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|  | The Annual “Cigars for Troops” drive is under way. This is a great opportunity to give back to those who protect our freedoms and earn the coveted "Troop Supporter" badge at the same time. You can find information here: http://www.cigargeeks.com/community/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=5385... A special thanks goes out to Nathan (nwb) for running the drive again.
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| | The 2020 The Marine Toys for Tots drive is under way again this year. This is the way to earn the Toys for Tots badge for being a contributor. If you give a kit for auction, win an auction, or donate at least $20 you will be awarded the badge A special thanks goes out to Emerson (McBryde) for stepping up to run the drive again this year.  |  |
| | | The points contest is under way for the month of September. The 26 members with the most points for the month have a chance to win a $25 gift certificate to Famous Smoke Shop. You can read the details HERE. To view the previous month's contest results see here. |
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| Camacho Liberty 2021 | September, 2021 | 89
CG Rating |  | | Written by Cigar Geeks Member: Murphy223 | | Thanks to Kevin (wescat) and Bruce for allowing me to participate. This one was fun. Overall, I enjo... Read More | | Camacho Liberty 2021 | September, 2021 | 86
CG Rating | | | Written by Cigar Geeks Member: tuck0411 | | Pretty nice smoke, this one, the uneven burn and needed maintenance aside. Flavor for days and if I ... Read More | | Camacho Liberty 2021 | September, 2021 | 92
CG Rating | | | Written by Cigar Geeks Member: nirab | | I really enjoyed this cigar. The oak notes were perfect with the coffee and pepper, and the natural ... Read More | | Camacho Liberty 2021 | September, 2021 | 83
CG Rating | | | Written by Cigar Geeks Member: Nick (nkowal) | | The Camacho Liberty 2021 was a bit of a disappointment given the high bar I have for the Liberty ser... Read More | | Camacho Liberty 2021 | September, 2021 | 87
CG Rating | | | Written by Cigar Geeks Member: Steve Ladd (Caveman Steve) | | All in all, this was real pleasure to smoke. The performance of the cigar itself overcame... Read More |
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| Joya de Nicaragua Antano Dark Corojo (Doble Fuerte) El Martillo |  | HolySmokes | 9/26/2021 8:37 PM | Stored for 186 days at 70% RH
Prelight: cigar has a nice deep brown hue. The construction is even throughout with invisible seams. This cigar is very toothy. There was a semi-sweet aroma when removed from the cellophane. I used a straight cut to produce an open draw.
Postlight: cigars lights well with a slight uneven burn to start but manages to self correct within the first inch. The flavor is mostly of deep dark earthiness. There is a touch of woodsy sweetness. Strength begins at a high medium. The finish is light. Smoke output is moderate.
2/3: first ash at ~1.5”. It’s a bit flaky but mostly solid. Cigar is burning with a slight waviness but flavors are all there. There is a slight floral oil slick on the lips, burning a bit fast. First band removed with no wrapper damage. Gave a slight touchup towards end of 2/3.
3/3: second wrapper removed without damage. I am having to fight with the cigar a bit at this point to stay lit evenly. Giving a nice touchup reveals a cocoa/nutty flavor which is enjoyable. Overall flavor profile does begin to diminish a bit, becoming smooth with hints or earth and woods. Decent overall cigar with heavy flavors and touches of earth wood and sweetness. I had to tend to it more than I’d like but not bad overall. | | Viaje Skull and Bones The Hulk 60 | | tuck0411 | 9/26/2021 7:28 PM | Humidor time: 523 days
Humidimeter reading: Head - 70, foot - 63
Appearance and construction: A few minor veins, an oily sheen, a closed foot, and a moderately firm pack with no soft spots... Gave it a wide-ring punch and PLD was moderately open. (12/15)
Flavor: PLA gave a whiff of earthy tobacco. The light gave a medium/full profile with a spicy retro and notes of black pepper, leather, and a hint of German chocolate. The spice in the nose mostly faded after a few puffs with the other flavors remaining mostly consistent apart from the chocolate hint fading away by the 2nd third leaving only the pepper and leather. Pretty nice for a fuller-bodied smoke although the flavors didn't come across as anything I hadn't tasted before in a bunch of other such smokes. Strength was about medium. (22/25)
Smoking characteristics: The light produced a moderately easy draw, smoke volume on the low side of optimal, and a wavy burn to start. I'm thinking the latter had more to do with the closed foot impeding the ignition of the underlying filler tobacco on one side than anything else, but in any event it evened out part way through the first third. The ash dropped at 1 1/2" leaving a small cone, after which the burn continued a bit wavy but self-correcting through the 2nd third and things were otherwise uneventful down to the nub. Draw and smoke output remained on the low side of optimal throughout. (22/25)
Overall impression: I enjoyed this one somewhat more than the Bruce Banner stick I reviewed yesterday, although the flavor profiles were similar and I'm guessing some of the same tobaccos were used in both sticks. This one was just a bit more interesting, though, and enough so that I'd smoke it again, although only if it were handed to me... (29/35)
Burn time: 1:51
Rating: 85 | | CLE Plus 2013 Robusto |  | tuck0411 | 9/26/2021 2:27 PM | Humidor time: 524 days
Humidimeter reading: Head - 63, foot - 53
Appearance and construction: A few veins, a light sheen, and a moderately firm pack with no soft spots... Gave it a double shallow V-cut and PLD was open. (12/15)
Flavor: PLA gave a whiff of tobacco. The light gave a medium/full profile with a spicy retro and notes of wood, spice, and tangy citrus. The spice in the nose backed off somewhat along with the body receding towards medium with the other flavors remaining consistent for the duration. Not a lot of complexity, but this type of profile is pretty close to my wheelhouse for a medium smoke with the spice level being just right to keep things interesting. Strength was medium at best. (23/25)
Smoking characteristics: The light produced an easy draw, good smoke volume, and an even burn to start. The burn stayed even through the first third with the tight ash falling very reluctantly at 1 1/4" leaving a perfect cone. Got a near perfect cone from the 2nd ashing as well. The burn stayed near razor-sharp through the remainder with draw and smoke output remaining optimal throughout. (25/25)
Overall impression: This came from Privada Cigar Club as one of their monthly selections last year and the story goes that these sticks had been sitting in CLE's aging room since 2013 due to some sort of legal issue that prevented them from being sold until PCC got their hands on them. PCC is apparently sold out of the robusto, but I see they have three other vitolas from this blend now available in their shop, so I may have to try those as well. Great smoke, in any event. (33/35)
Burn time: 1:23
Rating: 93 | | San Cristobal Revelation Triumph | | druid | 9/26/2021 9:52 AM | | A firm, flatly BPd, medium brown stick, no veins & well-pressed oils. PLA earth, wood & barn; PLT wheat bread; PLD moderate. An easy toast & light, an even burn, a moderate draw, & an oak smoke. Oak (barrel wood?), earth, & black & red pepper are the leads; the retro heats up fast & the pepper gets throaty. Nuttiness chimes in & the oak gets tangy in the 1st 1/3. The pepper in the palate eases some before the 1/2 & the wood joins the retro. The nuts pick up a bit past the 1/2 & a sweet fruit note appears approaching the end. The finish is oak, earth, nuts & a bit of toast, the fruit sweetness & pepper. The body is mid-upper medium. Excellent! (93) | | Viaje Oro Perfecto 2020 Re-release | | tuck0411 | 9/26/2021 9:38 AM | Humidor time: 523 days
Humidimeter reading: Head - 64, foot - 72
Appearance and construction: A few veins, an oily sheen, and a moderately firm pack with no soft spots... Gave it a clip with the guillotine and PLD was moderately open. (12/15)
Flavor: PLA gave a whiff of tobacco. The light gave a medium/full profile with a very spicy retro and notes of red pepper, wood, and spice. The spice in the nose mostly faded after a few puffs with the other flavors mellowing a bit but otherwise staying consistent for the duration. Very flavorful, overall, but red pepper is not really my thing so this missed being in my wheelhouse by a bit. Strength was about medium or a bit better. (21/25)
Smoking characteristics: The light produced a moderately easy draw, smoke output on the low side of optimal, and an even burn to start. The burn was a bit wavy through the first third with the ash falling at 1 1/2" leaving no cone to speak of. The burn continued wavy but self-correcting through the last two thirds but things were otherwise uneventful down to the nub. Draw and smoke output remained on the low side of optimal throughout. (21/25)
Overall impression: This was a bit stronger smoke than I normally like for my first smoke of the day, but it was mostly enjoyable even if the flavors weren't quite my thing and even with the slightly less than perfect burn line. A good smoke, though, if you like red pepper... (27/35)
Burn time: 1:25
Rating: 81 | | Viaje Skull and Bones Bruce Banner |  | tuck0411 | 9/25/2021 8:47 PM | Humidor time: 522 days
Humidimeter reading: Head - 72, foot - 70
Appearance and construction: A few veins, an oily sheen, and a moderately firm pack with no soft spots... Gave it a wide-ring punch and PLD was moderately open. (12/15)
Flavor: PLA gave a whiff of tobacco. The light gave a full-bodied profile with a spicy retro with a note of black pepper and a hint of leather. The spice in the nose faded after a few puffs with the pepper also mellowing and the body receding towards medium/full through the first third. The leather gradually ramped, replacing the black pepper as the predominant note by the 2nd third and this then remained consistent through the remainder. Not bad, but it definitely could have used more spice as it wasn't really all that interesting as it was. Strength was a bit past medium as I was feeling the nic. effects by the end. (20/25)
Smoking characteristics: The light produced a moderately tight draw, thin smoke volume, and a wavy burn to start. I quickly gave it a single V-cut on top of the previous punch and this improved draw and smoke output somewhat and then both reached the low side of optimal by the 2nd third. The burn evened out through the first third with the ash dropping at 1 1/2" leaving a small cone. The burn continued wavy in the 2nd third and bordered on lopsided before self-correcting and things were then uneventful down to the nub. Draw and smoke output remained on the low side of optimal from the 2nd third on. (19/25)
Overall impression: Kind of a mediocre smoke, this one, with both flavors and construction being somewhat less than perfect. This came in a Viaje sampler from Small Batch last year along with the Skull and Bones The Hulk and it's unclear where these cigars are made or what kind of tobacco is in them, but we'll soon see whether The Hulk makes more of an impression than this one did... (24/35)
Burn time: 1:57
Rating: 75 | | Dapper Cubo Sumatra Robusto | | tuck0411 | 9/25/2021 12:12 PM | Humidor time: 523 days
Humidimeter reading: Head - 66, foot - 60
Appearance and construction: A few veins, an oily sheen, and a moderately firm pack with no soft spots... Gave it a double shallow V-cut and PLD was moderately open. (12/15)
Flavor: PLA gave a whiff of tobacco. The light gave a medium/full profile with a slightly spicy retro and notes of wood, coffee, and a hint of spice. The spice in the nose faded quickly with the other flavors gradually mellowing and the body receding towards medium by the 2nd third. I also got a hint of chocolate in the 2nd third. Quite tasty, overall, with just enough spice in the mix to keep things interesting. Strength was about medium. (22/25)
Smoking characteristics: The light produced a moderately easy draw, smoke volume on the low side of optimal, and an even burn to start. Draw and smoke output reached optimal by the end of the first third with the burn staying even and the ash dropping at 1 1/4" leaving a small cone. Things were then uneventful down to the nub. Draw and smoke output remained optimal from the end of the first third on. (24/25)
Overall impression: This one came via the Privada Cigar Club as one of their monthly selections last year. First stick I've had from this brand and a good smoke it was. Nice flavors, excellent construction, nothing here to dislike, and now I'm looking forward to checking out more from Dapper. (31/35)
Burn time: 1:15
Rating: 89 | | Macanudo Inspirado Red Toro | | ntanner | 9/25/2021 10:14 AM | Decent looking cigar, relatively smooth wrapper, firm cannon, takes a punch well and the draw is good.
Getting coffee and wood to start with and a decent amount of spice in the retro. A bit in I pick up a citrus hint that adds a nice touch to the profile.
The second third the coffee becomes more of a mocha, the wood and citrus are still present and the spice has picked up a bit in the retro.
The last third is a slight change in the chocolate, less sweet, still citrus and a woody flavor.
Not a bad smoke, could see keeping a few of these in the rotation. | | San Cristobal (core line) Monumento | | HolySmokes | 9/25/2021 4:04 AM | Stored for 158 days at 70%RH.
Prelight: cigar has a very nice wrapper. A deep brown with a beautiful sheen and near invisible seams. I picked up a sweetness to the aroma off the wrapper. The cigar had an even density throughout. I used a straight cut to produce the perfect draw.
Postlight: the cigar lit well and started off with a great burn line. This thing puts out tons of dense smoke that just wafts in the air. The aroma has a semi-sweetness to it, not off-putting. I am mainly getting earth tones. The finish is short only leaving a faint earthiness. Woodiness is added to the earth flavor as the cigar begins to warm up. First ash at 1.25”. Ash is solid and non-flaky. Cigar is starting to require more puffs towards mid-first third to keep a good burn line.
2/3: cigar is still burning a bit slow and requiring a few more puffs. Flavors are starting to open up though becoming more woody/nutty and less earthy. I almost pick up dark chocolate/coffee vibes. The retrohale is smooth and creamy with a touch of spice. Cigar has reached full body and medium strength at this point very enjoyable although I had to give a slight touchup for the uneven burn.
3/3:band comes off without wrapper damage. Flavors into last third are intense. A tasty woodiness. I sense the earth tones coming back into play but with a nice semi-sweetness. Cigar does begin to sit a little hot on the palate towards the end. Overall a great cigar that I wouldn’t mind spending more time with down the road. Final smoke time 2hrs. | | Alec Bradley Puck Toro |  | druid | 9/24/2021 9:11 AM | | Semi-firm, BPd, dark brown wrapper, no veins & good oils. PLA spicy earth; PLT moist, mulchy earth; PLD moderate. A normal toast & light, an even burn, a moderate draw, & a vegetal earth smoke. Earth, dark coffee bean & a super-light, no-heat pepper start things off. Some faint unsweetened chocolate appear in the 1st 1/3. Along the way wood notes come on. By the 1/2 this stick settles into strong coffee that eventually turns a bit bitter, earth, woods & a bit of hebal spice in both the palate & the finish. The body is mid medium. No real transitions & rather a dull cigar. (86) |
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