Origin : Puerto Rico
Format : Robusto
Size : 5 x 50
Wrapper : Habano 2000
Filler : blend of 5 tobaccos
Binder : ?
Hand-Made
Price : $100 per box

I’ve received a couple of La Flor de Cuba Maduro Robusto from JFC Tobacco Corp, a company based in Puerto Rica that seems to be mostly producing flavored cigars and rolling paper to roll your own sticks (!). La Flor de Cuba is dubbed as a full-bodied, strong cigar, designed for the American smoker. Although I have never heard of the brand and I couldn’t find much info online, according to JFC it recently celebrated its 40th anniversary.

Read the full review of La Flor de Cuba Maduro Robusto…

Origin : Dominican Republic
Format : Robusto
Size : 5 x 50
Wrapper : Dominican Maduro
Filler : Dominican
Binder : Dominican
Hand-Made
Price : $4 each

Jeff Aronson & Joe Chiusano, formerly of Cusano Cigars, sent these sticks over to me to have them reviewed. Until then, I had never heard of this brand, and then I started to see them pop up in my local B&M’s. Now that I have had a chance to smoke the samples Jeff sent, I have returned to smoke this cigar several times because it is an excellent value cigar with a tasty profile.

Read the full review of C & C LRMD (Limited Release Maduro)…

Origin : Cuba
Factory Name : Petit Corona
Size : 129 x 16 mm (5 1/8 x 42)
Weight : 8.46 g
Box code : BLP DIC08
Hand-Made
Price : ~$3.00 each in Cuba, ~$9.00 each in Canada

I have to admit I did not begin this review in high spirits. Recently I had some friends who went on vacation in Cuba. I asked them if they would mind purchasing me some cigars and, being such nice people, they of course were happy to oblige. So I proceeded to write them a list of what I would like. I always make a large list for anyone going to Cuba as it is difficult to judge what each LCDH will be stocking at the time. First on my list was the Partagas Serie P No. 2 – one of, if not my favourite cigar currently on the market. When they arrived home they gave me a call and assured me that they had purchased my greatly desired Partagas P 2’s. When the box arrived at my house I found out that they actually bought Partagas Mille Fleurs. Now while I had not yet tried the Mille Fleurs, and I had always read good things about them, you cannot blame me too much for being disappointed that I wasn’t actually getting P2’s. Despite all this, I have now smoked a few of the Mille Fleurs and have tried to write as unbiased a review as I could. And I must admit after trying a few of the Mille Fleurs I am impressed.

Read the full review of Partagas Mille Fleurs…

Origin : Wherever they make Gurkhas
Format : Robusto
Size : 5 x 50
Wrapper : Connecticut Shade (Ecuador)
Filler : Nicaraguan & Dominican
Binder : Habano (Honduran)
Hand-Made
Price : ~$5.00 each

Gary Hyams, president of Gurkha Cigar Group, sent me a nice Christmas package of some cigars to review for our website. The two cigars that he sent for review was the new Royal Challenge and the Seduction (review coming soon). After a good nap in the humi and letting them reach their optimum reviewing condition, I decided to finally spark these bad boys up. I will be the first to admit that I am not the biggest Gurkha fan in existence,… or to even say, I am not a fan at all. I have smoked only a few of the other lines and have been, at most, underwhelmed with their delivery of quality product for the money. One thing is for sure though, no one outdoes them in marketing and box presentation. So at least they got that going for them. So with a break out of two new products, can they turn this Gurkha critic into a believer with their new product line? We shall see,…

Read the full review of Gurkha Royal Challenge…

Origin : Dominican Republic
Format : Lonsdale
Size : 170 x 16 mm (6 1/2 x 42)
Wrapper : Habana-2000 Nicaragua
Filler : Dominican Republic & Brazil
Binder : Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : ~$10.00 each in Canada, ~$4.00 each in the US

I’ve always had mixed feelings about this cigar. I bought a box of these last August and I’ve smoked quite a few of them; however I have never been able to form a clear opinion about them. I picked up this particular box in the US and I have not been able to find them since. I am not very familiar with this brand and from what I can tell from when I purchased them, the red band is indicative of the H-2000 line (different wrapper) and was meant for the European market.

Read the full review of Santa Damiana Director…

Origin : Dominican Republic
Format : Rothschild
Size : 115 x 20 mm (4 1/2 x 50)
Ring : 50
Wrapper : Cameroon
Binder : Dominican Republic
Filler : Dominican Republic
Hand-Made
Price : ~$15 each in Canada, ~$4 each in the US

I was sitting at my computer when I realized that the date was February 29th, Leap Day, and I thought that I should have a cigar since my next chance to have one on a leap day would not be for another four years. I looked in my humidor and realized that I wasn’t in the mood for anything I currently have so I quickly ran down to my local tobacconist before closing time to choose out a leap day cigar. The cigar I chose was the Arturo Fuente Rothschild.

Read the full review of Arturo Fuente Rothschild…

Origin : Cuba
Format : Nacionales
Size : 134 x 16 mm (5 1/4 x 42)
Box code : STA NOV 09
Hand-Made
Price : ~$1 each in Cuba / ~$5 each in Canada

The favourite cheap cigar – most cigar smokers have one. If you are one of the elite few who have the luxury of always smoking premium cigars then this review might not be for you. For me my favourite cheap smoke brings memories of summer days and nights spent on the beach drinking and enjoying cigars. For others it’s poker night, the fishing trip, cottage, etc. I’m particularly excited about this review because as it happens Jose L. Piedra is my favourite brand of cheap smoke. So during my trip to Cuba I made sure to pick up a bundle to bring home.

Read the full review of Jose L. Piedra Nacionales…

Origin : Dominican Republic
Format : Brillantes (Robusto)
Size : 5 x 50
Wrapper : Connecticut Shade (Ecuador)
Filler : Nicaraguan & Dominican
Binder : Nicaraguan
Hand-Made
Price : $5 each

I love cigars. Be it mild Connecticut Shade or spicy Corojo, my taste runs the gamut of cigar flavor profiles. But I am also a very picky cigar smoker. This can lead to exuberant exclamations of praise, or acts of vocal vilification. I’m passionate about cigars and I’m never at a loss of words when asked for my opinion. So, when we talked about reviewing cigars with Denis, I warned him upfront that anything could happen. He was cool with that. Now that the disclaimer of out of the way, I can proceed with my review of the E.P. Carrillo New Wave Connecticut, Brillantes.

Read the full review of EP Carrillo New Wave Connecticut Brillantes…