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.

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:

Hoyo De Monterrey (Honduran) Dark Sumatra Espresso

Well, it's only been a few months, better do a cigar review!

Our editor had an unfortunate incident with a bamboo skewer and a wild ptarmigan, so we have been out of business for a while. But we are back and better than ever! Actually, the same.

I recently bought a 4-pack of these Hoyos from JR Cigar, as I wanted something to fill out my order after I bought a sweet leather cigar case for taking smokes to the bar. I hadn't heard much about them, but the super-dark wrapper caught my interest and they were very reasonably priced. (4 cigars for $14, or $3.50 each)

Well I've been on a business trip in Illinois, and then had to work the weekend to finish up the stuff I was doing on the trip. So a cigar and bourbon on the porch was in order. For the bourbon, I went for a new one, Elmer T. Lee Single Barrel. For the cigar, I chose this little Hoyo.

It was a short guy, but lasted over an hour. The draw was great, the burn was fine, with just one touchup needed. The flavors were very enjoyable, strong without being harsh. Definite spice, mellowing into some coffee and a leathery taste, and under it all a smooth tobacco flavor.

The bourbon was pretty good, but didn't knock my socks off. I still prefer Woodford Reserve as the mid-price champ. But the smoke was a definite pleasant surprise.

I really enjoyed the smoke, especially for the price. I will be getting more of these in the future. The nice and interesting flavors, the good construction, and the good price make this a solid Hoff.

Hoyo De Monterrey (Honduran) Dark Sumatra
Size: Espresso (4.5" x 50 ring)
Taste: Medium-Wild
Draw: Great
Burn: Even and consistent
Flavors: Spicy pepper, leather, coffee
Overall Rating:
Michael Knight in shining armor

Diamond Crown Pyramid No. 7, Maduro

First review, I guess I'll make this one count, at least my wallet will think so, given this is an $18.00 stick.

I'll start with the technical details - this really is a gorgeous cigar - the wrapper is a beautiful maduro, and while I usually couldn't care less about band art, the band really does pair up well with the deep maduro wrapper. It has a certain heft to it that really makes it feel like a solid smoke.

Construction is excellent - all of the DC's I've seen run large ring gauges, allowing for some pretty impressive multi-leaf blends, and this one was no exception. The construction quality carried through to the ash as well - which held up admirably.

Burn was a little uneven, but I chalk part of that up to my lighting - I was using a sub-optimal lighter at the time, letting the cigar rest for a bit on an incline evened things up though, so, again, I think this was a case of operator error rather than flawed construction.

Draw was great, especially for a torpedo, sorry, pyramid, which can have issues if the overall construction isn't up to par.

Now on to the real details; From a flavor profile perspective, this was a much stronger cigar than I expected - I've seen these classified from mild to medium - I'd put it in the medium category myself, but much more toward the strong/full end of the range. Again, it's strength took me by surprise - it creeps up on you.

At first puff, the cigar was really mild, some cedar notes, but nothing to really write home about. A few moments in, however, it really opened up. Floral notes really were the signature here - even the smoke put off by this stick carries with it some floral overtones. A pleasant surprise for me, as this was one of the few instances I actually smoked in the house (albeit with windows open and a good deal of ventilation) due to some nasty rainstorms in the region. As pleasant as it was, I still underestimated the potency of this cigar - it wasn't until I stood up to fetch some water, and the subsequent "Cigar Buzz" hit me that I realized what a real gem this is.

I paired this with some recently acquired a bottle of Distillers Choice Laphroaig - in hindsight, this wasn't a great pairing. I underestimated the floral overtones of the cigar, and wound up saving most of the scotch for later. An ideal pairing, in my mind, would be a non-Islay, lighter scotch. Budget favorite (i.e. my college favorite) Aberlour would be a good choice for it's floral/fruity notes, or even Glenlivet/Glenkinchie. If you are putting out enough for a nice cigar, it's worth having a good drink pairing, after all.

$18.00 might be a little steep for a cigar, but disregarding the price, this one's a solid Hoff*.

(* - Ratings retroactively added)

Diamond Crown Pyramid No. 7, Maduro
Size: Pyramid (Torpedo) (6.7" x 54 ring)
Taste: Medium (Medium-Full)
Draw: Good
Burn: Even, after correction.
Flavors: Cedar, Floral
Overall Rating: