"I just love a good perfecto! Not only do they feel right in my hand, they look dapper and honestly remind me of the cigars you would see in classic cartoons. They also happen to be my favorite vitola so when I reached in the humidor and pulled this one out I was more than excited! Thankfully the experience lived up to my expectations. Aside from a couple of touchups needed to correct a wonky burn, my biggest gripe by far was the tight draw that hindered smoke output and muted the flavors throughout the first third. Thankfully a little chomping on the cap loosened everything up and the final two thirds of this smoke was absolutely superb! Not only were the flavors right in my wheel house, they were well balanced and perfectly complex while the smoke itself was nothing but smooth from start to finish. I can only imagine that a better draw would have improved the first third experience and would make an already great cigar just that much better. I can't wait to test this assumption and will undoubtedly be seeking out this stick once it is revealed." -Noah S. (Noah)
"I’ll be honest… I was a bit put off by the immense size of this cigar. I normally gravitate toward lancero, corona, and robusto sizes so this is definitely out of my comfort zone. Now that I’ve finished it I think I may have been missing out. The large size allowed me to enjoy the nuanced flavors longer and really helped to make me relax and realize how good life is. This is a cigar to spend quality time with and would be excellent paired with high-quality coffee. I would highly recommend this to a friend and would be proud to smoke another very soon!" -Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
Scandinavian Tobacco Group (STG), parent company of General Cigar, has announced a new version of their Buffalo Trace blend, “Buffalo Trace Special F." This was made in collaboration with famed whiskey maker Buffalo Trace. The name Special F comes from the unique and difficult-to-roll shape, figurado. This new blend also uses a binder aged in authentic Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels from the brand’s Kentucky distillery.
"The beginning was interesting and the middle almost extraordinary…unfortunately the ending was not able to live up to the rest and the sharp, harsh ending had me glad to set it down. I’d try another one based on where it was heading but would end it early if it started to get hot like this one. " -Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
"The flavor profile on this one wasn’t normally something I’d go for, but it certainly wasn’t offensive or bad. It was well-balanced up until the final third. It didn’t get unhinged at that point, just lost some of the sweetness until the very end. There was a decent amount of complexity, and the transitions flowed smoothly and made sense. It performed well, with very little attention needed. I probably won’t stock up on these, but I can think of several people I’d recommend it to." -Chris M. (Chris)
"Even though the draw was tighter than ideal for the first third and the lineup of flavors doesn't match what I typically reach for when choosing what to smoke, this cigar was immensely enjoyable! I am quite fond of this particular vitola as the change in ring gauge and proportions of binder, filler, and wrapper all but guarantees an interesting progression or transition of flavors that I tend to think of as a story the blender is telling through the leaves. Not only did the profile of flavors build upon one another from start to finish but so did the strength which is always a plus in my book. After a bit of a slow start, this cigar truly shined in the latter two-thirds when the flavors were most balanced, complex, and robust. The smoke was incredibly smooth throughout and the flavors were clearly defined which always makes for a nice experience as I don't have to think too much about what I am smoking. This is exactly the kind of smoke I like when I am deep in a great conversation amongst great friends." -Noah S. (Noah)
The Knuckle Sandwich maduro might be my favorite cigar of the last year, and this one comes close to it. It is more refined, but without the power and spice that define the Knuckle Sandwich Maduro. I only have one of these cigars and I can't wait to pick up more to age and enjoy. This collaboration between Espinosa and Guy Fieri knocks it out of the park at every opportunity, and everyone should try a Knuckle Sandwich whether it's this one, or one of the other options.
"Overall this was a pleasant cigar to smoke sensed a little nicotine buzz during the final third nothing off-putting, however, very enjoyable smoke I would definitely recommend this to friends who like a milder cigar. The cigar would go well with coffee and cream, or for the beer drinker maybe a blond ale style beer. " -Angel M. (Angel)
Rocky Patel Premium Cigars (RPPC) has announced a new vitola to its Hamlet 25th Year line, a Salomon size. The new vitola was shown off at this summer’s IPCPR trade show and will be shipping late October. Like the rest of the line, it was created by Cuban cigar blender and master roller, Hamlet Paredes.