Apr 30th 2012 - EP Carrillo Short Run 2011

Today I'm kicking off my CigarFest feature week. I'll be highlighting some of the brands I'm most excited to see at CigarFest this year. These are in no particular order. Today brings us the EP Carrillo Short Run 2011 Canonazos in a 5.8x52 vitola. Ernesto Perez-Carrillo is a legend in the cigar industry. After starting in Cuba the Ernesto and his family fled Cuba in the 1960's and set up in Miami and created El Credito Cigar Company which produced the still popular La Gloria Cubana Cigar line. In 2008 Ernesto left La Gloria Cubana and shortly there after started up the EPC Cigar Company with his son and daughter. Starting in 2010 they have been producing a yearly Short Run Cigar. It is featured in 3 vitolas and only 1500 boxes of each vitola was made. The 2011 features a Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper with Nicaraguan and Dominican long fillers. It has great elegant flavors of coffee, chocolate, tobacco, spice, roasted nuts and a very light pepper.

Apr 29th 2012 - Casa Fernandez Aganorsa Leaf

Today brings us the Casa Fernandez Aganorsa Leaf in a 5x52 Robusto vitola. Casa Fernandez comes to us from Tabaclera Tropical. They are based out of Esteli, Nicaragua for not only their headquarters but also their production. According to their website they use Cuban seeds to grow their tobaccos and follow the traditional Cuban methods for their cigar production. The Aganorsa is a Nicaraguan puro and features a 2006 Sun Grown Criollo wrapper. It's a very smooth cigar with flavor notes of pepper, cedar, coffee with a nice sweetness to it. I featured this today as a blind grab out of the humidor.

Apr 28th 2012 - Revisit Diesel Unholy Cocktail Aged 2 years

Today bring us a revisit of Wed Apr 25th's cigar. The Diesel Unholy Cocktail 5x56 vitola. This has been consistently for 2 years one of my favorite cigars. It comes wrapped in a Pennsylvania Broadleaf Maduro wrapper with a Nicaraguan binder and fillers. Wanted to revisit this today to give an updated review on what 2 years has done to this cigar. I feel like the tobaccos have really came together nicely. The pepper and spice has really died down in it but the oak and earth flavors have developed well and compliment each other nicely. There's still a nice sweetness to it and a slight spice that reminds you of what it's like fresh. This cigar really shows you what aging can do and how elegant it can make a cigar.

Apr 27th 2012 - CAO Criollo

Today brings us the CAO Criollo in a 6.1x52 Conquistador Torpedo vitola. The CAO Criollo comes wrapped in a 1998 Criollo wrapper that was grown from an experimental Cuban seed. It is a Nicaraguan Puro containing only Nicaraguan tobaccos in it's blend. It's a cigar that gives you waves of pepper and spice with a nice earth and creamy core to it. Wanted to feature this today to give a shout out to all the great cigar pics that are happening on instagram. Find and follow me, ENFIDL, and it'll be easy to find a lot of other great cigar peeps on there as well. Hope everybody has a great weekend!

Apr 26th 2012 - Hammer and Sickle Moscow City

Today brings us the Hammer and Sickle Moscow City in a 6x54 Toro vitola. The Moscow City is a limited production cigar that they brought out I believe in 2010. I'm finding some conflicting information on the blend. On the H&S site it says that it is a 100% Connecticut Broadleaf blend but everywhere else I'm reading that it has a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper, with a Dominican binder and fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican. Regardless of the blend it was done by legendary master blender Henke Kelner of Davidoff. That alone says how great of a cigar this is. It's a spicy, chocolately, peppery, earthty and woody cigar with coffee notes throughout. I chose this to be today's cigar because it was on this day in 1986 that the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant disaster occurred.

Apr 25th 2012 - Diesel Unholy Cocktail

Today brings us the Diesel Unholy Cocktail in a 5x56 vitola. This is one of my hands down favorite cigars. It comes wrapped in a beautiful Pennsylvania Broadleaf Maduro wrapper with it's binder and fillers come from Nicragua. The UC is full bodied and has great balance and complexity. It is a leathery, peppery, earthy, chocolaty sweet and spicy cigar. Featuring this today as I was gifted a box of these by my awesome fiance 2 years ago and will be having one of the remaining 5 today and 1 each year on this day until they're gone.

Apr 24th 2012 - La Flor Dominicana Air Bender

Today brings us the La Flor Dominicana Air Bender in a 6.5x54 Chisel vitola. The chisel is a revolutionary design by the guys at LFD. It's a figuardo that is flattened and reminds me of a clarinet's mouthpiece. The Air Bender comes from the Dominican Republic with it's fillers and binder coming from there as well with an Ecuadorian wrapper. It has great flavors of dark chocolate, nuts, spice, pepper, earth and hints of leather. I chose this to be today's cigar as on this day in 1990 the Hubble Space Telescope was launched on the Shuttle Discovery. The Hubble revolutionized space research.

Apr 23rd 2012 - Tatuaje TAA 2011

Today brings us the Tatuaje TAA 2011 in it's only size a 5 5/8x54 vitola. TAA stands for the Tobacconist Association of America. Pete Johnson did an exclusive release for retailers who signed up for the release at the annual TAA convention. Only 1,500 boxes of 20 cigars were made. This will be a recurring release every year with a new blend and vitola used year to year. The 2011 has a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper with Nicaraguan tobaccos as the binder and filler. It has flavors of earth, spice, pepper, chocolate, coffee ,cedar and a sweetness to it that really brings it all together. Featuring this today to help raise awareness on what the FDA is trying to do. If the FDA has their way we won't have any more shops for us to get and enjoy shops at. The FDA is trying to put new regulations that would completely change how we enjoy cigars. This would jeopardize over 85,000 American jobs, destroy America’s B&M premium cigar retailers & manufacturers, and risk over 250,000 jobs in Latin American that produce cigars, impacting the economic/political stability in the region. Please stand up for your rights and visit the links below to make your voice heard. 25K signatures are needed by May 11th. Please share this and help spread the word and keep the FDA out of your humidors. Thanks everybody...

http://www.cigarrights.org/#

https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/not-allow-fda-regulate-premium-cigars/BKspSSnN?utm_source=wh.gov&utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=shorturl

Apr 22nd 2012 - Oliva Serie V

Today brings us the Oliva Serie V in a 5x54 Double Robusto vitola. The Serie V is known as premier staple in the Oliva line. The Serie V consistently gets very high ratings amongst the big cigar magazines. Oliva makes tobacconist undergo training on this cigar to carry it. The Serie V consists of all ligero tobaccos and has a Sun Grown Habano wrapper. It has a classic tobacco core with hints of spice, pepper, coffee and chocolate. Featuring this cigar today to celebrate Earthy Day.

Apr 21st 2012 - Arganese Uno

Today brings us the Arganese Uno in a 6x60 vitola. Arganese Cigars has a pretty great story I think. Gene Arganese wanted to create a cigar for his personal use and then due to how much those around him loved him he decided to go all out with it. The Uno is slightly infused with premium cognac when it's made. It's a Dominican puro. You'll get a sweet and cedary flavor profile. I wanted to feature this today to honor accomplishment of Rollie Fingers on this day in 1982 when he became the first pitcher in Major League Baseball history to record 300 saves. Well I also want to honor that epic mustache that he had...

Apr 20th 2012 - La Flor Dominicana Colorado Oscuro

Today brings us the La Flor Dominicana Colorado Oscuro No 5 in a 5.75x60 vitola. The Colorado Oscuro was the highly anticipated released at last years IPCPR by LFD. The Colorado Oscuro isn't exactly what I would call a limited release but it is a limited annual release only being shipped out to retailers twice a year. It features a very rich brown Ecuadorian Ligero Sumatra wrapper, a Dominican Sumatra binder and fillers from the Dominican and Nicaragua. You'll get a toasty, earthy, spicy cigar that also has notes of chocolate, coffee, and pepper. I wanted to feature this today as a memorial to the 13 people who lost their lives and 21 who were injured in the shooting at Columbine High School in Colorado on this day in 1999.

Apr 19th 2012 - Tatuaje La Verite 2009

Ok so I know I've asked before but your help is still needed everybody. Pete Johnson, one of the top manufacturers in the industry and a HUGE supporter of my blog, is competing to win the Crushpad Club Challenge. It's Pete's opportunity to make a 10+ year dream of getting into the wine industry come true. The contest is now in the fan vote phase. Please go here, http://www.facebook.com/crushpad?sk=app_301784786521549#!/crushpad?sk=app_301784786521549, and vote for TATOUAGE. You can vote only vote once so please if you can take a sec pop over and show Pete some love. Thanks!

Today brings us the Tatuaje La Verite Vintage 2009 L’Espirit de Verite Robusto in a 5x50 vitola. Pete Johnson is known for his limited release cigars. The Verite, truth in French, is one that he takes immense pride in. Pete applies a vintners approach to the process by using tobaccos all grown on the same farm. The La Verite Vintage 2009 gets it's tobaccos from part of the 2007 growing season at the Garcia family's La Estrella farm in Nicaragua. The La Verite Vintage 2009 L’Espirit de Verite consists of 50% Habano Criollo, 40% Criollo 98 and 10% Pelo de Oro tobaccos. You'll get great flavors of cocoa, wood, spice and pepper. I chose this to be today's as it relates to what I'm trying to help Pete accomplish with this post with his approach to the La Verite Vintage line. Thanks for the help guys!

Apr 18th 2012 - Man O War Armada

Today brings us the Man O War Armada in a 6.5x56 Toro Grande vitola. The Armada is the premium blend in the Man O War line. Like the others this cigar does not disappoint. It is more elegant than it looks though. I was pleasently surprised that it wasn't a full bodied beast. It has an Ecuadorian Sumatra Maduro wrapper and long fillers from Nicaragua. The Armada has an earthy core with spice, leather, coffee and a nice sweetness to balance it all out. I wanted to feature this today to pay homage to Operation Praying Mantis which happened on this day in 1988. This operation was carried out by the US Navy and Marine Corps on Iranian Naval forces after the USS Samuel B. Roberts struck a mine on Apr 14th 1988 as a result of Iran placing mines in the Persian Gulf during their war with Iraq. 2 Marines lost their lives in the Operation in a helicopter crash. You're sacrifice will never be forgotten...

Apr 17th 2012 - Gurkha Special Ops

Today brings us the Gurkha Special Ops in a 7x50 Churchill vitola. Gurkha release one of what is quite possibly the most awesome cigar and accessory combos I've ever seen. A 30 ct travel case that is a beast, with 20 cigars, a knife and a challenge coin. Unfortunately I can't feature the whole thing as I don't own one. The Special Ops features a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper with Nicaraguan and Dominican fillers. It's a earthy, peppery, chocolaty, cedary cigar with a classic aged tobacco taste to it. I wanted to feature this today to pay my respects to the crew of the Apollo 13. They made it through some of the worst conditions possible. Lack of oxygen and had to deal with freezing temperatures and extreme heat. They held it together and made it through everything thrown at them.

Apr 16th 2011 - Davidoff Special Series

Today brings us the Davidoff Special Series in a 4.8x50 Robusto vitola. Davidoff is known as one of the premier premium cigar makers in the industry. The Special Series features an Ecuadorian Connecticut Wrapper with a binder and fillers hailing from the Dominican Republic which is where this cigar is made. You'll get a mild bodied beauty with flavors of honey, vanilla, milk chocolate and lemon. I chose this to be today's cigar to remember those who were lost in the VA Tech shooting on this day in 2007. 32 people lost their lives and 25 more were injured. This may have happened 5 years ago but for the families and friends of the victims it can't be any easier today than it was then. Just know that there are those of us out there who are keeping them in our thoughts and prayers...

Apr 15th 2012 - Gurkha Legend

Today brings us the Gurkha Legend in a 6x52 Torpedo vitola. Hands down one of my fav sticks by Gurkha. It comes from the Dominican Republic and features a 7 yr old Connecticut Broad Leaf Maduro wrapper with a Cameroon binder and Dominican fillers. This cigar has an earthy and leathery core that is complemented by spice and a nice maduro sweetness. I wanted to feature this as the Titanic Memorial cigar. On Apr 15th 1912 the RMS Titanic sank. More than 1500 people lost their lives. To give some perspective there was only 710 who survived. It's legend has been told far and wide and it's story transcends generations unlike almost any other...

Apr 14th 2012 - Cigar.com American Label

Today brings us a new cigar the cigar.com American Label in a 6.5x42 Corona vitola. Whenever anybody asks me what's a good value cigar I hands down always say the cigar.com house blends. The Sun Grown is in my top 5. There is now a new addition to the line that may be produced in Nicaragua but features all American tobaccos. The American Label features a Connecticut Shade Leaf wrapper, with a Wisconsin binder with Connecticut Broadleaf and Habano fillers. I can't even begin to say how excited I am to try these out. Wanted to feature this today to help spread the word on the newest addition to their house blends line.

Apr 13th 2012 - Evanston Diablo Humidor

Today I'm featuring the Evanston Diablo 300 count humidor. This is a very beautiful humidor. The outside features a dark brown, marbled finish and is lined on the inside with Spanish cedar as any good humidor is. With a lock and key on the front you never have to worry about anyone/anything else getting to your cigars. One of my favorite features is the 2 felt lined drawers in the bottom. Great for storing cutters, lighters, small cases, tubes, matches, etc. Now for the reason I'm featuring this today. The FDA is trying to put new regulations that would completely change how we enjoy cigars. This would jeopardize over 85,000 American jobs, destroy America’s B&M premium cigar retailers & manufacturers, and risk over 250,000 jobs in Latin American that produce cigars, impacting the economic/political stability in the region. Please stand up for your rights and visit the links below to make your voice heard. 25K signatures are needed by May 11th. Please share this and help spread the word and keep the FDA out of your humidors. Thanks everybody...

http://www.cigarrights.org/#

https://wwws.whitehouse.gov/petitions/!/petition/not-allow-fda-regulate-premium-cigars/BKspSSnN?utm_source=wh.gov&utm_medium=shorturl&utm_campaign=shorturl

Apr 12th 2012 - God of Fire

Today brings us the God of Fire Don Carlos 2007 in a 5.2x50 Robusto vitola. The Fuente family is known for producing some of the most premium cigars in the world. The God of Fire is a joint venture between Fuente and Promethus. Promethus is known as one of the top accessory makers out there. The God of Fire has taken on a competition format with father and son, Carlos and Carlito Fuente, trying to create the top cigar. The Don Carlos gives us flavors of spice, earth, cedar, coffee with a nice creamy sweetness to it. Wanted to feature this today as I featured the Carlito yesterday and want to know which one everybody prefers.

Apr 11th 2012 - God of Fire

Today brings us the Arturo Fuente God of Fire Carlito 2007 in a 6.3x52 Piramide vitola. The Fuente family is known for producing some of the most premium cigars in the world. The God of Fire is a joint venture between Fuente and Promethus. Promethus is known as one of the top accessory makers out there. The God of Fire has taken on a competition format with father and son, Carlos and Carlito Fuente, trying to create the top cigar. With the GOF Carlito 2007 you get a nutty, sweet, woody and leathery smoke that is fantastic. I chose this to be today's cigar to celebrate the my amazing fiance's birthday. Thank you for everything you do and I love you. Happy Birthday sweets!

Apr 10th 2012 - Perdomo Lot 23

Today brings us the Perdomom Lot 23 in a 5x50 Robusto vitola. The way the story was told to me was that in 2000 Nick Perdomo planted some experimental tobaccos on his lot number 23. When blending with them Nick found that they worked best with each other and thus the Lot 23 was born. Which means that not only is this a true Nicaraguan puro but all of the tobaccos in it come from the same field and today I'm featuring the Natural wrapper version. It's a spicy and sweet cigar with woody, nutty and earthy cigar. Chose this today as I'm only a few views away from 17K and thought this was a great cigar to feature for the occasion.

Apr 9th 2012 - Crowned Heads Four Kicks

Today brings us the Crowned Heads Four Kicks in a 5x50 Robusto vitola. Crowned Heads hit the scene in 2011 and really made a big splash. The company was created by Jon Huber, Nancy Heathman, Mike Conder, Michael Trebing and company after the sale of CAO Cigars. Their first release is the Four Kicks. Hailing from Tabacalera LaAlianza S.A. in the Dominican Republic it features an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with it's binder and fillers coming from Nicaragua. You get an earthy and woody core that is complemented by sweet spicy flavor notes that is well balanced and complex. Featured this today to help promote that tomorrow Tues Apr 10th Jon Huber will be the guest over on Cigar Chat Live! The chat kicks off at 7pm EST here: http://robbyrasreviews.com/live-chat/

Apr 8th 2012 - Siglo Limited Reserve Maduro

Today brings us the Siglo Limited Reserve Maduro in a . The Siglo line may stir up memories for many seasoned enthusiasts back to the old Cuban brand. The new Siglo may follow suit as far as packaging and name but def has it's own identity. Siglo comes from Altadis and was blended by Frank Llaneza. Hailing from the Honduras it has a San Andres Morron maduro wrapper with a Nicaraguan binder and fillers from Nicaragua and the Dominican. You'll get flavor notes of coffee, pepper, earth, tobacco and nuts. I wanted to feature this today to wish everybody a very Happy Easter! Hope you and your family's have a great and safe holiday!

Apr 7th 2012 - Casa Magna Colorado

Today brings us the Casa Magna Colorado in a 4.7x60 Torito vitola. The Casa Magna Colorado was blended by Manuel Quesada and produced at Nestor Plasencia’s factory in Nicaragua. This means two very big names in the industry blended it and produce it. It is a Nicaraguan puro with it's wrapper being a Nicaraguan Ligero Colorado. The term Colorado was given to it as a result of the color of the wrapper used. It's a spicy and woody cigar with strong notes of coffee. Featuring this today as I only had this one to shoot and really want to smoke it.

Apr 6th 2012 - Padilla Single Batch #17RC

Today brings us the Padilla Single Batch #17RC in a 6x50 Toro vitola. The Padilla Single Batch line are limited production cigars, hence the name, that are not only flavorful but very affordable. The #17RC is the first cigar to be produced in the line. This is a very solid medium bodied cigar. It has a Nicaraguan binder and fillers and an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. It has flavors of tobacco, wood, pepper and earth. Featured today as a blind grab out of the humidor.

Apr 5th 2012 - Arturo Fuente Hemingway Between The Lines

Today brings us the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Between The Lines in a 4.2x46 perfecto vitola. The Between The Lines is a limited production cigar in the Hemingway line. They utilize two wrappers a Connecticut Shade Grown and Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro with a Dominican binder and fillers. It's a creamy, earthy, woody, chocolately and sweet cigar. I chose this for today to pay homage to two very talented musicians who both passed on this day. Kurt Cobain of Nirvana in 1994 and Layne Staley of Alice in Chains in 2002. They were both very talented musicians whose music touched many peoples lives. Thanks for all the great music guys.....

Apr 4th 2012 - Est 1844 Dos Capas

Today brings us the Est 1844 Dos Capas in a 5x42 corona vitola. The Est 1844 line has quickly become well known as a very solid value cigar. Lately in the AJ Fernandez Clown Car Corona Sampler I noticed that the La Herencia Cubana Dos Capas corona was replaced by a Est 1844 Dos Capas. I don't have much info on it as there's not much out there but it looks very similar to the LHC Dos Capas. If anybody has any info on these please share as I'm very intrigued and that's why I'm featuring it today.

Apr 3rd 2012 - La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero

Today brings us the La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero in a 5.5x48 Chisel Gorda vitola. When I first heard about a "chisel" cigar I thought there's no way it's anything but a gimmick. Boy was I wrong. LFD hit a home run with their chisel design. The Double Ligero was a response to the growing need for more full bodied cigars. You can get them in either an Ecuadorian Sun Grown natural or maduro wrapper with a Dominican binder and Dominican ligero fillers. Today I'm featuring the maduro version. You'll get full bodied flavors of pepper, earth, chocolate, espresso and a classic maduro sweetness to round it all out. I chose this to feature today because of the great news that was announced yesterday. The Deftones have finished writing their new "futuristic" album that according to Chino closely resembles White Pony. He also said that it could be released as early as this summer!

Apr 2nd 2012 - Padilla Habano Artisano

Today brings us the Padilla Habano Artisano in a 5.7x54 Perfecto vitola. The Padilla Habano Artisano honestly is one of my favorite looking cigars. It also presented some challenges with it's mutli-wrapper when I started to shoot it. The Artisano is a multiple wrapper blend of the regular Padilla Habano but with Habano, Connecticut and Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrappers in a barber pole style design. It's a sweet, pepper, cedary and creamy cigar. Chose this to feature today as I had finally gotten around to shooting it.

Apr 1st 2012 - Man O War Puro Authentico Maduro

Today brings us the Man O War Puro Authentico Maduro in a 5x42 Corona vitola. Some of you may remember this from being featured recently but I had my first one over the weekend and it was def a treat. The Puro Authentico was introduced as a corona addition to the Man O War line and is said to have been AJ Fernandez's personal go to blend. Now there is a maduro version being produced. The PA Maduro uses a Pennsylvania Broadleaf Maduro wrapper and has the same Nicaraguan and Honduran binder and filler from the original PA. I got tons flavor that had notes of spice, earth, pepper and a sweet hickory to it. There was some harshness to it towards the last 1/3 with it being a relatively fresh cigar but I feel it will age really really well. I featured this today to revisit it after my first experience with it.

Mar 31st 2012 - Bolivar Cofradia Cask Aged Maduro

Today brings us the Bolivar Cofradia Cask Aged Maduro in a 6 1/8x50 vitola. Bolivar is a very old and well known manufacturer in the cigar industry. Their non-Cuban cigar line is owned by General Cigar Co. The Cofradia Cask Aged Maduro features a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper with a Connecticut binder and fillers from Honduras and Nicaragua. You'll get a full bodied cigar with flavors of coffee, earth, leather, spice, pepper, cedar and a nice maduro sweetness to it. Chose this today to pay homage to the 4 American security contractors who were killed in Fallujah, Iraq this day in 2004.

Mar 30th 2012 - 262 Ideology

Today brings us the 262 Ideology in a 5.5x42 Corona vitola. The Ideology was the 2nd cigar released by 262. It was created to pay homage to old school cigars of times past. It has a Nicaraguan Habano Rosado wrapper, with a Nicaraguan binder and fillers from Nicaragua, the Dominican and Mexico. It's a creamy, buttery, sweet, spicy, cedary and nutty cigar. I feature this today as it's my big guy's birthday today!