Double Review: Oliva Serie V, cigar making at its finest.

Going back just a few years ago, you could not have convinced me that Nicaragua produced top notch cigars.  Well, that's harsh.  Let me just say that there were quite a few tobacco producing countries above them on my personal list.

Oh, how some good quality hours of smoking and a little education can improve one's mindset. 

Cigarsdirect.com has done it again.  I have been given an excellent opportunity to take a look at one of the world's premier cigar makers: Oliva.  And in spirit of the season, I have lassoed one of my cigar-living friends to aid me in the endeavor of taking an in-depth look at Oliva's latest contribution to the Cigar Aficinado Top 25 Cigars of theYear: the Serie V torpedo.

Oliva Serie V Churchill

Before, I dive right into this awesome cigar, let me just qualify my education on Nicaraguan cigars by simply stating that 3 of the Top 5 cigars of 2009 hailed from that country.  I have smoked them all, and agree whole-hearted with CA's assessment.

Oliva's roots , of course, began in Cuba in 1886 when the patriarch, Melanio Oliva, began growing tobacco in the lush Pinar del Rio region.  After a stint in the Cuban army, he returned to the tobacco fields and continued making cigars until his son, Hipolito took over operations in the 1920s.  As the familiar story of the Cuban Revolution ran its course, and the tobacco industry fell into government control Gilberto traveled the globe searching for soil worthy of his Cuban seeds.  The family eventually settled in Nicaragua and is now the second largest grower of Cuban Pulito Tobacco Leaf.

If it ain't broke, don't fix it.  I enlisted another of my cigar smoking pals to help me out with the Oliva V cigars supplied by Cigarsdirect.  SNOB nation meet Eric "Gus" Gustafson, a cigar-smoking, big game-shooting, music-loving Cheesehead (Go Packers!).  Gus and I went to college together and were members of the same fraternity.  His life-long aspiration is to record music for a living (he rocks on a drum kit).

To the reviews.

OLIVA SERIE V CHURCHILL
By Eric "Gus" Gustafson

I recently had the pleasure of smoking an Oliva Serie V Churchill. I have had prior encounters with Oliva cigars, none of which had really “floored” me as far as the overall experience of the cigar itself. After having tasted those cigars I had pretty much written off Oliva. They just were never impressive. They were all show and no go for me. That was until I had the Serie V Churchill.

The blend of flavors combined with the exquisite draw all came together in a pure, perfect moment. The flavors of earth, nutmeg and coffee mixed with the right amount of spice were mesmerizing. Needless to say, the cigar has an amazing bouquet that is a delight to the nostrils and perfect, not overpowering at all.

This cigar could be paired with a variety of different treats. For example, whiskey goes great with this cigar. I would definitely recommend a good glass of Crown to accompany the flavors of the Serie V. For those who do not prefer to take alcohol with your stogie, I would recommend either Coca Cola or Pepsi. The spice and flavor of any of these three beverages would compliment the flavor of the cigar perfectly. This cigar is prime for having after a nice, hearty steak dinner or a pure, redneck barbecue. Final Grade is an A+ my friends. Do yourself a favor and have one of these cigars ASAP.

In closing, I have always considered making cigars as being a form of art. The cigar maker uses his colors, contrasts and techniques while putting his spin on the cigar creating what could be viewed as his art. That is exactly what this cigar represents, art.

Rock N’ Roll,
-Gus


Rating: A+

OLIVA SERIE V TORPEDO 
By Bear

I was really looking forward to this cigar.  After all, when a stick receives a 94 rating, it's usually as amazing as advertised.

This cigar had a little tooth to it, but had a pretty flawless construction.  The band is the most decadent of all the Oliva lines.  The pre-draw was rich with nutty, caramel nuances that gave way to what was going to be an amazing smoke to come.

The first few puffs warmed the palate with pepper and leathery spice.  As the cigar progressed through the first half it smoothed out considerably, with bountiful smoke and excellent rich flavors of coffee, nutmeg, and pepper.

The cigar burned uneven at first, but "corrected" itself and produced a firm, gray ash.  The ash held for up a solid 1" plus before falling off.

As the cigar began its second half, the roasted coffee, pepper, and leather amplified in strength as the flavor profile melded into full-bodied taste.  At this point, I realized why this cigar was so herald.  The complexity complimented the construction almost perfectly.

This torpedo smoked long, as I went to the nub with little challenge.  The flavor profile grew as the cigar progressed until it finished as a full-bodied, tasty treat.  The leather and pepper was prominent on the finish as it lingered for a bit.

This is definitely a Friday Night smoke.  With tons of flavor, and a very pronounced bouquet, this cigar will be a perfect compliment to a night on the town or as a night cap after an enjoyable evening.  Pick up a box or a sampler pack here at Cigarsdirect. 

My Ratings:


Appearance - 10
Pre-light taste- 9

Construction - 10

Draw - 9

Burn - 9
Aroma - 9
Flavor - 10
Balance - 9
Finish- 9

Total Rating: 9.3

Enjoy guys and gals, for Gus and myself remember:  There is nothing wrong with knowing you are the best.

DOUBLE REVIEW: Ashton ESG? Someone pinch me!

The fellows at Cigarsdirect have done it again.  They have given me two more opportunities (more on the second opportunity later) to review some particularly immaculate cigars:  the Aston ESG series.  I was allowed to sample the 20-year and 22-year vintages and give some opinions and thoughts.




Kevin (right) showing off some of his and colleague's
works at Arts Goggle 2010 in Ft. Worth.

 

It had occurred to me since my arrangement with Cigarsdirect was born, that I was in a pretty unique position.  Not only could I sample the best of their amazing selection, but it seemed almost hypocritical of me to cut my sharing experience short with just words.  Thus, I decided some of my friends and peers to help aid in the reviewing process.

Today, I introduce Kevin McGehee, an amazing glass artist who recently helped found SiNaCa Studios in Ft. Worth, Texas.  Kevin's girlfriend is one of my wife's colleagues and an upstanding gentlemen with some awesome ink.  His description below is a pretty accurate account of how I came to ask him for his help with this Ashton ESG review.

The Ashton ESG series is a tribute to Ashton's amazing success as a line in the last 20+ years in the industry.  Backed by two of the cigar world's two powerhouse personalities (Carlos Fuente, Jr. & Robert Levin), Ashton has become a household name along with the likes of Fuente, Cohiba, and, yes, Davidoff.  The wrapper on this particular blend is incredibly unique, as it has never been used before and the entire blend was concocted by master blender, Fuente, Jr.. 

On with the reviews.

ASHTON ESG 22 YEAR SALUTE 
By Kevin McGehee

Kevin, helping construct a
sunflower made entirely
of hand-blown glass.

A few months ago my girlfriend and I hosted an event at our house. We had a great group of people over and perfect weather as well. The majority of the evening was spent out on the deck playing Catch Phrase. I was already enjoying an Ashton when Bear arrived and inquired what I was smoking. He gave me a knowing nod and joined the crowd. 

Fast forward to the middle of September. I received a call from Bear saying that he remembered the Ashton that I had smoked and if I would be interested in helping him review the Ashton ESG. Without hesitation I agreed. As the designated day drew near I began to wonder what I was about to get myself into. Would I be able to give a good description of my experience? Would I try to over analyze the experience? I usually smoke cigarettes, but that being said I do enjoy a good cigar.

I wanted to provide a good account of my experience with this cigar. I read over Bear’s posts and made a mental outline of what to notice and when to do so. At Bear's suggestion I paired my Ashton ESG 22 Year Salute with a pint of Negro Modelo (an excellent choice any time). With that being said here are my impressions of the next hour and a half of excellence. 

My starting point was the initial inspection of this 6 x 52 crafted greatness. It revealed a rich walnut color, and a wonderfully mild sent with hints of oak and possibly nutmeg and coriander. It had a good solid, but not ridged feel to it as well. So I got to the cutting and lighting of the cigar… I had some nagging questions in the back of my head. I’ve always used a guillotine cutter, but had never taken much consideration to where I cut the cigar. How deep do I cut? I didn’t want to cut so much that the wrapper started to fray. I also didn’t want to have such a small cut that I would end up passing out trying to get a decent draw. I made my choice and thankfully chose well. Lighting up. Yet again, an area of cigar smoking that I really had never given a lot of thought to. Generally my routine would be strike the lighter and give a few puffs to get started. Well thanks to reading Bear’s posts it dawned on me that I was taking the wrong approach. So, I attempted to use just the flame to get things underway. If only it were that easy. I’m not sure if it was a lack of patience, but I wasn’t very successful. In the end, I went back to my normal routine and got it lit. As I would find out through the smoke the Ashton would correct my crappy lighting techniques for me. 

The initial draw was clean and I was able to again distinguish the hints of oak, nutmeg and coriander. I truly enjoyed the flavor that the cigar provided. I picked up the draught Modelo and was wonderfully surprised by the change in its flavor, due to the taste of the Ashton. It went from a “traditional Munich Dunkel Lager” to having a cream ale flavor similar to a Cafferys or a Smithwick. 

For my personal preference this was the perfect sized cigar. It felt good in my hand and its diameter wasn’t overwhelming. As I moved toward the middle of the stogie I took a couple of deeper draws and was greeted with the same flavors as the beginning of my journey. Although, I did notice a slight spicy tingle on the tip of my tongue.  My best description of this might be a white pepper taste. Pleasant and an interesting surprise. Towards the end of the Ashton I was very pleased that there was no excessive warmth on a deep draw and the flavors maintained themselves very well. 

I found this to be a wonderful smoke from beginning to end. Great consistent flavors and a very forgiving burn even with my tragic lighting technique. Thank you Bear for the opportunity to enjoy a truly great cigar!

Kevin's Rating: 90

Kevin (center) with (from left) Mark and Cliff, two of his partners posing in
front of their finished project.

ASHTON ESG 20 YEAR SALUTE
By Bear

I have had the fortunate opportunity to smoke some Ashton ESG Salutes in the past and have enjoyed each and everyone of them.  The following smoking experience was no different than my previous endeavors.  If one should read anything into that statement, it should start and end with the conclusion that Ashton produces nothing but consistent excellence. 

The cigar felt good in hand and its flawless wrapper had a wonderful bouquet of earth, white pepper, and notes of nutmeg.  The pre-light draw was consistent of the initial bouquet.  I ditched my traditional cool lighting method and went with some matches.  The smell of sulphur stung my nose a little, but it did not harm the palate or scent of the cigar.

The draw on the first few puffs were excellent and proved to be a welcoming kickoff of things to come.  The smoke was cool and plentiful as my palate was coated with nuts, tea, earth and nutmeg.  Although, just as consistent as other Ashtons, the ESG proved to be surprisingly complex. 

I decided to smoke this cigar dry (no beverage accompaniment), as to give an honest virgin review.  With my previous ESG experiences, I had elected to pair the cigar with a variety of different beverages.  I wanted to give an honest effort to make this a unique and new experience. 

Unique it was, as this being my first cigar of the day, I was truly able to savor the fine nuances and quality of this gem to the cigar world.  Fuente, Jr. certainly did an unbelievable job in blending this series.  Although, when you start with leaves from the Chateau de la Fuente farm, it seems difficult, in my experience, to miss in terms of quality product. 

The finish for me was clean, crisp and lingered just the right amount of time.  Pick up a box of these to celebrate a wedding, new baby, or to celebrate a beautiful Saturday afternoon.  Whatever you do, be sure to look them up at Cigarsdirect.com. 

My Ratings:


Appearance - 10
Pre-light taste- 8
Construction - 10
Draw - 9
Burn - 9
Aroma - 9
Flavor - 8
Balance - 10
Finish- 9

Total Rating: 9.2 

Whenever you smoke an Ashton remember you are in elite company, smoking some of Fuente, Jr.'s finest.  For Kevin and myself, remember, there is nothing wrong with knowing you are the best.
 
 
Regards.
Bear

Back to the Classics: A review of the Arturo Fuente Spanish Lonsdale

I am extremely excited about an opportunity presented to me in the past few months. As of direct result of this blog, Cigarsdirect.com has generously brought me on board to sample and review some products on their behalf.


I encourage you to check out their site and help yourself to some awesome deals that they have.

Arturo Fuente is a name that is synonymous with the word cigar. The industry has flourished with the Fuente family producing some of the most sought after cigars in the world. Arturo’s son and grandson (Carlos and Carlos, Jr.) have advanced the craft of cigar making to levels that have inspired creations such as the Hemingway, King B, and, of course, Opus X.

Today, we take a gander at the Spanish Lonsdale Natural. A classic in the Fuente’s family arsenal for some time, it is a fine example of a classic cigar.

Let’s take a look at what appears to be an example of flawless construction. No veins or toothiness to this Connecticut shade wrapper, the pleasant pre-light bouquet is earmarked with dominant cedar and earthy notes. The faint subtle sweetness on the pre-light draw awakened some taste buds that clinched the desire to light the cigar. I cut the tip with my guillotine cutter and sat down to enjoy this smoke with my good friend, Gus.

For a classic like this one, I chose a classic lighting method: matches. While my lighting job was less than desirable, the impeccable construction came through and the burn was remarkably even from beginning to end.

The first third of this cigar was just as consistent as advertised. I’ve smoked Fuentes for years now and admit to have had the Spanish Lonsdale only a few times. In fact, I’ve usually reached for the maduro variety instead. However, this smoke is equally great in flavor, thus far.

The second half is filled with delicious, earthy flavor. The smoke is plentiful and creamy. Gus has taken a few puffs when I am not looking and is equally pleased. The fellows at Cigarsdirect.com have given me a premo smoke to enjoy. I forgot to mention that this lonsdale is a tad thicker gaged than most I tend to smoke. At 6.5 inches and with a 42 gage, it allows the burn to remain even and the smoke to stay cool.

The construction has held up to its intial overview and remains impeccable all the way to the nub.

I have selected a Sam Adams Oktoberfest brew to accompany this stogie as my drink. The robust flavor of the beer, only amplifies the mild, mellow creaminess of this Fuente.

I tend to enjoy more complex smokes a tad more than traditional smokes such as this, but does not disappoint.

The finish does not linger to long, but nonetheless is an enjoyable feel. I’d reach for these as an everyday smoke, or something to enjoy after a Sunday brunch.

My Ratings:
Appearance - 10
Pre-light taste- 7
Construction - 10
Draw - 9
Burn - 10
Aroma - 8
Flavor - 7
Balance - 9
Finish- 7

Total Rating: 8.6

Check out cigarsdirect.com and get yourselves some great smokes and remember guys and gals, there is nothing wrong with knowing you’re the best!

Regards,
Bear