Full disclosure... I have been a member of Cigar Dojo for a few years now. As a result of my time on the Dojo app, I have made some great friends and learned a lot about this hobby that we all love so much. When the original Sarsaparilla cigar was released in the Fall of 2014, I was excited to try it because I was already a big fan of the cigars coming out of the La Zona factory from Erik Espinosa. The original Sarsaparilla cigar proved to be another winner, and I still consider that to be one of the best cigars to have ever been crafted at La Zona.
I have been really impressed with many of the cigars released under the Room 101 brand name, and the Chief Cool Arrow is also impressive. The cigar is not only beautiful and interesting in the design, but it is well made and classically constructed. The flavor profile is in good company with the overall design. Bold, but classical. No harshness or overpowering notes ever came through the profile, and it was pleasant to smoke. Not boring or lackluster, but still some subtle nuances that kept me interested and excited to see what the next puff would bring. I recommend this cigar and am looking forward to trying the other vitolas.
Yes, I knew what I was smoking. Yes, I am a fan of Drew Estate, especially the T-52 and also blends from Willy Herrera. Yes, I am a fan of Caldwell, especially The King is Dead and The Last Tsar. Take all of that into account, and call me a fanboy if you want. I just don't care, because this was an excellent cigar.
AllCorona GordaDunbarton Tobacco & TrustFeaturedHabanoNaturalNicaraguaQuick Cigar ReviewsRosadoSteveSteve Saka
·This cigar seemed to come with a lot of hype. Wow, did it deliver. From the subtle changes back and forth in the flavor profile to the smooth draw, this cigar just exceeded expectations in every aspect. I smoked the corona vitola and my only concern was that it did not last longer. Get these if you can. I know I will.
Keystoned at $7.80 this is a great selection to have in your humidor. I was able to smoke it completely to the nub. The ashes remained solid throughout. The draw was great. I never had to touch it up even resting it several minutes it did not require relighting. Just an awesome smoke.
To celebrate the milestone of 10 years for El Primer Mundo Cigars, Sean Williams introduced the EPM 10 Year Anniversary cigar. It was released in June of 2016 and will be available at a very select group of retailers by invitation only. The cigar features a Rosado wrapper from Nicaragua, San Vicente binder, and Ligero Criollo, Ligero Negrito, and Corojo 2006 filler. It it made at the De Los Reyes SA factory in Dominican Republic. The EPM 10 Year is available in three vitolas. A 6x54 (MSRP $9.75) Toro, 5x50 Robusto (MSRP $8.75), and 5.5x42 Corona (MSRP $8.50). The cigar sampled for this review was the Toro vitola.
Muestra de Saka is a collection of different cigar blends from Steve Saka of Dunbarton Tobacco and Trust, each to be released at separate times throughout the next year. It was unveiled at the 2016 IPCPR and Muestra de Saka translated means “Sample of Saka".
I imagine this is what a fresh Cuban Davidoff would have tasted like back in the 80's. I've been fortunate to have one that was almost 30 years old, so I know the profile, but in those 30 years, some strength is lost. I appreciated the Davidoff Nicaragua for it's Nicaraguan take on the classic Davidoff profile and it's perfectly balanced flavors. I appreciated the Escurio for how unique and different it was. But this, is something completely different. This is a truly full flavored cigar that teeters in medium-full strength and has such a great classic profile. This is a game changer, I can't believe I'm saying this, but I liked this cigar even better than the Box-Pressed Nicaragua.
Construction was mostly fine, with good draw through a full cut and a mostly even burn with occasional canoeing and short ashes; it seemed to be a bit tightly rolled as it went out on me four times when left unattended. Lasted me for about 90 minutes.
Overall this was a great smoke. Very well rounded and balanced with some pepper spice at the start that changed into more of an all spice or cinnamon flavor. There was some very good sweetness to it that was almost caramel like during most parts. The draw and burn were both very good as well. This is probably the only cigar that I can remember smoking where I really noticed the aroma and that the wonderful aroma of the cigar did add to the experience. There is no way someone could smell the aroma of this cigar and not fall in love with it.