Padron 1926 Serie No. 9

I'm in Miami for the next couple of days on business - still full from lunch at a great Cuban place, I decided to be creative with my dining per diem for dinner - I swung by a cigar bar, picked up a few nice cigars, priced more than I would generally pay for such, and a large shot of Colada - a wonderfully sweet Cuban espresso that completely pervades Miami - every gas station you walk into has a commercial espresso machine just to make this stuff for under a buck a shot.

Anyway, my first buy was the Padron 1926 Serie No. 9. I don't give a great deal of credence to Cigar Aficionado's ratings - since we all know there are some pretty terrible cigars out there, and I've never seen a CI review lower than an 80... but this cigar was their top rated smoke for 2007. At 18 dollars a stick, it isn't one I'm likely to pick up again, but I can say I'm glad I tried it.

Let me set the scene - early April, Miami - sitting poolside at my hotel, legs kicked up on a couple of teak chairs, with a nice warm breeze blowing in off the coast.

Add in one of the best cigars I've had in a long time, and it takes the sting out of some of the annoyances of business travel.

The cigar started out smooth - and stayed that way throughout. The draw was nice and clean - and while the flavors were incredibly rich, they were never overpowering, and always smooth. The fact that Padron ages their tobaccos for these cigars for up to 5 or 6 years really shines through in the overall mellowness of this stick. The natural espresso notes of this cigar paired well with the sweet Cuban Colada I opted to drink with it.

When I first started smoking cigars - 10 or more years ago, I had my first Cuban - an old style RyJ which was so mild, so perfectly creamy that I spent the next several years trying to find a (legal) cigar that personified that mellow-but-powerful style. I think eventually I gave up - even later Cubans disappointed, as the cigar industry itself started to uproot itself and leave. My tastes turned toward increasingly potent, full-bodied cigars and I left that search behind.

I'm not sure that this compares to that original - I'm not sure anything ever will - but this cigar is a prime example of how strong and complex a milder cigar can be.

I give this 9 gets a 9, as I'm Walken out the door...


Padron 1926 Serie No. 9
Size: Corona (5 1/4" x 56 ring)
Taste: Mild (Medium)
Draw: Excellent
Burn: Even
Flavors: Rich, earthy, coffee tones.
Overall Rating:

Mayorga Robusto Maduro

This week's review is brought to you by the letters T, G, and the number 8. But that no-good deadbeat Number 6 totally owes us money. I'm gonna break your knees, you bastard! Hmm..does a number have knees? Maybe I'll break his loop at the bottom of the 6. (Editor: My god you waste a lot of my time.)

I was at the J&R Cigars store in Burlington, NC, last week, and picked up a couple singles. I got an AVO Maduro, a couple RyJ Reserve Maduros, and an Upmann Vintage Cameroon. As I was trying to choose another cigar, the woman at the counter recommended this Mayorga Robusto Maduro. I'll be honest, I thought she was trying to foist some crap off on me that didn't sell well. The cheapo-looking band only enhanced my suspicion. But she seemed decent enough, and I liked the color of the cigar itself, so I got it. Plus, it was really cheap (around $2.75). (Editor's Cat: awsdfadxccacaaaaacgfffffffffcuhuhnnmiopo,.-=0-09o09op)

Wow, what a fantastic smoke. The wrapper was a beautiful mottled black-brown, box-pressed, and smelled great. The draw was the best I have ever experienced, just huge clouds of smoke. The burn started to tunnel a couple times and needed a touchup or two, but nothing serious. (Editor's Cat: ,.njmm.,njm,.mhjjuholkkndjklnlnujlsnfdvnlsfvnnvnjvsnklnlllnlllnlnnllnlnnlnlllnl)

It had a great strong taste, starting with some spicy flavor, along with a charred earthy taste that wasn't unpleasant (even though charred earth sounds nasty), and then progressed to a coffee flavor. The end was sweeter, maybe a little chocolate to it. I smoked this down to the nub, and will definitely get some more - especially at around $40 per box. (Editor: GET AWAY FROM THAT!)

(Editor's Cat: xxa nbm.)


Mayorga Robusto Maduro
Size: Robusto (5.5" x 52 ring)
Taste: Wild
Draw: The best I've had
Burn: Decent, needed a few touchups
Flavors: Charred, earthy flavor becomes coffee and chocolate.
Overall Rating:
May become my weapon of choice.

601 Blue Label Maduro

The Superbowl was last Sunday and what a great day to cook out and smoke a cigar. In North Carolina the weather was gorgeous and I almost didn't want to come inside to watch the superbowl. (Editor: The truth, dear readers, is that everyone inside didn't want him to come inside.)

I have been meaning to try a 601 for some time. I went to the cigar store to get a 601 oscuro but they did not have any so I picked up this one. It was a bit pricey - I paid about 8 or 9 american dollars for it or about 82,000 Indonesia Rupiahs. I actually paid in american dollars because I did not have a $82,000 Rupiah bill on me. I'm pretty sure the cigar shop would not have had a problem with me paying in Rupiahs .

On to the cigar I say. This was a gorgeous looking cigar. I liked the feel of the box-pressed in my hand. This cigar was pretty that is for sure. The draw was a little tight at first but loosened very quickly. The burn was even and consistent. The ash stayed on this baby for at least half of the cigar. The taste was great. Nut, cocoa and mocha are what I remember from tasting this one. (Editor: let it be known that Curt likes dark nuts) The flavor was fantastic. I smoked it down until my fingers burned. I think I even liked the final third of this cigar the best. This may be due to the flavors really coming out or the fact that I was on my third glass of whiskey. (Editor: Is that also your excuse for calling "Glitter" the greatest movie of this or any other century?) This was a great medium to full bodied cigar without any harshness and loads of great flavor. I am considering buying a box of these but I think I'd like to try the oscuro first. I would recommend this cigar to anyone that likes maduros.

601 Blue Labal Maduro by Don Pepin Garcia
Size: Toro (6.25" x 52 ring)
Taste: Medium
Draw: Good - a little tight but at first but loosened up quickly
Burn: Even and consistent throughout
Flavors: Roasted Nut and smooth Cocoa makes this cigar a true pleasure.
Overall Rating:

AVO Maduro No. 3

Back again for another review by the greatest person you know.*

This time it's for the biggest cigar I've ever had, an AVO Maduro #3. I got this one through a Cigar Secret Santa thing that I was a part of this year, and it barely fit in my humidor. It had a beautiful color and smelled delicious, though, so I was excited to try it. Therefore, when Curt and I decided to go down to the local cigar bar, Havana Deluxe, I brought the beast along for the ride.

I do have to admit it made me feel a little stupid to be smoking such a giant cigar in public. I needed a Cadillac with horns on the front, or a thrilling tale of my oil-baron days to accompany such a ridiculous looking stogie. But it cut cleanly and lit perfectly, so away I went.

The draw and burn on this bear was perfect. We were there for hours and it never burned unevenly or was the slightest bit plugged. The taste, though, is where it really shone. It started with a nice coffee flavor right off the bat, then gradually broadened into a sweeter taste, without the slightest hint of bitterness or acrid tang that some maduros have. The end picked up steam with more coffee and a little almondy taste.

But I have had cigars with those flavors before - what really set this one apart for me was how smooth it was. The flavors were strong without being harsh, and lingered without overpowering. I paired this with a Belgian-style witbier to good effect, the sweetness countered the coffee nicely.

I probably wouldn't get this size again, it's too big. But I will definitely buy this line of cigar again. And since that is the basis of our number-scale ("Would I buy this again?"), this one gets my Walken.

AVO Maduro No. 3
Size: Churchill (7.5" x 50 ring)
Taste: Medium
Draw: Great
Burn: Perfectly Even
Flavors: Coffee, chocolate, pepper, nut
Overall Rating:
The smooth taste and interesting, changing flavors give me a fever, and the only prescription is:


*P.S. That's me