Cigar Reviews

Blind Mans Bluff From Caldwell

Blind Mans Bluff Caldwell CigarsBlind Mans Bluff from Caldwell Cigars is one of those cigars that I see from time to time when I’m in my local B&M but have never picked up. Since I am trying to explore things outside of my normal go to cigars I thought it would was a good time to try it. Originally released at the 2015 IPCPR trade convention and unlike the rest of Caldwell’s cigars, they are fabricated at Agroindustrias Laepe S.A. in Danli, Honduras, which is also the same factory that rolls all of Camacho cigars.

The cigar is milk chocolate in color, has some thin veining and has more of a powdery finish as opposed to appearing oily. Construction wise the seams are nice and tight and it feels dense but a touch lumpy near the band. It gives the smells of dried fruit, cedar and hay. These are all noticed from the foot but the sweet dried fruit smell is more prevalent. The cold draw has flavors of spice cinnamon and hay, the draw was easy but not loose.

The first half has the flavors os black pepper and wood with a bitter sweet finish. It burns sharp and produces plenty of smoke that has a light weight mouth feel. The ash does drop off about every 1/4 inch so you’ll want to keep up with it to prevent getting a lap full. A small concern and nothing that detracts from the cigar.

Coming to the second half it turns dark chocolate in flavor with nuttiness and earth. For a moment there was is a sweet and spicy cinnamon finish that quickly changes to a long pepper finish. These are the flavors for the rest of the cigar. The burn remains even and the smoke continues to billow and fill the room.

To me this cigar is full in flavor and medium in strength. It would pair well with just about anything you choose to drink and a great cigar to unwind with at the end of the day or with a group of friends. With a rich flavor profile it would be easily appreciated by either a novice or experienced smoker. After smoking this the Blind Mans Bluff I wish I had looked into the Caldwell line earlier and if you haven’t tried it yet once do, you’ll feel the same way.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Honduran Criollo
Filler: San Vincente, Honduran Criollo Ligero
Price: $7.50 – $9.50 a stick.
Rating: 4.6 out of 5 pints

 

Estate Selección Vintage (ESV) Sun Grown from Perdomo

Perdomo ESV Sun GrownThe Perdomo ESV caught my eye the other day at the shop and it occurred to me that I haven’t really smoked anything from them in a while. Nothing against the brand and, I have a drawer full of them in one of my humidors, I just don’t think to go tho them. But I digress. The Perdomo ESV is emblazoned with an ornate large double band which is what drew me to it. After looking at them for a bit I picked up a few of both the sun grown and the maduro (future article coming on that one soon) and skipped the Connecticut as I don’t generally go for those.

The wrapper is the color of milk chocolate with a subtle hint of red with a slight oil sheen to it. There is little veining and the seams are well hidden and tight. The body feels full but unlike most box pressed cigars it doesn’t have that pillowy feel to it and instead feels dense. While I stay away from describing bands since you can see what they  look like in the photo in this case it is worth noting. It has been my experience that most cigars with a large ornate band tend to be made of heavy material and become difficult to remove without damaging the body of the cigar however, this is not the case with he Perdomo ESV. The band is made from a lightweight material that comes off easily leaving no damage when you’re ready to remove it.

From the body there is the smell of cocoa and barnyard, from the foot I pick up notes of dried fruit. From the cold draw I notice spices, cedar and a slight sugary flavor. There is lite resistance but it is not loose.

In the first half it has the flavor of spice, hay, some sweetness and oak that all combine well. The burn is fairly even and it produces plenty of light weighted smoke with a great aroma. The ash is tight and holds easily for nearly an inch before I break it free.

During the second half the flavor picks up with the spice becoming greater and the addition of a nutty flavor with salt but there is still a fair amount of sweetness to it. Reaching the very end Earth and nutty flavor are the most prominent with a black pepper finish. The burn stays even for the duration and there is plenty of smoke production.

Perdomo describes their cigar this way “PERDOMO Estate Selección Vintage Limited Edition Box-Pressed is hand-crafted using the top five percent of the Perdomo family’s estate grown tobaccos from the prestigious Finca Natalie Farm in Estelí, Nicaragua. The PERDOMO ESV Limited Edition Box-Pressed is an elegant smoking experience with rich aromas and bold, complex flavors. cigar, easy draw makes it easy to smoke.”  I found this to be a fairly Mello smoke and thoroughly enjoyed it. If you see them at your B&M these are worth picking up a few. once you Strat smoking it you will ned up nubbing it, not because it’s a $12 stick but because it’s that good. Looking forward to trying the maduro.

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Sun Grown
Binder: Cuban Seed Nicaraguan
Filler: Cuban Seed Nicaraguan
Price: Around $12.00 – $12.50 a stick.
Rating: 4.6 out of 5 pints

 

 

My Father Le Bijou 1922

My father Le BijouMy Father Cigars makes several great cigars and the My father Le Bijou is one of them.  Le Bijou (The Jewel) 1922 is a blend that has been created by Jose “Pepin” Garcia in honor, appreciation and memory of his father, who was born in 1922.

The cigar is rich dark brown brown in color and a slight oily sheen given off from the Habano Oscuro-Oscuro wrapper. There is some light veining and the seams are nearly invisible. The body feels dense but pliable with no dead spots found.

From the body notes of leather and cedar are found along with a chocolaty sweetness. From the foot these odors are stronger but the same. In the cold draw there are flavors of sweet tobacco with pepper but the draw feels a bit loose.

The first half of of the Le Bijou has the tase of earth and pepper with notes of dark chocolate on the finish. Even though it felt loose on the cold draw when lit the resistance is fine. It burns evenly and provides plenty of light weight smoke.

Through the second half the earth notes become stronger and the pepper replaces the sweetness at the finish with a bit of saltiness. There was one touch up required to the burn line but after that correction it was sharp for the duration. The smoke stayed plentiful and had a pleasant aroma as well.

This was a wonderful smoke from stat to finish. Medium full in both strength and flavor this is definitely one that will start your day off right or is a perfect way to spend the evening paired with a nice bourbon or scotch. Once again, the Garcia family incorporates into their profile the passion for the Cuban Cigar tradition. With its excellent look and construction be sure to add some of these to your collection.

Wrapper: Habano Oscuro-Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price: Around $7.00 – $12.50 a stick depending on vitola.
Rating: 4.8 out of 5 pints