Don "Pepin" Garcia Blue Label Generosos

The last time I gave a cigar a 10 rating, it was the Perdomo Reserve Maduro, and now I kinda regret giving it such a high rating. The first one I ever had was amazing, it just blew me away and I declared it one of my all-time favorites. Sadly, however, I have never had another one as good as that first one. I have talked to several other cigar fans who have had that happen with various sticks - you get a magic one and then spend the rest of your time in that brand trying to chase the white stag. So I would currently revise that Perdomo's rating to a 9. It's good, but on the whole, it's not 10 good - but the first one I had was amazing. (And as to why we have given a 10 to an Acid cigar, you will have to ask Nick L...)

That is why, this time, I have waited until I have had a lot of these DPG Blue Labels before giving it the coveted "Smokey" award, and it has not disappointed me. I have tried many different sizes of the DPG Blue, as well as the Black and Serie JJ lines. The Black and JJ are good smokes, and worthy of your time, but once you've had the blue you'll know where you want to put your money.

I haven't had a poorly constructed DPG Blue yet, in either the lancero, corona, or toro sizes. They have all burned and drawn very well, no complaints. The flavors are strong and exciting, tending towards a spicy cedar which sometimes mellows into a peppery chocolate or cocoa. It is definitely on the stronger side, but I don't find it overpoweringly so. It's got a lot of character, though, which is what I look for.

Overall, I always look forward to the DPG Blues in my humidor, and I know whenever I fire one up, it's gonna be great. If that isn't the basis for a "10" rating, I don't know what is.

Don "Pepin" Garcia Blue Label
Size: Generosos (6" x 50 ring)
Taste: Medium-Wild
Draw: Good
Burn: Even and consistent
Flavors: Spicy, with cedar and cocoa
Overall Rating:
Steal a Trans Am and pack it full of these great cigars.

Ashton Virgin Sun Grown (VSG) Torpedo

We have been having a ridiculous run of warm weather recently, especially for December. So when it came to be Friday night and the thermometer stood at 68 degrees F, even at 9PM, I knew I needed to take advantage of these decidedly un-Christmas temperatures. I grabbed this Ashton VSG, which is a stick I have never tried before, and headed out to the porch in a t-shirt. Not too shabby.

I paired this beautiful-looking cigar with a glass of Johnny Walker Green, which I was introduced to by Lawson at the beach last year. Hmm. Despite how that last sentence sounded, it was a thoroughly un-romantic encounter. Well, mostly.

In any case, the JW Green is a great 15-year blended scotch that has a nice smoky flavor balanced by a great smooth feel. I didn't know if it would pair well with the Ashton, but how can you go wrong with scotch?

The cigar started REALLY strong, to the point where I was worried it would be too strong for me. It was harsh and way too spicy. But it very quickly mellowed out, into a nice mix of coffee, leather, and cedar. The only problem is that after that initial hit of super-strong harshness, the normal flavors seemed pretty bland. But as my tastebuds adjusted I really liked it.

The draw was ridiculously loose, almost too much so. It just billowed smoke, and I could barely feel the smoke as I drew on it. I got used to it, but it was a bit too loose for me. The burn was not great at the beginning, I probably had to touch it up about 5 times. But after the first third it really got better.

As the cigar went on, it got sweeter, and less coffee-tasting. But at the end the spice came back (albeit less), and so did the coffee. And I could actually taste some root beer in there, strangely enough.

Overall, it was a good cigar. Very tasty, good draw, and incredibly well-constructed. The main sticking point is the price, averaging around $8-11 depending on the store. I liked the cigar, but not $10 worth.

So, while I enjoyed it, I have to bump it down a notch to a Boss Hogg.

Ashton Virgin Sun Grown (VSG) Torpedo
Size: Churchill (6.5" x 55 ring)
Taste: Medium-Full
Draw: Ridiculous
Burn: Bad at first, but got better
Flavors: coffee, earth, leather, spice
Overall Rating:
If this were a cheaper cigar it would rate higher, but for the price it Hoggs the wallet.

Rocky Patel Decade 10th Anniversary

This was actually a blind taste test, organized over at Something Awful. I recieved a bandless cigar in the mail, along with an envelope containing the band. The idea was to try the cigar without knowing what it was, then check the band at the end and see how your taste notes paired up with what people generally say about that stick.

Away we go!

I paired my cigar from forum user Restnesizzle with a delicious glass of Balvenie Doublewood 12yr single-malt. A delicious scotch.

The cigar was box-pressed and had a great feel, with a pre-light smell of cocoa and leather. The pre-light draw was great, but I have learned that doesn't always mean a good draw.

Luckily, this one had a great draw. Lots of smoke, easy pull, fantastic burn. At the beginning, it started off with some nice spice, and a little hay or grass flavor that reminded me of a Patel Edge. It was nice and smooth, and pretty strong.

It started to change about a third of the way in, and moved into an earthier flavor with less spice.



Near the halfway mark it started having a distinct cocoa taste, with more earth as it went. For the last third, it became a slightly harsher taste, with the main notes being a spicy sweetness over an earthy base.

Overall, a very enjoyable cigar. Checking the band....It was a Rocky Patel Decade 10th Anniversary! I have never had one of these, and I really enjoyed it. A nice Halloween cigar, full of SPOOKY SURPRISES! Well, it was tasty. Maybe not spooky.

Anyhow, for the nice flavors and changing tastes, along with a great construction, I give it a Hogg. Them Dukes, them Dukes!

Rocky Patel Decade 10th Anniversary
Size: Toro (6.5" x 52 ring)
Taste: Medium
Draw: Great
Burn: Even and consistent
Flavors: Spice, hay, earth, and a little cocoa.
Overall Rating:
Rosco Patel, you're in trouble now!

Fuente Hemingway Best Seller

I have heard a lot of good things about the Hemingway line, but I have never tried one. Until now! Well, until a few days ago.

I actually picked this little guy up in Arizona, where their tobacco taxes are apparently much cheaper. I got a collection of nice sticks there for a much lower price than I could find here in the east.

Anyhow, the Best Seller is a slightly larger version of the popular Short Story, which I had not had before either (I also bought one of those, but I found it very similar to this cigar, so I won't review that separately).

It has a nice perfecto shape which I find creates an even burn, but some people have trouble with it. It is deceptive in its size, since it burns as long as a much bigger cigar. I enjoyed a nice long book-reading evening on the porch with this little guy.

I paired it with a nice Eagle Rare SB bourbon that had a nice bite to it, and they went together pretty well. The cigar tended towards a nice clean tobacco flavor, with some nuts and cedar. It kinda tasted the way a humidor smells. And since I like that smell, it was all good with me.

I didn't notice any distinct taste changes, and the flavor was a bit low-key for me. But it was definitely a solid cigar. So for having a decent flavor, good burn and nice construction, I give it points. The slightly too-high price, the one-note flavor profile, and slightly bland taste knock it down a couple pegs.

In general, I give it a Belvedere.

Fuente Hemingway Best Seller
Size: Perfecto (5" x 55 ring)
Taste: Medium-Mild
Draw: Good
Burn: Even and consistent
Flavors: Cedar and nut, tasty tobacco flavor
Overall Rating:
Fat in the middle like Mr. Belvedere.

Nub 460 Habano

(Editor's Note: "The Nub" was also Lawson's previous girlfriend's nickname for him.)

I picked up this little thing on a whim - the other Nick had been talking about some recent cigarbid wins, and I was tempted to give it another go (had some bad experiences several years back) - but also having a business trip coming up, the last thing I wanted was for an order of cigars to be left out baking in a box on my back porch for 4 or 5 days...

So I swung by the local shop and picked a couple up, one of which was the Nub 460 Habano. If you've read the hype sheet for these, you'll know:

Rather than wait for a cigar to develop and evolve, which typically occurs an inch to two inches in, the idea behind Nub was to specifically blend it to hit its sweet spot right off the bat and remain at its peak right through to the end.

See what I did there? I assumed you were familiar with the hype, and then included it anyway. (Editor: Just like when that glorious day comes when I can finally fire you. You'll know it's coming, but I'll still tell you in person.)

So... does it live up? Sorta. Maybe. I guess it depends how your read into it.

Let's start with construction, it's a beautiful little cigar - small but with a good heft. The draw was consistent, and it built up a solid bit of almost-white ash as I smoked.

Anyway, out of the gate, the cigar had some nutty, almost almond overtones that stuck with it throughout, but it started with a bit of heat that mellowed out quickly - if that "heat" was the cigar "developing and evolving" - they might have missed their mark with their stated goal... but that said, I don't really care. (Editor: Congratulations! Neither do I!)

It was a charming little cigar, packing enough punch to leave me quite lightheaded by the finish, and I'm eager to try some of the other styles in this line. At approximately $4.50 for the tiny stick, don't be fooled, it's a solid hour-long smoke, and a powerhouse at that - I wish it was a bit cheaper, to make a good "weekday" stick, but it was still enjoyable. (Editor: Hey, speaking of enjoyable - remember that time when you wrote a review that I loved? Haha just kidding.)

Short, stocky and lovable, this one gets a Hogg.

Nub 460 Habano
Size: 4" x 60 ring
Taste: Medium-Wild
Draw: Good
Burn: Even and consistent
Flavors: Almonds and Tobacco.
Overall Rating: