"I was leery about the first third, hoping it may have some complexity of this blend, however i was delightfully surprised bu the last two thirds. A menagerie of roasted and tasty charred flavors intermingling with sweet caramel and chocolate flavors made this end up being two thumbs up for me! Paired with flawless appearance, construction and burn made it all the better. Top notch med-full bodied smoke!" -John A. (Bostoneo)
"A really enjoyable smoke the entire way through. It reminded me of a fresh Anejo, or La Palina Maduro. I would definitely recommend enjoying this as a morning smoke with a nice cup of coffee." -Jeff (ExpendableYouth)
Imagine a car enthusiast having an opportunity to tour the Ferrari factory in Maranello, or someone who is a collector of fine watches going to visit Patek Philippe in Geneva. The chance to actually see your favorite products being constructed by hand can be a real treat for the senses, and it can also give a heightened respect for the work that goes into creating these items that we love so much. For premium cigar lovers the products that we consume are some of the most artfully and painstakingly crafted products in the world. Still, so many cigar lovers still don't have the first-hand experience of seeing what goes into growing fine tobacco and crafting great cigars. During Puro Sabor 2018 I was able to visit a number of cigar factories, large and small. In this second article of the series about the festival I will take you through these factories in the same order that I visited them.
AllBlind Cigar ReviewsDaniel S.DianaDominican RepublicFeaturedGrupo de MaestrosHabanoJason H.NaturalRafael NodalRomeo y Julieta (DR)Toro
·"For a mild cigar this one checked off many of the points I like from a fuller bodied and fuller flavored cigar. I feel this is a cigar for almost anyone to enjoy, and look forward to smoking one again soon!" -Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
"This complex cigar featured some interesting flavor transitions which I highly enjoyed. The notes were all well defined and the transitions between the differing notes all made sense. I would recommend this stogie to both newcomers and seasoned cigar smokers alike." -Matt Ca. (Cade)
When Hiram & Solomon introduced The Veiled Prophet cigar, it was quite a success. In response to that success, Hiram & Solomon Cigars have announced a new, and limited production, Veiled Prophet Toro. This will be a special run of the popular cigar in a 6 x 54 vitola.
"The general consensus on this cigar is astoundingly good as it checked off almost all of boxes. The construction, burn, and draw were all perfect which made for an ideal smoking experience as I did not have to babysit or put any effort into smoking. The cigar absolutely shined throughout the first two-thirds with a cadence of flavors I've yet to experience together and was not only unique but most of all quite enjoyable. Had the final third not offered such an abrupt change in flavors I would have smoked this cigar down to a nub. Once its identity is revealed I will absolutely seek it out for another round. Should the ending be rewritten I could even see this cigar being a regular in my humidor." -Noah S. (Noah)
"I find myself enjoying this more while reflecting back on it. The flavor profile was a very traditional style Nicaraguan with tobacco, cedar, leather, and pepper but it all worked very well when taken as a whole. The retrohale provided a bit of a break from the draw and even though the draw was a bit tight it was a good cigar for what it was. It's not a game changing cigar but it's a solid smoke and certainly worth your time. " -Alan (Eulogy)
"This stick took me for a ride that I didnt expect. Prior to lighting it I thought I would be smoking something medium to full in strength, with earthy qualities and that the stick would be very much "in your face". What I got instead was a fairly complex stick that was closer to the mild side of the strength equation with light, but pronounced flavors. Instead of an after an evening meal type smoke, I ended up with a cigar that I think would be extremely nice with a morning cup of coffee. I'll likely be seeking more of these out once the reveal is done." -Dave (mdwest)