Hot_Sauce
ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒ&
I posted earlier about doing 2nd tier Cuban cigar reviews. I was able to get a panel of 4 reviewers to do this along with me
Also want to thank Justin (JFire) for helping out with this as well. While he wasn't able to participate this session. He did donate cigars to halp make this happen.
Reviewers are:
1) Me Hot Sauce
2) Calgon
3) pbibby
4) SrDuggins
5) Zen Smoker 222
We will be reviewing 6 different 2nd tier cigars
The first session is a Por Larranaga Panatela SAR DEC 2011
Reviewer No.1
Setting: My local cigar lounge
Drink: Henry Wienards root beer
Observation: This cigar is has a nice reddish looking wrapper and is a panatela sized cigar. I feel the cigar down and notice a some firmness about an inch past the band.
Cut: Pulled out my Cuban cutter and got a nice clean cut
Pre light draw: This cigar draw is very tight. I taste tobacco and a light grassy/hay flavor
1st third: I fired this cigar up with my Zippo tourch and it is very tight. Like pulling a thick milkshave through a straw. with very little smoke due to this. Right off the bat I'm getting flavors of toast and vegetal like flavors. After the cigar burns down about a half inch it starts to open up. Good thing as I was about to give up on it. About an inch down the vegita flavor goes away and I get a toasty burnt caramel and some rich sweetness. Cigar burns straight with a grayish marble like ash.
2nd Third: The toasty caramel flavors are still evedent with some woodsness starting to come around. Did a minor touch around the half way point to even up the burn. Cigar hold a good 2/3rds inch ash before it want to fall off. I'd say that this cigar is meduim in body and strenght.
Finan third: Still get that toasty caramel flavor but the sweetness has went away and the woodsness is no a little more evident. Cigar burnt well the rest of the way. Smoked it until it was about 3/4 of an inch and put it down as it got a little to hot to hold.
Final thoughts: This was a nice cigar that would be enjoyable at anytime of the day. Good change of pace from my normal rotation
Score: I would give this cigar a score of 87 out of 100. Had to subtract a few points due to the tight draw in the begining or it would have scored higher.
Reviewer No.2
Appearance: Rustic looking reddish brown wrapper. Firm throughout.
Prelight: Light hay aroma accompanied by sweet tobacco. Cold draw is perfect with just the right amount of resistance. A quick puff gives a nice cedar flavor.
First Half: A light of a match gets things going. A quick puff in anticipation gives large amounts of smoke. My initial impression is sweet and creamy. After sitting with this for a moment I start to pick up some nuts with a bit of dried fruit. My initial burn started a little wonkey but evened out soon after. As I settle in, the flavors stay pretty much the same with some occasional sweetness. The flavors are light at this point but appropriately placed. Im enjoy this very much...
Second half: The second half stays pretty much the same. But does step up in strength to medium-full. All the flavors have melded into one offering a pleasant finish to this cigar. It is creamy and toasty with hints of leather. I smoke it to the nub and allow it to slowly extinguish on its own.
Final Thoughts: This cigar was wonderful from beginning to end. The creamy rich tobacco complimented my afternoon well. This cigar seems very familiar and compairs closely to one of my favorite cigars.
My guess: Por Larranaga Panetelas
Reviewer No.3
Prelight : Tight draw. Okay, but hopefully opens up. Hay, sweet tobacco and a little spice.
1st half : Sweet tobacco. Nice cream notes. Grassy twang. Very nice
2nd half : Sweet cedar. Cream. Still grassy with a touch of floral. Spice to balance it. This is really good.
Overall : this is a great cigar. It was my first short filler cc. I have to say I will be revisiting whatever this is.
Score: 92.
Reviewer No.4
Cigar #1
A box pressed short panatela 5 x 36
Wrapper Color: Colorado maduro dark mottled Colorado.
Pre-light Draw: Barnyard and earth with a little sweetness, on the snug side of a perfect draw.
Construction: Excellent construction with very good smoke production. Only a few touch ups when a small piece of the wrapper pulled slightly away from the binder.
Smoke Time: About 1 hour.
First Third: Rich tobacco flavors with a little edge to it. Starts with a medium body, but quickly amps up to medium full, making the edge slightly harsh but not unpleasant. Some wood smoke flavors emerge as the richness and harsh edge dissipate. Some almond nuances reveal themselves adding a subtle note of complexity at the end of the first third.
Second Third: Wood smoke flavor dominates but an interesting flavor emerges on the finish, but disappears before I can identify it. The harsh edge has been completely replaced with a slight sweetness and hint of spice. This smoke gets deeper and richer at the end of the second third.
Final third: The wood smoke flavor is not as dominant with a mildly sweet, earthy flavor accompanying it. This cigar has hit its stride. . . . The almond notes remain, but the spice has disappeared. The sweetness is gone half way through the final third. It finishes with the wood smoke and earthy flavors dominating.
Summary: This was a really enjoyable smoke with dominant woody flavors and nice subtle complexity. The smoke shifts between medium and medium full body just when I think it is settling into one, it transitions to the other. This thin ring gauge provided plenty of satisfaction all by itself. I would expect this smoke to improve significantly with another year of age.
87 points.
If I didnt already think I knew what this was, I would have guessed, an early 2011 Rafael Gonzales panetelas extra.
Reviewer No.5
Appearance.. nice dark wrapper in a panetela size.
Draw.. a little tight but nothing to bad.
1rst half...
A very deep, rich, and robust profile from the start. A nice creamy salty sweetness is coming through a bit also... I get hints of a mild spice at times and overall really like this stick. A solid medium throughout the first half.
2nd half
Still getting the same stuff as the first just a bit less pronounced...Also some cedar is coming trough. What a great smoke I know I am late but from the few CC's I have had ( a few being this one) I guessed it right. Ended nicely around medium-full
I give this a solid 89 and thank you!!!
Also want to thank Justin (JFire) for helping out with this as well. While he wasn't able to participate this session. He did donate cigars to halp make this happen.
Reviewers are:
1) Me Hot Sauce
2) Calgon
3) pbibby
4) SrDuggins
5) Zen Smoker 222
We will be reviewing 6 different 2nd tier cigars
The first session is a Por Larranaga Panatela SAR DEC 2011
Reviewer No.1
Setting: My local cigar lounge
Drink: Henry Wienards root beer
Observation: This cigar is has a nice reddish looking wrapper and is a panatela sized cigar. I feel the cigar down and notice a some firmness about an inch past the band.
Cut: Pulled out my Cuban cutter and got a nice clean cut
Pre light draw: This cigar draw is very tight. I taste tobacco and a light grassy/hay flavor
1st third: I fired this cigar up with my Zippo tourch and it is very tight. Like pulling a thick milkshave through a straw. with very little smoke due to this. Right off the bat I'm getting flavors of toast and vegetal like flavors. After the cigar burns down about a half inch it starts to open up. Good thing as I was about to give up on it. About an inch down the vegita flavor goes away and I get a toasty burnt caramel and some rich sweetness. Cigar burns straight with a grayish marble like ash.
2nd Third: The toasty caramel flavors are still evedent with some woodsness starting to come around. Did a minor touch around the half way point to even up the burn. Cigar hold a good 2/3rds inch ash before it want to fall off. I'd say that this cigar is meduim in body and strenght.
Finan third: Still get that toasty caramel flavor but the sweetness has went away and the woodsness is no a little more evident. Cigar burnt well the rest of the way. Smoked it until it was about 3/4 of an inch and put it down as it got a little to hot to hold.
Final thoughts: This was a nice cigar that would be enjoyable at anytime of the day. Good change of pace from my normal rotation
Score: I would give this cigar a score of 87 out of 100. Had to subtract a few points due to the tight draw in the begining or it would have scored higher.
Reviewer No.2
Appearance: Rustic looking reddish brown wrapper. Firm throughout.
Prelight: Light hay aroma accompanied by sweet tobacco. Cold draw is perfect with just the right amount of resistance. A quick puff gives a nice cedar flavor.
First Half: A light of a match gets things going. A quick puff in anticipation gives large amounts of smoke. My initial impression is sweet and creamy. After sitting with this for a moment I start to pick up some nuts with a bit of dried fruit. My initial burn started a little wonkey but evened out soon after. As I settle in, the flavors stay pretty much the same with some occasional sweetness. The flavors are light at this point but appropriately placed. Im enjoy this very much...
Second half: The second half stays pretty much the same. But does step up in strength to medium-full. All the flavors have melded into one offering a pleasant finish to this cigar. It is creamy and toasty with hints of leather. I smoke it to the nub and allow it to slowly extinguish on its own.
Final Thoughts: This cigar was wonderful from beginning to end. The creamy rich tobacco complimented my afternoon well. This cigar seems very familiar and compairs closely to one of my favorite cigars.
My guess: Por Larranaga Panetelas
Reviewer No.3
Prelight : Tight draw. Okay, but hopefully opens up. Hay, sweet tobacco and a little spice.
1st half : Sweet tobacco. Nice cream notes. Grassy twang. Very nice
2nd half : Sweet cedar. Cream. Still grassy with a touch of floral. Spice to balance it. This is really good.
Overall : this is a great cigar. It was my first short filler cc. I have to say I will be revisiting whatever this is.
Score: 92.
Reviewer No.4
Cigar #1
A box pressed short panatela 5 x 36
Wrapper Color: Colorado maduro dark mottled Colorado.
Pre-light Draw: Barnyard and earth with a little sweetness, on the snug side of a perfect draw.
Construction: Excellent construction with very good smoke production. Only a few touch ups when a small piece of the wrapper pulled slightly away from the binder.
Smoke Time: About 1 hour.
First Third: Rich tobacco flavors with a little edge to it. Starts with a medium body, but quickly amps up to medium full, making the edge slightly harsh but not unpleasant. Some wood smoke flavors emerge as the richness and harsh edge dissipate. Some almond nuances reveal themselves adding a subtle note of complexity at the end of the first third.
Second Third: Wood smoke flavor dominates but an interesting flavor emerges on the finish, but disappears before I can identify it. The harsh edge has been completely replaced with a slight sweetness and hint of spice. This smoke gets deeper and richer at the end of the second third.
Final third: The wood smoke flavor is not as dominant with a mildly sweet, earthy flavor accompanying it. This cigar has hit its stride. . . . The almond notes remain, but the spice has disappeared. The sweetness is gone half way through the final third. It finishes with the wood smoke and earthy flavors dominating.
Summary: This was a really enjoyable smoke with dominant woody flavors and nice subtle complexity. The smoke shifts between medium and medium full body just when I think it is settling into one, it transitions to the other. This thin ring gauge provided plenty of satisfaction all by itself. I would expect this smoke to improve significantly with another year of age.
87 points.
If I didnt already think I knew what this was, I would have guessed, an early 2011 Rafael Gonzales panetelas extra.
Reviewer No.5
Appearance.. nice dark wrapper in a panetela size.
Draw.. a little tight but nothing to bad.
1rst half...
A very deep, rich, and robust profile from the start. A nice creamy salty sweetness is coming through a bit also... I get hints of a mild spice at times and overall really like this stick. A solid medium throughout the first half.
2nd half
Still getting the same stuff as the first just a bit less pronounced...Also some cedar is coming trough. What a great smoke I know I am late but from the few CC's I have had ( a few being this one) I guessed it right. Ended nicely around medium-full
I give this a solid 89 and thank you!!!
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