Drew Estate Def Sea

Pictures at: http://galleries.cigarweekly.com/JCole311/album07/107_0800

Size: 6" - 52 ring
Shape: Double Torpedo Perfecto
Wrapper: Sumatran Seed
"Experimental blend of honey water, jasmine, and double cured sugar cane extract"
Filler and Binder: Nicaraguan?
Country: Nicaragua

The Def Sea is a cigar that was produced by Drew Estate for Cigars International. I got some from another Cigar Weekly member that did not care for them and wanted a trade. I was intrigued by the shape. I've also tried almost every Drew Estate cigar, and didn't want to miss this one.

Yes, I know what you're thinking. Echk! Flavored cigars... Well, what can I say? I have an open mind and will try most things. I even have some Lars Tetons I'm thinking of reviewing.

The cigar felt underfilled, very spongey with a light oil sheen on a reddish orange wrapper. It had the distinct Drew Estate perfume smell. I cut and lit it and had an uneven burn and a fast draw. I had to touch it up to even it out. The pre-draw gave me a citrus and floral taste. The first third was sweet and tangy. The half way was nutty and straight tobacco. The end was tart with a rose petal type flavor on the palete. The cigar burned fast and was gone in just over 40 minutes.

The whole smoking experianced with a incense perfume flavor that some enjoy (ladies and younger gents), but most of the cigar smoking public dispises. I had to smoke this at home, I smoked some Drew Estate at my local cigar shop 6 months ago, and caught hell from pretty much everyone, except one smoker's wife that happened in.

For various reasons: underfilled, fast draw, quick and uneven burn, etc.
I score this 5 out of 10.

Padron 6000 Maduro

Rich & Spicy

Pictures: http://galleries.cigarweekly.com/JCole311/album06/107_0789

Size: 5 1/2 x 54
Cigar Shape: Torpedo
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Country: Nicaragua

Drink: Purified water

A beautiful cigar it was oily and had just the right firmness in the hand. The pre-light draw was cocoa with hints of liquorish and cinnamon. I cut the cigar and lit it with my Prometheus Ulitmo. The draw was perfect. The cocoa and cinnamon flavors seemed to amp up. There was a little un-even burn, but it was quickly able to even out on its own. After a third they faded and a spicy and pepery flavor overtook. Half way through the cigar became hotter and spicier. The cigar finished with a hot, rich, pepper flavor.

An excellent cigar, the only thing that disappointed me was how hot and spicy the last third of the cigar became. I like the Anniversarios because they do not get overly hot or spicy, but for the price and the array of flavor the 6000 is a cigar you could smoke everyday.

Score: 8.5 out of 10

Camacho Havana

Taste of Cuba in Honduras

Pictures at: http://galleries.cigarweekly.com/JCole311/album05/107_0757
Monarca 5" - 50 Ring
Wrapper, Binder, & Filler: Honduran
Made with Jamastran Habano Criollo Wrapper with authentic Corojo Binder and Filler.

Accompanying drink: Water and Jim Beam Rye Whiskey

Somethimes you come across a cigar in your humidor that catches your eye and says, "Try me! I'm different". It was a humid night and I had been thinking about what I wanted to smoke. I opened up one of my humidors and was looking for something not too big or too small but just the right size. I don't know where I picked this one up, I'm thinking perhaps a Herf, but it caught my eye.

The cigar looked a little dry, but had no cracks or imperfections. I cut clip the end of the cigar and took a pre-light draw, it had flavors of wheat and straw. I noticed that it drew more in some parts than others, so I rolled it around between my thumb and forefinger from the foot to the head. I decided that it would be fine and I lit it. I was immediately hit by how it had a faint flavor of Cuban twang and a few moments later I was awash in it.

I have never had a domestic that tasted as much like a Cuban as this cigar. It started out like one string on a Cuban guitar and got more strings to make it a chord and then built up into a beautiful melody, that sounded like a Cuban in Honduras that was singing a song of how he longed for his homeland and of a simpler time. It was a beautiful song that was flavor that became louder and stronger up to the end where the twang was over come by the heat and its pepper and spice notes were the only ones distinguishable.

I had a slight burn problem, that I decided not to touch up and it ended up correcting itself in the end. I smoked it to a tiny nub, with the help of a toothpick. I looked up some info on this cigar and apparently it is rather inexpensive.

I would ask Habanos smokers to try one and tell me what they thought. I smoked this slow, took my time, and really went out trying to get all that I could from this cigar and sometimes that makes all the difference.

I give this a grade of 7 out of 10, points off only because presentation is fair and burn was slightly off due to construction.
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Opus X Robusto

5.25" - 50 ring

Dominican Puro

cutter: Xikar Xi2
lighter: Promethus Ultimo
drink: Red Label brand Cognac VSOP and water

I thought after last night's fabulous smoke I had to continue the trend, and another member's review of the Forbidden X put me in the mood of one of my many Opus that I am saving for, what? So, today is as good as any a day to light up this bad boy.

The cigar clipped nicely and I took a pre-light draw that had plum, honey, and woodsy flavors. The taste suddenly change as I lit up the cigar my plum changed to a rasin with undertones of leather and cinnamon. As I continued to smoke the spiceness intensified and a sea salt and pepper taste took its place. Toward the end the taste has a hot jalapeon with cardamon and other spices, very smooth.

Burn was uneven at first but leveled it self out.

Ash was white with salt and pepper streaks, but what I noticed was that it turned absolutely grey after I ashed, I tink the 80%+ humidity had something to do with that

The smoke evolve it was a creamy brown color at first and extemely syrupy. It had a nice aroma, toward the middle of the experiance it turned white, and at the end blue-ish.

A nice smoke that needed alot of paitence toward the end as it was so hot that I would have to let it rest for more than most cigars. I enjoyed it until I burned my fingers and declared it finished.

I rate this a 7.5 out of 10

Pictures available at: http://galleries.cigarweekly.com/JCole311/album02/106_0637

Perdomo de Silvio Torpedo

Nicaraguan

Natural

6" - 54 ring

Served with a Johnny Walker Red on the Rocks, the cigar was a creamy light brown color. The wrapper was oily and smooth with minimal veins. The binder was a walnut color and the filler was an oak streaked with pecan coloring.

Pre-light draw: straw with a bitter sweetness

Light: Cedar and leather flavor, light and smooth.

First third: A more developed and complex flavor evolves pine nuts, cinnamon, and other spice flavors.

Second third: A richer flavor toasted walnuts, pepper, wheat, and barley has emerged.

Final third: Roasted peanut flavor dry and hot but smooth with little to no harshness.

Summary: I nubbed the cigar to the end and it was extremely well paired with the sharpness of the Johnny Walker Red. The total smoke time was an hour and 20 minutes. The burn was even but not razor, the draw and construction was perfect. The medium richness of the cigar allowed for depth and complexity that changed throughout the smoking experiance.

Grade: 8 out of 10

Pictures at: http://galleries.cigarweekly.com/JCole311/Perdomo-de-Silvio

Perdomo Champagne Robusto

Mellow Yellow

'R' Robusto - 5 x 54
Wrapper: Connecticut Shade
Filler: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan

I’ve had this cigar sitting in my humidor for some time now, and I glance at it with a somewhat puzzled look. That cigar sure has a weird cello, its gold / yellow color catches the eye. No, this is not the “yellow cello” you hear about when the oils and goodness of the cigar saturate the cello after aging. This is a colored or dyed cello that comes on the stick.

I was looking for something in medium flavor span and something large but not too large for my Sunday afternoon smoke. I chose this cigar mostly because of the size but also because it caught my eye. I took the cigar outside with a large glass of spring water. Examining it I saw a smooth blemish-less cigar with minimal veins and a slightly oily Connecticut wrapper with a nice golden color. I cut it with my Xikar and lit it perfectly my Prometheus Ultimo.

The draw and burn were perfect. The cigar was smooth and mellow. I was afraid that the cigar would be boring or under-whelm me, but the cigar was great. It had a variety of flavors cedar, leather, wheat, and cream. It became stronger as the smoke progressed, but it was never bitter or acrid. I liked the cigar and wished it wouldn’t end. I nubbed the cigar as much as I could burning my fingers at least twice before letting it go down for the count.

I would give the cigar and 8 out of 10.