Origin : Dominican Republic
Format : Double Robusto
Size : 5.5 x 54
Wrapper : Jalapa Colorado
Filler : Nicaraguan
Binder : Esteli Habano and Ometepe Habano
Hand-Made
Price : $9.50 each
More info about purchasing Villiger Colorado cigars...

This review was written by El Cigar Newbie, who recently launched his blog at 4madur0.wordpress.com. Enjoy!

My vast knowledge of smoking a wide variety of cigars for about a whopping three years, certainly qualifies my AKA as el-cigar-newbie, and I do blog for the el-newbie nation. In this time line I have bought packs, samplers, bundles, mazos etc. As if that was not enough, three Humidors later, I joined the Cigar of the Month Club online at cigarsinternational.com. My love for cigars is growing, and getting more cigars at a bargain price is always appealing. Yesterday my monthly club sampler was delivered and the first cigar was randomly picked, cut and lit before looking at the cigar band. I just love surprises!

Read the full review of Villiger Colorado...

Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Toro
Size : 6 x 52
Wrapper : Ecuadorian Sumatra
Filler : Dominican Republic, Columbian, Brazilian Braganca
Binder : Nicaraguan
Blender : Rick Rodriquez
Hand-Made
Price : ~$7 each
More info about purchasing CAO Amazon Basin cigars...

We’ve heard it all before… limited edition cigars made from scarce materials. Then, a year later, they are still readily available, everywhere. But in the case of the new CAO Amazon Basin, its rarity is only part of the intrigue. It’s truly a cigar with a story to tell. I was lucky enough to get one of the last available boxes, and now, four cigars in, consider myself lucky indeed.

According to the official CAO statement, the Amazon Basin cigar “utilizes rare organic tobacco cultivated at small farms in remote regions of the Amazonian Rainforest. The tobacco called ‘Braganca’ is grown in virgin lands and is harvested just once every three years…the leaves are rolled by hand into tubes called ‘carottes’, and left to rest under high pressure. After six months of natural fermentation inside the carrotes, they are transported by canoe from the rainforest and delivered to our factory.” Wow, that’s quite a story! One interesting aspect of cigar smoking is how we experience exotic locales through the tobaccos we smoke. And the Amazonian Rainforest is about as exotic as it gets. If nothing else, smoking an Amazon Basin cigar is a curiosity. But what I’ve discovered is a cigar so unique; it actually lives up to the hype.

Read the full review of CAO Amazon Basin...

Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Corona Especial
Size : 6 x 38
Wrapper : Habano Ecuador
Filler : Nicaragua
Binder : Nicaragua
Hand-Made
Price : $7 each
More info about purchasing Tatuaje Havana cigars...

The Tatuaje Havana VI line is another solid production from Pete Johnson and Pepin Garcia. Said to be more mellow and medium bodied than the brown label, the Havana VI line is comprised of eight different vitolas: Hermosos – 5 5/8 x 46, Angeles – 4 5/8 x 42, Victorias 6 x 38, Artistas – 6 1/8 x 52 (reviewed here), Nobles – 5 x 50 (reviewed here), Almirantes – 7 x 47, Gorditos – 5 ½ x 56, Verocu No.5 – 4 x 40.

Out of the entire Havana VI line, the only other sizes I’ve tried are the Almirantes (Churchill), which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was certainly excited to have the chance to sample a smaller vitola (Corona Especial), so let's see how it went.

Read the full review of Tatuaje Havana VI Victorias...

Origin : Cuba
Format : Robusto
Size : 124 x 19.84 mm (4.9 x 50)
Ring : 50
Box date : SEP 2011
Weight : 11.66 g
Hand-Made
Price : ~$230 for a cab of 25
More info about purchasing Juan Lopez cigars...

The Juan Lopez brand is definitely not among the most famous Cuban brands. This particular Juan Lopez Seleccion No. 2 is well aged; I purchased my box back in 2011. I tried the Seleccion No. 2 fresh out of the box then forgot about it, and wanted to see how the flavors have been enhanced by the aging process.

Read the full review of Juan Lopez Seleccion No. 2...

Origin : Dominican Republic
Format : Short Torpedo
Size : 4 1/2 x 52
Wrapper : Ecuadorian Sungrown
Filler : Dominican Republic
Binder : Dominican Republic
Hand-Made
Price : ~$8 each
More info about purchasing Avo Heritage cigars...

The Heritage line was introduced as a stronger budget blend within the AVO portfolio. It includes a number of other sizes besides the Short Torpedo that I'm smoking today, some of them have already been reviewed here: the Churchill, the Robusto, the Short Corona, the Short Robusto, and the Toro. AVO cigars tend to be pretty pricey, but you can get all of the Heritage cigars for under $10 apiece. I paid $7.90 for the Short Torpedo, excited to try one of AVO’s more affordable cigars.

Read the full review of Avo Heritage Short Torpedo...

Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Torpedo
Size : 5 x 52
Wrapper : Nicaraguan Habano Criollo
Binder : Nicaraguan Seco
Filler : Nicaraguan Habano Seco and Ligero
Hand-Made
Price : ~$7 each
More info about purchasing Joya de Nicaragua Celebracion...

Joya de Nicaragua is best known for their full-bodied stogies, in particular the Antaño 1970. The Celebracion was designed to mimic the Antaño experience, but not pack such a powerful punch. That way there would be a milder option available for those who prefer milder smokes. Of course, it is still a pretty potent cigar, and many smokers will still consider it to be a full-bodied smoke. I gave it a try and decided I would categorize it as medium-bodied. It’s also very spicy, and the flavors themselves are quiet strong.

Read the full review of Joya de Nicaragua Celebracion Torpedo...

Origin : Honduras
Format : Robusto
Size : 5 ½ x 50
Wrapper : Ecuadorian Sungrown Sumatra
Filler : Dom. Rep. & Nicaraguan
Binder : Nicaraguan
Hand-Made
Price : $6-7 each
More info about purchasing Rocky Patel Sun Grown...

This week I decided to go with a cigar I haven’t smoked for about 4 years. For some reason the Rocky Patel Sungrown Robusto really caught my eye in the shop the other day, so I decided to pick a few up.

Rocky Patel has truly made his mark in the cigar world. Through hard work and hours of travel/promotion his name is one of the most sought after in the premium cigar market. With over 30 different blends to his name, Rocky Patel hits the cigar industry at every level for all aficionados. Everything from a $4.00 Nicarao to his $12.00 RP Decade there are possibilities for all budgets and palates.

Read the full review of Rocky Patel Sungrown Robusto...

Origin : Nicaragua
Format : Robusto
Size : 5 x 50
Wrapper : Mexican San Andreas Maduro
Filler : Nicaraguan
Binder : Nicaraguan
Hand-Made
Price : ~$8
More info about purchasing La Jugada Prieto...

La Jugada is a medium-strength cigar by Moya Ruiz. According to Danny Moya and Nelson Ruiz, the cigar’s creators, the name “La Jugada” translates to “the play” or “the move,” and is a reference to their beloved game of dominoes. The cigars are all handrolled at Erik Espinosa's "La Zona" Factory in Esteli. You can find more information about the blend and more great pictures like the one above on Moya Ruiz official website. I had a chance to smoke one of these recently, and have to agree; it is a pretty nice experience.

Read the full review of La Jugada Prieto Robusto...