Keith (Big Ash) was kind enough to pass his NC MAW to me, and I posted that I would like to try a blind fiver. Dan being the king of blind taste tests, he graciously stepped up and offered to take care of my wish. After dealing with some scheduling conflicts at school and our dryer taking a dump on Sunday, I finally got the chance to sit and smoke a cigar.

So lets kick this off. I'm still very new to reviews, so keep that in mind. The first cigar in the package measured about a 32RG by 4 1/2 inches. I forgot to actually measure it before I started so I'm just going off memory. One thing that was very odd was this cigar looked like a mini piramide. The head was around a 32RG but the foot was closer to a 40. I would guess that the shape was just due to the stick sitting in the box with the others, but I don't know for sure.

When i snapped this pic, I realized I needed to clean my coffee table. This thing looks terrible.
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Pre-draw: One word, hay. And it couldn't have been any clearer.

Initial draw: Good draw, the flavor was light, and hard to put my finger on, but the best I could think was that it was grassy. The first pull yielded a moderate amount of smoke.

2nd 1/4: The start of the second 1/4 brought a change in the strength. At first it started very light and mellow, but it quickly picked up to what I would consider a medium-light smoke.

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2nd 1/2: The finish on the cigar got very long. At first the finish was very light and quickly went away, but it started to stick around a lot longer. The flavor didn't really change a whole lot, and I couldn't quite put my finger on it, but it reminded me of, like, charred wood. Something like the wood that comes out of a smoker.

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Not a bad cigar at all, light and short (started smoking at 10:40PM and ended at 11: 23PM). Just what I needed since this was a late night smoke. I have no idea what this smoke is, but if I had to guess I for some reason think it’s a Por Laranoga something or other. If I had to guess something on the high end, Cohiba exquisito.

If I had to give a score, I would say 86/100.

Thanks Dan. Review number two to follow.
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Alright, I just got done smoking cigar #2. I decided to take some time after hanging out with the wife after class (today is our 3 year wedding anniversary actually) and smoke a cigar.

Initial thoughts: This is a fine looking cigar, it's heavy in the hand with a dark wrapper. Measured to be 5X40, which I would think is a petite corona.

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Pre-draw: Rather strong for a pre-draw, seemed a bit grassy.

Initial draw: WHOA! I can't really tell what this taste is, but d*mn, I like it. It's strong and reminds me of an Opus X Power Ranger I smoked on my birthday.

First 1/4: The burn was a bit crooked, but actually fixed itself. I was able to get a good retrohale and got a sweet flavor. Cinnamony and chocolaty.

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first 1/2: The draw tightens up a little, but nothing too bad. The strength stays the same. It comes in like a lion and goes out like a lamb. Very smooth, not bitter or unpleasant at all.

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Third 1/4: The flavor has stayed consistent throughout. Some people might not like this and say the cigar is just one dimensional, but this is a flavor that could never change and that wouldn't hurt my feelings at all. I'm blown away at how much I am enjoying this smoke.

Overall, I nubbed this thing as far as I could before it just went out. The smoke started to get very sparse, but if it hadn't I would have smoked till it started to scorch my lips. The burn was nice, I only touched it up once, and the flavor profile was great. I can't really say for sure that I tasted just one flavor, but I liked it.

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I hope this stick isn't anything rare or overly expensive, because I would love to get some more of 'em. I can't guess what this cigar was but like I said, it tasted very very similar to a Power Ranger I smoked last month. I would be very surprised if this was a CC, as the strength was up there.

Overall rating, 95/100

Thanks Dan, I can't wait to find out what this stick was, as well as the first.
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Cigar Number 1 was a (CC) 2009 Por Larranaga Panetela

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Cigar Number 2 was a (NC) 2004 La Aurora Cien Anos Corona

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So I have already smoked cigar #3 but seem to have misplaced the notes that I took, so I need to look for those. In the mean time, here is review #4. This review will be a "lean and mean" review ala Brooks style.

I have a long week ahead school wise and just wanted to sit and enjoy a cigar. Lets get started.

Measured around a 5.5 X 46

Nice chocolate colored wrapper. Few veins running through it, light in the hand.

Pre-draw: Just about a perfect draw for me with a sweet raisin flavor.

First puffs: Very strong profile right off the bat. It isn't a pepper strength, but it definitely had both strength and spice. Did that even make sense? The burn on this stick is great.

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Half way: The power of this cigar really starts to pick up. I can't place my finger on the flavor, but the best way I can describe it is a sweet sesame oil. Tastes good.

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The finish on this cigar really changed from the original flavor, it tasted very similar to a dark roasted coffee. Whatever this smoke is, I would smoke it again any day. I am completely oblivious as to what this cigar is, so I will take a complete stab in the dark and say a Tatuaje something or other.

Score: 92/100
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Nice thread! Thanks, Goldie and Dan (and Keith, for that matter)!
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Thanks for the review Drew and thanks to Dan for sponsiring this!
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Alright, here's the review for cigar #3.

I forgot to measure this one before I started so I couldn't tell you the dimensions, but it was a bit larger cigar. I would guess right around 6 X 48.

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Pre-draw: Strong tobacco predraw, didn't taste like much else.

Initial puffs: Slightly spicy tobacco flavors, medium strength, with a long finish that turns a bit mild after a minute or so.

1 inch in: Tobacco flavor is still there, but the strength picks up ever so slightly.

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2 inches in: Mellows out a little bit. Maybe I just let it sit too long without taking a puff, but I still get a large amount of smoke from each tug.

3 inches in: Spice is still hanging around and I can taste a very faint dark coffee note.

Last 2 inches: Holy shiz, the last 2 inches of this smoke REALLY picked up in strength. I would say it was a full bodied, but it seemed close. The amount of spice is overwhelming.

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Overall: I really liked this cigar. At first just by looks and initial thoughts, I would have guessed this was a CC. However, with the way it finished, I'm sort of questioning that assumption now. The burn was a little off throughout the entirety of the cigar. Not by a lot, I didn't have to touch it up.

What is it?: Like I said, I initially thought this was a CC, the spice and strength bomb at the end makes me think it is something more like a NC. Oddly enough I was just gifted a cigar today by a friend of a friend, and I think I got the same cigar that I just sampled.

With that said, I will guess a Punch Super Selection #2. Definitely a good smoke, the one I was gifted is from 1998 so I couldn't even begin to guess what time period this one might be from. If it's even a PSS#2.

Score: 92/100
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I remember when that was YOUR favorite cigar. :-)
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Hahahahaha... me too! Now, I can hardly smoke one... I've tried.
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Cigar #3 was a (CC) 1999 Saint Luis Rey Serie 'A'
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Cigar #4 was a (Puerto Rican) Hoja Boricua

Pretty decent, eh? The make and sell these in PR only (as far as I know)...
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1 left... :-)
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bump? :-)
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