WORLD OF CIGARS

Cigars and Casinos

2011-03-07T18:01:00.001+02:00

Smoking and casinos used to go hand in hand but recent changes in smoking laws in the US have seen even some casinos cave in to the non-smoking push. While most Vegas casinos still allow smoking in some areas, the tide seems to be shifting in the favor of the non-smokers, so the days of enjoying a fine cigar while gambling in Las Vegas casinos may be numbered. Knowing where in Vegas you can and can't smoke isn't an issue for fans of online casino games but others should do their research before visiting Sin City.

As far as where you currently can and can't light up your Cohiba in Vegas, every casino currently offers at least some areas where smoking is still allowed on the gambling floor. This includes areas where slot machines are located as well as popular tables games such as blackjack, craps, and roulette; pretty much any place you can gamble offers some areas where smoking is allowed. The biggest exception are poker rooms, as the vast majority are completely smoke-free now so if you're a poker fan you'll have to leave the cigar behind (or keep it unlit) when at the poker tables.

In general the newer casinos such as the Wynn, Palazzo, and Bellagio have the most designated smoke-free areas, while older Strip casinos and downtown casinos are the best bet for the smoker who likes to enjoy a cigar or cigarette while playing. Most areas of convention centers are now entirely smoke-free, as are showrooms and other public areas. Many restaurants are smoke-free as well, but some do have designated smoking areas.

As online casinos fans already know, a convenient way to get the best of both worlds is to play blackjack online and smoke all the cigars your heart desires from the comfort of your own home. You won't get comped free drinks and can't enjoy the lights and excitement of Las Vegas but you can enjoy your favorite casino games without ever leaving your favorite chair. Online casinos also offer generous new player bonuses that can add free money to your gambling bankroll, something next to impossible to get in Vegas these days no matter how much you gamble.

FOR SALE: Cigar molds from 1950's - Otto Holzapfel - Germany

2010-09-05T14:30:00.003+02:00

Hello,

i would like to offer these beautiful items for sale. Now you can own a piece of cigar history with these great cigar molds for pressing cigars. I can ship worldwide. Paypal accepted.

Only one of each!

Cigar Press No 29 - Qty 1 - 95 EUR (incl. shipping)

Cigar Press Wo 31 - Qty 1 - 85 EUR (incl. shipping)

Review - La Galana Torpedo Clásica - 89/100

2010-08-26T21:13:00.003+02:00

The La Galana Torpedo are an oddity amongst many other cigars, as they are manufactured in Cologne, Germany. To my knowledge, the La Galana factory is one of the very few in Europe nowadays. The factory is owned and run by Annette Meisl, a friendly and a beautiful lady with a burning passion for cigars.

What comes to the Torpedo Clasíca cigar itself, it is a great smoke, starting from the look and feel... The cigar has a rustic wrapper with some veins and a shine, which reminds me of polished mahogany. It feels firm in hand and creates expectations with an earthy and woody fragrance unlit.

Spicy start to the flavor, showing off powerful tobacco and dark earthy tones, which smooth down going to the second third. Some distant whispers of heated wood and mushrooms. Like sitting on the porch after a sauna, watching the rain play on the leaves and trunks of late summer's trees. Finishes off with bitter liquorice.

A heavy, full bodied cigar with a somewhat linear profile, but a great smoke nonetheless. Some resemblance to a few old school Cuban cigars, although made from Nicaraguan tobacco. Goes well every time of the day, but really comes to life after a heavy and rich-flavored dinner or with a sweet drink in hand...

Origin: Germany

Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nigaragua

Points: 89/100

Beautiful items for sale: Cigar molds from 1950's - Otto Holzapfel - Germany

2010-08-11T08:53:00.002+02:00

Hello,

i would like to offer these beautiful items for sale. Now you can own a piece of cigar history with these great cigar molds for pressing cigars. each 100 EUR + shipment only... I can ship worldwide. Paypal accepted.

I have three of them, but here is a couple for reference:

Please contact me through e-mail if you should be interested mikko@worldofcigarsblog.com

cheers,

Review - Bolivar Petit Belicosos Edición Limitada 2009 - 90/100

2010-07-30T22:51:00.002+03:00

The limited edition Petit Belicosos from Bolivar is only of some resemblance to the "general" release Bolivar. This dark, veiny cigar carries a lot of power in a small package, most of it coming from the young tobacco - the rest is just pure Bolivar.

Definitely a full bodied cigar with complexity all over the board. There is some acidity in the beginning, but soon it gives way to powerful flavors of leather and some strong herbs and spice. Going forward, the intensity decreases, but not by sacrificing the rich flavors. Towards the ends, a lot of oils gather to build up a nice bitter chocolate ending.

A little off balance, but nothing a few years in proper conditions would not correct. Huge potential!

Origin: Cuba

Wrapper: Cuba

Binder: Cuba

Filler: Cuba

POINTS 90/100

Review - Partagas Serie D.3 Edicíon Limitada 2006 - 93/100

2010-07-30T22:27:00.000+03:00

This Corona Gorda can easily be recognized as a part of the Serie D family. As its siblings D4 and D5, the D3 holds its head up high amongst the other contestants from Cuba.

By looks, it resembles the D5, although a different vitola. It is beautifully wrapped and has a flawless triple cap. The size fits my hand perfectly. First fragrances rising from the unlit cigar are those of cocoa, chocolate and espresso.

A few years have done splendorous things to the smoke - it has a smooth and mellow character with sweet creaminess and chocolate. Half way through, the cigar opens up with some beautiful espresso followed by faint spice and a leathery finish. A cigar with finesse and character, no doubt.

Origin: Cuba

Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba

POINTS 93/100

50 Cigar Bands

2010-07-06T22:51:00.001+03:00

Here is a great piece on pre-embargo Cuban cigar bands by Cary Georges. Check it out and let the nostalgia sweep over you. Just click the link below:

LA Times - 50 Cigar Bands

Thanks Cary!

LCHD Hamburg Exclusive Offers - NOW VALID!

2010-06-21T22:18:00.000+03:00

Check out the latest offers from LCDH Hamburg from http://www.lcdhexcl.blogspot.com/ or subscribe to my newsletter at WorldofCigarsBlog.com

Review - Partagas Lusitanias - 100/100

2010-06-04T21:25:00.006+03:00

Partagas Lusitanias is simply a perfect cigar.

It has a perfect balance of aroma and strenght. A thoroughly interesting experience in a medium bodied form. The Lusitanias has an intoxicating scent unlit which gently whispers suggestive words to your year - or should i say nose ... ?

The Lusitanias can often be referred to as possibly the best cuban cigar in production (ever?), and i must admit i agree 100%. Never have i smoked a cigar which would fit my palate as perect as the this gorgeous giant of a cigar does. With all its smoothness and creaminess combined with some herbal and spice notes, finished off by some faint cocoa, honey and wood from the shadows of the tobacco barns in Cuba...

The cigar offers two hours of pure pleasure, holding a perfect draw and burn until the very last draw burning your fingers. No other cigar could hold its title as the "Emperor of Havanas" with as much dignity than the Partagas Lusitanias.

Origin: Cuba

Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba

POINTS: 100/100 points

Review - Room 101 Robusto 305 - 92/100

2010-06-04T21:20:00.010+03:00

The Room 101 cigars is a joint effort from the Owner and designer of Room 101 Silver - Matt Booth - and Camacho Cigars. two great concepts joining forces to create something extraordinary.

The 101 robusto "305" is an easy cigar to approach. It is a beautiful concept combining a great looking cigar with two beautiful bands. The wrapper is silky and smooth with a dark brown gloss. A few veins do not bother too much and the cigar feels good in hand. The burn is occasionally a little of and the draw might be a little too loose, but nothing of any signifigance.

This medium bodied cigar starts a little dry as herbs, gras and leather take the lead. Half way through it opens up to reveal some heavy chocolate and espresso. In the generous amount of smoke you can really get a good taste of the whole flavor profile of the blend.

A Luscious Smoke.

Origin: Honduras

Wrapper: Honduras (Semilla 101)
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras, Dominican

POINTS: 92/100 points

Review - Santa Maria Robusto - 83/100

2010-04-10T22:20:00.000+02:00

A new acquaintance for me an d probably for almost everyone. The Santa Maria Robusto from Panama Caribbean Tobacco is an interesting cigar. It is next to free in price and it holds its value as an everyday cigar.

As little as i know about the cigar, i thought i'd let the smoking do the talking. The Panamanian puro delivers a steady stream of sweet tobacco flavor with woody and leathery notes visited occasionally by spicy whispers. Nothing too complex, but nothing too overwhelming or "off" to turn you off. And the price does not stop you from tossing it away if it does not suite your style anyways...

I will continue to explore the products from Panama Caribbean Tobacco for sure, and hopefully i will get back to you with more news.

Origin: Panama

Wrapper: Panama
Binder: Panama
Filler: Panama

POINTS: 83/100 points

Review - E.P. Carrillo Edición Inaugural 2009 - 93/100

2010-04-10T22:18:00.001+02:00

The first cigar out from the E.P. Carrillo brand is simply awesome. Not only is it unique in flavor, it is featuring a blend of rare tobaccos used in unique ways. It is a combination of Nicaraguan and Dominican filler aged fro two years, tied together with two binders - Dominican and Nicaraguan - both aged for 5 years and as an icing on the cake, it has a very beautiful and rare golden wrapper from Ecuador which has been aged for 3 years.

The cigar looks and feels beautiful and tastes excellent. It is a medium bodied medley of ever changing flavors which create a complex and unique profile. Within its creamy bosom it holds tones of wood, leather and cedar, reaching out for some fruits - perhaps from the citrus family.

This honestly is something you would expect form a legend like Ernesto. I would not have it any other way. Read more on the E.P Carrillo brand and the man himself from an interview or go and buy the cigars. It's worth the money.

Origin: Dominican Republic

Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Dominican, Nicaragua
Filler: Dominican, Nigaragua

POINTS: 93/100 points

Review - Flor de Gonzáles 15 Aniversario Robusto - 91/100

2010-04-10T22:15:00.002+02:00

The limited edition Robusto from Flor de González is a treat. It has all the ingredients to make a great cigar. It looks good with its deep brown "desflorado" wrapper. It feels solid and good in the hand and it has a great aroma unlit.

What comes to flavor, it also delivers. From the woody start rises a balanced mix of nuts and sweet tobacco, layered with a creamy topping. This all comes from the Ecuadorian wrapper and the Dominican, Nicaraguan and Panamanian fillers complementing each other.

Complexity and flavor carry on nicely until the last few draws. completed with its even burn and nice white ash, this medium bodied cigar reaches a high score in my books. I'd Recommend you should go and hunt one down somewhere.

Origin: USA

Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Ecuador
Filler: Dominican, Nicaragua, Panama

POINTS: 91/100 points

A Rainbow of Wrappers - a Short Guide to the Wrapper Color Range

2010-03-24T22:15:00.003+02:00

As in shapes of cigars, there is also a wide variety in the color and shades of the wrapper leaves used in cigars. The common belief is that the color of the wrapper determines the strength of the cigar, as in darker the wrapper the stronger or fuller-bodied the smoke.

This is however not true. The part the wrapper plays in the strength depends on the quality and origin of the wrapper leaves and on the ring gauge of the cigar. Smaller the RG, a larger part the wrapper plays in the strength as well as in the over all flavor profile. What little can be determined from the color of the wrapper, is that darker wrappers tend to be sweeter and "rounder" in taste than the lighter ones.

As a general consensus, wrapper colors can roughly be divided into seven categories:

Double Claro

Green in color. Sometimes referred to as “Candela”. More popular in the past. Not so much in production today.

Claro

Very light beige. most often originated from Conneticut.

Colorado Claro

Medium Brown in color. The most popular wrapper in production today. Often referred as "Natural". Also usually from Conneticut or grown from Conneticut-Seed.

Colorado

Brown wrapper with a recognizable red hue.

Colorado Maduro

Dark version of the Colorado Claro. Usually from Cameroon or Havana Seed grown in Nicaragua or Honduras.

Maduro

Dark brown. Most Maduro wrappers come from Nicaragua and Brazil. Also some from Conneticut and other areas. Very popular in production today (especially on the USA market).

Oscuro

Simply: Black.

A wide selection of cigars with different wrapper types can be found also from our friends at Famous-Smoke.com and CigarMonster.com

King of Smokes 2009

2010-02-05T15:24:00.012+02:00

As the situation at work is starting to settle down, it is a perfect time to begin postings for this year. And what better subject to start with than King of Smokes - a retrospective view on the cigars reviewed in 2009. here goes:

King of Smokes 2009

1. Partagas Serie D 5 Edicíon Limitada 2008

2. Montecristo Sublimes Edicíon Limitada 2008

3. Casa Magna Colorado Gran Toro

Best Cuban Cigars 2009

1. Partagas Serie D 5 Edicíon Limitada 2008

2. Montecristo Sublimes Edicíon Limitada 2008

3. Cuaba Piramides Edicíon Limitada 2008

Best Non-Cuban Cigars 2009

1. Casa Magna Colorado Gran Toro

2. Gurkha Grand Age

3. Gurkha G3

4. Warped Private Blend Petit Corona

5. Warped Anubis Maduro Corona Gorda

Black Horse (positive surprise)

Warped Private Blend Petit Corona

Black Sheep (disappointment)

Reyes Classic Toro

Please share your thoughts on the cigars. I would love to hear them. I've got lots of reviews coming up!

cheers

Review - Brun del Re Premium Churchill - 88/100

2009-11-08T22:09:00.005+02:00

The Brun del Re Premium Churchill has a smooth wrapper with a golden twist. Nicely rolled although construction can vary from cigar to cigar.

As its brother in the Colonial line, it has a distinct marker of Costa Rican style cigars, but is simultaniously a totally different story. Within its medium body, you can find spice and cedar wrapped in creamy and sweet tobacco. a Nicely balanced smoke with some complexity. The finish could be longer.

All in all, The Premium Churchill is an easy going cigar, which can easily be picked by a beginner and a veteran alike. Although the cigar does not offer any mind blowingly deep experience, it is a great cigar to enjoy at any time of day. Easy to approach, easy to enjoy and easy to like.

Origin: Costa Rica

Wrapper: Ecuador
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nigaragua

POINTS: 88/100 points

Review - Brun del Re Colonial Churchill - 84/100

2009-11-08T20:39:00.007+02:00

This Costa Rican Churchill has a nice oily wrapper with a mild red hue. It is pleasant to the nose but seems to be somewhat inconcistently rolled. You can find looser and tighter spots on the cigar just by feeling it with your fingers.

The flavor starts with a selection of earthy tones followed by some bitterness on the edges. After the uneven start, the cigar developes to represent toasty and roasted flavors and evens down from the heavy earthiness. From there on, the cigar does not develop much along the way, but keeps the nice powerful taste to the end.

Although the balance is little off, leaning towards powerful tobacco taste on expense of complexity, the cigar has a solid white ash, an even enough burn and a good draw. Over all a decent cigar with a Costa Rican signature. The blend would probably work better in a smaller size, as it could turn it into a nice occasional relaxation to be enjoyed instead of the monster chuchrill making it a little difficult to approach.

Origin: Costa Rica

Wrapper: Costa Rican Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nigaragua

POINTS: 84/100 points

Cigars Time Humidors - Milan's Finest

2009-11-07T22:08:00.029+02:00

Cigars have a long and winding history - the traditions of cigar manufacturing go back for a few hundred years. During that time, cigars and tobacco have travelled all over the world and back again, and many countries and cities in Europe have developed into hot spots of cigar culture and life style.

The city of Milan, in Northern Italy, is no doubt to be concerned as one of the top cigar cities in Europe. There are several outstanding cigar stores as well as private lounges to treat even the most discriminating aficionado. This fall, I was privileged to spend a couple of days in sunny Milan, as a guest of Mr. Alberto de Munari, owner and manager of DeArt, a custom furniture and interiors company and its side branch Cigars Time humidors.

It is not very farfetched to describe cigar manufacturing and smoking as a form of art. The passion and dedication which goes into making and enjoying quality cigars is overwhelming. Nowhere else have I experienced such an atmosphere as amongst fellow aficionados and cigar enthusiasts. This passion and dedication is also present in everything Cigars Time humidors have to offer.

The Company, DeArt, was established in over 40 years ago by grandfather of Alberto, producing clocks and barometers. Even then, it was clear that everything the company was to produce, would have a clear mark of quality and prestige. From there on, the company has developed into a highly recognized manufacturer of i.e. custom furniture, interior designs, clocks and luxury yacht furnishing – as well as a producer of state of the art cigar humidors. Amongst the customers of DeArt, are for example royalty and statesmen from the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Russia, USA and Kazakhstan. Not forgetting cigar collectors and retailers from all over the world.

What makes Cigars Time and their humidors extraordinary, is the skill and dedication, in which the traditional art and principals of storing cigars is intertwined with modern technology and uncompromised aim for perfection. The Cigars Time products range from medium capacity cigar cabinets to huge walk-in humidors and all the way to complete cigar shop solutions - All hand made in the company’s factory near Milan. One gain on the company’s long list of gains to the customer is also its impeccable and flexible servicing. “It is after all a matter of protecting our customers property”, said Alberto. Easy access to replacement parts and quick deliveries ensure that the cigars do not take the hit if a humidification system breaks down in customer’s walk-in. And we might are talking big money there.

As I said, on top of respecting traditions, Cigars Time is all about high tech and harnessing it to create additional value to customers. You can choose from a wide range of accessories and environmental controls to fit your cabinet. The offerings are static humidification, electronic humidity control and total thermo-electric environment system called “Total Clima”. “We always try to find new ways to implement new technology into our humidors”, Alberto answered, as I was admiring a limited edition Afrika cabinet with Total Clima, LED lights, and gorgeous design. In the future, there are plans to introduce i.e UV protected glass and mini-sized cooling systems, maybe based on magnetic energy. Despite all this hype on high tech it is a matter of honor to Alberto to keep his manufacturing on a hand-made boutique level, not aiming for large scale to ensure the quality of the products and to emphasize on the total service for the customer.

Cigars Time’s products can be found all over Italy and the World. As a part of my brief visit to Milan, I had the opportunity to see a few spots with their doings involved. On the first day I got to visit Lugano, Switzerland and one of their sites of total cigar shop design equipped with a walk-in with environment control. I also got to have a great lunch and a few great smokes at the La Casa de Habanos in Milan – also with Cigars Time’s walk in solution. Not forgetting the several cabinets in several tabaccherias scattered around Milan.

On a more leisurely side of the trip, I got to enjoy Alberto’s overwhelming hospitality and to witness the scenery and great food of Lombardia.

Cigars Time is really all about the customers and their love of cigars - Only the best will do. And with tradition, skill and fearless exploitation of modern technology, Cigars Time succeeds to offer only the best. No wonder Cigars Time is called the Ferrari of humidors in Italy.

Visit http://www.deart.com/ or http://www.cigarstime.com/ for more information.

E. P. Carrillo - Renowned, Re-organized, Renewed

2009-10-28T14:24:00.001+02:00

Ernesto Perez-Carrillo's history and accomplishments in the world of cigars are known to many. But if you are not familiar with his creations, i suggest you dig up some information about the man himself, the la Gloria Cubana brand and Swedish Match Co.

Now, after a long and productive period with Swedish Match, Ernesto is on his own again - Well, sort of. Together with his son Ernie and daughter Lissette, he has established the EPC Cigar Co. A family business aimed to create something spectacular and to please even the most discriminating cigar aficionado.

Fortunately, i was able to get an interview with the busy man himself.

According to Ernesto, it is a huge joy to see the next generation so enthusiastic about the company and cigar industry. He obviously respects them for taking the leap of faith and jump aboard. He is even relieved to say, that the daily business runs smoothly within the family and personal aspects can easily be left outside the business, whenever necessary.

The new company will base its philosophy on old family traditions brought to the present time through innovations and creativity. This means that the production process and all included will be honouring the centuries old art of cigar making, as well as respecting the long Carrillo family history, but with blends and tastes which reflect the lifestyle of the present times and generations.

"There is no point in recreating the La Gloria Cubana blend or similar traditional brand, as that has been seen already, and new things await.", he stated.

And i believe the cigar enthusiasts will agree. Together, as a family, they are working to build a new concept, not only through the cigars themselves, but also through active online marketing, social networks, packaging, sales etc. According Ernesto, they will not, however, aim to be a large scale cigar manufacturer, but try to remain boutique.

Their first release will be a limited edition of one size only called The E.P. Carrillo Edición Inaugural 2009, sized 5 3/8" x 52 - Robusto. Only 2500 boxes of ten cigars will be made every month from December 2009 to April 2010. It will be available in December 2009 in the USA, and many retailers are already taking pre-orders on the cigars.

The E.P. Carrillo Edición Inaugural 2009 will be an interesting mix of different kind of tobacco: minimum of 2 years aged Nicaraguan and Dominican filler tobaccos and an unique, very limited, 3-year-aged Ecuadorian wrapper found through some friends in the business. The cigar also has two binder leaves, a Nicaraguan and a Dominican, both aged for 5 years.

To my experience on a prototype sample, it is to be a cigar with a medium body and medium strength. Most importantly, the cigar is packed with an ever changing flavour profile and an absolutely perfect balance. changing from creamy to sweet, reaching for wood and leather, even with some fruity whispers on the background.

"It will suit the tastes of most cigar smokers," said Ernesto. "It is a medium bodied, smooth and creamy smoke, which has rich, vibrant flavors and an intoxicating aroma."

The core line of the EPC Cigar Co. will be coming out in April 2010 with a wider range of vitolas. And, obviously, with distinct signature flavours from Mr. Carrillo.

With all the passion which Ernesto and his family have for cigars, and with all the know-how and history behind them, i am certain, that we will see a lot of future classics coming out from their cigar factory.

Cohiba Gran Reserva Siglo VI - Cuban flamboyance

2009-10-15T17:11:00.005+02:00

GUEST REVIEW BY CHRISTOPH WOLTERS

The Cohiba Gran Reserva Siglo VI is now available at LCDH Hamburg.

When this cigar was first launched during the 2009 Habanos Festival it caught highest attention - which is something that I did not see for many years. Some funny story about this very special cigar happened at a private dinner in Havana the night before the Festivals Farewell Gala. After the main course I took out the Gran Reserva I was given as sample to check it out. James Suckling, Cigar Aficionado’s man in Havana, looked at the cigar and could not resist to ask what is was. I could not even finish my answer when he grabbed MY cigar, smoked half way through it and was blown off his socks. That cigar is the one he rated 100 points Now, back to the cigar.

The Cohiba Gran Reserva Siglo VI is a unique cigar as no current Havana has this unique taste. The El Laguito (Cohiba) cigar factory made cigars are blended with a very special and nowadays hard to find Ligero. This rare and special Ligero leaf is hand picked one by one from the finest bunches of aged tobacco - the best of the best! That special Ligero leaf is THE secret behind the unique taste of the Cohiba Gran Reserva. The ones of you smoking Havanas since the late 1980’s might remember the heavy taste of wet soil blended into sweet tobacco flavour - that comes close to what I think makes this cigar to a great one.

If there is any Havana cigar you should try it is this one. You will never forget the fantastic flavour this Havana cigar produces….

Available as singles and in boxes of 15

ASH 2009 - A Smoking Success ... (sort of)

2009-09-25T17:58:00.019+02:00

The 3rd Annual charity and cigars event - ASH 2009 - was held at Tiger Night Club during th last week end of August. At the same time, the name was chaged from Autumn Smoke Herf to August Smoke Herf - still ASH ...

As a result of the vacation season and the flu season hitting us at the same time, participation was limited to a good few. 20 odd people were enjoying great cigars, good friends and delicious drinks for a few precious hours. All the sponsored cigars were smashing hits and a decent amount of money was raised for charity. Thank you everyone for your donations!

I will post reviews on every sponsored cigar as soon as i get some time to do the writing. Stay tuned.

ASH 2010 will probably be held at the same place, and hopefully with more people involved. Nevertheless, i had a good time, and i hope everyone else did. See you next year!

Warped Cigars - Combining the Past and the Present

2009-08-30T20:50:00.002+02:00

In the States, especially in Miami, cigar industry seems to be in a constant turmoil. Some small factories and labels gain huge demand as others fade away quietly. It is lucky for us cigar enthusiasts, that there will always be new people trying it out with new concepts.

I had a great chance to talk with one of the interesting people trying to make it or break it in the highly competitive World of Cigars. Kyle Gellis, the founder and owner of Warped Cigars, is a 20-year-old college student, born in Brewster, New York. Despite his young age, he has already been a player in the business world for several years.

So, let's take a glimpse into the mind behind Warped Cigars:

World of Cigars: Tell me a little about your background.

Kyle Gellis: I Started my first company Warped Kustoms when I was 14, supplying headwear for the paintball industry. Then, I started Trend Clothing Co. when I was 17, and been dealing with internet retail since I was 14. I am a Full time college student, majoring in Marketing in Florida.

WoC: When did you get into cigars?

Kyle: My father smoked cigars when I was a kid, I was extremely interested in the whole concept, from the humidors to the smell of them. I couldn't wait till he got home, he would let me cut and light his cigar for him. I had my first cigar when I was 16 from a cruise to the bahamas, was a Monte No. 2 from the cigar shop in Atlantis. When I turned 18, the first cigar I bought was a Padilla Miami (the old ones by Pepin) and been history since then.

WoC: Tell me about the early days of Warped Cigars.

Kyle: I started Warped Cigars in August of 2008. I live 90 miles from Little Havana, so I went down one day to learn more about the art, ended up coming out with more knowledge and appreciation then I ever had before. Once you go through the blending process, rolling you really get a much better appreciation for the art. I found a small family run factory that was willing to give me a shot when a bunch of other factories turned me down.

WoC: What kind of different blends do you have?

Kyle: Currently we have 3 blends. Anubis, Osiris and Private Blend.

WoC: Is Warped carried in retail stores?

Kyle: Currently it is not. I started strictly with the support of the online community, remain solely selling my cigars online. While I hope to change this very soon, right now its just not in the cards. I am on alot of cigar forums, reading what people are looking for and personally interacting with the members to see what they want. When I first started Warped, I had the support of my good friends over at PBN, who saw Warped come up from idea to finished product and gave me their opinions all the way. I have to give a shout out to everyone over at PBN, you know I love you guys.

WoC: What do you look for in a cigar?

Kyle: Flavor and aroma just like everyone else. I am not one for if the burn is straight or not while I know its important to alot of people, I have a lighter I will fix it, if it needs correcting. I like my cigars with a lot of spice and earthy flavors, that fruity sweet you find in Cubans. I believe the Hoyo line is the best example of fruity sweet, while smoking a Hoyo EL 07 it was like a creamy blueberry flavor that I just cant get enough of. I really want to attempt to re create that creamy fruity flavors in my future lines.

WoC: What is your favorite size?

Kyle: Corona Gorda (5 5/8 x 46), hands down. Its a perfect fit for my hand, has the perfect ratio. Some people say I'm obsessed with the size, I am. Every line I do will have a Corona Gorda, because its a classic size that not a lot of people offer. I am not into large RG cigars, while that is the current trend, I don't follow it. The biggest RG you will see from me is a 52 for a Belicoso.

WoC: What cigars do you enjoy besides your own?

Kyle: When im not smoking my own, I usually only smoke Tatuaje and Pepin's brands and Cuban. I pretty much stick to what I know wont ever let me down. But I never turn down an opportunity to try something new. I will say I am smoking alot of the Epernay from Illusione, Dion created a beast with those.

WoC: What do you love about the cigar culture?

Kyle: The people! Never before have I met such people that are so welcoming, its like we are all old friends. Even the brand owners are the same. While I have not met a lot of brand owners, I have met Pete Johnson at an event in Orlando, I sat with Pete and we talked for 3 hours almost exclusively with my friend Ryan. We talked about his future ideas, my brand and everything else. That day was probably the most memorable cigar day I had yet. In my old industry, that would never happen you are brushed aside like you are nothing. I hope when I am done with college I can get out there and do events and meet alot more people.

WoC: So whats in the future for Warped?

Kyle: Alot, I hope. Currently I have 4 brand ideas I would like to release them in late 2009 and early 2010. I really want to work with Pepin and Jaime (Garcia Family) to create the 4 brands. I know they could help me take the ideas and create exactly what my crazy mind wants. They are coming out with amazing things. Working with them would be an honor to me. Hell just to be allowed to learn from them would be good for me! I am always wanting to learn more and more.

WoC: What comes after college?

Kyle: I want to continue with Warped, expand my clothing company Trend, produce my own Cognac (I am a huge cognac enthusiast). I dream big, want to make my dreams a reality. When I day dream, I dream about a blend I want to create or what I am looking for in a cognac, etc. My mind is constantly on work mode, has been since I was 14 when I started my first company.

***

Review - Warped Private Blend Petit Corona - 89/100

2009-08-30T20:49:00.000+02:00

´
The Private Blend from Warped Cigars is another great cigar from a small company. It has a nice glowing dark brown wrapper and a beautiful triple cap. With a solid construction and an intoxicating chocolatey cold aroma, it captivates from the start.

The cigar offers a mixture of flavours, which evolve from one second to the other. First, dark roasted coffe with hints of black pepper plays the leading role, supported by tobacco flavour with sharp edges. In the Second act, the loose draw offers a variation with some fruitiness and a rounder view on the tobacco in the supporting role. The finale is earthy and offers a cedary finish.

This medium to full bodied small cigar offers a great value to the money, five pack being only under 30 USD. One of the cigars on my "return to these" list.

Origin: USA

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nigaragua

POINTS: 89/100 points

Review - Warped Anubis Maduro Corona Gorda - 87/100

2009-08-30T20:48:00.000+02:00

This Corona Gorda, named after the Egyptian god of mummification and afterlife, has a beautiful, oily, dark brown wrapper. The cigar has a great feel to the hand, although a slight change in its firmness can be detected throughout the stick. The triple cap, well known from Cuban cigars, is also worth admiring.

The prelight aroma and flavor are mild and do not have any particular character taking over any others. What comes to the burn and draw, they could be better, but offer no reason for any bigger complaints. The draw was loose, but offered a generous amount of smoke with that and the burn was a bit off, but either corrected itself or was easily taken care of with a lighter.

First draw was woody and full of medium bodied tobacco flavour. Through the start, the character of the cigar became more clear with coffee and pepper with some woody notes. Reaching the half point marker the cigar really took off, and offered great variations in intensified coffee and pepper with creamy roundness and chocolatey whispers. Something about the cigar reminded me of a young Ramon Allones Specially Selected, but can't put my finger on it. The final third was a bit off with acids and bitter tones.

Well done for a small USA based company. Warped Cigars has created a very good cigar with an extremely affordable price of 5 USD per stick. Overall expression is, that this cigar is worth more than its price. I will be getting back to these for sure...

Origin: USA

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nigaragua

POINTS: 87/100 points

CHARITY DOG TAGS! - Order Now!

2009-08-28T12:39:00.008+02:00

As a byproduct of the ASH 2009 charity event, i have decided to make unique and customizable Charity Dog Tags available for all of you.

In genuine U.S. army design, the Dog Tags are available, either with default "ASH 2009/Children's Hospital" text OR with your "custom text/Children's Hospital text". So one tag is customizable with 5 lines of 15 characters (spaces are characters too). The rubber silencers are also available in multiple colours (camouflage also available).

Every cent from these buggers will be directly donated to the Lastenklinikka Children's Hospital in Helsinki, Finland.

Please allow a small delay in handling and shipping, as i have to bundle some orders before i can do anything...

Prices are as follows:

Default (ASH/Charity texts , any color rubber silencers, chains)

18 EUR / 25 USD

Custom (Custom/Charity texts, any color silencers, chains)

20 EUR / 28 USD

IF YOU BUY MORE THAN 2 YOU GET % DISCOUNTS!!!

Always open for ideas...

To order yours, Please send your information with shipping address to mikko@worldofcigarsblog.com and i will follow up with detailed payment and other info.

Available payment methods are bank transfer and paypal

Please, do not hesitate to contact me directly if you have any questions at all...

cheers,

Mikko

NEW E-MAIL!

2009-08-28T12:36:00.003+02:00

Hello,

In subjects related to cigars, you can now reach me at mikko@worldofcigarsblog.com directly or via the "contact me" button in the navbar!

Please, use this e-mail instead of any you may have for reaching me from before...

cheers,

ASH 2009 - Update

2009-08-13T23:21:00.004+03:00

Hello,

As the Dawn of ASH 2009 is closing in, i thought it would be a perfect time for an update. Nothing dramatically changed - One new sponsor. Now we have Puros Indios/Reyes Family, EO Brands/601, Maya Selva, Vintage Chic and Bucanero along for the ride!

As usual, Donations for charity 10 EUR or more will be greeted with quality cigars. I have also a collectors item Cigar CUtter for sale, as well as raffle tickets for a box of cigars to sell! all cool stuff... spread the word!

Cuban Cigar Walk London - Smoke and the City

2009-08-12T15:51:00.053+03:00

London is known for its long history and as the "cigar capital" of the World. Nowhere else can you find such a combination of historical sights, high quality shopping, arts, sports and other passtime, such as Cuban Cigars. The city's many cigar stores, open air bars and patios and gentlemens' clubs offer a cigar smoker refuge from the total annihilation of the freedom of choice. You just need to know where to look. And to help you get the best of the city, there is now a great tool out there.

The Audio Guide - Cuban Cigar Walk London - by Cities in Sound offers a simple and affordable solution to introduce you to some of the best cigar related spots London has to offer. All you have to do is simply download the audio guide in mp3 format and put it on your iPod (or what you prefer) and by following the map provided, just hop along the route as guided. Oh, and buy the flights and book a hotel too...

I was really lucky to have booked a trip to London already before i was introduced to the walk. Now, i got to experience the walk first hand and actually visit the places on the guide, rather than relying on my vague memories from my previous visits. Although the entire walk is very manageable for a full day's leisure, i had to improvise to some extent as i was strolling along with my wife and son (under 2 years old). So, I cut some corners, but i think that is the beauty of this audio guide too as it gives you the freedom to choose what you want to see and modify the walk according your needs and interests.

Not going too much to the detail of all the stops along the walk, as you should see them for yourself, i had a really great time. I started from the Churchill & Roosevelt statue, skipping Sautter of Mount Street, walked around the Berkeley Square and took a full stop at the Alfred Dunhill at Bourdon House (previously belonged to the Duke of Westminster).

Then, continued following the voice of the guide, later heading through the Burlington Arcade and finally ending up on St James's Street. There i visited two supreme cigar shops - Davidoff of London and Fox of St. James. At Davidoff I even got to watch a talented cuban cigar roller Armando Rissoto do his magic and to smoke a freshly rolled cigar. Needless to say that was nice...

All in all, a great walk with a superb audio guide, introducing London and its secrets with enthusiasm and overall expertise. Revealing details not all people know. Giving any cigar smoker visiting London a good view on the best the Capital of the World of Cigars has to offer.

Highly recommended!

Review - Flor de Selva Robusto - 82/100

2009-07-03T20:00:00.000+03:00

Flor de Selva Robusto from Maya Selva Cigares is a fragile looking cigar. The wrapper is almost transluscent and it feels light in hand. it is Well rolled and performs perfectly with even burn and great draw.

The flavour is mostly floral with tones of spice and wood. A fresh breeze of the summer wind in the burning heat of the sun... And that's about it. Although a good cigar, it seems to be lacking the complexity which would make it exceptional. Not much developement in character either.

Still, a decent cigar, which fits after a light meal, lunch or maybe even with champagne.

Origin: Honduras

Wrapper: Conneticut

Binder: Honduras

Filler: Honduras

POINTS: 82/100 points

3rd annual August Smoke Herf - ASH 2009

2009-07-01T14:54:00.004+03:00

ASH is here again!

at Tiger NightClub - Helsinki, Finland.

Cigars, Drinks, Accessories, Friends and acquintances...

Every cent earned goes to charity. Cigars against donations, raffles, auctions, the whole nine yards.

RSVP OFFICIALLY TO mikko.eriksson@welho.com

-ONLY APPROX. 50 FIRST GET ON THE LIST

FEEL FREE TO SPREAD THE INVITATION; BUT REMEMBER TO RSVP EVERYONE!

See Supporters on the flyer!

Host: World of Cigars / Mikko
Date: 29 August 2009
Time: 19:00 - 22:00
Location: Tiger NightClub
Street: Urho kekkosen katu 1 a
Town/City: Helsinki, Finland
Phone: 358405787427
Email: mikko.eriksson@welho.com

MORE INFORMATION FROM ME!

cheres

2009-06-13T23:06:00.004+03:00

The ten tracks on Paris To Cuba are the embodiment of summertime. Composed and created by Mario Grigorov, the album’s sound conjures up beautiful complexions, mid-afternoon mojitos, linen garments, and vintage Cadillacs. This is music that immediately evokes an aural landscape, a narrative of striking up a wandering romance with a stranger, a “paseo” through Plaza Vieja or a sunset on the Seine. Lilting, sensual brass sections flirt with gentle vocals on “I See”, “Every Little Moment”, and “Snake Eyes”- the three tracks which feature singer, Melissa Newman. Blending hints of Pink Martini and Buena Vista Social Club, the percussion section laps as a wave on an empty beach. It is easy for the listener to get lost in the guitar solos, mysterious accordion and nostalgic, sweeping strings. This is not your typical jazz or world record.

Mario Grigorov, the mastermind behind the record, is best known for conceiving and creating the 1998 classical crossover hit, Aria, with composer Paul Schwartz. The album immediately landed on Billboard’s Classical Crossover chart, beating out a Philip Glass soundtrack, a John Williams/Itzhak Perlman collaboration, and even the London Symphony Orchestra’s Star Wars, Episode IV: A New Hope. Writer Douglas Levy declared Aria as “the CD that could save classical music,” and the following two releases within the series also debuted within the Billboard Top 10 (where they remained for over two years). Aria sold over half a million copies worldwide and was licensed to Café Del Mar. Another music career highlight for Grigorov is was his groundbreaking debut record, Rhymes with Orange in 1994 (produced by Oscar Castro-Neves and Miles Goodman) about which All Music Guide said, “A virtuoso with a very strong classical influence but the ability to improvise masterfully, Grigorov reworks ‘Body and Soul’ and performs 11 of his originals.”

Mario has scored countless acclaimed movies, among them Oscar winners and festival darlings; most recently, Lee Daniels’ Sundance (’09) success, Precious. The film, whose cast members include Mo’Nique, Paula Patton, Lenny Kravitz, and Mariah Carey, took home the ‘Grand Jury Award’ for best feature film and ‘Audience Choice Award’ at the 2009 Sundance Film Festival. At the 1998 Hamptons International Film Festival, Mario was recognized with a ‘Best Original Score’ award for his work on Leonardo Ricagni’s El Chevrolé. Another film he composed music for is Taxi to the Dark Side, which won a 2008 Oscar for Best Documentary. Mario Grigorov is also the founder of Siblings Music, a New York City-based composition and production company started in 2005.

Mario explains his inspiration behind the album:

“Every time I go to Paris, I get inspired. I start thinking about ways I can embrace the city and absorb its magic…

This album takes me back to my time there, and I reflect on how I have always enjoyed traditional and classical French music – been intrigued by the use of melody and sultry textures. I started playing with some melodies on the piano; inspired by the Parisian mood and architecture, I was trying to re-create the buildings I had seen that stood like frozen compositions. The compositions I began to write would soon lend themselves to a melding with the energy and simplicity of the music I also love from Cuba, along with all of its influences.

It’s not always easy to combine styles of music from their technical anatomies, but I was in no way trying to do that here. This album, inspired by my appreciation of both styles, came about from the feel-good spirit that both Paris and Cuba share. I must admit, working with my good friend Melissa Newman brought it all together; she embodies the spirit and beauty of these musical cultures. Her voice created the perfect accent for this project.”

Melissa Newman’s talents span from painting, to poetry, to singing, to writing lyrics. As a vocalist, Melissa studied opera under legendary voice teacher Marlena Malas. Performing at venues such as The Russian Tea Room, Melissa is a seasoned live performer in Manhattan as well as Chicago. Eminent song and jingle writer, Robin Batteau, hired Melissa to collaborate with him on a well-known commercial project featured during the Superbowl. Batteau ultimately connected Melissa to Mario Grigorov, who was immediately inspired by her voice; describing it as “a cross between Billie Holiday and Patsy Cline”.

Track Listing:

Cuban Soil, Cuban Sun
I See
Ice Hotel
Every Little Movement
Paris To Cuba
Magic Circus
Snake Eyes
Before She Walked Away
Ice Hotel (Piano Version)
Three Dozen Roses

:: WWW.PARISTOCUBA.COM :: WWW.WARMANDGENUINERECORDS.COM ::

For additional information, please contact:
Two Sheps That Pass... info@twoshepsthatpass.com Email 646-613-1101 Telephone

Now you can talk with me online!

2009-06-07T17:47:00.004+03:00

Hey,

Please check out the new Online Chat feature down on the left of the page. Now you can chat with me whenever i am online... Do not hesitate to contact me for whatever reason!

cheers,

Mikko

Review - Joyas de Panama Especial #1 - 82/100

2009-05-31T22:00:00.000+03:00

Joyas de Panama #1 is the first Panamanian cigar reviewed here, and one of the very view Panamanian puros i have smoked. And as such, a pleasant smoke. It is a medium bodied, straight forward cigar, with a mix of spice and cedar as well as some sweet notes.

The delicate wrapper is very interesting in apprearance and seems to be almost transparent in places. Nice feel to the hand and even burn tell about great rolling. The loose draw helps you fill your mouth with lots of smoke with an easy finish.

Goes well on all times of the day, and i guess there is a market for these cigars too. Worth the try for the sake of the Panamanian puro nature.

Origin: Panama

Wrapper: Panama
Binder: Panama
Filler: Panama

POINTS: 82/100 points

Review - Reyes Classic Toro - 74/100

2009-05-31T20:45:00.000+03:00

The Classic Toro from the Reyes Family is also classical in appearance with its medium brown Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper and smooth surface. The band is also gorgeous and the cigar performs good too with even burn and good draw.

I have to give it a low score however, since atleast the specimens i received were lacking complexity and flavour. This might, however, be due to some mishandling during the long route to my judgemental taste buds...

The Classic Toro was full of earthy character with tobacco flavour but that was basically it. No real power and no real taste, but not too disturbing or harsh to be a bad cigar... just... blunt.

I will revisit the cigar to figure out wether my score is unfair, and to hopefully find the true nature of this cigar...

Origin: Honduras

Wrapper: Ecuador Sumatra
Binder: Ecuador Sumatra
Filler: Brazil, Dominican Repubulic, Ecuador & Nicaragua

POINTS: 74/100 points

More Pictures on the Hammer Head

2009-05-24T19:45:00.014+03:00

As the first two acrylic boxes, ment to be the outer shells of these humidors, arrived smashed to pieces and beyond repair, i have had a minor delay in working with the project.

I will soon get the replacements, however, and get back to trying to figure out the whole picture... Here are a couple of pictures of the first fitting of the top tray and or the humidifiers provided by Heartfelt Industries.

Review - Gurkha G3 - 89/100

2009-05-24T19:44:00.021+03:00

Yet another great cigar from Gurkha. The G3 is advertised as an exception from the otherwise medium bodied lines of Gurkha, and a warning to beginners is issued. G3 is rather on the medium side off full in my books but a flavourful and nicely balanced cigar nevertheless...

The triple ligero G3 has a beautiful dark wrapper, which gives a nice oily shine. The Toro sized cigar feels good in hand and obvioulsy has been well constructed. That aslo becomes apparent on good draw and burn.

The delicious mixture of flavours is build on a foundation of dark chocolate and espresso. companied by hints of spice and cedar. All wrapped up with full and creamy smoke with a sweet twist.

G3 is a cigar which fits my taste of juicy nigaraguan type smokes. Will be going back for more...

Origin: Dominican Republic

Wrapper: Nigaragua
Binder: Cameroon
Filler: Nigaragua

POINTS: 89/100 points

Review - Gurkha Grand Age - 88/100

2009-05-24T19:44:00.016+03:00

Gurkha Grand Age is the first one form the company with a cameroon wrapper. It is also somewhat limited in supply with only 200 boxes made every two or three months, and i must say, it is worth getting your hands on.

Grand Age comes in boxes of 50 cigars and has formiddable measures of 7.5 inches long and a ring gauge of 54! Don't be frightened though, as the Grand Age is an elegant smoke...

It has a unique blend of a Cameroon Wrapper, Nicaraguan Binder and Nicaraguan and Peruvian Filler, which create a wide range of subtle flavours throughout the cigar. The pleasure starts with a delight to the eye by the beautiful dark wrapper and to the nose by the sweet scent. From the first draw you can already tell, that with its perfect draw and generous amount of beautiful white smoke, the Grand age is going to offer a long and excellent smoking experience.

The profile of the cigar consists of sweet, creamy and cedary flavours twined together with a fine thread of vanilla and spice. As a mild to medium bodied smoke, all the subtleties can be detected. A well balanced cigar in other words.

Smoking along the huge length of the cigar, spice becomes more apparent and maybe even some hints of cocoa and red berries can be detected.

All in all, The Gurkha Grand Age is a great cigar which goes well with the warm summer nights at the patio, cooling off with a glass of ice tea. I will definitely try to get a box and make it the cigar of summer 2009.

Origin: Dominican Republic

Wrapper: Cameroon
Binder: Nigaragua
Filler: Nigaragua, Peru

POINTS: 87/100 points

Cigar Rights of America Announces Latin American Cigar Trip Raffles

2009-05-16T20:46:00.005+03:00

May 12, 2009

Cigar Rights of America (CRA) is proud to announce a new initiative to
both grow the ranks of its membership, and to provide its members with an exciting way to appreciate and learn about the world of cigars.

Over the course of the next eight months, CRA will be selecting one lucky member per month through a random drawing for a unique trip to one of the cigar producing countries of Nicaragua, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, or the Bahamas. The winning CRA member will be given an opportunity of a lifetime for two people to spend two-nights/three-days with a well-known cigar maker, and afforded a ‘behind the scenes’ tour of their cigar facilities. Each trip will be unique and individual trip descriptions, official rules, and legal disclosures will be available on the CRA site.

Currently, the participating cigar companies include: La Flor Dominicana, La Aurora, Rocky Patel Cigars, General Cigar, Drew Estate, Don Pepin Garcia, Tabacalera Perdomo, and Graycliff. CRA will continue to announce additional companies as they become available.

Litto Gomez, owner of La Flor Dominicana announced, “This is a new and outstanding way for those that truly appreciate fine cigars to experience first-hand what it takes to produce that cigar, from the field and seed, to the roller that makes it all possible. We believe CRA members will walk away from this experience amazed at what it takes just to make one cigar, offering a new level of appreciation for this industry.”

Rocky Patel, owner of Rocky Patel Cigars, added, “Cigar making is an art form. Just like wine or a great painting, CRA members will see the many hands that go into making premium cigars. CRA felt strongly that members should be afforded this opportunity.”

The CRA Cigar Trip raffles will only be available to CRA members, and winners will be announced on the CRA web site (http://www.cigarrights.org/). The winning CRA member will be responsible for their airfare, however once ‘on the ground’ all lodging, transportation, food, and tours will be provided by the sponsoring cigar company.

Cigar enthusiasts wishing to be included in the CRA Cigar Trip raffle are encouraged to visit http://www.cigarrights.org/ and become a CRA member. Membership starts at as little as
$35/year.

For additional information, please contact Brian Berman, CRA Director of Membership at 818-541-1535, or by email at info@cigarrights.org.

The Hammer Head - First pics of the Acrylic Body

2009-05-06T11:13:00.008+03:00

Here are a couple of pictures from the factory, just finished:

I decided to place the HHH logo to the side, so that the view through the lid is not blocked. I think later on, it will be a sticker rather than low-res silk screening. Just testing...

Come back for more later on...

cheers,

Mikko

Hammer Head Humidors - Some Parts...

2009-05-04T20:52:00.011+03:00

So...

Here are the latest pics on the Hammer Head Project.

The cedar lining, which covers the bottom and the four sides of the acrylic box from inside:

Here is a little detail on the corner joint. I love it.

Here are all the cedar parts for the above lining separate:

The Hygrometers... Still waiting to be unleashed into action:

And as a temporary solution and for testing, the Humidity Beads in tubes for humidifying (until the rectangular humidifiers arrive):

Until next time...

cheers,

Mikko

The Project - 3rd Time's a Charm!

2009-04-29T15:14:00.006+03:00

Finally, the humidor is starting to make sense on paper. Hopefully, all my ideas will translate to real life without any bigger problems... Take a look at this beauty!

Complete:

Lid up:

Lid and tray up:

Be sure to visit for updates!

Cheers,

Mikko

The Project - 2nd view

2009-04-27T20:05:00.019+03:00

I thought i might as well share some pictures of the plans, as i am waiting for some parts to arrive. As soon as i start the assembly and manufacturing process, i will share some "live" images of the product.

Meanwhile, you'll just have to settle with these...

Visol Digital Hygrometers provided by eLighters:

These will probably be the Humidifiers, provided by Heartfelt Industries:

And here is a few pictures about the cedar parts for the humidor:

Cheers,

Mikko

The Project - 1st view

2009-04-27T14:42:00.005+03:00

This is the first look into my new project, which is done under the brand of Hammer Head Humidors. This will be a large tabletop humidor made of acrylic and cedar, combining cool design with great performance.

Parts for two prototypes have been already ordered and now it is a matter of me putting things together and refining the design...

Keep your heads up for more updates!

Cheers,

Mikko

Small-batch cigars—what are they?

2009-04-25T22:24:00.005+03:00

Small-batch cigars are what the name suggests—they’re cigars with limited production. Similar to micro-brew beers or small-batch bourbon, they’re created in limited quantities—sometimes very limited quantities—and marketed to people looking for something different from mass-market products.

What makes the production of small-batch cigars limited can be any of a number of factors. Some are fashioned from rare and/or vintage tobaccos that are only available in small quantities, or from tobacco grown in limited quantities as a test of seed and soil. Others are produced to commemorate a special date or event—the Padron Anniversario 1964 series, introduced in 1994 to commemorate the manufacturer’s 30th anniversary—is one of the better known of the latter, but there are a number of others as well. Still others are crafted by small manufacturers who aren’t aiming to be all things to all people, and who prefer to limit their output and appeal to a niche market.

What sets all small-batch cigars apart from the others is their “specialness,” for lack of a better term. Even if they come from a fairly large manufacturer, they’ll be distinctively different from the manufacturer’s other offerings. You’ll often see them described as containing specially aged or hand-selected tobacco. They’re often limited in distribution, and in availability. Production runs of less than 20,000 or 30,000—cigars, not boxes—aren’t uncommon. In some cases, and especially so if they’re made to honor a special event or if they contain very rare or vintage tobacco, once they’re gone, they’re gone.

As you might expect from any product that’s limited in nature, small-batch cigars can come at a fairly hefty price. You can expect to shell out upwards of $15 to $20 for some of them—and there’s one, Gurkha’s His Majesty’s Reserve, which can set you back a whopping $750 for one cigar…and that’s if you can even find it. The reason for this stratospheric price? A combination of some of the rarest tobaccos in the world and a unique infusion process that melds the flavors of this ultra-exclusive tobacco with an entire bottle of Louis XIII Cognac, resulting in the production of less than 100 boxes annually. But small-batch cigars can also be more reasonably priced, and especially so if they come from a small manufacturer with lower overhead and limited distribution.

Still, the price tags on many small-batch cigars puts them out of the range of everyday smokes for most people, and especially so in these economic times. But for a special occasion or a special event of your own, they’re definitely something to seek out, and to enjoy.

Provided by Cigars Direct

Review - Partagas Serie D.5 Edicíon Limitada 2008 - 95/100

2009-04-19T19:09:00.008+02:00

Little sister to the Partagas Serie D.4, the Serie D.5 Edicíon Limitada 2008 is almost a perfect cigar. It quietly whispers to be of the Partagas family, but from another branch of the family tree. The compact new vitola holds all of the Seven Wonders of the World under one wrapper.

Dark in appearance, the D.5 is rolled with exceptional skill and devotion. No doubt, one of the most high quality cigars out there. Like a Turbo charged D.4, that is...

D.5 is full flavoured and perfecly balanced. The roots of its flavour are deep in the fertile Cuban soil and its trunk rises from the spirit of the earth. The trunk is twined with pepper, spices of the Orient and roasted herbs. Somewhere in the distance, you can even sense a sweet fragrance of cocoa

No need for further words, Partagas Serie D.5 Edicíon Limitada 2008 is a born classic.

Origin: Cuba

Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba

POINTS 95/100

Review - Cuaba Piramide Edicíon Limitada 2008 - 90/100

2009-04-19T19:08:00.001+02:00

Cuaba is know for the fact, that the label has always concisted only of very charming figurados. Now, the Cuaba Piramide Edicíon Limitada 2008 breaks that spell. An end of an era, if you will. The Cuaba Piramide is then an exception from the rule, which as such does not lose to its figurado-sisters in any aspect.

Cuaba Piramide is a beautiful cigar. Its dark wrapper with a bronze oiliness lures its ignorant victims to face some serious pleasure. Combined with an extraordinary performance, its appearance already guarantees high points for this beauty. What else can you ask for?

Whatever you are asking for, this cigar fulfils your desires also flavourwise. Its generous profile is filled with creamy coffee, followed by the bittersweet end of cocoa beans and dark chocolate. The finish of this medium flavor cigar is almost burning in spiciness.

Origin: Cuba

Wrapper: Cuba

Binder: Cuba

Filler: Cuba

POINTS: 90/100

Review - Montecristo Sublime Edicíon Limitada 2008 - 93/100

2009-04-19T19:06:00.011+02:00

The limited Sublime made by Montecristo is a massive cigar. It is almost frightening in appearance. The enormous measurements combined with the dark, seductive wrapper are enough to scare away most novices. The Sublime as a size is also very intriquing and it challenges the smoker to a genuine fight.

The Monte Sublime is related to the No 2. of the same label in appearance as well as in character. Its earthy profile with fresh breeze of cedar are a solid basis for a balanced experience. a pich of spice and a hint of almond bring the cigar to a perfect finish.

This cigar truly reveals all of its dark secrets, if you have the patience and courage for a long conversation at the corner tables of the smoke filled lounges. Be careful, though. This full flavoured, example of a perfect rolling and appearance of a beast is not for beginners or snobbish smokers. But to a dare devil hedonist, it truly offers a great experience!

One of the top limited edition Cuban cigars out there!

Origin: Cuba

Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba

POINTS: 93/100

LXRY 109 - Viva la vida, Viva la Cuba

2009-04-08T20:26:00.006+02:00

My first article was published in the LXRY Magazine in the start of the year. It basically just takes a peek at the current general situation on the cigar market and lists a few reviews of cigars i consider Cuban Classics.

Next issue of LXRY (209) will come out soon...

Meanwhile, check out my article in Finnish from this link:

http://www.4shared.com/file/97470425/e7f60707/LXRY_109.html

Cheers,

Mikko

Gradual changes

2009-03-28T15:06:00.005+02:00

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

Review - Defiance The Instigator - 88/100

2009-03-03T16:05:00.010+02:00

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

2009-03-03T16:04:00.015+02:00

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 Estelí, 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

About Cigar Shapes

2009-02-19T22:41:00.013+02:00

Getting Into Cigar Shapes

Walk into any well-stocked humidor—well, even one that's not that well-stocked—and you'll see lots of variety in how cigars are shaped and sized. Long, short, skinny, fat. Spend enough time in that humidor, pick up enough cigars to get a sense of how they feel, how they fit in your hand, and you'll soon find the cigars that suit you best.

None of this can happen when cigar shopping online, of course, but we can do the next-best thing—we can take you on a virtual tour of our (well-stocked) humidor and walk you through the shapes and sizes that you'll find within.

To begin at the beginning…

Cigars are made in two basic styles—straight-sided, meaning that they have the same basic size from head to foot—and shaped, which don't have the same basic size from head to foot. Straight-sided cigars, or parejos, are the classic cylinder shape that the majority of cigars are made in and are what you'll see the most of in any humidor.

Parejos are further identified by specific names, such as corona, lonsdale, Churchill, and so on. These names suggest their length and circumference, but (and here things can get a little confusing), while there's some standardization of these measurements in the industry, it isn't 100 percent. The Ashton 8-9-8, for example, falls into the lonsdale category diameter-wise but is a little shorter than a classic lonsdale. And, not all manufacturers use standard names for their cigars—the Churchill-sized cigar in the Opus X line, for example, goes by the moniker Reserva D'Chateau.

What is standard among all manufacturers is how cigars are measured. Length is expressed in inches (or centimeters, if you're in a metric country). Diameter, or "ring gauge," is expressed in 64ths of an inch (or millimeters). As an example, a cigar with a ring gauge of 50 would be 50/64ths of an inch around.

Bottom line, it's best not to get too hung up on specifics here, but knowing something about the basic cigar sizes and shapes can go a long way toward making you an old hand around the humidor—someone who can pick up that Opus X Reserva D'Chateau and know that you're holding a classic Churchill—length 7 inches, ring 45.

Parejos come in three basic groups:

Long and Skinny—Also known as panatelas and lonsdales, these guys are the Yao Mings of the cigar world. Panatelas are the longest and thinnest, typically measuring in at 5 to 7 ½ inches with ring gauges from 34 to 38. Lonsdales are thicker and a little shorter, typically 6 ¾ inches with a 42 to 44 ring gauge.

Not-So-Skinny—These are coronas, the benchmark against which all other cigars are measured, measurement-wise. There's lots of variation in the corona world, from petit coronas at a little over 4 inches and a 40 to 42 ring gauge to corona gordas (5 5/8 inches by 46) and Churchills (7 inches by 48).

Big and Stout—This category contains some newer sizes and some of today's reigning favorites, such as robustos (5 to 5 ½ inches, 50 ring), toros (6 to 6/12 inches, 48 to 50 ring), and double coronas (7 ½ to 8 inches, 49 to 52 ring) and presidentes (7 to 8 ½ inches, 52 to 60 ring).

Shaped cigars, or figurados, also come in various lengths and diameters. Most common are:

Pyramid—These cigars have a pointed, closed head and gradually widen in diameter. The ACID Nasty is the classic pyramid reinterpreted. No subtle change in diameter width here; the short little Nasty (4 inches, 52 ring at the foot) starts with a skinny head and flares out quickly from there. Think Egypt. Think the Luxor Casino in Vegas.

Torpedo—These cigars have pointed, cone-shaped heads, big, bulgy middles and tapered, closed feet that are typically finished flat but not always. They look a little bit like something a novice cigar roller would make, to be honest, but there's nothing inexperienced about them. They can range from fairly small to giant-sized at 8 inches and longer. When they get this big they're called diademas.

Perfecto—These resemble torpedos but they often have a more pronounced bulge in the middle. They typically have more tapered or rounder feet than torpedos do as well. The Hemingway Short Story, a favorite of many cigar smokers, is a short perfecto.

Belicoso—These cigars start with a tapered head and then immediately flare outwards to what on humans would be shoulders. From here they can be straight-sided or they can taper outward gradually like pyramids do.

Culebras—Culebra is the Spanish word for snake and these speciality cigars definitely look like some tiny slitherers wrapped around each other, but they're actually three panatelas twisted together. You don't smoke them together, though…well, you could, but it would be a bit of a mess, not to mention enough smoke to knock you way back on your heels, if not off them. Instead, you remove the band, or bands, holding them together, split them up, maybe with two of your best buddies, and go. three small cigars twisted together and smoked separately. You remove the band, or bands, split them up, and go.

Provided by Cigars Direct

Tested and Reviewed - Perelman's Pocket Cyclopedia of Cigars 2009 Edition

2009-01-25T19:44:00.011+02:00

Author: Richard B. Perelman

2009 Edition

659 Pages

The book at hand this time is the Pocket Cyclopedia of Cigars by Perelman. This concise but extensive cigar guide is an excellent introduction to cigars as well as a great reference list for non-Cuban cigars.

The Cyclopedia gives you a brief intro to the basics of cigars and smoking them as well as shapes, sizes and construction of cigars. In the introduction, you also get an overview on the developement ans status of the cigar markets - mainly in the U.S. market.

Then, the essence of the Cyclopedia: 1360 brands listed, with over 7500 models presented, hand made and machine made alike. All clearly stated and some background information on brands given at the same time. a great tool for reference, when you get a smoke of which you do not know anything or, as myself, double checking some details, if making a review and not wanting to make an ass of myself.

The only two down sides are the facts, that it does not fit my pocket with its over 650 pages, and that the Cyclopedia is broken in tiny bits by advertisements. That i totally understand though, since by looking at my pages, you can see, that my funding comes from that source too...

The Perelman's Pocket Cyclopedia of Cigars 2009 is a must buy for everyone who needs to check details on non-Cuban cigars or just likes to know as much about cigars as possible... Together with the Pocket Cyclopedia of Cuban Cigars, this book creates a very complete infromation package on qulaity cigars. I recommend.

To get your copy, ask your local cigar shop or visit http://www.cigarcyclopedia.com/

Cheers,

Mikko

King of Smokes 2008 Awards

2009-01-09T11:54:00.026+02:00

It is time for me to reveal the results on my revisit on all the cigars reviewed in 2008. To reflect a wider group of cigars, i have given awards in several gategories, divided according the country of origin. The King of Smokes 2008 title goes to the best cigar of the year regardless of origin. It is just simply the best cigar reviewed that year. All in all, 2008 was a good cigar year for me, but unfortunately i was not able to review all the cigars i smoked and wanted to review.

Anyway, here are the results:

King of Smokes 2008:

1. Cohiba Maduro 5 Genios
2. CAO Vision Prana
3. Cohiba Maduro 5 Secretos

Best Nigaraguan Cigars 2008:

1. CAO Vision Prana

2. CAO Cameroon Belicoso

3. Cumpay Robusto

Best Dominican Cigars 2008:

1. Arganese Nigaraguan Figurado

2. Devil's Weed Nicot

3. Cuveé Rouge Churchill

Best Cuban Cigars 2008:

1. Cohiba Maduro 5 Genios

2. Cohiba Maduro 5 Secretos

3. Montecristo 4 Reserva

Best Cigars from the Rest of the World 2008:

1. Don Gabriel Lusitanos

2. -

3. -

Black Horse 2008 (positive surprise):

CAO Vision Prana (nigaragua)

Black Sheep 2008 (disappointment):

Arganese ML3 Robusto (dominican)

cheers,

Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year !

2008-12-23T12:21:00.002+02:00

Hello all!

I just wanted to thank you all for the past year! I really appreciate your support to World of Cigars. Despite and due to the current global financial turmoil truly hope, that next year will be profitable for you all, and that together we can continue supporting the cigar industry and the good life.

Cheers,

Mikko

Review - CAO Maduro Belicoso - 83/100

2008-12-23T10:33:00.001+02:00

Something was terribly wrong with this cigar. I do not know, if this review is going to give the full picture of the CAO Maduro Belicoso, and i will have to revisit it as soon as i can, but i will review it rather sooner than later anyway.

As you know, many factors are essential to a full experience of a good cigar, and if any of the factors is a miss, then the experience can be most unsatisfying. This is what happened with my CAO Maduro. Do, not get me wrong here. I enjoyed it to an extend, but to get to the enjoyment part, i had to face some serious obstacles. First "fragrance" rising from the cigar was unmistakably manour. Nothing more, nothing less, just manour. I had to think twice wether or not i should light up the cigar at all.

The cigar is well rolled and looks good with a shiny wrapper on top. It draws well and burns quite evenly. Furthermore, the cigar has a medium body and a good blend of sweet tobacco and coffee flavours with a hint of spice and cedar in the finish. Most enjoyable mix of flavours, if it were not for the manour on the side, pushing to your nose and making the whole cigar fall out of balance and high scores. All the points the cigar gets from me, raising it to a decent 82 points , are to do with other things than taste and aroma, scoring only 2/10 in that category. And those two points in aroma are gifted to the other characteristics of the blend

As i said, i have to revisit the CAO Maduro Belicoso asap, as i have to believe, that my experience was a onetimer. Later then...

Origin: Nigaragua

Construction 18/20
Appearance 18/20
Smoke/Ash 8/10
Burn 18/20
Draw 18/20
Aroma 2/10 (2,3,2)

TOTAL POINTS 82/100

Review - CAO Cameroon Belicoso - 90/100

2008-12-23T09:53:00.000+02:00

The CAO Cameroon L'anniversaire Belicoso is one of the few box pressed cigars i have smoked in a long time. Somehow, i prefer the round shape. The pressed ones just do not sit so well on my fingers. Blame the fingers.

Anyway, the cigar is very beautiful. The veinless wrapper shines in golden leather colours and the rolling and construction seem to be almost flawless. And that really shows and feels in the draw and burn.

I have always liked the Belicoso/Piramide vitolas, as they usually have great draw and they allow the tobacco to burn cool and even, simultaniously focusing the flavours towards the tapering end...

Flavourwise, the CAO Cameroon Belicoso is a great cigar. It has a certain "honesty" in its essence. On the milder side, the cigar offers some profound earthy flavours, combined with a sideline of spices. Toss in the sweet tastes of caramel and roasted sugar and there you have it. Nicely balanced, interesting cigar, with enough character and depth to receive a high score.

Origin: Nigaragua

Construction 19/20
Appearance 17/20
Smoke/Ash 7/10
Burn 19/20
Draw 20/20
Aroma 8/10 (8,8,7)

TOTAL POINTS 90/100

Review - CAO MX2 Beli - 86/100

2008-12-22T10:53:00.021+02:00

The CAO MX2 Beli is a huge cigar. It is huge, not only in size, but in overall appearance too. Its shiny, next to black Conneticut Broadleaf maduro wrapper is an awesome sight. The wrapper is also one of the thickest i have seen in a while. The wrapper is however very uneven and has strong discolorations, and that lowers the total points unfortunately...

Similar to the Sopranos edition from CAO, the tobacco used in the MX2 is from all around. In addition to the Conneticut wrapper, the binder comes from Brazil and the filler from all over Central America. This should give the cigar complexity and depth, but once again, the different leafs with different charachteristics seem to dissapear behind one layer of simplicity.

The medium bodied MX2 Beli is a good, well balanced cigar, with an earthy profile with tones of dark chocolate and espresso - familiar flavours for maduro lovers... The cigar also has a nice spicy touch. The overall flavour profile did not develope much after the spicy beginning smoothing down when reaching the half way mark. From that point forward, the cigar had a very generous creamy feel to it.

A decend smoke that needs a lot of spare time due to its monstrous size. For that, not an everyday smoke.

Origin: Nigaragua

Construction 18/20

Appearance 16/20

Smoke/Ash 9/10

Burn 18/20

Draw 17/20

Aroma 7/10 (7,8,7)

TOTAL POINTS 85/100

Review - CAO Sopranos Associate - 89/100

2008-12-22T10:52:00.010+02:00

You probably cannot smoke and review any CAO Sopranos cigar without some expectations of what to come. I know I already created a clear picture of the Robusto sized Associate cigar inspired by its name and appearance only. However, what came as a surprise to me, was that the image in my head did not fully go together with the true nature of the cigar.

In a local magazine, Mr. Olli Alho described the wrapper to be "as dark as a hitman's soul", and indeed, it is a fair picture of the mentality of the TV series Sopranos. However, that is where the similarities between the series and the cigar end, atleast in my view about them both together and separately.

I think the Associate is generally considered as a full bodied smoke, but i quite did not buy that one. A robust medium perhaps. Medium, medium to full...

As mentioned before, the wrapper is very dark brown with a beautiful golden hue to it. The cigar feels great in the fingers and the unlit, sweet chocolate and tobacco fragrance makes your mouth water. What the cigar loses in a slightly uneven burn, it gains in great draw, good looking ash and generous white smoke.

What comes to the flavours of the cigar, it could be much more complex. Although the tobacco leaves used as wrapper and filler are from all over the map, they do not succeed in giving all their potential depth and variety into the blend. The blend is balanced, in the sense, that no flavour becomes overpowering in any stage of the cigar, but all in all it is a simple and straight forward in taste. All along the way, the cigar is sharing out sweet tobacco, coffee and chocolate flavours.

All in all, the CAO Sopranos Associate is a good smoke for an afternoon coffee or together with a darker beer, but it probably is not what you would expect the Family to be like, if you would meet them in person. I hope you will not owe them money if you ever do...

Origin: Nigaragua

Construction 19/20
Appearance 19/20
Smoke/Ash 9/10
Burn 17/20
Draw 18/20
Aroma 7/10 (7,8,7)

TOTAL POINTS 89/100

House of Grauer Luxury Chocolates - The Cigar Smoker's Chocolate Companion

2008-12-19T20:09:00.026+02:00

I think there is no better time to write and review some luxury chocolates, than now, Christmas on our door step, just asking permission to enter our prepared homes. What makes this write up even more enjoyeable, is that the chocolates made by House of Grauer have been made for enjoyment with quality cigars. This unique concept combines two things i love profoundly.

According their own words, Grauer chocolates are an online revolution for cigar aficionados. Grauer House has created the concept of "chocolate and cigar pairings" based on a very simple idea, namely that the pleasure of smoking should not be limited to the universe of the cigar. When enjoyed together, chocolate and cigars bring out the very best in one another. With each mouthful you will experience a new alliance, and your palate will discover an unsuspected world of harmony.

The chocolates themselves are produced by hand according to the tradition of Swiss chocolates, using traditional techniques but modern recipes. Each different type of chocolate has their distinctive character build up from the high quality ingredients carefully picked to create an unique composition of taste, appearance and texture.

The philosophy behind the Aficionado's Collection is to create new sensations together with the characteristic flavours from the cocoa bean and the tobacco leaf. The aim to create a harmony between the flavours and to offer something more - a new experience through the balance of the two products.

Online, House of Grauer presents their carefully selected pairings and gives guidance on how to select the right chocolate for the right range of flavors in a cigar. In all simplicity, you can order your chocolates online, delivered within 48 hours worldwide, then go to your humidor, pick your favourite cigar, check out the pairings on the web to choose a suitable chocolate and finally enjoy the extended experience.

The selection of chocolates is wide, and i have to say, they are all exquisit! From all the different flavours and pairings i tried with the small sampler provided, i found two over the others.

1. The Hawaiian Kona Coffee Bean chocolate together with Cohiba Maduro 5 Genios cigar

2. The Italian Lime chocolate together with Ramon Allones Specially Selected cigar

I myself, did not take the pairing guidance from the pages as given, and went with cigars i thought had some of the characteristics described there rather than blindly going with the suggestions.

I will not go into describing every different chocolate, as they are all unique, and you might as well go to http://www.grauerchocolates.com/ and try them yourself. All in all, I highly recommend the experience.

cheers and happy holidays!

Mikko

Review - CAO Vision Prana - 93/100

2008-11-23T19:01:00.009+02:00

The CAO Vision Prana is the first of the ten CAO cigars i received in the CAO Champions sampler, that i am going to review here in the near future. The sampler contains ten highly ranked cigars which represent a wide range of the CAO lines. If i were to review the whole sampler in one go, i would give the packaging and appearance 100 points. See for your self:

What comes to the CAO Vision Prana individually, I dare to say, that i enjoyed it tremendously. From the first moment of seeing the cigar and smelling its unlit vanilla fragrance to the last draw and the 2nd degree burns on my fingers, i simply thought the cigar was exceptional.

The draw is loose but not too so, and if anything, it just offers a generous amount of white smoke with a medium body. The cigar has a cedary profile with leather and vanilla notes. At first, it seems that the cigar will not grow complex, but then flavours of sugar roasted nuts and something which resembles fresh baked bread step into the picture. Half way through, the flavours intensify, the nutty flavour taking more room and bringing along a creamy finish with fruity edges.

The CAO Vision Prana is a well balanced and complex cigar, that will not dissapoint anyone. Even the burn was perfect all the way. I really did not want to put this one down. There was no sign of any bitter or harsh flavours in any point. Full pleasure. Next time i will smoke a CAO Vision Prana, will be after a delicious Sushi meal. I Can't wait.

Origin: Nigaragua

Construction 19/20

Appearance 18/20

Smoke/Ash 9/10

Burn 19/20

Draw 18/20

Aroma 10/10 (9,10,10)

TOTAL POINTS 93/100

Review - Arganese Cigars ML3 Robusto - 82/100

2008-11-23T19:00:00.007+02:00

Arganese ML3 Robusto - What to write about this one? The question arises to me, as with this, i have to balance between the overall quality and the performance of the cigar, and the personal preferences of flavour and my "Nordic Palate".

To start with, the ML3 has a nearly black Brazilian Maduro wrapper, and although it has a beautiful oily shine to it, i just do not consider cigars this dark to be beautiful. The unlit aroma is excellent. Full of dark chocolate, cocoa bean and sweet tobacco.

Luckily, the sweet chocolate flavours show up in the smoke too and through the somewhat tight draw, notes of cocoa and espresso are noticable. What next appears, is that the cigar is a little too sweet and a little too juicy with the maduro profile to suite my taste. On other hand, i assume, this cigar will do great on the US market. After the half way mark, the exotic and "bloated" body of the ML3 smoothens down to give way to some woody and grassy flavours with a hint of acidity, and that finally leads to a bitter finish. The ML3 could go great with a light Lager or Ale beer, but on its own, it is a little too exotic for me.

I also had to go and correct the burn a few times while smoking, which i did not like.

Despite it few flaws and its America targeted profile, i tend to think the ML3 Robusto is a good cigar. It is just not ment for my (or the Finnish) palate.

Origin: Dominican Republic

Construction 19/20
Appearance 18/20
Smoke/Ash 9/10
Burn 14/20
Draw 16/20
Aroma 6/10 (6,6,5)

TOTAL POINTS 82/100

Review - Arganese Cigars - Nigaraguan Figurado - 90/100

2008-11-23T18:59:00.006+02:00

The Nigaraguan Figurado from Arganese Cigars is a beautiful cigar. It is expertly rolled and has a stunning, brown wrapper with a bronze shine. The cigar feels good in your hand and gives away a strong, full fragrance unlit. The burn is a little off at times, but corrects itself with no problems.

The draw begins a little tight, but loosens up in a little while. And as the draw corrects itself, generous flavours of rich, sweet tobacco and coffee notes become obvious. This full bodied smoke lends some characteristics of the Cuban Maduro cigars - It has the same dark feel to it. What the cigar wins in the generous, dark power it loses in complexity. Over all, the cigar does not develope significantly along the way, some hints of chololate or cocoa can be detected though.

Oils and tar gather t the tapered end of the figurado, giving it an even more intense flavour in the end. Although the flavours fill the palate completely, it remains smokable and enjoyable until you burn your fingers. Highly recommendable.

Origin: Dominican Republic

Construction 20/20
Appearance 19/20
Smoke/Ash 9/10
Burn 16/20
Draw 17/20
Aroma 9/10 (8,9,9)

TOTAL POINTS 90/100

Review - Arganese Cigars CL3 Robusto - 88/100

2008-11-23T18:56:00.008+02:00

The Arganese CL3 was one of the smokes of ASH2008. As such, i heard a lot of opinions from the quests and they were all positive.

The CL3 is "to the third power", which stand for the triple ligero construction of the cigar. It is rolled from 100% First Generation Cuban Seed tobacco, trying to reach the "Cuban Profile".

The wrapper is a little uneven in color, but a treat for the eye non the less. The cigar feels quite hard but gives you a perfect draw. From the first draws, it is clear, that the CL3 carries a lot of power and character. The full bodied smoke offers a spicy and leathery profile with hints of nuts and cedar. The finish is somewhat dry.

The hard character of the powerful tobacco and spiciness mellow down half way through, but do not think, that the intensity would diminish. This cigar gives its all to the very end. At the very end, the flavours turn a little papery though.

In the end, the CL3 is a skillfully rolled and a great tasting cigar, which maybe does not offer you the world, but does not dissapoint you either. A good choice for an after dinner smoke.

Origin: Dominican Republic

Construction 18/20
Appearance 18/20
Smoke/Ash 8/10
Burn 18/20
Draw 19/20
Aroma 7/10 (7,8,6)

TOTAL POINTS 88/100

Heads Up! King of Smokes 2008 Awards

2008-11-20T10:34:00.003+02:00

This is just to give you all a heads up on the new part of my realm.

After the year is over, i will be revisiting all the cigars reviewed during the past year and will be awarding them in different categories. All the details are not clear yet, but will be, when it is time for the awards. I will work hard to get all possible samplers sent to me before 10th of December to fit in this year's awards, but i have a few waiting for reviewing already.

Please do not hesitate to ask if you have any questions

cheers,

Mikko

ASH 2008 - The Aftermath

2008-11-05T20:56:00.051+02:00

The 2nd annual Autumn Smoke Herf - ASH 2008 - took place on October 17th at the Ahjo NightClub, Helsinki, Finland. After last years informal and relatively small gathering of a few friends, this year's event grew larger and more robust in all areas. Over 25 lovers of the leaf and the good life, gathered to enjoy fine cigars, drinks and the company of similar minds.

Most of the guests represented Finnish Cigar Clubs i.e. Robaina Club and the Cigar Club of Lahti. Cigar lovers from the Moskow Cigar Club brought an international aspect to the else so Finn based group of guests.

In addition to the widening range of participants, what really made this year's event special, was its charitable nature. Together with the generous sponsors, we managed to raise 600 Euros. Not bad, as my goal was to gain only half of that (due to the non-commercial nature of my operations). The income was built up by selling cigars, drinks and apparel live at the event. Every Cent donated, will go directly to the Children's Hospital of Helsinki, my personal choice of charity.

The cigars were provided by Cigar One, Arganese Cigars, Devil's Weed Cigars, JS Cigars, Finest Cuban Cigars and Me personally. Drinks, in addition to the venue free of charge, were provided by Ahjo Bar&NightClub. The apparel was donated by Spreadshirt. Thank you all for your generosity! I truly appreciate it!

More specific descriptions and reviews on the products involved to be provided later...

All in all, I had a good time. According to my guests, they had a great time, we smoked and tried out some excellent cigars, enjoyed fine cognacs and celebrated the night away. And we managed to do some good at the same time.

The good doing is going to continue until the end of 2008, as i have made a decision to donate all my income from

http://www.worldofcigars.spreadshirt.net/ and

http://www.worldofcigarsdesigner.spreadshirt.net/

online shops to the previously named charity.

Unfortunately, due to the Finnish legislation, there will be no 3rd annual Autumn Smoke Herf at the Ahjo Club. The continuance on the permit to smoke in some restaurants will end on June 1st 2009. Our only hope, is to gain an access and/or establish a private club, at which the art of cigar smoking could take refuge after the feared date. We'll see, if there will be something similar in the spring, but i do not have any plans for that. If anyone has any solutions, please, let them be heard!

If you have any questions or need for more information, please do not hesitate to contact me through the "contact me" tab on the navbar.

Yours,

Mikko

World of Cigars

Success! ASH 2008 - Been there, done that

2008-10-25T16:02:00.003+02:00

Hello,

I want to thank all the sponsors and quests of the ASH 2008 event. It was a huge success. A lot of people came by, a lot of networking and future plans were made, many great cigars smoked, and most of all, a good amount of money was raised for charity. The final calculations are not in yet, but we should now hard facts next week. I will, then, write a full feature story about the event and all the things involved. Just please wait a bit more...

cheers,

Mikko

ASH 2008 Donations "Pricelist"

2008-10-04T20:39:00.008+02:00

Non-Cuban Cigars

5 eur

Devil's Weed 515
Devil's Weed Nicot
Arganese ML3
Arganese CL3
Arganese Nigaraguan Perfecto
FCC Private Reserve
Cuvée Rouge Churchill
Cuvée Blanc Robusto
Cusano 18 Conneticut Robusto
Cusano 18 Maduro Churchill

Cuban Cigars

10 eur

Hoyo de Monterrey Épicure No. 2
El Rey del Mundo Choix Suprême
Hoyo de Monterrey Double Coronas
Fonseca Delicias
Sancho Panza Belicosos
H. Upmann No. 2
Juan Lopez Selección No. 2
Trinidad Reyes
San Cristobal de La Habana El Morro
Quai D’Orsay Panetelas
Ramon Allones Specially Selected
Partagas Petit Corona

Drinks

Fussigny XO Cognac (with cigars)
5 eur

WoC Apparel

WoC Long Sleeve T-Shirt
25 eur
Woc T-Shirt
20 eur
WoC Cap
20 eur
WoC Sun Vizor
15 eur
WoC Polo Shirt
30 eur
ASH2008 Limited Edition Polo Shirt
35 eur
ASH2008 Limited Edition T-Shirt
25 eur

ASH 2008 Updated - World of Cigars Shop / Spreadshirt

2008-09-30T14:29:00.004+02:00

Regarding the ASH 2008, I have the pleasure of announcing a sponsor to the Charity Event, that is not directly related to cigars. Spreadshirt is a company which enables people to design, custom, buy and sell unique print clothing and apparel.

Spreadshirt makes it possible for those with private and commercial internet sites to market their homepages quickly, simply and independently. Anyone with an internet presence can create an online shop with individually created products and connect it with their homepage within minutes. You just need internet access as well as your graphic and logo data. Spreadshirt will take care of the rest from payment processing, production, and shipping to after-sales service. You simply just have to market your products online.

Spreadshirt can be found at http://www.spreadshirt.net/

In celebration of the 2nd Annual Autumn Smoke Herf, i have established two separate WoC shops, in which you can either buy the official World of Cigars clothing and apparel or create and order your own desings. From all WoC products which are purchased before the ASH2008, I will donate to the children’s hospital the whole comission i gain from the sales. From sales After the event and before 2009, I will donate 50% to the named charity. The rest of the comission goes to running and developing the World of Cigars Blog.

Some samples of the products are available for purchase at the ASH2008 event against donations, Compliments of Spreadshirt.

The Official WoC apparel is for sale at:

http://www.worldofcigars.spreadshirt.net/

and the Designer to create your own products can be found at:

http://www.worldofcigarsdesigner.spreadshirt.net/

More information can be asked simply by sending me e-mail through the contact me tab on the navbar of my pages.

Have Fun... and most of all: Please buy to benefit the Charity.

PS. I will soon post a “pricelist” for all the cigars, drinks and products you can buy against the donations for charity at the event. Stay Tuned.

Tested and Reviewed - Cigar Caddy Travel Humidors

2008-09-25T21:58:00.001+02:00

Finally i got around to write this review on the Cigar Caddy Travel Humidors. It has been a while since i got the three samples from Josh Richardson at Cigar Caddy and i have been trying to put them through the purgatory ever since.

The Cigar Caddy is basically an Otter Box case suited to carry cigars. The case is made from durable ABS plastic that’s reinforced with fiberglass. It is air and water tight with a proper foam cushioning inside. The test subjects were the travel humidors for 2, 5 and 10 cigars. In addition to these, Cigar Caddy can be acquired also for 15, 18 and 30 cigars.

First of all, these babies can handle almost everything. You can drive your truck over them, throw them around, drop them in the water hazard at the links and smack them to a wall. Yet, cigars travelling inside safe and sound. At least, i was not able to destroy my precious smokes by keeping them in the Caddy through all the above. And, what is also extremely important, the cigars stay humid, thanks to the humidifiers inside the 5 sticks and above versions of the Caddy.

I sent one Caddy overseas to the US (i live in Finland) and asked the recipient to tell his views on it, how did it handle the trip, how were the cigars inside and if he is likely to use the Caddy going forward. All comments were as i expected, the Caddy was in pristine condition as were the cigars. As far as the usage of the Cigar Caddy goes, he was thrilled to have a decent travel humidor to take his smokes around, instead of some DIY solution for the task.

All in All, I highly recommend getting yourself one or two sizes of the Cigar Caddy if you want to travel with your cigars, smoke while playing a round of golf and/or spend quality time on your boat or summer house. My job requires me to go around and i trust the Cigar Caddy to keep my cigars safe wherever i might end up or whatever period of time i will be away from home.

If i would rate accessories, i would give Cigar Caddy 100 points out of a 100.

ECCJ - Cigar Trophies 2008

2008-09-22T20:24:00.006+02:00

Highest accolade in the cigar trade awarded in Dortmund

Dortmund, September 21st, 2008. – Today, the European Cigar Cult Journal awarded the Cigar Trophies in Dortmund, Germany at the 30th Inter-tabac trade fair. This was the eighth time the prizes, regarded as the highest accolade in the trade, had been awarded since 1998.

This time a total of 13 prize winners were selected in four categories. The award for the “Best Brand” from their country of origin went to …
- Trinidad (Cuba)
- Winston Churchill (Dominican Republic)
- Flor de Copan (Honduras)
- La Meridiana Celebración 10 Años (Nicaragua)

In the country's "Best Cigar" category, the choice fell on …
- Cohiba Espléndidos (Cuba)
- Fuente Fuente OpusX PerfecXion X (Dominican Republic)
- Flor de Selva Tempo (Honduras)
- Padrón 1964 Anniversary Series Imperial (Nicaragua)

The award for the cigar with the best price-performance ratio (“Best Value”) was awarded to …
- Mythos Solitude (Costa Rica)
- Cuesta-Rey (Dominican Republic)
- Peterson (Honduras)
- Casa de Torres (Nicaragua)

The hotly awaited cigar industry “Lifetime Achievement” award went to José Orlando Padrón, founder of Padrón Cigars, Inc.

Review - Cohiba Maduro 5 Genios - 96/100

2008-09-20T18:56:00.008+02:00

"You don't know the power of the dark side..."

As the largest of the Maduro 5 line from Cohiba, also the Genios has been created to reach the growing market for maduro smokes. The Maduro 5 line is nothing like any of the previous Cohiba cigars, but succeed in being at the same level of quality.

The Genios is a decent size cigar (140mm x 52 ring gauge), and with its dark, oily wrapper it demands you to light it up. The rolling and construction are flawless, cap perfect and cold aroma intoxicating... A temptation too big to be passed by

The overall flavour profile has similarities to the Siglo line, VI in particular, but at the same time does not come even close to being the same. The maduro wrapper brings a sweet twist to the mix of cocoa, chocolate, espresso and some spice.

The Genios is a full bodied cigar, that is perfectly balanced and very rich in flavour. The flavours evolve and intensify throughout the cigar but without overpowering the palate. The finish is creamy and spicy. Draw resistance and burn leave no room for complaints and the beautiful light grey ash and generous smoke add value to the over all aesthetic experience.

I am a big fan of the Siglo VI, but the Genios seems to just add that little something to atleast create some genuine competition on the title of the best Cuban cigar in production. A couple of years on this cigar should make it even a stronger candidate for the position. The Genios is another cigar, that fits my taste perfectly and absolutely earns its place high on my list.

Origin: Cuba

Construction 19/20

Appearance 19/20

Smoke/Ash 9/10

Burn 20/20

Draw 19/20

Aroma 10/10 (10,10,10)

TOTAL POINTS 96/100

World of Cigars Online Shop Opened - www.worldofcigars.spreadshirt.net

2008-09-19T20:03:00.004+02:00

Hello,

Just to let you know, that i have opened the World of Cigars Online Shop at

http://www.worldofcigars.spreadshirt.net/

The selection is now including WoC clothing and apparel, as well as ASH 2008 Limited Edition clothing and accessories.

The shop works so, that i get a comission of few EUR on every order. The most of the price goes to the manufacturer of the products.

Check it out and give your opinions (and order some)

I also thought, that if you want to uplift your visibility, you can send me graphics and the license to use it and i will design the products for you and put them for sale. Details can be negotiated...

I thought this might be a fun idea.All suggestions and feedback are welcome

cheers,

ASH 2008 - DATE IS NOW CONFIRMED - OCT 17th

2008-09-09T19:17:00.002+02:00

Hello,

ASH 2008 is going to take place on OCT 17th at Ahjo Club, Helsinki, Finland

RSVP by 30th SEP!

cheers

ASH 2008 Announced!!!

2008-09-07T19:31:00.009+02:00

Hello,

now it is finally here! ASH2008 with the same mode as last year's ASH but bigger and better. Spread the open invitation, just be sure to let me know if you are attending. RSVP via e-mail, 30th SEP at the latest. This is to ensure enough space for all... The place of the event is still under negotiations, but from last year's experience Ahjo would be the right place.

This year I will be also accepting donations for charity. All donations over 5 EUR will be greeted with a quality cigar! All Donations go directly to the Organ Transplant Department of the Helsinki Children's Hospital. Every cent will be appreciated!

More info from me through e-mail...

Hope to hear from you soon!

Cheers!

2nd Annual Autumn Smoke Herf - ASH 2008

2008-08-29T18:19:00.003+02:00

Hello Hello,

It is time to start planning the 2nd annual Autumn Smoke Herf - ASH 2008. Last year was a success for a first timer, and i hope this year will be even better.

I just thought i might give you all a heads up and maybe some time to think if you want to be a part of it all... All help and all guests are always welcome.

The event will take place in October, and again will be a somewhat informal get-together of
cigar smokers to enjoy the good life and to share the passion.

You can find stories and pictures of the 1st ASH at http://www.worldofcigarsblog.com/search/label/ASH%202007

Please, get back to me as soon as you can, if you would like to participate in a way or another.
I am open for all suggestions.

I will share a preliminary banner of the event later on, when i know a little more details...

cheers,

WorldofCigarsBlog.com

2008-08-17T15:17:00.002+03:00

As some of you might have noticed already, my blog has moved from the worldofcigars.blogspot.com to a new worldofcigarsblog.com address.

Everything else remains the same

(both addresses will work in the future)

cheers,

World of Cigars - Logo Design Competition

2008-08-16T22:28:00.001+03:00

This is simple:

Design a Logo/Header for World of Cigars (www.worldofcigars.blogspot.com)

The header on my pages is 960x100 pixels, but the logo can be of any size...

Style free.

Competition will be open at least until the end of September.

Winner will get a prize including perhaps cigars and accessories, but i have not thought that through yet (for this i am sorry).

You can send me the designs via e-mail (contact me tab).

Does this sound fair? did i forget anything?

Questions? just give me a holler

cheers,

Tested and Reviewed - Havana style Panama Hat

2008-08-16T19:59:00.010+03:00

I had been looking for a good quality smoking hat for a long time. As i happen to own lots of caps and wool hats, i was closing down to get a panama hat. Fortunately for me, Casey Dazell at Panama Hats Direct jumped to my rescue and started to consult me on having a right kind of a hat.

After a while, i came to own a gorgeous hand made Havana styled hat with 3 inch brim and "fino" texture. The band is made of silk, and beautifully compliments the color of the hat.

Now, i can smoke in style... check out the pictures:

A beautiful, high quality hand made hat... Thank you Casey!

Sorry for the downtime

2008-08-02T11:41:00.002+03:00

Hello all,

as you probably noticed, IE was not able to show my blog for a while. The reason was due a third party service, that did not allow this for some reason...

the problem is solved now however, enjoy the blog!

cheers,

Mikko

Tested and Reviewed - Xikar Xi3 zebrawood cutter

2008-07-31T22:16:00.000+03:00

The Xi3 double bladed guillotine cutter by Xikar is a great example of design and engineering. It looks great, especially the zebrawood on the shiny steel. The mechanism of the blades is ingenious, but combined with the sleak form, it can be a little tricky to handle. A tleast, it requires a little time to get used to.

I have heard a few cases, where the wooden parts have come of, when dropped on the floor, but otherwise, the Xi3 seems to be safe and sound to use even in a rough spot. It feels solid to your hand, and gives you the feeling you are using your whole hands to cut instead of just your fingers.

Partly from the solid structure, rises the singe downside to this cutter. The blades, although extremely sharp and extremely powerful, are somewhat too thick and can cause pressure on the cigar. The pressure causes the cigar to give in just enough to possibly crack the wrapper and ruin the cigar. I have seen this only on a very few occasions, and it can as well be a result of something entirely different reason.

I use it, i like it

Tested and Reviewed - An Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Post-Revolution Havana Cigars

2008-07-30T18:13:00.014+03:00

Author: Min Ron Nee
Honorary Consultant: Adriano Martínez Rius
Second Reprint 2005
492 pages

The Illustrated Encyclopaedia of Post-Revolution Havana Cigars is often referred as the "cigar bible", and is very much true to this name. It's author, Min Ron Nee, is undoubtedly one of the few true Aficionados of Cuban cigars, and happens to own one of the most amazing collection of Habanos on this planet.

Thru his wide knowledge of probably every single Cuban cigar out there, Min Ron Nee has put together an extremely wide study on the post-revolution production of Habanos and related subjects. He has described the characteristics of every cigar, and even discussed the aging potential and profile, as difficult a task that can be with published information lacking beforehand.

What goes for the book itself, the printing is flawless, pictures are beautiful, and the materials premium. All in a coherent and a concise form to give you an next to perfect reference guide to the world of Habanos.

The one thing i most like about this book is, that although in addition to hard facts it gives you (among other things) detailed descriptions on flavor profiles of certain cigars, Min Ron Nee has done this with the notion that this all is through his own personal experience and subjective opinion. As he says:

"The beauty of this world is that everybody has different beliefs, opinions and preferences. It does not matter at all whether yours are the same or different to mine."

I was fortunate to have my dear friend David Haegens at La Casa de Puros provide me with the copy reviewed here.

My point being: Get your copy and enjoy!

IPCPR 76th Annual Convention and International Trade Show

2008-07-10T21:32:00.002+03:00

July 13 - 17, 2008

Sands Expo Center

Las Vegas Nevada

The IPCPR Annual Convention and Trade Show is the most important event of the year for tobacconists! It's your best opportunity to select the high quality products your customers expect, and to discover the new and exciting merchandise that will keep your customers coming back!

Cigars
Humidors
Pipes
Pipe Tobacco
Lighters
Accessories
Gifts

Services

It's four days of buying, socializing and schmoozing. Admission to the IPCPR Trade Show is free to members of the IPCPR and is not open to the public.

more on the event as soon as i have some news from the companies that attend...

Review - Devil's Weed Nicot - 85/100

2008-07-09T18:13:00.004+03:00

The Corona Gorda sized Devil's Weed Nicot is made by the Molina Cigars in the Dominican Republic. Devil's weed is a small boutique brand with 6 different sizes in cabinet boxes. The cigars are all individually wrapped in paper "reminiscent of old Cuban brands that employed the same tactics".

The Ecuadorian Conneticut wrapper is light and shiny with a golden glow on it. Nicely rolled cigar by any standards. And the band is quite wicked with the Devil sticking out between the two tobacco leaves.

The smell of the unlit cigar is peppery and that of mild tobacco.

The cigar is a mild bodied treat, with an almondy flavour to the start. Woody and grassy flavours remain the basis of the cigar throughout its lenght. Hints of cream and pepper can be found in it too. The finish is woody and extremely short. A flavourful but not that complex cigar.

The Nicot has a perfect burn and a perfect draw, so full points on that...

As per its mild blend and simpler profile, the Devil's Weed Nicot is a great passtime cigar. It is probably best enjoyed over a cup of coffee or a cool lager beer. It probably will not stand up to any hefty meals or strong beverages. An afternoon smoke, if you will...

And as that, it seems to be the profile Molina Cigars was aiming at with this cigar. As they state on their website, the Devil's Weed is "blended as an "anytime-of-the day smoke"".

Origin: Dominican Republic

Construction 18/20
Appearance 18/20
Smoke/Ash 8/10
Burn 18/20
Draw 16/20
Aroma 7/10 (7,8,6)

TOTAL POINTS 85/100

Review - Don Gabriel Lusitanos - 86/100

2008-07-09T17:38:00.001+03:00

From their private line of blends and sizes comes the new Don Gabriel Lusitanos. It is a nice looking canonazo sized (same as Cohiba Siglo VI) cigar.

The juicy and oily wrapper combined with the sweet tobacco smell makes your mouth water without a doubt.

The first draws seem to be a little too loose with a huge volume of smoke. Burn is ok and the draw also settles down in a while. First flavours out of the smoke are leather and cedar with a medium blend of tobacco. Proceeding down the cigar, the profile builds around a rich tobacco flavour with earthy tones and a hint of vanilla and cocoa. The finish is cedary and earthy. The balance of the cigar is unfortunately broken by some bitter and sour flavours pushing through from half way through the cigar until the end.

This cigar has the potential to be a great one, but is held back by these bitter flavours. Either some age on these will correct this issue or Don Gabriel needs to go back to the blend and fix it. Time will tell, and i will be revisiting these in the future to find out.

Origin: Gran Canaria

Construction 18/20
Appearance 19/20
Smoke/Ash 8/10
Burn 18/20
Draw 16/20
Aroma 7/10 (7,8,6)

TOTAL POINTS 86/100

1st Annual WOC Cards & Cigars Night - May 31st 2008

2008-06-04T13:17:00.025+03:00

Well, we finally had our 1st Annual World of Cigars Cards&Cigars Night. The event was a success in all its simplicity and small scale fun. It was basically me and a few of the guys playing no limit texas hold'em and smoking quality cigars with quality beverages.

Since I did not want to cigar-odorize my friends house, we agreed the night to be an outdoor event. This was a great idea, since the weather was pristine and the settings were quite comfortable.

So, we played some cards, smoked some great cigars - Cusano, Cuvée and Montecristo 4. Chipleader altered and I was close to winning the whole lot. Unfortunately i played two bad hands and lost everything; Both hands by uncanny cards for the opponent...

Well, what can i say... I am not even dissapointed about my loss of money, since the night was a great success and everyone enjoyed their time. We already agreed on the next poker night with the guys, but the WOC Cards&Cigars Night will remain as an annual poker tournament... for now.

The shadows grew longer, day turned into evening and evening into night, but we kept on playing. Finally, after two bottles of whisky and countless bottles of beer, the tournament ended with one guy richer than on arrival.

Here is the winner:

And here is the host:

Thanks to all our players, the host and Joe Chiusano for making this event possible. See you again next year!

Review - Cumpay Robusto - 84/100

2008-05-26T20:25:00.017+03:00

The Cumpay cigar line comes from Maya Selva Cigares, and is the Nigaraguan pride and joy of the company. The Cumpay Churchill was selected as the best nigaraguan cigar in the 2000 Cigar Throphy awards, and the whole Cumpay line was voted "best value" in 2007 Cigar Trophy by the European Cigar Cult Journal.

The now reviewed Robusto sized Nigaraguan puro has a beautiful maple coloured wrapper (Habano 2000 seed) with a golden shine to it. The cigar feels right to the hand and looks great over all.

The smell of the unlit cigar is sweet and inviting, as first puffs give away a strong tobacco flavor companioned with some roasted sugar. Definitely a full bodied smoke. The flavours do not develop much along the way though. The cigar remains a balanced mix of strong tobacco, leathery flavor and coffee notes from the beginning to the end. The cigar opens up a little at the very end, creating a tasty and creamy finish to it.

The draw is excellent, but the burn is off, which can be a sign of problems in the construction. The ash has its problems too. It seems to fall apart and to shrink in size, which could also refer to constructional problems. I'll have to return to this cigar to make some better judgement on the construction. The smoke is plenty in white and of pleasant full tobacco aroma.

All in all, the Cumpay Robusto offers good value to your money with its affordable price and great full bodied experience. I see why the ECCJ voted this the Best Value brand in 2007. This falls under the category of "average smokes" in my books. I hope returning to this smoke gives me a better view on the constructional shortcomings and corrects my opinion.

Origin: Nigaragua

Construction 14/20
Appearance 19/20
Smoke/Ash 8/10
Burn 16/20
Draw 19/20
Aroma 8/10 (7,8,8)

TOTAL POINTS 84/100

1st Annual WOC Cards & Cigars Night - WOC-CCN 2008

2008-05-25T10:47:00.004+03:00

Well, Here is something i put together as the official poster for the WOC-CCN 2008. Feel free to give comments. This is going to be a fun night!

Review - Montecristo 4 Reserva - 94/100

2008-05-17T17:27:00.001+03:00

Celebrating the Best Selling Cuban Cigar ever, the Habanos S.A. has released a 5000 boxes limited supply of the Montecristo 4 Reserva. I happen to be the lucky owner of the box 3069. The Monte 4 Reserva is a continuance to the Partagas Serie D 4 Reservas released a few years back.

As the Montecristo 4 is one of my favourite cigars, i had high expectations from this Reserva version. It is somewhat unjust to compare this to the regular Monte 4, as it should be reviewed as a separate release. That is what i am trying to do here, but fail miserably...

The golden brown wrapper with the perfect cap and impecable feel to the hand give you lot to look forward to. The two bands sit on this cigar in peace with each other, as does the whole bundle of packaging and boxes, that you have to go through to get to these beauties.

The aroma rising from the cigar is intoxicating and (no surprise here) resembles the fragrance profile of the regular Monte 4s.

When lighting the cigar, all the similarities and differences between the Reserva and the regular 4 become quite obvious. As the over all flavor profile is somewhat similar with its tasty tobacco, leather and some spicy notes, it is lacking that obvious charecteristic of roasted coffee beans in it. What makes the Montecristo 4 Reserva a different and a somewhat better cigar compared to the regular 4, is the fact, that all the flavours in it are much more profound and complex. The tobacco, leather and what not are if raised to the second power. Much more intense but still extremely well balanced and smooth.

The Montecristo No. 4 Reserva can be defined still as a young cigar, and as such it is already a great smoke. I wouldn't probably entirely justify the hefty price on these cigars, but i believe aging and time will do that for us. If you are a true aficionado, a collector or a purveyor of quality cigars, The Montecristo 4 Reservas are a must buy. But if you just enjoy a fine cigar now and then, it is probably enough for you to stick to the regular Monte 4s for the price.

Origin: Cuba

Construction 18/20
Appearance 19/20
Smoke/Ash 9/10
Burn 19/20
Draw 19/20
Aroma 10/10 (9,10,10)

TOTAL POINTS 94/100

The Cigar Experience

2008-05-17T11:44:00.008+03:00

Smoking a cigar is not funnily enough all about the cigar. Smoking a cigar is a holistic experience of the pause in your life, the surroundings, a good beverage, perhaps a few good friends, and all that is related to the quality cigar you are holding in your hand.

That experience can be taken one step further with a little help from a company called Cigar Experience.

In all its simplicity, their main service is providing live cigar rolling demonstrations at parties, including weddings, bachelor parties, birthdays, promotional events, grand openings, or any other event where their services are requested. The Cigar Rollers are available only in certain areas of the USA (LA, NY, San Diego, SF, New Jersey, Sacramento and Conneticut), but as far as i can see, there are no limits in expanding their business.

They also provide cigar bar services with cigar experts to provide a full vip cigar experience and custom cigar bands for example weddings and company promotional events.

The business is run by one man, Jeffrey Henderson, who got into smoking cigars parallel to his involvement in marketing. His main job is managing the business developement in a company concentrating in Search Engine Optimization, and while buiding his first site CigarExperience.com Jeffrey started smoking cigars, which he quickly found that he really enjoyed.

While the website started out simple in November 2005, Jeffrey soon found himself getting inquires on the website for cigar event related services. He went on to build a network of vendors around the US to provide the cigar rollers or cigar bars for the events.

When asked about the Philosophy of his company, Jeffrey stated it as such:

"Our philosophy is that enjoying a cigar is a special experience, thus the name Cigar Experience. We focus on helping our clients enhance the enjoyment of their Cigar Experience in any way we can, or any way our client would like."

In my humble opinion, that is some genuine Value Added to the experience of smoking a quality cigar.

Cooler-Humidor Deal From C.Gars Ltd * 10% OFF * Only on World of Cigars

2008-05-15T12:30:00.000+03:00

C.Gars Ltd is offering 10% off their Fully automated electronic cooler-humidor cabinet "Cooledor"

All you have to do is mention World of Cigars when ordering it on their pages.

Offer available while stocks lasts - Only a few left!

Expertise in the manufacture of wine cabinets applied to the manufacture of Cigar Humidors. The result is a set and forget fully automated electronic humidor that is great value for money and for your cigars.

Four pieces of beech wood shelves
Compressor and direct cooling
Power cord and plug to national requirements .

Temperature range 5--22°C Range of inside cabinet humidity＞65%RH

Size of inside cabinet 48.5 X 44 X 59 cm
Body size : 59.5 X 59 X 84
Packing size: 68 X 65 X 92
Net weight 50 kg
Gross weight 55 kg

Available for collection from C.Gars Ltd London office Price is inclusive VAT for a limited period only (normal RRP £850)

This offer is strictly whilst stocks last!

Delivery service available, please email sales@cgarsltd.co.uk or
telephone C.Gars Ltd London office on 0207 372 1865

£650.00 (-10%) + Delivery (FREE DELIVERY MAINLAND UK)

So claim your discount of 10% by mentioning World of Cigars while ordering!

Please see links for further details or contact me.

cheers!

EO Brands Launches 601 Rewards Program and a New Size

2008-05-11T17:03:00.001+03:00

Sunrise, FL – EO Brands., distributor of 601 cigars has created a Rewards Program (http://www.601rewards.com/ ), fashioned after the loyalty programs used by airlines, hotels, restaurants.

By saving the bands of any 601 cigar (Connecticut, Habano, Maduro, Oscuro), the smoker can obtain rewards ranging from tee shirts, humidors to plasma TVs, etc. According to EO Brands’, Eddie Ortega, the available rewards will be expanded. Half in jest, he said “A truly constant smoker of our cigars could probably get himself a nice Mercedes Benz!”

At the same time, EO announced that spring ’08 would see the introduction of a 58 x 6-1/8” Trabuco which originated in the Oscuro.

Review - Montecristo 4 - 93/100

2008-05-04T13:16:00.006+03:00

The Petit Corona sized Montecristo No4. is the best selling cuban cigar of all time. And no wonder. Despite the small size, it is well balanced and one of the more complex ones of the Habanos out there. The only downside to its huge success is the inconcistency: When you get a perfect Monte 4, it is worth 99 points, and when you miss, you miss big time.

This individual reviewed is amongst the good ones.

The Cigar has a beautiful wrapper with a golden shine to it. It feels perfect to your hand and the fragrance unlit is amazing. The Cuban triple cap seems flawless and the draw is just perfect.
The complex character starts to built right from the first draws.

The intro is a mixture of medium bodied tobacco with an almondy backround. The main flavor profile consists of some leathery and spicy notes built around a theme of roasted coffee beans. The finale is a beautiful descent from a complex symphony of flavours to a gentle fade to a spicy finish. All round and well balanced.

No wonder, the Montecristo No4. is the top selling cigar. I would score this one a point or two higher, but with past experience with the inconcistency, i am forced to give it only 93 points out of 100.

I truly, highly, deeply recommend.

Origin: Cuba

Construction 18/20

Appearance 19/20

Smoke/Ash 9/10

Burn 19/20

Draw 19/20

Aroma 9/10 (9,9,9)

TOTAL POINTS 93/100

Review - Cohiba Maduro 5 Secretos - 96/100

2008-04-19T20:13:00.002+02:00

Welcome to the dark side.

The Cohiba's Maduro 5 line has basically been created to reach the growing market for maduro smokes. They are nothing like any of the previous Cohiba cigars, but succeed in being at the same level of quality. At least the Cohiba Maduro 5 Secretos does that, and simultaniously proves right the myth "size doesn't matter, it is what you do with it that counts".

The Secretos is a small cigar, but delivers more flavor and aroma than most of the bigger cigars out there. It is a perfectly balanced cigar with a great flavor profile. In its intense palette of flavours, you are offered sweet, strong tobacco, cocoa, chocolate and cedar. And as you reach the second thrid of the cigar, all the flavours remain as they just become even more intense! The finish is woody and creamy.

I have to say, that the Secretos fits my palate perfectly. I have never enjoyed a cigar as much as i did with this little cigar.

The Cuban grown maduro wrapper has been aged for 5 years (hence the name) and is brobably one of the most beautiful wrappers i have ever seen on a cigar. The structure is also perfect as are the draw and the burn too.

Overall, The Cohiba Maduro 5 Secretos is a born legend, that despite its small size creates tons of pleasure. I do not even dare to guess what a little ageing would do to this full bodied cigar.

As the reviewed cigar was one of a pack of five singles received, the next purchase for me is definitely a full box of Secretos.

Origin: Cuba

Construction 19/20
Appearance 19/20
Smoke/Ash 9/10
Burn 20/20
Draw 19/20
Aroma 10/10 (9,10,10)

TOTAL POINTS 96/100

Review - Cusano 18 Paired Maduro Churchill - 90/100

2008-04-19T14:15:00.003+02:00

The Cusano 18 Paired Maduro Churchill also lives up to its name. From its 3 18-year-old wrapper leafs two are maduros. The appearance is very dark and very oily. The cold aroma is very earthy with the deep scent of the maduro tobacco leaves.

This medium bodied cigar is quite easy going with its great strong flavor of sweet tobacco and quite obvious taste of a dark, strong italian espresso. The finish is cedary with hints of black pepper. The over all profile is well balanced with rich and delicious character.

As, said, the wrapper is dark and oily, but has some larger veins to stand in the way of being absolutely beautiful. Rolling is again done perfectly and the structure is great. The draw is somewhat too easy and the burn is a little off, but nothing to affect too greatly to the overall experience.

The rich smoke and the aroma floating around you are really pleasant being a combination of dark roasted coffee and sweet tobacco. I really enjoy this kind of a cigar after a good dinner, as long as you have an hour or more to use on this huge cigar...

I recommend you add this cigar to your collection as soon as possible, for example from Paul Bugge with an affordable price.

Origin: Dominican Republic

Construction 19/20
Appearance 18/20
Smoke/Ash 10/10
Burn 17/20
Draw 18/20
Aroma 8/10 (7,8,8)

TOTAL POINTS 90/100

Review - Cusano 18 Double Conneticut Robusto - 89/100

2008-04-19T14:12:00.002+02:00

The Cusano 18 Double Conneticut Robusto is a robust cigar in many ways. It is a medium bodied smoke with a great balance between strenght and subtle nuances. It has a rich taste of tobacco and very thick smoke.

The unlit aroma is that of a chocolate. The start was a little off in my opinion, but it quickly stepped up and developed into a great smoke. The taste profile of the Conneticut Robusto is mainly built on a sweet leathery flavor with woody notes on the finish. It is also a creamy smoke with some vague hints of berries at the mid section of the cigar.

The outer wrapper of the two 18-years-old Conneticut wrappers - from which the name 18 Double Conneticut - has a really shiny golden honey color to it. No major veins either to ruins its beautiful appearance. The rolling has been done with extreme care and the cigar feels perfect n your hand. The draw is great and the burn is even.

In its total, the Cusano 18 Double Conneticut Robusto is a great smoke, which reminded me of some Partagas cigar. It has the same strenght and charasteristics as the Partagas Milles Fleurs or the Petit Coronas Especiales, although, it also has an unique profile, that separates it from all other cigars.

This cigar is indeed worth trying... And it can be bought from Paul Bugge with an affordable price.

Origin: Dominican Republic

Construction 18/20
Appearance 19/20
Smoke/Ash 9/10
Burn 18/20
Draw 18/20
Aroma 7/10 (6,8,7)

TOTAL POINTS 89/100

Review - Cuvée Blanc Robusto - 89/100

2008-04-05T06:34:00.007+02:00

The Cuvée Blanc is another new cigar from Cuvée Cigars, produced by the Chiusano family - probably better known from their Dominican Cusano Cigars.

The Cigar has a beautiful brown shade grown wrapper with a reddish and honey like tint to it. The rolling is flawless with a perfect cap and great structure. The unlit aroma is somewhat grassy.

From the beginning, the cigar offers mild and creamy flavors with pleasant hints of earthiness and some leathery tones. Closing down the half way, all the same flavor and aroma are there, and the round creamy profile is still in the lead role.

The Draw stays perfect and the cigar burns evenly from the first puff to the finish.

The last third of the cigar gives you a change towards a more complex experience. The character builds up and presents you with some elements of fruit - maybe lime or apple - in the smoke. This makes the end of the cigar the best part. Maybe a longer cigar would hold this profile a little longer than the robusto.

Nevertheless, The Cuvée Blanc Robusto is an easy, pleasant smoke for a day time enjoyment. The cigar really has no highs or lows to significally differ from its round and creamy character, that hangs on your palate long after...

As said, this is a great smoke for beginners or at an earlier moment of the day.

I truly recommend the Cuvée Blanc along with the Rouge. Together they create an excellent variety of flavor and aroma to be anjoyed thourghout the day.

The Cuvée Blanc can also be bought from Paul Bugge online.

Origin: Dominican Republic

Construction 18/20
Appearance 19/20
Smoke/Ash 8/10
Burn 18/20
Draw 19/20
Aroma 7/10 (7,7,8)

TOTAL POINTS 89/100

Review - Cuvée Rouge Churchill - 90/100

2008-04-01T15:20:00.004+02:00

The Cuvée Rouge is a fairly new cigar on the market. It comes from Cuvée Cigars, produced by the Chiusano family - probably better known from their Dominican Cusano Cigars. And just like the Cusano Cigars, the Cuvée Cigars are great smokes!

The Cuvée Rouge Churchill is a beautiful cigar. Its Sun Grown wrapper has a smooth and oily surface with gorgeous chocolaty brown tone. The rolling is flawless and the cap is near to perfect.
The cold scent makes a strong statement of sturdy tobacco and when tasted unlit, no mistake about the taste of fine dark chocolate can be made. What a flavor!

After the great cold flavor the start of the lit cigar is somewhat dissapointing. No traces of chocolate can be found and the taste is somewhat papery and blunt. FORTUNATELY, this does not last more than a few moments. After the start the cigar opens up and creates a mellowed down stucture of flavors built on a lovely deep roundness and a balanced profile of woody and leathery notes and perhaps something ... sweet and fruity.

The flavor is consistent throughout the cigar, but it could be a little more complex, as the profile does not develope much at any point. If you really try, maybe vague hints of cocoa and almond can be detected towards the end of the cigar. On the other hand, the cigar does not turn harsh and bitter towards the end either, which can happen no matter how complex a cigar you might have.

The draw of the Cuvée Rouge Churchill is perfect and the burn is even. The grey ash is firm and beautiful and the smoke arising from the cigar is very pleasant.

All in all, the Cuvée Rouge Churchill is a great medium bodied cigar that i recommend with pleasure! It is well made with a great balance created in the blending, but it might need a little more complexity. I trust, that a few months in my humidor will do wonders to this cigar.

The Cuvée Cigars can be bought from Paul Bugge with an affordable price. Check it out!

Origin: Dominican Republic

Construction 18/20
Appearance 19/20
Smoke/Ash 8/10
Burn 18/20
Draw 19/20
Aroma 8/10 (7,9,8)

TOTAL POINTS 90/100

Montecristo 4 from Puro Express

2008-03-29T09:59:00.004+02:00

Another nail in the coffin of my storage problem: a box of Montecristo 4s from Patrick at the Puro Express. Great guy, great cigars. What more can you ask for.

I really enjoy the Monte 4s and i will review them here soon (i was surprised, that i have not done one already).

Please, see my plead for cooperation in a form of a cabinet humidor, since i am really in trouble here...

Cheers!

Out of storage space -Help required !

2008-03-29T09:24:00.006+02:00

As the World of Cigars is growing more popular and i have to expand my cigar selection to have something to write about, i seem to have run out of storage space.

I tried to do an inventory on m cigars to see, if i can manage my storage little better, but there is no way i can properly store all my boxes. The singles i can squeeze into my humidors, but for the boxes, i have to utilize an air tight plastic container for the time being. And for that i feel ashamed.

So, to properly store my cigars and to get more subjects to write about, i humbly make this plead:

If you are interested or know anyone who might be, to provide me with a quality cabinet humidor in exchange for some great visibilty amongst the cigar smokers, please contact me through e-mail (contact me button on the navbar).

And by visibility i mean a story about the provider of the cabinet and a review on the cabinet with links, and of course a link on my sponsors list and possibly a little spot on my homepage sidebar.

Details are open for negotiation.

Please?