Illusione -- 88 - Robust

Let there be no illusion, the Cigar Log Book recommends this great full-bodied cigar.

Occasion:  Gift Cigar	Gauge:  52
Cigar:  Illusione 88	Length: 5"
Price:  $7	Shape:  Robusto
Filler:  Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Wrapper:  Nicaragua Corojo

Appearance: 
The 88 had a rich, mahogany and silky wrapper. The wrapping did look a bit like a barber's pole due to darker brown color where wrapper overlapped. Only imperfections came from minor veins and a rip and fold in one location. But in all the cigar's appearance was great.


Construction:
A very solid construction. Nice and compactly rolled but not hard as a rock. The head was triple capped and was nicely constructed and the foot was evenly cut. A top notch construction.

Draw	Burn
Start:  good	Start: uneven
Halfway:  good	Halfway:  canoe, relight
Three-Quarters: good	Three-Quarters:  even

Tasting Notes:

This was a definite full-bodied cigar with a spicy start and continued to hold on well after the draw. From the first draw there was a sweet taste that peaked through but quickly dissipated as a peppery taste held on well after the draw. As the cigar progressed the peppery and spicy taste gave way to a roasted and leathery taste. For a full bodied cigar the finish was nice and smooth.

Other Notes:
I smelled an earthy aroma almost like landscape mulch before lighting the cigar and  for a person that has worked in the landscaping business, this was actually a pleasant smell. The cigar produced a fair amount of smoke per draw. There was a real issue with the cigar burning evenly until the last 1/3 of the cigar.

Recommend: This cigar was given to me by one of my guest authors, Nathan Ambuehl, who swears by their quality. I'll have to admit, this passed my inspection and received my recommendation as a top notch masterfully constructed, flawless appearance with a wonderful full-bodied blend of tobaccos. The tobacco actually came from the Esteli and Jalapa regions in Nicaragua. While these locations are very popular sources for Nicaraguan tobacco, this is the same region the tobacco's for Cain's Straight Ligero come from. In comparison to Cain's SL, Illusione's 88 is a clear winner. Both started off with the distinct spice and full-bodied taste but Cain's tobacco put me down for the count. A cigar is something to be enjoyed  and to relax with, not deliver a knock out blow to your senses. I would definitely recommend this cigar to anyone looking for a complex full-bodied yet smooth cigar. The only issue, if you call it that, was that the burn was uneven until the last third of the cigar.

The Story of Perfecto Love - The Battle Between Arturo Fuente's Short Story and Romeo y Julieta's Reserva Real Love Story

This Arturo Fuente (AF) Short Story wasn't much to write home about.

Unlike Shakespeare's Love Story, this Romeo y Julieta (RyJ) cigar did have a happy ending.

Occasion:  Face Off	Gauge:  46 - 49
Cigar:  Short Story(AF), Love Story(RyJ)	Length: 4 - 1/2 "
Price:  $5.99(AF), $4.99(RyJ)	Shape:  Perfecto
Filler:  Dominican (AF), Dominican & Nicaragua (RyJ)
Binder: Dominican (AF), Nicaragua (RyJ)
Wrapper:  African Cameroon (AF), Connecticut (RyJ)

Appearance: 
RyJ:
The wrapper had a greenish / tan color to it and each wrapper leaf had a slightly different color than its adjacent one. No major veins or lumps were noticeable. The only real blemish was under the band where there was one minor green spot the diameter of a pencil lead.

AF:
There were minor veins in the wrapping and the color was a deep dark oak color. The African Cameroon wrapper had the characteristic bumps.

Construction:
RyJ:
The Love Story had pretty firm construction with one spongy dip near the foot. The cap and foot were well shaped and wrapped. No bunches or folds where wrappers overlapped.


AF:
I was a bit disappointed at the construction for this cigar because it was quite spongy in the perfecto end and rather tight at the head end. There were no bunches or folds where the wrapping overlapped and the cap was well constructed. This had a near perfect perfecto shaped foot.


Tasting Notes:

RyJ:
A very toasty, mellow cigar. There was a slight leathery taste that made its appearance  at once in a while throughout the cigar. This was light but still with a complex taste profile. I was able to enjoy this cigar down to the nub.


AF:
This was a medium bodied cigar with minor peppery taste to it. There was a simple toasty taste throughout the smoke however toward the end the taste became a bit hot and acrid. The African Cameroon did give each draw a sweet taste at the beginning of the puff which dissipated quickly. I wasn't able to enjoy this to the nub and disposed of it with about 1 - 1/2" remaining which makes up about a third of the cigar body.

Other Notes:
RyJ:
The ash held on for about 2" and was a bit frayed with a white / gray color. Each draw produced a good amount of smoke.


AF:
The smell before the cigar was lit reminded me of a field of hay being harvested. The African Cameroon wrapper felt like lizard skin. There was a fair amount of smoke per draw.

Draw (for both)	Burn (for both)
Start:  good	Start: even
Halfway:  good	Halfway:  even
Three-Quarters: good	Three-Quarters:  even

Recommend: RyJ: I would recommend the Romeo y Julieta Reserva Real Love Story for anyone looking for a quick and light cigar that still provides a complex and enjoyable taste profile.  AF: This truly was a short story that I wished had a better ending.

Cain's Nicaraguan Ligero Tobacco

After enjoying the very able Cain Straight Ligero on Friday, I decided to conduct a geography lesson for myself. I looked up the regions the three ligero fillers came from on Google Maps as shown in the figure below.

The map above is centered on Nicaragua. Near the north (top) are three green call outs labeled A,B, and C which mark the three areas as follows: A=Jalapa, B=Condega, C=Esteli.  As you can see the tobaccos come from the northern region of Nicaragua. Below is a tiny bit of information on each of the areas and about the tobacco as described by caincigars.com.

Jalapa:

Jalapa is perhaps the smallest of the three locations with an elevation of about 2,300 feet above sea level. Jalapa provides the least amount of direct sun due to the valley the tobacco is grown in and the smoothest of the three ligero tobaccos.

Condega:

Nicaragua.com describes Condega as a tranquil area surrounded by mountains and beautiful valleys and is an important contributor to the tobacco industry. Here Cuban exiles perfected the skill of making cigars and relocated the craft to Esteli. Condega is slightly lower than Esteli and as a result a bit warmer. The Condega ligero tobacco is medium bodied with a complex richness.

Esteli:

According to Perelman's Pocket Cyclopedia of Cigars, Esteli is the location where the Cain cigars are handmade. Esteli is just over 2,600 feet above sea level in a cooler region of Nicaragua giving the town a nice and cool climate. Nicaragua.com mentions this region is a location where Cuban cigar makers sought refuge during the Cuban Revolution and could attribute to why the tobacco industry is such a large part of the area. Esteli ligero tobacco is the strongest of the three and must be used sparingly otherwise it could overpower the other tobaccos.

Clearly Cain selected areas deeply rooted with cigar history and an ideal climate for producing the full flavored and complex cigars we enjoy today.

Cain -- Straight Ligero - Robusto

Cain and VERY Able. Those guys at Oliva weren't joking when they described this cigar as "strength under cover".

Occasion:  July 1st	Gauge:  50
Cigar:  Habano Straight Ligero	Length: 5-3/4"
Price:  $6.25	Shape:  Robusto
Filler:  Ligero (Esteli, Condega, Jalapa)
Binder: Nicaragua
Wrapper:  Nicaragua Habano

Appearance: 
The Nicaragua Habano wrapper had a rich milk chocolaty brown color with a silky sheen. Each wrapper leaf had a prominent lighter colored vein and a small hole was present along one of the veins. Aside from the veins, the wrapper appeared flawless.

Construction:
A very firm roll with no spongy spots at all. The cap was extremely well constructed with only a minor bunch where the body's wrapper folded under. A thick vein became exposed at the middle after I punched out a hole in the cap. A v-notch punch could have had an issue but a guillotine would have cut right through. 


After about an inch of enjoyment the burn became uneven and lasted for the duration of the cigar. This did not reduce my enjoyment of the cigar and was only a cosmetic issue.


Tasting Notes:

Right from the get-go to about the halfway mark you get a nice peppery rush that fills your entire mouth. The peppery taste holds on for a bit before retreating and an earthy and then roasted flavor sets in. A very complex flavor profile with this cigar. Even though this cigar is a very full bodied smoke there was no harsh after-taste or unpleasant mouthfeel when finished. This must be attributed to the tobacco's triple fermentation process.

Draw	Burn
Start:  good	Start: even
Halfway:  good	Halfway:  uneven
Three-Quarters: good	Three-Quarters:  uneven

Recommend: Be ready for jaw dropping taste experience. While the cigar was complex and flavorful and remained smooth and consistent throughout, those triple fermented ligeros sat me down.

Other Notes: Got this at Tinder Box. What a great place with very knowledgeable and helpful staff. The guy asked many questions to learn what I enjoyed and what price range I was looking for and offered many great suggestions.

Coming Soon - The Cigar Log Book

Some folks have asked when The Cigar Log Book will be ready for sale and I'm here to tell you that it will be by August 2010. I am proofing the current copy and adding a Cigar Index page and then sending it off to the printers.

Thank you all for your patience and interest. Don't forget to use the code BNWGGJ9N when you check out to get 33% off your copies.

Regards,

Nathan Lester

La Perla Habana -- Morado - Toro

Now this is a cigar! After the Saturday Lite, this was a tasty delight.

Occasion:  Why not?	Gauge:  50
Cigar:  Morado	Length: 6
Price:  $3	Shape:  Toro
Filler:  Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Wrapper:  African Cameroon

Appearance: 
This was a magnificently presented cigar with a cedar wrapping and a purple ribbon at the foot. No blemishes or discolorations in the dark wrapper. The only complaint was that the wrapper was a bit torn but I attribute this to the fact that I purchased it in a multi-pack sampler. Shame on the person that put the pack together!

Construction:
The Morado Toro was tightly rolled with not a spongy spot along the entire cigar. You could tell a seasoned veteran put this one together. The cap was well wrapped and no folds or bunches where the wrapper overlapped.


Tasting Notes:

The Camaroon wrapper for this cigar was a delight and apparently in short supply according to Doug Wood, president of La Perla Habana Cigars. A definite spicy and earthy flavor came about and toasty hints came into play for the entire smoke. There were no real distinct flavor phase changes as the cigar was enjoyed but there were many tastes adding to the complexity. This was a consistent and complex cigar. I've heard others describe chocolate flavors but I have yet to experience those.

Draw	Burn
Start:  good	Start: even
Halfway:  good	Halfway:  even
Three-Quarters: good	Three-Quarters:  a bit uneven

Recommend: I would definitely recommend this to anyone that can enjoy a fuller-bodied experience. 

Other Notes: Wrapped in a cedar sheath and purchased from a multi-pack sampler from Thompson Cigars.

Rocky Patel -- The Edge Lite - Robusto

Oh boy. Where do I begin? I've always been a Rocky fan but like a man on a diet eating a rice cake, this one left me unsatisfied.

Occasion:  the weekend	Gauge:  50
Cigar:  The Edge Lite	Length: 5-1/2"
Price:  $6.29	Shape:  Robusto
Filler:  Nicaragua & Honduras
Binder: Nicaragua
Wrapper:  Ecuadorian Connecticut

Appearance: 
The main body and foot were well groomed. The glue attaching the cap discolored the wrapper a bit. The rest of the wrapper was nice and golden with a silky sheen. There was minor bunching where one wrapper leaf overlapped another but this was minor. A few green spots on the binder were peaking through the thin Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper.

Construction:
The Lite was not as dense as other Rocky Patel cigars I am used to. The filler seemed to be packed a bit looser and this really was apparent with the draw of the cigar. There were no spongy spots throughout and the density was constant from the foot to the head. The ash was nice and solid and hung on for 2" before it dropped off. The second ash was just as long as the first before it dropped off. 


Tasting Notes:

The folks at RP weren't kidding with the name "Lite". The taste is alright, when you find it. There was a bit of a peppery taste when I drew it in but it quickly vanished. At about halfway, a toasty taste began to come through but just like the taste at the start, it faded fast. At about three-quarters through, the draw began to get hot. This could be because at the end I was just hoping to find some complexity and taste before my cigar was finished. The name "Lite" is no misnomer. In fact I frequently was comparing this cigar to smoking a roll of paper. Not surprisingly there was NO aftertaste, unfortunately it was because there was no before or during taste either.

Draw	Burn
Start:  too lite	Start: even
Halfway:  too lite	Halfway:  even
Three-Quarters: too lite	Three-Quarters:  even

Recommend: Only if you like it light and mild.

Other Notes: Crescent Tobacco Shop