Origin : Honduras
Format : Robusto
Size : 5” x 54’
Wrapper : Ecuador
Filler : Dom. Rep./Honduras
Binder : Honduras
Hand-Made
Price : $4.25 each

Believe it or not I had some trouble finding current information about the non-Cuban version of the El Rey del Mundo cigar brand. El Rey del Mundo, meaning “King of the World,” used to be made by Villazon & Co. (owned by General Cigar) in Honduras, but it seems like in the end of 2009 operations in Honduras were stopped. Are these now being produced in Nicaragua?

The packaging of this cigar is impressive. The cigars are individually wrapped in tissue paper with the band on the outside.

Read the full review of El Rey Del Mundo Robusto…

Origin : Honduras
Format : Corona
Size : 5.5 x 44
Wrapper : Honduran Criollo
Filler : Honduran Criollo and Dominican Piloto Cubano
Binder : Honduran
Hand-Made
Price : ~$5 each

Just before the IPCPR trade show in 2013, Camacho Cigars launched an aggressive makeover of their line in a campaign they called the “bold standard.” While a complete re-branding has been part of this campaign, the changes in Camacho’s lines are more than band-deep. The blends have also been consolidated and transformed, with Camacho choosing to focus on just seven different cigar lines (excluding special & limited editions). Camacho Criollo is one of those regular lines, available in seven different sizes: Robusto, Corona, Toro, Figurado, Gigante, Churchill, and Robusto Tubos. I had the chance to try the Camacho Criollo Corona.

Read the full review of Camacho Criollo Corona…

Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Robusto
Size : 5 x 52
Wrapper : Ecuadorian Sumatra Oscuro
Filler : Nicaraguan Ligero
Binder : Nicaraguan
Strength : Full
Hand-Made
Price : $5 each

Construction

A.J. Fernandez is famous for stating, “To make the best cigars, you must have the finest raw materials…” Fallen Angel comes draped in a wrapper leaf that most would call “the finest raw material.” The stunning Ecuadorian-grown Sumatra Oscuro wrapper leaf is a dark chestnut color. It is incredibly smooth with very few veins. The mouth-watering wrapper cloaks potent Nicaraguan ligero long filler. The length of the five-inch stick is plump and well rolled and finished with a neat box press. The double cap squarely mounted and cuts cleanly with my Colibri Monza Punch Cutter.

Read the full review of Fallen Angel by A.J. Fernandez…

Origin : Cuba
Format : Short Panetela (Trabucos)
Size : 110 x 15 mm (4.3 x 38)
Box code : 2011
Hand-Made
Price : ~$5-7 each

Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo du Député is part of the Le Hoyo cigar series, which dates back to the 1940s. We’ve reviewed some of the cigars from the series previously: Le Hoyo du Roi and Le Hoyo des Dieux. Le Hoyo series was initially designed to offer a richer, more full-bodied smoking experience, but I’m not sure there’s still a significant body difference with other cigars within the brand. These Cuban puros are made from tobacco leaves grown in Vuelta Abajo. They are quite reasonably priced; let’s see how one measured up.

Read the full review of Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo du Député…

Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Corona Gorda
Size : 5 5/8 x 46
Wrapper : Ecuador
Filler : Nicaraguan / Dominican
Binder : Cameroon
Hand-Made
Price : ~$5 each

The CAO La Traviata Animado was released in 2009, and is a reincarnation of an old cigar line from over a hundred years ago. The fillers come from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua in Pueblo Nuevo, favorite grounds for CAO. The Ecuadorian wrapper is a Habano from Ecuador. The name of the cigar line, “La Traviata,” is derived from the name of an opera by Giuseppe Verdi adapted from an Alexandre Dumas book. It’s a promising selection of tobacco leaves. Let’s see how the blend measures up.

Read the full review of CAO La Traviata Animado…

Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Robusto
Size : 5 1/4 x 50
Wrapper : Nicaragua
Filler : Nicaragua
Binder : Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : ~$5

Many American smokers have yet to try Curivari cigars, but they have been somewhat popular in Europe for over a decade now. “Buenaventura” means “Good luck.” The cigar was developed with the hopes of providing excellence at a low price point (most cigars by Curivari follow suit). This one is available in three different sizes, the BV500 (this one), the BV560 (5 ½ x 56) and BV600 (6 x 600). Did I have “good luck” when I picked up the Curivari Buenaventura BV500? Read on to find out.

Read the full review of Curivari Buenaventura BV500…

Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Petit Robusto
Size : 4 ½ x 46
Wrapper : Ecuador Habano
Filler : Nicaragua
Binder : Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : $5 each

Released in 2011, the Ambos Mundos Short No.1 Habano is an extension of the already popular Pete Johnson line. Ambos Mundos meaning “both worlds” is a blending of Nicaraguan binder and fillers with an Ecuadorian wrapper. Ambos Mundos cigars are produced by Pepin Garcia and are considered Johnson’s value-priced line. The full Ambos Mundos portfolio consists of eight different sizes/blends, although the official website shows only six sizes (have the Shorts been discontinued?). They are as follows:

• Short No. 1 Habano 4 1/2 x 46
• Short No. 2 Sumatra 4 1/2 x 46
• Robusto No. 1 Habano 5 x 50
• Robusto No. 2 Sumatra 5 x 50
• Toro No. 1 Habano 6 x 50
• Toro No. 2 Sumatra 6 x 50
• Grande No. 1 Habano 5 1/2 x 56
• Grande No. 2 Sumatra 5 1/2 x 56

On to the review…

Read the full review of Ambos Mundos Short No. 1 Habano…

Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Corona Gorda
Size : 5 ½ ” x 52
Wrapper : Nicaragua
Filler : Nicaragua
Binder : Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : $5 each

Well it’s been awhile since my last post. Does that mean I’ve quit smoking cigars… NO WAY! Sometimes life just gets crazy and too busy, I hope you’ll understand. However, I’m back and have lots of great cigar reviews to post.

The Padrón 3000 Maduro. I have to be honest in saying that this is one of my favorite cigars. I always keep them stocked in my humidor and when I’m running low I just order another box. The Padrón 3000 Series, natural and maduro, are available in boxes of 26, box of 4, and single cigars. It is definitely not the most attractive cigar or the most complex by any means however for me it provides what a cigar should and is the most practical without burning a hole in the wallet. I personally enjoy this cigar at cookouts, barbeques and the occasional Par 3 golf course.

Read the full review of Padrón 3000 Maduro…