I should warn you, this video runs quite long, at 26 minutes. A side rant was sparked, and I had to record it. You have been warned!

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Honduras, Nicaraguan

Size: Toro 6.5 x 52

Price: Around $11.00

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper was oily, and had a rugged, porous appearance. The foot had a mild earthy smell. Off of the wrapper, I picked up a mild odor of cedar, earth, and leather. Overall, the cigar was evenly packed, and had a little give when squeezed. The draw was free, and had a fairly strong flavor of earth, leather, and wood.

The burn required a few corrections in the first third, and the ash held for about an inch.

Flavor:

The first third started off with an interesting minty, almost floral note. Things developed pretty quickly. Cedar, earth, mild spice, and a slight sweet bitterness overtook the initial flavors. The smoke feel was dry, yet somewhat creamy.

The cigar started to come to life in the second third. The dominant flavor was cedar, with coffee and a peppery spice following behind it. Bitter sweet cocoa would come and go, and it mixed nicely with coffee. The aftertaste became rich, and clung to the mouth for quite some time.

Bitter sweet cocoa dominated the last third. Behind it was coffee, spice, and wispy notes of cedar. Every now and then, the dominant flavor would switch between coffee and cocoa.

Conclusion:

This was a solid, down the middle, medium bodied cigar. The flavors were fairly complex, and sometimes subtle. If you’ve been to this site before, you can guess what my only complaint is. Yep, it’s the price. It’s just a little too high for my liking. Otherwise, I can’t complain.

Maldonado Dynasty is a boutique “Beverly Hills cigar brand.” You can read more about it by visiting their website. The whole selling of a lifestyle appeals to many people. As for me, I just want a good smoke. Let’s see if The Maldonado Dynasty Mogul lives up to the hype.

Wrapper: Arapiraca Maduro

Binder: Dominican

Filler: Dominican, Peruvian, Columbian

Size: Toro 6 x 50

Price: Around $13.00

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper had a nice, dark, rugged, and slightly blotchy look to it. No flaws were noticeable, and the odor reminded me of pipe tobacco. The cigar was solid and consistently packed. The draw had slight resistance. I picked up earth and cedar on the pre-light.

It should be noted, they advertise the Toro as 50 x 6, but mine was 48 x 6.

The burn required no corrections, and the ash held for about 1.5 inches.

Flavor:

The first third started out with earth and cedar. After a few minutes, things started to develop. There was a mixture of smooth pepper, leather, and a slight bitter sweetness. It didn’t take long for the aftertaste to pick up a nice peppery zing.

In the second third, the sweet bitterness transformed into dark chocolate, and became the dominant flavor. Up next was leather, espresso, wood, and cayenne pepper. The aftertaste was thick and syrupy.

The last third had minimal changes. Espresso, chocolate, and a nice peppery zing were the main flavors. Wood and leather were far in the background. The aftertaste wasn’t quite as thick feeling, but it was nice.

Conclusion:

I am always leery of new brands, especially ones that boast lifestyle. I almost want to hate on them. But, this one did deliver where it counts. Construction was perfect, and a complex flavor profile left me with no complaints. Ok fine, my only complaint is the price. It’s definitely out of my comfort zone for a Toro. In the end, this was a very good smoke, and worth a try.

As for marketing, hey, this is Matt Booth here (Psst! Call me <3 ). Match him up with Abe, and 70’s influenced shenanigans ensue. It is downright silly, but, when I think back to the 70’s, the flashbacks I have tie it all together. See the website for more details.

And finally… Thanks to Abe and Smoke Inn for sending me a couple samples to review.

Wrapper: Habano 2000

Binder & Filler: Brazil, Honduras, Nicaragua, Dominican

Size: Torpedo 6.25 x 42-54

Price: $8.95

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper was velvety smooth, yet it had an oily sheen. Sniffing the wrapper and foot, I picked up a mild odor of wood and barnyard. There were some minor inconsistencies in the packing of the cigar, but nothing was of concern. The draw was just a tad snug, but fell within my tolerances. The pre-light draw was woody, leathery, and bitter sweet.

The ash held for over an inch, and the burn required a couple minor corrections.

Flavor:

The first third opened up with a smooth woody flavor. Right behind it was an easy pepper, which was similar to cayenne. After about one inch, the spice developed a nice zing, and black coffee joined in. Earthiness was far in the background. The aftertaste was a subtle bitter sweetness.

Bitter sweetness came through a bit more in the second third. Wood, pepper, and earthiness followed. The aftertaste became sweeter, and took on a slight creamy feel. It reminded me of coffee with a touch of cream.

The last third had the same basic flavors as before. The biggest difference was the sweetness, which developed into a bitter cocoa. The pepper and bitterness became stronger as I got to the tapered torpedo head. Over all, the flavor profile was richer and fuller bodied.

Conclusion:

All gimmicks aside, this was a solid medium to full bodied cigar. Looking back on all the Smoke Inn Micro Blend series I’ve had, my favorite remains the Anarchy. That isn’t to say this is bad, it’s just completely different. I think the Big Delicious is worth a try.

Anyway, I recall enjoying the original Recluse, and it had a decent price point. Considering how rusty I am at this whole cigar reviewing thing, let’s get to it.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Maduro

Binder: Undisclosed

Filler: Brazilian hybrid, Piloto Cubano, Dominican

Size: Robusto 5 x 50

Price: ?

Pre-Smoke & Construction:

The wrapper was oily and rugged looking, and it had a mild cedar odor. Overall, the cigar was consistently packed, with just a minor soft spot here and there. The draw was a little stiff, but I could live with it. The pre-light flavor was woody, with a bit of coffee in the background.

The burn required a few minor corrections, and the ash held for about an inch. The stiff draw loosened up shortly after lighting.

Flavor:

The first third was simple, yet bold. Espresso, wood, and leather were the main flavors. Mild peppery spice was most noticeable in the aftertaste, and when retrohaling. 

While there were no additional flavors in the second third, I noticed some nice changes. The smoke feel became very thick, creamy, and sweet. The flavors remained the same, but felt fuller in body and strength. It was harder to pick them apart, but they were all there.

The last third went much like the second. Strength and body ticked up a notch. Everything felt fuller, and flavor delivery was excellent. Otherwise, the same core flavors remained the same. This may sound boring, but it wasn’t.

Conclusion:

This was a very good medium to full bodied cigar. While the flavors weren’t unique or different, they had excellent delivery. I could see paying up to $7.00. At the time of this review, that information wasn’t available. I’ll be curious when the production “Sidewinder” is released. If the flavor is anything like the Robusto, and the price is reasonable, I’d smoke more. I guess we’ll have to stay tuned to IPCPR 2013. I’ll totally be there (no really, I won’t). Bottom line, this was a good smoke!