throughout and had a perfect draw.

 

Thoughts: I was recently asked why I do so many MBombay reviews. The answer to that is easy. They ask me to. To date I haven’t turned away anyone for a review. I look at it like this. If you are asking me to review a cigar then you trust my opinion. Mel has always asked me to be brutally honest and to find something wrong. Sometimes I find a flaw and sometimes I don’t. In any event I always give my honest opinion and that is why I believe I am asked to do repeat reviews.

As to this cigar, I must say it is another good cigar from MBombay. For me, there are other blends I enjoy more from them, but you can’t ignore the quality and flavor profiles. Construction is solid and the experience is fantastic. Try one and let me know your thought.

 

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MBombay KeSara 585

 

A Cigars Tale

Review by

Nathan D. Hale

 

Cigar Name: Kesara         

Cigar Brand: MBombay  

Wrapper: Ecuador

Binder: Ecuador

Filler: Peru, Dominican Republic

Vitola Reviewed: 585 (5x58)

Strength: Medium

Body: Medium +

Price: $16.00

 Visual:  Todays selection presents a light, caramel-colored wrapper with a few small to medium sized veins. The cigar is firm with a singular soft spot near the beginning of the final third. The 585 presents with a closed foot that is kind of cool.

 

 

Cold Aroma: As I take in the different aromas from the wrapper, I take note of the leather, graham cracker, slight raisin, and an uncertain spice. After removing a bit of the closed foot I take in the aromas of raisin, dry grass, sweet hay, licorice, and leather.

 Cold Draw: Cutting the cap brings forth the anticipation of what is ahead. I proceed with the cold draw and find cedar, salt, raisin, brown sugar, and a nice cream. I look forward to lighting this guy up.

 1st Third: I light up, and the first thing I notice is the very easy draw. There is no effort here. Some of the initial flavors include black pepper, dried fruit, toast, and smoke. The burn begins dead on through the first third. There is plenty of aromatic smoke, and it is very pleasing.

 2nd Third: As the cigar started out effortless, it has now snugged up a bit and is smoking just right. There is a creamy texture I am enjoying, and the burn continues to be perfect. The ash is a light gray and tight. Notes of toast, citrus (a cross between orange and grapefruit), espresso, white pepper, and cocoa are packed in the 585.

 

Last Third: Moving into the final third, we are still seeing the great burn. The draw is nice, and the aroma from the smoke is really enjoyable. Here in the last part, I begin finding earth, black pepper, bread, smoke, tobacco, and a touch of raspberry. I admit to having a little trouble with the retro hale as it was a bit stronger that my nose can take, but I was able to pick up black pepper as the primary note throughout the cigar.

 

Thoughts: I have the pleasure of smoking many of the MBombay blends and have found them to be some fine cigars. The Kesara 585 is no different. Construction that is very, very good; this cigar is of a fantastic quality. The burn was razor sharp, and the smoke production was plentiful. I would have liked for it to be a touch more snug, but after the first third things came along nicely. I usually can retro hale a MBombay cigar, so I am thinking a little something might have been added to pick things up a bit. However, that is just a guess and I have no proof of that. Overall, the Kesara 585 is fine cigar that I would keep several around the humi. I would like to thank Mel (@MBombaycigars) for the samples to review. You can check these cigars and other out at bombaytobak.com.

 

 

Caldwell Cigar Co. Blind Man's Puff

A Cigars Tale

Review by

Nathan D. Hale

 

Cigar Name: Blind Man’s Puff   

Cigar Brand: Caldwell Cigars Co.          

Wrapper: Ecuador Habano

Binder: Honduran Criollo

Filler: Dominican, Honduras

Vitola Reviewed: Robusto 5x50

Strength: Medium

Price: $7.50

 Visual:  Upon my inspection, I took note of the brown wrapper. The wrapper had two medium sized veins running down the spine. The seams are tight and almost nonexistent. The cigar is firm with no soft spots at all.

Cold Aroma: Looking at the wrapper, I wonder what I am about to encounter with the aroma. I get notes of leather cedar on the wrapper. After what I got off the wrapper, I would expect much of the same on the foot. However, I got more molasses and dried fruit with the cedar I already experienced.

 

Cold Draw: The cap has been cut and I take my draws in before lighting. I immediately notice the effortless draw. It is almost too loose. The flavors I pick up here are those of cinnamon, molasses, dried fruit, and earth. All are being mixed well.

1st Third: I have begun toasting this Blind Man’s Puff and start the smoking experience. A couple of puffs in and I pick up black pepper, toast, cedar, and earth. There is plenty of smoke output that is dark and has a slight green tint to it. It has a toasted aroma. As I get to the later part of this third, it smooths out and I begin to pick up some cinnamon.

 2nd Third: I take note of the razor sharp burn line. One of the two veins I noted earlier is causing the ash to lean to one side. There is a flavor change here, and I now get more cedar, bread, cinnamon, a slight floral background with dried fruit and white pepper. The ash hung on past the halfway point and then--in dramatic fashion--dropped off in my lap.

 

Last Third: As I begin the last third of this cigar, I taste that bread and cinnamon along with a sesame seed, orange citrus, and white pepper on the finish. There is some slight tunneling developing here. The burn is still even and at the end we note flavors of toasted bread, a slight fruitiness, along with a creamy texture.

 Thoughts: Caldwell’s Blind Man’s Puff started out with some solid construction and some good aromas off the wrapper and foot. Once lit, we really started getting some good flavors that melted well together. There is solid complexity and, on occasion, I had to really concentrate on what I was getting. The burn and aromas I was getting were very satisfying. The draw was a bit loose for me, but that was made up for with the smoking experience. If you have a chance, try one and see if you agree with me. Thank you to Robert Ciaschini (@RCiaschini) for the cigar.

 

You can find me at www.facebook.com/ACigarsTale on Twitter @nhale1300 and on Instagram @nhale1300.

 

 

Inca Cigars Secret Blend Limited Edition

A Cigars Tale

Review by

Nathan D. Hale

 

Cigar Name: Secret Blend Limited Edition     

Cigar Brand: Inca Cigars  

Wrapper: Peruvian

Binder: Peruvian

Filler: Peruvian

Vitola Reviewed: Tambo 6x50 (Toro)

Strength: Medium-Full

Price: Sample

Visual: As I look over the Peruvian Puro, I note the milk chocolate color. I can even see a very slight red tint at times. There are small veins and a couple of flakey spots.

Cold Aroma: On the wrapper, I smell notes of Leather and nuts. The foot has a sweet tobacco, licorice, and leather aroma. I get plenty of scent of the foot. It gives promise to a flavorful smoking experience.

 

Cold Draw: After I cut the round cap, I observe saltiness on the cold draw. I attribute that to a cashew taste I get. I am also picking up flavors such as butter and leather. This gives me hope of a complex cigar that will keep me interested and satisfied.

1st Third: Today, I am using my butane lighter to toast and light this Peruvian puro. After I have gotten nice, red amber on the foot, I sit back and take a few draws. I am saturated with some crushed red pepper. Not overpowering as I usually expect at the beginning of some cigars, but instead it’s smooth. I also take in notes of cedar, leather, and a bit of a floral or raspberry somewhere in the background.

2nd Third: I was very surprised here at the second half mark. A quick change to the flavor profile gave me some new flavors to enjoy. Grass popped out at me and was accompanied by hay, CRP and cedar. The grass does take the spotlight, but in an enjoyable way. Later in this third, I started getting breadiness. There are some complexities happening in the blend.

 

Last Third: Moving into the last third, I still get the grass but begin to pick up a sweet cedar. Earth and coffee notes round out the profile in this third. The Inca Toro started out really close to full, but has calmed down just a touch here at the end. Finishing out the cigar, I take away floral and a sweet grass. I get a bit of a soapiness kind of texture and flavor at the finish.

 Thoughts: The Inca Secret Blend Limited Edition Toro is a complex cigar. A journey of flavors such as crushed red pepper, grass, hay, and cedar gives this Peruvian puro a nice experience. It had a few burn issues as the burn line was seldom even and I had to touch it up. There was plenty of smoke and a very pleasant floral aroma. A lighter gray, flakey ash was present for the duration. Over all, it was a good stick with good flavor and complexity. Thank you to Scott Lear (@cigarknub) for the sticks to review. You can checkout Inca Cigars on their website at www.inkacigars.com.

 

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MBombay Corojo Oscuro Double Corona

A Cigars Tale

Review by

Tony Toland

(Cigar Gent)

 

Cigar Name: Corojo Oscuro

Cigar Brand: MBombay  

Wrapper: Ecuador

Binder: Ecuador

Filler: Ecuador, Peru & Dominican

Vitola Reviewed: Double Corona (7x52)

Strength: Medium

Price: Samples for review

 

 

Visually appealing, beautifully adorned and perfectly constructed, the MBombay Corojo Oscuro, Double Corona is a top shelf cigar. 

 

This is my 3rd Corojo that I have smoked from MBombay Cigars. I first notice the unmistakable quality and attention to detail in its construction. The Ecuadorian Corojo Oscuro wrapper is smooth, has tiny veins, and almost imperceptible seams. It has an oily, silky texture that reminds me of a perfectly broken in baseball glove. 

 

The cold aroma is rich, earthy and has a touch of leather and sweetness. At first draw and retro hale my nostrils are flooded with spice and nut. This MBombay Corona came on spicier than the first two I enjoyed. I actually prefer this variation. The first two started with more floral scent, but before the first third is completed, the same pleasant floral scent and flavor makes its appearance.

 

By the beginning of the 2nd third, the spice has retreated somewhat to give way to more of a mellow creaminess and continues to provide me with that signature floral taste. I purposely did not look into the price of this cigar until I had a chance to review it.  I anticipated a retail cost of 30%-35% higher than it actually sells for. 

 

The smoke is thick and the burn is almost perfect. I choose not to touch it up. Upon removing the outer band, which is a testament to the attention to detail the creator has paid to this cigar, lies a second, smaller band with the cigar's brand name tastefully inscribed. If you’re getting the feeling that I'm reviewing a piece of art, you wouldn't be entirely wrong. 

I'm now enjoying the last third, and the spice comes back a bit stronger than in the 2nd third. I've removed the 2nd wrapper sporting the MBOMBAY name, and I'm wishing that I was back in the 1st third because this is the last of these gems in my humidor. There will be an order placed for more very soon. 

 

As I come to the end of this smoking experience, my overall impressions are that this is an ultra-smooth premium cigar. The predominant flavors are spice, floral, and cream with a hint of leather and nut. 

 

This unique cigar is perfect for the times when you can relax and enjoy it. It would also make an excellent gift for a special occasion and is worthy of any cigar aficionado's collection. 

 

My wife loves the Indian artwork on the label and the aroma that emanates from the rich smoke. Each one I've smoked, I've had to share with her, so you may want to make sure you're alone when you light up. 

 

At $10-$13.50 per cigar, depending on the size, it is a must buy. And I would highly recommend a box purchase. 

 

 

This cigar was reviewed with a glass of water for my beverage. It also pairs well with pomegranate tea and citrus herbal teas. Select your own pairing and enjoy.  I would like to thank Mel from MBombay Cigars (@mbombaycigars on Twitter) for the sample to review. You can find MBombay Cigars at seriouscigars.com.

 

My ratings in the 4 categories below are as follows:

Construction / 10

Flavor               / 10

Aroma               / 10

Burn                   /  9

Overall Score  / 9.75

 

 

 

Flor de Florez Maduro Maduro

 

A Cigars Tale

Review by

Nathan D. Hale

 

Cigar Name: Maduro Maduro  

Cigar Brand: Flor de Florez        

Wrapper: Mexico

Binder: Peru

Filler: Dominican, Nicaragua

Vitola Reviewed: Robusto

Strength: Medium

Price: Sample

 

Visual:  The visual inspection is the glamor. This is what you first see. You will look at a cigar wrapper and immediately have an impression of the cigar. So wrappers play a big part of the cigar in many ways. The Maduro Maduro has that chocolatey brown color to it. There are small veins and seams that are tightly done. It is firm with no soft spots. There are a couple of minor color blemishes on the wrapper.

 

 Cold Aroma: When I get to examine a cigar for the first time, I enjoy all the little things that we get to take in. The smell of the cigar’s wrapper, foot, and smoke are all parts that contribute to the experience. On this cigar, I pick up notes of coffee and a slight sweetness. The foot has that same coffee along with hay and a faint raisin. There is something about these notes that keep me interested in what is about to come.

 Cold Draw: After cutting the robusto size cigar, I take a draw in hopes of getting a hint of what’s to come. The foot gave us notes of coffee and hay; the cold draw gives us much of the same. However, the notes are more prominent and the raisin is replaced by a mint.  

1st Third: Our experience moves us on to our first third. After toasting our cigar, we take the initial draws and begin the process. I take note of earth, coffee, and a gamey note. I get a clean finish from a kind of zest. There is a darker gray ash and the burn is dead on.

 2nd Third: As we venture into the second third on this cigar, I notice that a change is occurring and it is going in the right direction. I am now picking up a coffee with cream, some dark chocolate, cocoa, and some slight orange spice in the background. A medium strength and body that is very pleasing. The cocoa is really bringing this stick together.

 Last Third: Transitioning into the final third, we pick up a stronger cocoa and more of the orange spice that gives us a good clean zest. The cigar is now a very good, medium body treat. The hints of dark chocolate and hidden complexities really bring it all together.  The finish finishes up with the coffee, dark chocolate, and espresso notes. A very satisfying end to a good cigar.

 Thoughts: We started out this experience with a beautiful wrapper and great aromas. The first part of the cigar was more mild-medium and had me wanting more. Moving into the second part, we got a taste of the potential that could happen. Finally, in the end, we got all we wanted. A good cigar with a cocoa and dark chocolate that is very satisfying. A really enjoyable smoking experience from Flor de Florez. Thank you to Carlos (@florezcigars1 on twitter), for providing the samples and for the opportunity. You can find this cigar and other blends at flordeflorezcigars.com.

 

 

MBombay Mora Salomon

 

A Cigars Tale

Review by

Nathan D. Hale

 

Cigar Name: Mora Salomon            

Cigar Brand: MBombay  

Wrapper: Dominican

Binder: Ecuador

Filler: Ecuador, Peru & Dominican

Vitola Reviewed: Salomon (6x58)

Strength: Medium-Full

Price: Samples for review          

 

Visual:

Upon visual inspection of MBombays Mora Salomon, I take note of the oily, milk chocolate wrapper. The wrapper has small, tiny veins with the seams being tight and almost nonexistent. The cigar is on the firm side of just right and, as with all MBombay cigars I have smoked, is very well constructed. 

Cold Aroma:

As we move along and continue examining this cigar, I take note that the wrapper isn’t very aromatic, but do get some leather and graham crackers. The foot is a different story. It is very aromatic and I get notes of sweet hay, raisin, and dark chocolate.

Cold Draw:

After cutting the cap, I take a draw and immediately note the effortless draw. Not being too loose, but just where it needs to be. The raisin from the foot is present here, along with the graham cracker from the wrapper.

 

 

1st Third:

After lighting the Mora Salomon and taking a puff, I am hit with a fuller flavor and stronger strength than I expected. Not in a bad way, but a good way. Spice, a pepper I will call crushed red pepper, but taste hints of black pepper as well. There is cedar and a sweetness I am having trouble nailing down. Not the graham cracker from before, but something sweet. Maybe the remnants of the raisin we picked up before. The texture is very creamy and very smooth.

2nd Third:

The transition into the second third has some surprises. Cocoa, hazelnut, some slight black pepper, and a faint dark chocolate are present. I do take note of an underlying earthiness. All of these make for something very interesting, maybe special. Later in this third, I start to pick up more of the hazelnut and cocoa. A mellowing out has occurred, and the strength is down to a fuller medium. The ash is light to medium gray and the burn line is perfect. The aroma is floral, and there is plenty of smoke.

Last Third:

If you are a dark chocolate fan then you are in heaven right now. The final third has that dark chocolate at the point. It is followed by cocoa and toast. There is a slight bitterness that one would expect with dark chocolate. The finish is very smooth with cocoa with some hay, and we are sitting pretty with a medium strength finish. I do note here at the end, the cigar has become a little soft. There is a huge flavor profile in this cigar.

Thoughts:

I’m not sure where to begin. This cigar is probably one of, if not, the most complex cigar I have ever smoked. I found myself having trouble distinguishing the flavor profiles I was getting. I believe that this is a cigar for everyone, but a seasoned pallet would really get a kick out of its complexity. A very aromatic cigar, which is a theme I consistently see in the MBombay brand. As I look back at this experience, I think about what I can compare this experience to. My thoughts are drawn to eating dark chocolate or having some sort of mocha latté.

 

Bottom line, the Mora Salomon is a top shelf cigar that everyone can enjoy. From the construction of the cigar to its flavors and complexity. I would love to see what this cigar has in store with some aging behind it. This is a cigar that everyone can appreciate. As I have said before, It takes a lot for me to recommend a box (or can) purchase, that being said , this is one I recommend getting.

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