Here’s a double cigar review, thanks to Super Bowl XLIV. I smoked two cigars while watching the nail biting match-up of the New Orleans Saints and Indianapolis Colts. The first review is of the Rocky Patel I-Press and the second is of a classic which has been in hibernation in my humidor for over three years, the Fuente Fuente Opus X Super Belicoso. Congrats to the New Orleans Saints on a historic victory!

Rocky Patel I-Press Toro
The Kick-off:
Keeping these short and sweet. At first glance this cigar looked tasty! The wrapper was shiny and dark like chocolate. The beautiful sharp box press was eye catching and the entire cigar smelled sweet like molasses. Upon lighting the cigar, a cedar, woody aroma filled the air. The cigar had good body and was well constructed. The first quarter was phenomenal like the game.

The 50-yard Line:
Gaining ground like a running back heading towards the 50 yard line, this cigar was burning nicely. Cocoa and cedar were very present and you could taste the sweetness of the blend on your entire palate. My mouth watered with every mouthful of smoke. I was heading towards the end-zone.

The End Zone:
Heading into the end zone, the cigar was coming along wonderfully, a cigar smoker’s fantasy. This cigar surprised me like a blind sided hit from a linebacker. Powerful, yet smooth. Dominant, yet refined. It burned with the finesse of quarterback leading the team into victory. A wonderful choice for an epic night. At just under $6 per stick and a size of 6 x 52, you can’t ask for more. An 8 out of 10!

Fuente Fuente Opus X Super Belicoso
The Kick-off:
Digging into my humidor like a center digging in for the hike, I grabbed an Opus X that had been in my humidor hibernating for about four years. It still had that cinnamon and nutmeg aroma at the foot which enticed me even more. The Rosado wrapper was just as silky as the day I purchased it, it had aged well! After clipping the head at an angle (a trick I learned about at the local tobacconist which is said to help figurado’s burn better), I was ready to enjoy my after dinner treat. At first light the air filled quickly with smoke and the aroma of nutmeg. My mouth had begun to experience the nice spices in the blend as well as the predominant notes of cinnamon and cedar. The burn was a little rough, as most Opus X are known to do, but evened out by the first quarter of the stogie.

The 50-yard Line:
Heading into the halfway point, the spices mellowed out and were replaced with more cinnamon and nutmeg flavors. Some coffee and cream notes were lingering in my palate, but not dominant. Roasted nuts had also made their way into the party and were well accepted! The burn was nice and smoke was thick. A well aged veteran. This classic smoke had impressed me yet again!

The End Zone:
Heading towards a certain victory, the cigar had developed nicely. The draw, burn and flavors ahd merged to create the perfect smoke for a great occasion. Although on the pricey side, $25 to be exact, this was one of those rare moments that a smoker breaks open his humidor for a rare, reserved treat. A most enjoyed moment! A 9 out of 10!

Happy Smoking!
Jorgie

The Light Up:
This cigar was made in commemoration of Rocky Patel’s birth year of 1961. This medium to full-bodied cigar was masterfully blended with a diversity of tobaccos. The final result is a smoke that’s rich with chocolate and cocoa notes, slightly spicy yet creamy. The Rocky Patel 1961 is the inaugural brand coming out of Rocky’s newest cigar factory in Nicaragua called Tabacalera Villa Cuba. The cigar had a gorgeous, silky Habano wrapper from Ecuador which complemented the Honduran binder and Nicaraguan fillers. At first puff, you can tell the cigar had some strength, but it was balanced enough not to bite your palate. You notice the chocolate and cocoa right away with a creamy aftertaste. A hint of spiciness is present, but not overwhelming.

The Mid-Stick:
Nearing the midway point, the cigar never strayed too far away from perfection. The wrapper had a enticing aroma which struck your senses like a blow from a heavyweight boxer. POW! Cocoa, chocolate, spice, and citrus flavors were noticeable and ever so delightful! The strength had now gained some ground. New flavors joined the party, almond and coffee. A pronounced sweetness was also present and made my mouth water. Heading towards the band and past the midway point, the cigar was burning nicely and had developed into one a hell of a cigar.

The Finish:
Once removing the band, I was pleased to be able to venture further. My palate was still tingling with excitement even though the peppery notes that were first present had dissipated into ash. The body was now in full effect and the blend had developed nicely. Burn, perfect! Aroma, appetizing! I had again ventured into smoker’s heaven. Although a little bitter at the end, Rocky had impressed me again! Verdict: go look around for one and add some to your collection. A well deserved 91!

Happy Smoking!
Jorgie

The Light Up:
Here’s a product we’re all familiar with (or I’d hope you would be). My uncle surprised me with this beauty on New Years Eve and I was excited. Padrón has long been my go to cigar whether it be the 3000 maduro or any of the 1964, 1926 or pretty much any Padrón product. It’s been about a year since I enjoyed a Padrón. Call me crazy, but with all of the new boutique cigars on the uprise, I decided to try the newbies and see what the hype was all about. They were all good, but no Padrón! The cigar was gorgeous. A beautiful, shiny maduro which reminded me of fine Godiva chocolates. My first instinct was to look at the foot of the cigar for what I call the chocolate swirls (being the ligero in the blend). For the obvious reason these chocolate swirls made for a more flavorful cigar. I taught my uncle to search for them when I worked at the shop. I’m glad he listened, I taught him well!! The construction, appearance, smell and feel were all flawless, like the perfect diamond. I knew I was in for a treat. I made sure to break out my best equipment for the occasion (glad I brought them along). I carefully cut the head making sure not to cut off too much. You get nervous when you have such a beauty on your hands and want to make sure you do everything right. I lit the cigar with a cedar strip, just for some extra woodiness, not that it needed it! I began my journey into cigar heaven. At first puff my mouth was exploding with flavor. By the first quarter, I was looking forward to the rest.

The Mid-Stick:
Nearing the halfway point, the cigar was on a roll. A chocolate aroma was in the air, while cedar, cream and cocoa entertained my palate like a great show. The burn was perfect and the ash was an exceptional light grey. This cigar was everything a premium cigar should be and then some. Continuing on past the second half of the cigar was pure bliss. The only thing missing was some fine scotch, which oddly enough was no where to be found! No need, the cigar was keeping me busy and the holiday coquito ( a Puerto Rican Egg Nog which has coconut milk, cinnamon, vanilla extract, evaporated milk, condensed milk and Rum. I’ll post a recipe soon!) was good enough.

The Finish:
What’s left to say? The cigar was everything I had remembered and hoped for. I’m really anxious to go out and get a Family Reserve No.45 Maduro (review coming soon). I’ve heard that cigar is wonderful, but back to the Exclusivo. Heading towards the home stretch, this baby never lost any flavor, aroma or strength. It’s what you’ve come to expect from a super premium product. Nicaragua has long been my favorite countries of cigar production. Padrón is the staple of the country. Just the subtle mention of Padrón sends cigar smokers to the store or their humidors, myself included. Price, who cares! This is one of those cigars you smoke on special occasions. Verdict: if you haven’t smoked one, you’re missing out!! A well respected 93!

Happy Smoking!
Jorgie

The Light Up:
I hope the Holidays were great and everyone got their favorite smokes out of the humidor. This is the first review of the three cigars I smoked on New Years Eve. I remember when CAO first released the MX2 over four years ago. I was working at Sabor Havana Cigars in Miami, FL and was a CAO fan. This new dark beauty reminded me of a gorgeous bar of dark chocolate fresh out of the wrapper. I remember smoking the Robusto which became my favorite and thinking it was a great cigar for the price. CAO strikes again!! This time touching me with one of my favorite things, a box pressed cigar. At first glance on the shelf, I must admit I was over anxious to get my hands on it! Once in my possession, I laid it to rest for about two weeks for the occasion. The cigar wasn’t on the “to smoke list” for New Years Eve, but I really hadn’t made up my mind as to what I was going to smoke, so I packed my travel box with plenty of goodies! Again my curiosity struck when I opened the travel box, and decided to end this torture. Once in my hand, this cigar had some weight on it. Nice and tightly packed, box pressed, I was again in love with the MX2 thus far. The construction, flawless, but what caught my eye once again was the beautiful Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper! When I lit it up, there was a lot of smoke, and no it wasn’t the fireworks going on around me! Once a quarter into the smoke, I could already taste the spiciness of the Brazilian Maduro binder and the nice fillers that crept through oh so gently onto my palate.

The Mid-Stick:
Half-way through this beauty and I was already thinking about purchasing more to add to the collection. The burn was a little uneven because of the thickness of the double wrapper, but it evened out as the cigar warmed up. The cigar had plenty of body. Medium to Full Bodied, but very smooth on it’s strength transitions. It had now developed a woody, earthy taste with subtle hints of chocolate in the background. The spiciness had faded away, but was replaced with a smooth creaminess. The ash was also impressive, white and sturdy. I lost my first ash at around a third way into the cigar, not bad considering that I had just stood it up on my ashtray for a few seconds, a sign of great construction and good tobacco.

The Finish:
By the time I removed the secondary band and worked my way to the original band, I was in smoker’s heaven. Those of you who have smoked a good cigar know what I’m referring to. That point where time seems to stand still and you seem to be the only one in the room. The moment where you’ve realized you had made a great decision on your purchase, and the point where you want to rush out and buy another. The cigar had developed nicely and the blend was now the star of the show. At 5 1/2″ x 55 and a price just under $7.00, this cigar is at the right price for the everyday smoker. I think Newbies can handle this one, so go out and splurge a little! A definite 91!

Happy Smoking!
Jorgie