Origin : Cuba
Format : Doble Robusto
Size : 155 x 20 mm (6.1 x 50)
Ring : 50
Release : 2008
Hand-Made
Price : $20+
More info about purchasing Gloria Cubana cigars...

I would like to thank Sautter Cigars for providing me with a sampler of these Regional Editions. This shop is a great source of rare, vintage and limited Cuban cigars.

La Gloria Cubana Gloriosos is a Regional Edition specially made by Habanos SA for the UK market. It was supposed to be released in 2008 but only appeared on the market in January 2009 because of the delays caused by brothers Gustav, Ike and Paloma. Only 2040 boxes of 10 cigars were made.

La Gloria Cubana is not a trendy brand. The cigars are not known to the general public and with this Regional Release Simon Chase, from Hunters & Frankau (the distributor of Cuban cigars in the UK), wanted to give it a second life.

Appearance : 4.5 out of 5 stars
With its moderate veining, natural color and a redesigned band, the cigar looks really good. It exhales a lovely smell of honey. I clipped the end and discovered a spicy pre-draw with dominant notes of dry wood.

Construction : 4 out of 5 stars
The Gloriosos had a very comfortable draw and burned well in most cases (I had to correct the burn a couple of times). It produced decent quantities of smoke and the ash was easy to handle, falling in the ashtray at my command.

Flavor : 4.5 out of 5 stars
After I easily lit the cigar, the first pulls were quite spicy and complex. In the first third the Gloriosos delivers a mature tobacco flavor with some black pepper in the background, the smoke is medium-bodied, almost mild. As it wakes up, I notice more and more woody notes appear. The smoke is very smooth and has a spectacular length along with a pleasant aftertaste. I appreciate the construction that allows me to smoke slowly. The complexity increases in the second third with the addition of coffee flavors. I am surprised to see that apart from the initial slight increase in power, the cigar stays medium-bodied - until the very end, characterized by a considerable complexity.

Value : 3 out of 5 stars
Unfortunately, the tobacco taxes in the United Kingdom probably made a lot of aficionados give up their passion. At 18 £ a piece, one must be able to afford it.

Overall Rating : 4 out of 5 stars
I was pleasantly surprised by this cigar. Soothing, with a long finish, the Gloriosos left a good impression by being quite different from cigars that I smoke on a regular basis. With its remarkable complexity, it should be able to age really well. I am really tempted by a box of 10...

Padron 1926 - another exceptional smoke from Padron!

A few weeks ago I asked the following question: is there any overall construction difference between Cuban and non-Cuban cigars? The results are above. As you can see, almost 90% think that either non-Cuban cigars are better constructed or there's no real difference. And only 13% said that Cuban cigars are superior in construction... let's hope that Habanos SA are working on it.

Padron 1926 - another exceptional smoke from Padron!

• The Cap'n reviewed the Padron Family Reserve No. 45 here at CigarInspector.com. His verdict is simple: outstanding.
• Don Cruzado did a video review of this cigar a while ago and also gave a strong buy recommendation.
• Patrick S at StogieGuys.com rated it 4 and 1/2 stogies, with 0.5 probably being knocked off for the price and minor construction issues.
• Finally, to make sure you understand the gravity of the situation, we've got a review from Barry who gave it an exceptional 99 rating.

Happy smoking and make sure you control your cigar budget! :)

Padron 1926 - another exceptional smoke from Padron!

Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Toro
Size : 6 x 52
Wrapper : Nicaragua
Binder : Nicaragua
Filler : Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : ~$27 each
More info about purchasing Padron cigars...

Hello fellow lovers of the leaf, I recently returned from overseas, just in time to attend a very special event. I had the distinct pleasure and privilege of meeting Jorge Padron, President of Padron Cigars and son of founder, Jose Padron. I missed the opportunity to meet him last year when he came through Baltimore because I was deployed again so I made sure my schedule didn’t conflict this time, though it was a close one. I had been very much looking forward to this event, not only because it was an opportunity to meet Mr. Padron, but also because he was bringing with him the new Padron Family Reserve No. 45. Ever since reading the posting about them by Jorge Armenteros in the Tobacconist University Forum, I have been anticipating the opportunity to enjoy what was certain to be a fine cigar.

Jorge Padron was an extremely personable man. He had a very genuine smile on his face the whole time and shared several stories with me. Two of my favorites were the stories of when, after graduating college, he told his father that they should replace the plain brown bands on their cigars with something more flashy to increase sales, following which his father put him in his place in no uncertain terms; and of how his cousin, who he says the family just refers to as the “crazy cousin”, defused a bomb someone had placed in their Miami facility about thirty years ago.

So on to the good stuff. The 45 is a Nicaraguan puro made from tobaccos aged at least ten years! Now that’s good anejamiento. It is being offered as a box-pressed, parejo (6 x 52 – Toro vitolla) in both natural and maduro, which frankly can’t be visibly differentiated. The appearance was beautiful. The wrapper was dark and consistent with no visible flaws. Its construction was just right; firm yet slightly flexible, and recovered immediately from the squeeze test, all characteristics of a high quality, well-made cigar. It also had a very interesting feel, not silky but perhaps best described as sleek with a fascinating texture that close examination revealed to cover the whole wrapper. I enjoyed the pre-light aroma very much, which can only be described as subtle and understated with a hint of sweetness.

I made a punch-cut and tested the draw, which was perfect. It offered just the right amount of resistance without effort and the draw-volume was excellent. It lit easily and evenly, signaling that the best was yet to come. From the very first puff the 45 was full-bodied, robust, balanced, and strong, but in no way overpowering. It produced copious amounts of thick, blue-grey smoke, characteristic of quality tobacco, that you didn’t want to blow out as much as let it just roll out of your mouth. It had a creamy overall mouth-feel while producing a spicy tingle all around the tongue. It burned evenly without any problems or even a re-light and produced an attractive, firm and dense, light-grey ash with dark undertones. As it continued to smoke, the flavor and strength mellowed but lost none of the complexity or balance all the way to the end, and I smoked it down to the nub. Jorge told me he smoked about one thousand cigars while trying to reach the right balance and flavor for the 45. It shows because in my opinion, this cigar has umami.

My overall opinion of the Padron Family Reserve No. 45 is that it is an outstanding cigar. I recommend you enjoy it slowly and on a full stomach because the strength in the beginning was undeniable. It is complex and balanced throughout and deserves your attention while being smoked. In my area, after taxes they came out to $27.75 each. I really wanted to buy a whole box and let them continue to age in my humidor but I just couldn’t get away with it right now so I grabbed a handful and will be sorry to see the last one go. Bravo-Zulo to the Padron family for the 45.

Padron 1926 - another exceptional smoke from Padron!

Origin : Miami, FL
Format : Torpedo
Size : 7 x 49
Wrapper : Nicaragua
Filler : Nicaragua
Binder : Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : ~$11-13 each
More info about purchasing Tatuaje Cojonu cigars...

This cigar is the fourth in the Cojonu series and was released earlier this year. They are rolled at DPG's El Rey de Los Habanos factory in Miami, FL.

Appearance : 4.5 out of 5 stars
A great looking cigar that sported an oily and toothy Colorado Maduro shade wrapper. It had a very unique tapered head.

Construction : 5 out of 5 stars
An outstandingly constructed cigar with a perfect draw and burn that held its ash well. It did seem to burn a little faster than I thought it would though lasting less than 2 hours.

Flavor : 4 out of 5 stars
This Tatuaje was surprisingly smooth with straight earth and leather flavors to start. It started to pick up some pepperyness past the 1" mark. There was little flavor on the finish. Not much change in taste into the second half. I would describe it as medium in strength, which surprised me because I expected full. This was a good cigar across the board, but didn't have the complexity to be great or truly memorable.

Value : 3 out of 5 stars
This cigar retails for between $11 and $13. This is the price point to be expected, but I still think it's high. I don't think you should have to pay this much for a cigar of this caliber, which is very good, but not great.

Overall Rating : 4 out of 5 stars
The flavors present in this cigar are pretty standard Tatuaje and like the rest of the Cabinet Selection I think it's overpriced. Therefore, I cannot recommend a box purchase and will not be making one myself. I will give this cigar credit for being much smoother than I expected and an overall enjoyable experience. I really hope we see the end of the embargo soon, so hopefully it brings the prices of these "super-premium" NC's back down to earth.

Padron 1926 - another exceptional smoke from Padron!

We haven't seen a huge lawsuit in the cigar industry for a while, and here it is (it's a few months old but I thought I should share) - Goliath, Altadis USA, against David, Pete Johnson from Tatuaje. The object of the lawsuit is the Fleur de Lys symbol, present both in the Tatuaje logo and in the logo of non-Cuban Montecristo cigars.

With all the lawyers Altadis have and considering the fact that they used the Fleur de Lys before Tatuaje, for me it is unlikely that Pete Johnson will be able to win this case. Some fervent supporters of Tatuaje have already created a petition to boycott Altadis products.

What is your opinion? Is Altadis right to protect its intellectual property (is the fleur de lys a defendable property?) or they are just jealous of Pete Johnson's success?

Padron 1926 - another exceptional smoke from Padron!

Origin : Honduras
Format : Robusto
Size : 5 x 50
Price : ~$2.50
More info about purchasing Don Tomas Clasico cigars...

Property of General Cigar, the Don Tomas brand exists since 1970. It has been reblended after the cigar boom. Produced in Honduras, this hand-made cigar features Honduran and Nicaraguan tobacco. Attracted by its unbeatable price, I picked up a few of them without much hope. However, I was pleasantly surprised by its reliable construction. It has enjoyable toasted flavors of wood and black pepper. Medium-bodied, it pairs up well with a single malt.

Padron 1926 - another exceptional smoke from Padron!

Origin : Honduras
Format : Robusto
Size : 5 x 50
Ring : 50
Wrapper : Honduras Trojes
Filler : Honduras, Nicaragua
Binder : Honduras Trojes, Indonesian Embetunada
Hand-Made
Price : ~$8 each
More info about purchasing Alec Bradley SCR cigars...

The Alec Bradley – Select Cabinet Reserve (SCR), released earlier in 2009, is a slightly mellower compliment to their Tempus. Alan Rubin, President of Alec Bradley Cigars, describes the SCR as having fewer spikes and peaks in the flavor profile, and having more balance than the Tempus. Made in Honduras at Fabrica de Tabacos Raices Cubanas S. de R.L., the SCR is being released in five vitollas: Robusto (5 x 50), Gran Robusto (5 ½ x 60), Corona (5 ½ x 42), Torpedo (6 1/8 x 52), and Churchill (7 x 48) in boxes of twenty cigars each. They are made with a Trojes, Honduran wrapper; Trojes, Honduran and Indonesia Embetunada binders; and Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers. They are reasonably priced, varying approximately in the $6 - $12 range depending on the taxes and other penalties in your area. For this review, I smoked the Robusto.

The SCR had a good-looking wrapper that I place around Colorado Rosado in color without mentionable flaws and a slightly toothy texture. The body was firm and didn’t have any soft spots or knots. It had a sweet and mild tobacco pre-light aroma with what I thought was a distinct cedar note, which I originally attributed to marrying in my humidor. I made a straight-cut with scissors and tested the pre-light draw and taste, which was smooth with slightly sweet and woody notes, respectively.

The SCR lit easily and produced an attractive blue smoke, which was very smooth during retro-exhalation. It burned with remarkable evenness and left behind a medium-grey ash, which was crisp and held on for over two inches before dropping off on its own. As I smoked the first one-third, I detected a woody flavor and the slightest spicy tingle on top of the tongue about ½ inch from the tip. As it approached the end of the first third, a subtle spice emerged which enveloped the tongue and the inside of the lips. Right around 1 ½ inches in I thought I began to detect subtle leathery notes as well but was not able to be certain.

Throughout the middle third the SCR maintained its excellent balance and woody flavor, which seemed to take on a more distinctly cedar quality. This made me wonder about the pre-light cedar aroma, which I had originally attributed to the humidor, but was now thinking may have been more a characteristic of the cigar itself. A little past half-way, the burn became a bit uneven and required some touching up; however, at the time it was pouring rain so the humidity was maxed-out and in all likelyhood was the culprit. Especially when you consider how even it had been up to that point. Once into the final third the spice became more pronounced but never the least bit overwhelming, and the aforementioned woodiness and overall balance continued to dominate through the slightly spicy finish.

In my opinion, the Alec Bradley – SCR is an excellent, medium bodied smoke, which is best defined by its balance and somewhat mellow character. It is a good cigar for mid-day but still has all the qualities to make it just right for later in the evening and even after-dinner or with a beverage of choice. George Sosa, National Sales Director, told me that Alec Bradley is an, “up and comer.” I have to not only agree, but say they are defining their place in the world of premium cigars.

Padron 1926 - another exceptional smoke from Padron!

Happy reading!

Padron 1926 - another exceptional smoke from Padron!

Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Churchill
Size : 7 x 49
Wrapper : Ecuador Sun Grown
Filler : Nicaragua
Binder : Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : ~$9 each:; ~ $38 for 5 pack
More info about purchasing La Aroma de Cuba Edicion Especial...

The #4 is La Aroma's version of the Churchill.

I first tried the Edicion Especial #4 at the Ashton Taste of Excellence event at my local B&M. If you have never been to one of these, I highly recommend it if it comes to your local B&M. The Ashton rep paired it with a sample of Patron Anejo. It was a very good pairing I must say.

I purchased a five-pack after enjoying one at the tasting event. The next two cigars I had with just water. They have been resting about a month.

Appearance : 4.5 out of 5 stars
I think this is a great looking cigar. Starting with the band picturing two women instead of just one as on the original line. The band is quite attractive. There was some very slight veining and a nice light brown wrapper.

Construction : 4.5 out of 5 stars
This cigar is well constructed. This special blend is made in Nicaragua by the famous Don Pepin Garcia. The wrapper is a sun grown Ecuadorian Cuban seed. The binder and fillers are both Nicaraguan. There are no soft spots in the cigar but it is not overly tight. The pre-light draw was light but not too light. It was just firm enough. The double cap was done well also. The draw during the entire burn process was very good. The burn line was nice and straight with no swelling of the cigar at all. The ash was nice and white and it held on for a good 2-3 inches.

Flavor : 4 out of 5 stars
The smell of the cigar pre-light was one of sweet tobacco, maybe a hint of hay. The first one I had at the Ashton event had a slight hint of fresh hay or manure. This seems to have dissipated with this small amount of aging. In my pre-light tasting was also the taste of tobacco and a touch of pepper. This was a sign of things to come. After lighting it with my Z-Plus, I was immediately hit with the trademark Pepin blast of pepper. This went away quickly after the first inch giving way to rich caramelized tastes and some woody notes. The pepper was ever present on the retro-hale but not so much it burned the sinuses. There were some nutty flavors as well. The finish was very long in the mouth.

In the second third it got a bit sweeter with some cinnamon, caramel notes. The flavors still linger quite a bit.

In the final third the flavors became a bit muted which was a little disappointing. The pepper came back as did some woody tastes. I hate using the term creamy but that is the only way I could describe it. Everything was just a little muted at this point. I did smoke it down to about a half inch. I would say this cigar is mid to full flavored and medium bodied.

Value : 4 out of 5 stars
At $9 per vitola this is not a cheap cigar. I would probably give it a higher score if it was a couple bucks less but this was the churchill and it burned for over an hour and a half. I think it was going about 100 minutes.

Overall Rating : 4 out of 5 stars
Overall, I really enjoy this cigar. Despite the somewhat muted flavors in the end, I find the change in flavors a real treat. I like the smell, the excellent construction, and the burn. As of right now it is probably one of my favorite cigars and I will grab another five-pack. I am looking forward to seeing how they will be after six months or so. I highly recommend trying one or even a five-pack to see it's for you. As usual though, your mileage may vary.

Padron 1926 - another exceptional smoke from Padron!