Origin : Honduras
Format : Perfecto
Size : 5 5/8 x 46
Wrapper : Nicaragua
Filler : Nicaragua, Honduras
Binder : Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : ~$8 each
More info about purchasing Cruzado cigars...

In this review, Tim A.K.A. Handypilot draws a comparison between Cruzado and Illusione flavor profiles. Enjoy!

This stick is part of Cruzado series of smokes from Dion Giolito's Illusione brand. Similar to the Illusione, though a slightly lower price point, they incorporate blends of Criollo and Corojo. However, the Cruzado line is 2 parts Criollo and 1 part Corojo, as opposed to Illusione's 1 part Criollo and 2 parts Corojo. This stick was gifted to me from a fellow BOTL and was my first Cruzado. I was somewhat anxious to smoke the Marelas as I'm a big fan of Illusione. Here's my take...

Read the full review of Cruzado Marelas...

Origin : Honduras
Format : Lancero
Size : 7.5″ x 40
Wrapper : Nicaraguan
Filler : Nicaraguan
Binder : Nicaraguan
Hand-Made
Price : $9 each
More info about purchasing Illusione Holy Lance cigars...

Since Illusione cigars burst on the scene they have been well received and its creator Dion Giolito has reached near rock star status in the cigar community. I shared some details on Dion and his cigar company in my review of the Illusione ~cg:4~ if you are interested.

Read the full review of Illusione ~hl~ (Holy Lance)...

Origin : Honduras
Format : Corona
Size : : 5 3/4" x 45
Wrapper : Honduran Viso-Rosado
Binder : Habano Connecticut
Filler : Dominican, Honduran, Nicaraguan
Hand-Made
Price : ~$100 for a box of 25
More info about purchasing Hoyo de Tradicion cigars...

I had read some nice things about this line of cigars and had passed over them many times in my local cigar shops until recently, when I grabbed one impulsively before leaving. I am glad that I did. This cigar's wrapper is grown in the Jamastran Valley of Honduras and the blend contains tobacco from 4 different countries.

Read the full review of Hoyo de Tradicion Corona...

Origin : Honduras
Format : Torpedo
Size : 6 x 54
Wrapper : Nicaragua
Filler : Honduras
Binder : Honduras
Hand-Made
Price : 4.30 € each
Global Rating :
Humidor's Rating :
Gabriel's Rating :
More info about purchasing Maria Mancini cigars...

Today's review comes from the leading Romanian cigar resource, Humidor.Ro. Bogdan (author and owner) was very kind to translate the review of the Maria Mancini Magic Mountain that was published on his website a little while ago.

Humidor: Almost one year ago, I was reading “The Spell of a Vice” on Lascaris’ blog. In his article, Lascaris refers to Thomas Mann’s “The Magic Mountain”, where the main character, Hans Castrop abides by his habits, enjoying a cigar manufactured by Maria Mancini. As far as this cigar is concerned, reality and fiction mingle because the author uses the name of a real producer from Honduras - Maria Mancini, the only difference being that, in the novel, the cigar is located in Bremen. Maria Mancini settled the scores and, taking advantage of the novel’s success, created a cigar called Magic Mountain.

Read the full review of Guest Review: Maria Mancini Magic Mountain...

Origin : Honduras
Format : Perfecto
Size : 4 1/2 x 60 (at the thickest point)
Ring : 30 (foot) to 60 (thickest point)
Wrapper : Ecuadoran Sumatra
Binder : Connecticut Broadleaf
Filler : Honduran, Nicaraguan, Dominican (Piloto Cubano)
Factory : Honduras American Tabaco S. A., Cofradia, Honduras
Hand-Made
Price : $3.90 each
More info about purchasing Punch Champion cigars...

Today's review comes courtesy of Stephen who generously offered to contribute. Thank you, Stephen!

This is a review of just one cigar. It was given to me as a gift from Ted the owner of Big Jack's Cigars in Boothbay Harbor, ME. I always stop by there to say hi when I am in Boothbay Harbor and I recommend you do too. There is no lounge or anything. Just Ted who is passionate about his cigars and he carries some nice bottles of wine as well.

Ted told me Punch created this cigar to be a competitor to the Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story. It is a member of the “original” Honduran Punch Family with an Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, a Connecticut binder, and filler tobaccos from Honduras.

It's been resting in my humidor for about a month.

Read the full review of Punch Champion...

Origin : Danli, Honduras
Format : Perfecto
Size : 8 x 58
Wrapper : Brazil
Filler : Nicaragua
Binder : Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : $72.95 / box of 10
More info about purchasing CAO Brazilia cigars...

Last week I began my series of CAO reviews with the brand new CAO Gold Vintage Crémant. This week I review the CAO Brazilia Anaconda. The Brazilia line has been one of my longtime favorites from CAO. It doesn't seem to matter what the size is, I'm always pleased with my choice to pick one up and smoke it. The Brazilia Anaconda doesn't disappoint. Originally released as a limited edition in 2004, production of this vitola resumed in 2007. I have rarely seen these locally and in fact the ones I recently had came from a trade with my friend Scott.

Read the full review of CAO Brazilia Anaconda...

Origin : Honduras
Format : Toro
Size : 6 x 52
Ring : 52
Wrapper : Nicaraguan Corojo
Binder : Mexico
Filler : Nicaragua, Panama (+ secret location)
Hand-Made
Price : ~$5 each
More info about purchasing Rocky Patel Edge cigars...

The cigars for this review were kindly provided by CigarsDirect.com, your source for premium cigars.

Rocky Patel Edge was introduced in 2004 and immediately became a hit. Even though no particular marketing efforts were done and the cigars came unbanded, the word of mouth quickly made it a best-seller. Since then, the excitement abated, the cigar gained a band and the quality seems to still be there. This toro with a partly secret blend still delivers!

Read the full review of Rocky Patel Edge Toro...

Origin : Honduras
Format : Toro
Size : 6.5″ x 52
Wrapper : Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler : Brazilian, Dominican, and Nicaraguan
Binder : Nicaraguan
Hand-Made
Price : $6 each
More info about purchasing Rocky Patel Sun Grown...

Rocky Patel’s Sun Grown has been around for a while now. It is unique in my opinion because it seems to be universally respected among cigar smokers as a good, tasty, quality cigar. Yet it doesn’t have any of the hype or pomp and circumstance around it that other widely respected cigars have, like the VSG or even the Oliva Serie V just as an example. It seems to fly just below the radar, but ask someone about it and you will almost always here “That’s a great smoke, one of my favorite Rockys!” Don’t ask about it, and you’ll probably never hear it mentioned. That just strikes me as odd an unique.

Read the full review of Rocky Patel Sun Grown Toro...