Review: Olivia Serie V Lancero

Cigar Name: Olivia Serie V
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Sun Grown
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: Lancero 38 x 7”

Strength: Full
Body: Full
Price: $6.00-8.00 Each

Smoking Time: Hour and fifteen minutes

Olivia has been mentioned here before as a quality maker of cigars.  Their Serie V blend is by far their boldest.  Five years ago you probably would not have seen me smoke a Lancero size but man o man, they are one of my favorite now and the Serie V is at the top of that list too.     

Appearance: There is a reddish hue to this cigar with lots of oils present.    9/10

Construction: No flaws, blemishes or soft spots        9/10

Burn:   Like a gem.  Excellent burn.         10/10

Aroma:  It smells like dirt and hay.     8/10

Draw: The think I like about lanceros is they tend to bring out the best of the rollers.  It is hard to have a well flavored cigar in that small amount of space and Olivia did it just right with this one.       10/10

Flavor: It tastes like a well aged steak with horseradish.  Seriously.  This goes excellent with some peaty Scotch.  10/10

Availability: Easy to come by.      10/10

Personal Overall Experience: The lancero is my new favorite to this line.  I love them.  I can’t recommend these enough to a serious cigar smoker.  I say serious because there is some power here and it is concentrated with the lancero size.  Great cigar!  30/30

Total: 96/100

Matt

Review: Arturo Fuente Queen B

Cigar Name: Arturo Fuente Queen B
Wrapper: Sun Grown Colorado Maduro
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Size: Torpedo 51 x 5.5”

Strength: Medium
Body: Medium
Price: $5.55 Each

Smoking Time: Hour and fifteen minutes

Arturo Fuente is arguably the most recoginized maker of cigars in the (non-Cuban) world.  One of the biggest reasons for that is the quality of their products.  Well, that and the fact that they make the Opus X.  They typically only release cigars around fathers day and Christmas.  Not that they are a limited production mind you, they just don’t rush things.  They take their time and make a good product.  Most casual cigar smokers will not have heard of the Queen B but they are probably familiar with the King B.  I don’t know why but the Queen is my favorite of the Fuentes’.    

Appearance: The cigar looks great in it’s cello sleeve with Queen B written in Gold.  The cigar itself if wrapped in cedar and has the famous red and gold Fuente label on it.  The wrapper is a dark chocolate color with several veins throughout.  Very toothy.  10/10

Construction: Well made with a good eye for detail.  None of the ones I have smoked have any flaws, blemishes or soft spots.        9/10

Burn:   I like to smoke these a little drier at around 63% humidity and the reason is b/c it is so packed with tobacco, it is hard to have good combustion much higher.  Flawless burn.       10/10

Aroma:  Lots and lots of chocolate and nuts.  Salt?     8/10

Draw: Perfect.       10/10

Flavor: More chocolate, more salty flavors.  Kind of savory and I think this would be great with some seafood on a beach.        9/10

Availability: I don’t see these too much online but Alcorns usually has them in stock.  Well, at least until I come in.      8/10

Personal Overall Experience: I love every second of these.  I had my first one of these about 3 years ago as a Christmas present and I have been hot after them since.  This is a top 3 cigar year in and year out for me.  Very consistent and very affordable.       30/30

Total: 94/100

Matt

Pairing review: Quesada Oktoberfest and Schlafly Oktoberfest

Cigar Name: Quesada Oktoberfest                                           
Wrapper: Dominican Republic                                      
Binder: Dominican Republic                                         
Filler: Dominican Republic                                             
Size: Bavarian 52 x 5.5”                                                                            

Strength: Medium – Full                                                                 
Body: Medium – Full                                                                                   
Price: $6.00-9.00 Each                                                                     

Smoking Time: Just over an hour

Beer Name: Schlafly Oktoberfest

ABV:  5.5

IBU: 25

Hops: Tettnang, Mittelfruh, Marynka

Malts: 2-row and caramel malted barley, Munich Malt

Yeast: German Lager

So this will be a little different.  When I first heard about Quesada’s Oktoberfest cigar coming out I was pumped.  Really pumped.  If you ask my wife she will back this up.  Simply put, Oktoberfest or Marzen is my FAVORITE style of beer.  My favorite pastime is smoking cigars.  So to have a cigar specifically made to go with my favorite style of beer, I was watering at the mouth just thinking about it.  Once I was able to get some at Alcorns, I decided to do a dual or pairing review along with my favorite domestic Oktoberfest beer, Schlafly. 

I like Oktoberfest for several reasons but one of the main reasons is that while it is a limited release beer (September through October), it is released EVERY year.  So when the leaves start changing and the weather gets a little bit cooler, I have something to really look forward to and enjoy.  That being said, I was a little bit skeptical about this blend.  It is made by Matasa who also makes the Casa Magna (one of my favorites as well) so I did have the history of enjoying their cigars, however Oktoberfest beer with its heavy malt and sweet aftertaste doesn’t seem (to me at least) to pair well with a cigar.  But then again, life is an adventure and I was looking forward to it.  For comparison sake, I smoked one cigar with out the beer.  I am doing two scores for this as well.  One for the cigar and one for the beer.  When it is all said and done, I will add the two together and divide by two to get a final rating. 

Appearance: The cigar had a dark, oily sheen and was a little veiny but it did look tasty.  The band of the cigar has the Red, Black and Yellow of the German flag which was pretty cool.  The beer was golden with a reddish hue and a nice heavy head.       C = 8/10    B =  10/10

Construction: The cigar has no blemishes or flaws to concern myself with.  It has a nice heavy feel to it.  The beer held its head for several minutes giving me a nice malty mustache.        

C = 8/10    B =  8/10

Burn:   I only had one issue with burn of one cigar and I attribute that to the fact that I was outside at an Oktoberfest celebration and it was windy.  It was very hard to keep lit, other than that one, they burned well.  I will use the term drinkability with the beer on this one.  The beer is DANGEROUSLY drinkable for me.  Again, ask my wife and she will tell you, I have gotten into trouble with this beer b/c of the smoothness of it.         C = 7/10    B =  10/10

Aroma:  The cigar smelled of tobacco and a little harsh with a hint of ammonia.  The beer smelled sweet like molasses and cereal.  C = 6/10    B =  8/10

Draw: The draw was very good on the cigar and the finish of the beer was light and refreshing.         C = 8/10    B =  8/10

Flavor: The first 2/3 of the cigar was very good.  Surprisingly good especially when you pair it with the beer.  It had hints of grain and hay.    The last 1/3 of the cigar was very bitter especially smoked by itself.  Very bitter.  With the beer is was much more enjoyable and the bitterness was gone.  C = 7/10    B =  9/10

Availability:  Like I said above, it is only out once a year but it is consistent.  Hopefully that will continue.      C = 6/10    B =  6/10

Personal Overall Experience:  This was a lot of fun to do.  I really enjoyed looking at both ends products and how they blended together.  Was it a home run?  No.  Was it a solid double and worth another five pack of cigars and six pack of beer, absolutely.   Prost!    

C = 22/30    B =  30/30

Total Quasada Oktoberfest cigar: 80/100

Total Schlafly Oktoberfest beer: 89/100

Combined Rating = 84.5

Matt

Review: Donkey Dropping

Cigar Name: Good Karma Cigar Donkey Dropping
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: Corona Gorda 54 x 5.5”

Strength: Medium - Full
Body: Medium - Full
Price: $5.50 Each

Smoking Time: Hour and a half

I read several other cigar blogs and boards and kept hearing about these “DD” cigars.  I finally did a little research and found out the source of these.  Good Karma Cigars out of Texas   https://www.goodkarmacigar.com/   So I looked some more and couldn’t find these on their website.  I ended up calling and the guy said these are so popular; he only takes orders for them over the phone.  One thing I didn’t ask is why the name Donkey Dropping?  I can only imagine it is because of the supposed rough look to these.  It is a Nicaraguan Puro and currently is in fairly low production.  That will soon change.  As it was explained to me, these will become more and more readily available but only at Good Karma.  Anyway, I decided to get a 10 pack and see what it was all about. 

Appearance: This has a dark chocolate color to it and it has lots of oils.  There is no band.  There are a few prominent veins but nothing to worry about.  With a name like Donkey Dropping, I was expecting a perfecto and a rather rough looking cigar.  It is not.  If you were to put a band on this, it would look like a Fuente or Olivia.  The cigar looks powerful and in my eyes, very good looking.       9/10

Construction: This is a very solid, hard cigar.  Well made with a triple cap.      9/10

Burn:   No issues at all.  Good solid burn down to the nub.      10/10

Aroma:  Prelight there was a lot of barnyard and mustiness.  Post light there was more barnyard but also a LOT of chocolate.  Hints of hay and grass.  A very unique aroma    10/10

Draw: Outstanding.  No issues even with the tobacco PACKED.       10/10

Flavor: Lots of chocolate and even some fruit like apples or maybe pears.  Some spice in the middle third but not overpowering.      10/10

Availability: This is a store exclusive so it is very limited.  If these become available on their website and more become available, the score could improve.    6/10

Personal Overall Experience: This lived up to its hype.  It is a very unique aroma and flavor.  If this becomes more popular, it could score some major points on the other boards/magazine rating system.  I thoroughly enjoyed every minute with these.  These are also sold in wheels of 50 and I might just have to invest.    30/30

Total: 94/100

Matt

Review: Joya de Nicaragua Antano Dark Corojo

Cigar Name: Joya de Nicaragua Antano Dark Corojo
Wrapper: Corojo
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: El Martillo 5.5” x 54

Strength: Full
Body: Full
Price: $3.50 – 9.50 Each

Smoking Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Joya de Nicaragua is known for their well made STRONG cigars.  Recently they have made a lot of news because they are hiring a lot of people from their competitors or bringing them out of retirement.  That can only add to their excellent line of cigars.  I have long enjoyed the regular Antano line and was excited to try the dark.          

Appearance: The wrapper was a near black, toothy gem of a leaf.  It seems well made and has a nice looking gold and black band.     9/10

Construction: Seemingly well made with no soft spots and densely packed with tobacco.  There were a couple of spots where the wrapper seems to be unraveling (maybe it is just the pectin coming apart).  All in all, not bad but I am worried about the wrapper.      7/10

Burn:   My concerns were unfounded.  This burned with a great line and it needed no touchups.          9/10

Aroma:  Nice barnyard aroma with a hint of sweetness that smells like hard candy.      8/10

Draw: Draws exceptionally well.       10/10

Flavor: Bold and powerful but not OVER-powerful.  There is a sweetness on the back end that reminds me of sweet tea.  Very unique.  10/10

Availability: You can find these anywhere.  I got mine from Alcorns for about $8.00.  I certainly think this is a smoke worth the price.      10/10

Personal Overall Experience: I don’t know if this will make any top ten lists, but this is a good cigar that sits just right at the end of the day.  I could smoke these every weekend.  Nicely made, good price point and a very unique sweet and spicy flavor.     27/30

Total: 90/100

Matt

REVIEW: Nica Libre Potencia

Cigar Name: Nica Libre Potencia
Wrapper: Habano Sun Grown
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: Churchill Extra 7” x 52

Strength: Medium-Full
Body: Medium-Full
Price: $2.50 – 8.01 Each

Smoking Time: 1 hour and 30 minutes

The Nica Libre Potencia is an online exclusive (Cigar.com, Cigarsinternational.com, cigarbid.com) and is an extension of the very popular Nica Libre.  Where the Nica Libre is a very medium bodied, smooth smoking cigar, the Potencia promises to be stronger and spicier.  Made in the Olivia factory, this cigar has the potential to be a great value and one that will be a staple in the humidor.      

Appearance: The wrapper is a medium-brown, smooth looking piece of art.  No veins are present looks to be packed with tobacco.  The label is silver, maroon and gold.    9/10

Construction: Made by Olivia, this is a well made cigar.  A nice sturdy, double cap is present and there are no soft spots, hard spots or any other concerns about the construction.  10/10

Burn:   There was lots of smoke present with this cigar.  Thick, heavy smoke and it burned exceptionally well.  One of the cigars I had to let rest for a few minutes and when I came back, it started right back up.  The ash was about 1-1.5 inches long and was very gray and sturdy.  No flaking.         10/10

Aroma:  I was a little disappointed in the aroma as it was very plain.  Nothing but tobacco to note.     6/10

Draw: Draw was very good.  No hotspots and the line kept a very straight edge.         9/10

Flavor: Flavor was okay.  I guess I was expecting a larger profile from this (maybe from the looks) but it just didn’t appear.  A little bit of spice and coffee but not much else. 6/10

Availability: Again, online exclusive.      7/10

Personal Overall Experience: I got these for about $2.50 each on cigar bid.  I don’t think I paid too much but I just wish it had a better flavor and aroma.  For the price though, it was not bad at all.  I would not make this a special moment cigar but it could find a home in the yard cigar, poker game cigar area.  I can’t stress enough though as to how WELL it was made.  Nice job Olivia.   24/30

Total: 81/100

Matt

Tatuaje Petite Cabiaguan

Cigar Name: Petite Cabiaguan
Wrapper: Ecuadorian grown Connecticut-seed
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Size: Petite 4.5” x 32

Strength: Medium
Body: Medium
Price: $3.50 Each

Smoking Time: 30 minutes

Yea, so sue me, another Tatuaje review.  I can’t help it.  Pete Johnson and Don Peppin know how to make cigars that I like.  The Cabiaguan is different than their usual fair though.  It is more of a medium body.  And this little petite cigar is a perfect smoke when you don’t have much time.  I have been drawing myself more and more towards these and little coronas lately b/c of the time involved.  I still like to have good flavor though.  And that is why I bought these.    

Appearance: This is actually a rough looking cigar.  There is no label and it honestly looks like a little kid made these.  6/10

Construction: There were a few that had some soft spots and with as thin as these are, could mean some hot burning.      5/10

Burn:   Honestly, there were no issues until I got right to the very end.  These performed very well and I was surprised.        9/10

Aroma:  A little bit of hay and grass but not much.    8/10

Draw: Fairly loose but otherwise not bad for a little cigar.         8/10

Flavor: This is where this little guy shines.  Great plumes of smoke with lots of flavors.  Grapes (weird, I know), hay, grass and soil.      10/10

Availability: Good.  You can get these anywhere.    9/10

Personal Overall Experience: I am very happy with these.  It is not something I would smoke for a special occasion but for what it is (and the cost – I actually got a cabinet of 50 for $85.00 on cigar bid after I tried a few from Alcorns), it is a great buy.      25/30

Total: 80/100

Matt