Saturday 28 March 2009

Gradual changes

hello all,

I am making some gradual changes here, so please, hang on... You should be able to keep on reading as usual during the changes...

cheers,

Mikko

Tuesday 3 March 2009

Review - Defiance The Instigator - 88/100


Known from their cutters and other accessories, Xikar has jumped onboard the cigar business by introducing the Defiance Cigars line. They seem to be doing something right, atleast according to the Cigar Aficionado magazine, as the Guardian was awarded as the 18th best cigar of 2008.

My acquintance with the Defiance came through the Instigator, kindly provided by Jarrod from TexCigars. And if the Instigator is anything alike the Guardian, i unfortunately have to disagree with CA to some extent.

Do not get me wrong, the Instigator is a good cigar. It has a shiny brown wrapper with a veiny touch and a firm feel... The rolling and the cap seem to be made with skill and, all in all, it is a treat for the eye.

Flavourwise, it offers a medium body full of leather. Later on, it opens up to an exciting variety of nuts and maybe even a whisp of vanilla. The finish also intorduces some spice. The main "problem" with the Instigator is, that in spite of all these different characteristics described above, it lacks depth and does not succeed in developing along the way. This makes the overall experience somewhat shallow and uninteresting.

Anyway, the Instigator is a decent cigar with some good qualities. An interesting purchase, if you want to find out if the makers of great accessories can make great cigars, but not among my first choices for multiple box buy.

Origin: Honduras

Wrapper: Nigaragua
Binder: Nigaragua
Filler: Honduras, Nigaragua

POINTS: 87/100 points

Review - Casa Magna Colorado Gran Toro - 89/100


The Casa Magna Colorado Robusto earned a respectable position as the best cigar of 2008 in the Cigar Aficionado Magazine. As it turns out, the position was not wholly thanks to the cigar itself, but also credited to the price-quality ratio, which, i must admit, is great in the whole Magna Casa range.

I had the pleasure of smoking and reviewing the Casa Magna Colorado Gran Toro, thanks to Jarrod at TexCigars. While i have never had the Robusto, i have to relate to some characteristics described in the CA, when writing about the Gran Toro.

It is a sturdy cigar. Being a Nigaraguan puro, its nice full body is defined by tobacco from EstelĂ­, smoothened down by the softer taste of tobacco from Jalapa. Complimenting each other, they combine in creating profound flavours of coffee and dark chocolate, rounded at the corners by sweeter hints of prunes and dark berries. Some whispers of woody notes can also be detected in the finish.

All that, wrapped in a reddish brown, toothy but vainless Colorado wrapper and tagged with an affordable price, Casa Magna Colorado Gran Toro is a cigar worth consideration. As i said, i do not know about the Robusto, but on Gran Toro, i would not go as far as telling you it is the No. 1 cigar of 2008, but a great cigar nevertheless...

Origin: Nigaragua

Wrapper: Nigaragua
Binder: Nigaragua
Filler: Nigaragua

POINTS: 89/100 points