Room 101 The Big Payback Review

Hey all!! Back yet once again with another review! 

And I think I am setting Cigar Moose history with such a new review so soon after the last one, and with the most pictures I have ever posted in one review!

For today's cigar review, I have to start where I bought it. The journey begins in Lake Placid NY. New York States premier training center for the Olympics resides here. 

When I used to visit Lake Placid I looked forward to visiting a place called The Pipe and Book. There they had all manner of pipe supplies and a walk in humidor. To my dismay, it closed a few years ago.

But Alas! Mrs. Cigar Moose on a trip there came across a new establishment. Not only did she find this gem but she brought me home 2 Camacho Triple Maduro cigars complete with the box they came in!!!! I knew I loved her for some reason!

Down on Main Street, nestled inside the back of a mini strip mall called The Alpine Mall,  sits Stouts and Stogies. If you find the glass blowing store, you'll find Stouts and Stogies.

Stouts and Stogies has a decent sized walk in humidor with premium selections for your selecting pleasure. 

And also has a diverse selection of micro brew beers.

Behind the counter you will find Jon. He is extremely friendly and helpful in helping you find something you might like. 

If you need a physical address to plug into your GPS it is: 

2527 Main Street

Suite 8

Lake Placid, NY 12946

(518) 837-5063

Now on to our review! 

Room 101

THE BIG PAYBACK

I must say, this is one BIG F-ing cigar at 7 X 70! The box itself is huge housing 30 cigars. And you can see below how chunktastic it looks!

Turk and I decided to take refuge in the garage out of the wind to fire up these tree trunks of a cigar.

It has a firm body with very little give to it. The body smells slightly sweet as well as the foot. But the foot has the added smell of honey and raisins. The wrapper is flawless and veiny. Even the Cap was veiny which I have never seen in any cigar.

Bands come off with a little effort, mostly the one at the foot, but didn't damage anything in the process.

Draw is effortless with sweet tobacco tastes.

Upon light I get a blast of peppery power which quickly mellows into a woody sweetness. 

Turk says "Wow! Now that's a cigar!"

I have to agree, I wonder what have we gotten ourselves into?

Turk comments that he is getting a citrusy taste coming through. After he mentions this I get the same. A bit of leather and creamy espresso are hitting the palate with a bit of sweet wood earthiness always present.

About a third in, an uneven burn is still present from shortly after start which is noticeable in both cigars. Ash is Layered and flakey.

  

Tapping the ash off revealed a fairly decent cone. You can see below the uneven burn line is more pronounced.

One thing about this cigar is that from the beginning it produces large volumes of creamy smoke. Another thing is that this is a strong cigar! Turk says he started buzzing from the first puff!!!

Going into the last third, I have been buzzing already! I can only imagine that it has to level out at some point. But no, it continues to flood our bodies with the buzz, getting us in a sleepy euphoric state.

Now I must attribute the size of this cigar to the time it takes to burn fully. 2 hours in we are still burning!! For some reason Turk is always behind me in the burn. He savors the cigar much more slowly than I, puffing less, resting the cigar between puffs more. Actually his method is a cooler burning smoke, which is better for the tastes. I sometimes have to gauge my speed to his, as to not burn to hot. I just want all that cigar goodness!!!

Final tastes coming through are chocolate, earth, wood, still a bit of leather and pepper, espresso, and the sweetness has turned to caramel.

Turk throws in the towel with about an inch and 3 quarters left. Nicotine Overload! He sits in his chair and falls asleep for about 10 to 15 minutes while I finish off my cigar review. I wish I got a picture of it!!!

Buzz Rating on this one I give a 10 out of 10

This one is really an ASS KICKER!!! 

Very powerful cigar but worth every puff as I smoked it till my fingers burned!

Turk loved this cigar too and could be plainly seen in his Nicotine induced slumber!

Overall Rating I give a 4.5 out of 5

Very good cigar with a lot going on in respect to flavor complexity. The uneven burn was throughout the whole smoke but didn't affect the cigar at all and wasn't enough for me to take any points off.

The only thing that bothered the both of us was the fact that we both had to keep re-lighting from the halfway point on. But man it was hard to even mark off for that as it just tasted so good and had such a high buzz!

It's not an everyday smoke, but one you should have on hand for special occasions.

I guess if I had only one complaint about this cigar it would be the price per box.

 I mean really? $188 for a box of 30 right up to $268 for a box of 50 depending on the size? 

What was Matt Booth thinking?

This seems to be the trend in a few other cigar brands too. Who has that kind of cash hanging around? 

He would have been better off marketing them in boxes of 10.

Thank God online vendors had the sense to split the boxes up into 5-packs for $23 to $33 each. At that price I am sure I will pick up a 5-pack to have on hand, maybe even find them for cheaper on the auction site.

Well that's it for today! I had to work on this review for about a week! Whew!

Remember, If your in Lake Placid , NY be sure to stop in to Stouts and Stogies on the main street. And when you see Jon behind the counter, tell him Cigar Moose sent you!

(And no, I don't get a kick back!)

Till next Post..................Peace!

Spectre by AJ Fernandez Review

Hey all! Back again with another review!

Today we are reviewing Spectre by AJ Fernandez. AJ is the one responsible for Man O War and Diesel  cigars.

Spectre are very distinct cigars that once you encounter them you will never forget.  From the moment you take the cellophane off them, you will notice they are like no other premium cigar you have ever had.

 

That is Cigar Dog in the background!

Hailing from Nicaragua, one of the secret ingredients of this cigar blend is Latakia tobacco.

 What is that you may ask?

 Latakia originally comes from Syria in a town that its named for. But it is now mainly produced in Cyprus, which is a country on an Island in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. There they hang this Turkish sun dried tobacco in barns and further cure it over pine or oak wood fires. This gives the tobacco a very smokey spicy flavor and aroma. 

This is the very first thing you will become aware of when you open one up. A very strong aroma of smokiness is obvious and is very intoxing to the nose. They use Latakia in a lot of pipe tobacco, and only recently started using it in cigars.

Turk turned me on to these cigars when he got a 5-pack from an auction site. His words to me was "Don't smell them before you smoke them, you might not like it." But it was the exact opposite! I loved the smell!!!! 

The wrapper is very dark and ominous. A slight oily sheen to the flawless wrapper get me almost drooling! The foot and body smell of the same smokey goodness. If you like smoked meats, you will be very pleased with this cigar.

Now I know the wrapper is definitely Latakia, but I am not sure how much of it is used in the mix with the other Nicaraguan tobaccos. What I do feel is that it must be a good amount as it is definitely present as you smoke it.

The body is firm with slightly spongy spots throughout. Prelight draw is a decent easy to medium that tastes of smoked brisket. Band comes off with little effort and no damage to wrapper. 

Upon light I get an explosion of that sweet maduro goodness with a hint of that charred meat on the back of the palate. 

Quickly at a half inch in I get a blast of that smokiness! Wow! I am really enjoying this cigar a lot already!!!!

As the cigar progresses I keep getting that sweetness. Smokey wood goodness also coming through. It starts off pretty mild in strength and quickly becomes full. The flavor is pleasantly and continuously full throughout. The burn is a bit uneven as you can see. 

I tap the ash off and an offset cone is present. 

Ash is very flaky and layered.  Wisps of ash float away during the whole smoking experience. 

Right from the start this cigar produces a lot of volume of smoke. This is a plus in my book! Who doesn't find great pleasure in rolling thick creamy smoke out in a huff?

I must say I smoked this cigar till I started burning my fingers! I enjoyed it that much!

It has a very, very long and pleasant finish which is not overbearing. Even after having a meal some time later, I still get that smokey meaty goodness present on the back of my palate.

Buzz Rating : 8 out of 10

A very full cigar in strength.

Overall Rating: 5 out of 5

This is one I really like! Sweet Maduro tastes combined with the charred smoked meatiness is a great combination in this cigar! A very eventful cigar which reminds me of all the flavors you would encounter with good barbecue!  Not an everyday cigar but a really good change from the norm. I will definitely get some of these for the humidor. I would recommend these in a second for something as a change of pace. I would probably keep these separate from my other cigars in another small humidor as they are very strong in aroma and I am positive this would leach over to your other stash. But some may want to leach over some of these properties to their other cigars.  

With 5-packs as low as $25 and boxes of 10 as low as $45, I find it an exceptional value that you might even find a bargain on some online auction sites.

There you have it! Another review down!

This Memorial Day make sure you give tribute to those of our servicemen and women , past and present, who put themselves in harms way for us to enjoy the freedoms we have here in the USA. And pay special tribute to those who paid the Ultimate price.............

Until next post...............Peace! 

Oliva Latitude Zero Review

Hey all!! We are back! And we have a great line up of cigars to review this summer.

This review was conducted on 4/19/2015. Spring is in the air and after such a long cold winter, I found myself pushing my limits of cold tolerance on a semi warm day, to get out in some fresh air and light up a stick!

Today I will be burning a Oliva Latitude Zero I got from Turk. 

Like most of you, I find myself often wondering how good a cigar really is, while browsing my mail order catalogs. Oliva Tobacco Company supplies tobacco for big name brands like Ashton, Montecristo, and Davidoff. So naturally I couldn't help wonder how good Latitude Zero was going to be. But at $80 a box of 20 cigars in Robusto size, I am always hesitant to take the plunge. Thats a lot of money for a box when you don't know if you like them!!!!

But lucky for me, Turk being the savvy  shopper he is, got a good deal on a 5 pack off the bid site Cigar Bid.

First thing I notice is that this cigar is very nicely wrapped Habano wrapper. But not just any wrapper. This wrapper is a 2011 R13E Grade or as its called "Angels Cut" Habano wrapper from Ecuador. Veins are very small and it's smooth surface gives off a nice oily sheen. Inside is Nicaraguan Longfillers from 2010, from the Esteli region. 

Taking the 2 part band off I did find a flaw in the wrapper as you can see below. Fortunately for me it in no way affected the draw throughout the smoke.

The Body of the cigar smells a pleasant aroma of Sweet chocolate. The foot a nice smell of toasted hazelnuts. 

The prelight draw s effortless, like sucking through a straw, and tastes of sweet raisins.

Upon light I get a nice nut taste with rich tobaccos. There is also a good sweet taste to the smoke that lingers at the back of the tongue. 

About 15 minutes in, you can see the nice greyish layered ash, with a fairly even burn. 

 

At about an inch in I start getting good pepper tastes. Also I would like to note the good volume of  smoke this cigar produces. I don't know about you, but I find it very satisfying to be able to huff out a great cloud of thick smoke!

Sitting in the cold Spring shade of the deck has forced me to move to the outer deck into the warm sun! First flick of the cigar ash reveals a very decent cone!

 

I just noticed a nice woody aroma to the smoke. So far the cigar has been building up to a medium/full strength. Consistent flavors of nut, pepper, and wood.

At the halfway point the flavor profile has changed a bit. Pepper has greatly diminished and now a caramel/chocolate profile is present. 

These tastes stay right to the end and the the strength is a solid medium.

Finish is clean but tastes are long and lingering. 

Really nice smoke!

I give this cigar a Buzz Rating of 7 out of 10. There is a little kick there!

I give it an Overall Rating of 4 out of 5.

This is a pretty good cigar! Its a pretty eventful cigar flavor wise and in strength. And definitely worth a look in a 5 pack, but due to the price I won't be buying a box any time soon. I would look at the Cigar Bid site to see if a deal could be had for even cheaper per box or 5 pack.

Well, thats it! First review since a a very long hiatus. Now that my health is returning I hope to continue to keep the reviews rolling in. I've got some cigars lined up to test out with my posse. I have even found another walk in humidor in Lake Placid NY. A bit of a drive for me but another option if I get out that way. It's called Stouts and Stogies and located on the main street in a little strip mall.

Here is what I bought on my first trip there:

But more on that at a later time.

Till next post..........Peace!

I hateSpammers!

Hey all! Just wanted to say if you want to post a legitimate comment on this blog then by all means do so! But when you post a comment with a link to promote your own product, e-cigarettes, it will not be tolerated and your post will be deleted promptly.

Cigar Costs

Hey all! Just had a random thought while looking at emails from various vendors who sell cigars, When is a bundle too much money?

The trend lately has swung towards more expensive bundles whether they are samplers or straight up specific brand. By expensive, in my opinion, I mean $70 and up. I really feel like $60 is at the top end of my budget on a bundle and even that is few and far between my spending habits. I understand with FDA looming over tobacco that costs may rise, but if they do it will seriously impact my and everyone else's choices when the time comes to refill the humidor. So Make sure you contact your senators and be heard!

This doesn't mean that on the rare occasion I wouldn't treat myself to a box of something expensive like a box of Paul Stulac Red Screaming Suns or Camacho Triple Maduros at over the $100 mark. I have even considered that when I retire purchasing a $150 box of Opus X Lost City cigars with only 5 in the box. But that is a rare occassion. But somehow the industry thinks we are all well to do and have thousands of dollars sitting around to purchase these expensive boxes on a regular basis.

Anyways this is just food for thought and if anyone would like to comment on this trend please do on this blog.

Till next post, Peace.

Still Here!

Hey All!

Just wanted to let all of you know I am still here. As stated in last post I have been dealing with some health issues. Turns out my Gallbladder was bad and I had to have it removed. Since then, February, I continue to have stomach issues. So for those of you who who have had your gallbladder out and still had issues I can relate!

 

On a better note, despite the stomach issues, I have still on occasion been able to burn a stick now and then. Going through my notes in my cigar diary and photos, getting ready to write some more reviews.

Yesterday I had my last Paul Stulac Red Screaming Sun that he sent me with the prototype band on it. Absolutely Fantastic! Will be taking a trip to Smokey's soon to get a few more! Almost forgot how great they really are since I hadn't had one in a while.

So thanks to all of you with your patience, stay tuned, more reviews to come.

Till next post......................Peace!

Making A TravelDore

Hey all! Just wanted to put up something to keep you interested in the Blog. Like I have said in previous posts, I have been having some health issues lately and haven't been able to get to the blog like I would like to. Hopefully I can get these issues cleared up soon.

But here today I would like to introduce the Idea of creating your own Travel Humidor or Traveldore as I like to call it. Now you can make a traveldore out of just about anything your mind can dream up, and if you are really cheap all you need is a ziplock bag. But if you are handy with wood working you can create some real works of art that no one else has. And thats the type I would like to talk about today.

A traveldore doesn't have to seal like a regular humidor. That's because it's general purpose is to just cart your cigars from point A to point B for immediate consumption. That doesn't mean that you can't make it sort of seal for longer storage, but for our purpose today I am talking about a wood box to carry and protect your cigars, and depending on the size, maybe your lighter and cutter.

I have used white cedar and various other hardwoods such as black walnut. But I also like to use bamboo cutting boards to make them as you can get a variety of patterns and colors to choose from that really finish off really well. And I have even lined the insides with those thin slips of cedar you find separating the layers of cigars in retail boxes. But like I said about the seal, it is not necessary for a quick consumption storage box.

For today's example I will use pictures from a box I made for a good friend of mine, Paul Stulac, of Paul Stulac Cigars.

To start I bought a couple bamboo cutting boards I picked up from TJ Max for about $5 a board. I find they always keep a pretty good supply of them throughout the year.

Usually when I create these I stipple some design on the top of the cover, but because Paul's Cigar logo is so intricate and I couldn't get that level of detail with that process. So I experimented with a temp tattoo he sent me and was able to adhere it to the wood.

Here is a closer look at that intricate design.

After I decided how big of cigars it would hold and how many, I started to cut the pieces I needed on my table saw.  I actually had alot left over from the two boards of which to use for Nub Buddies and maybe part of another box. 

Putting the pieces together with glue and clamps, A very tricky process, I let it sit overnight to cure. I use Gorilla Glue for its strong bond and because it dries clear.

After it has dried I run all edges and corners through my router table to round all edges on the outside. I then sand the whole outside starting with a medium grit sandpaper down to a fine grit then finishing it off with 0000 steel wool and a fine grit sanding sponge. It is at this point I very carefully run the box on its side through the table saw to separate the top from the bottom. I like to cut the top a little thinner than the bottom so that the cigars sit deeper in the box.  After this is complete I apply the logo to the box and start applying Spar Urethane. Why Spar Urethane? Because it expands and contracts with the wood and wont crack. It is durable and waterproof. 

After many thin coats, I have learned you have to be patient and apply thin coats, it starts to get a really nice finish that brings out the deep warmth of the wood.

Here is a close look of the logo with the finish.

For the finish I add a clasp to the front and a couple hinges to the back. I like brass as it dresses them up real nice. You can find these items at most hardware or hobby stores and are quite inexpensive. Here is the finished product I sent out to Paul.

Stulac Cigars with a little extra room for a lighter and cutter!

And here are a couple other Traveldores I have done for personal friends and family members. I stippled the logos of their favorite cigar brands on the covers:

This one was made out of White Cedar.

And for and avid hunter buddy I stippled this buck!

So there you are! You can be as creative as you want to be! But you must have patience and not rush the process to get good results.

Hopefully this will inspire you to try your hand at making one. If so send a pic of your result and who knows? I might put it up on the blog!

Till next post.............................................Peace!

Free Cigar Aficionado subscription offer

Hey all!
Anyone looking for Cigar Aficionado subscription? Look no further! For a limited time through Rewards Gold you can get a 12 month subscription for free! Just fill out a 5-10 minute survey and you can get a years subscription free. I took advantage of it to add to the subscription I already have, you should too!

Sorry I haven't been up to date on the blog, have had some health issues that I am sorting out. I have had one cigar in the last month and a half! That's a crying shame! Hopefully things start looking up soon so I can concentrate more on the reviews. I know, I know. It sounds like one excuse after another! Just keep bearing with me. Being sick isn't fun...........Any hoo...........here is the link for the subscription:

http://www.rewardsgold.com/mags/cigar/sg_cigar_pg1gdex.htm

Till next post......................Peace!

Shout out to my local Tobbacconist

Hey all! Back again with a shout out to my favorite place to buy cigars.

Smokey's is located on the Akwesasne Mohawk Reservation in Northern NY across from the Speedway Plaza. It is located almost right across the street from the entrance to the Akwesasne Mohawk Casino. And Akwesasne is pronounced Awg-weh-zah-zneh. The locals really don't like it when you pronounce it wrong as they are a very proud people of their heritage and language.

Smokey's really started from humble beginnings as just a cigarette store. But eventually they progressed into cigars and pipe supplies and added a small walk-in humidor. The response was so good that they decided it might be wise to expand. After a trip to Vegas, the owner decided to fashion his after some of the high end walk-in humidors he had seen  on his trip. And thus, a new walk in humidor was born!

As you can see the humidor is filled to the ceiling with cigars. A wide array of  brands including Rocky Patel, Paul Stulac, Alec Bradly, Acid, Padron, Romeo y Julieta, Montecristo, and San Cristobal are just a few of the many selections that they offer. And what is great, is that they offer them in a wide array of prices to fit everyone's budget. So it doesn't matter if you just won big at the Casino and want big expensive cigar, playing a round of golf and want a decent cigar to pass around for the boys, or just want an inexpensive cigar to work in the yard, Whatever your pleasure, Smokey's has it for you. 

Now even though they are still mainly a cigarette store, they are fast growing to becoming more cigar friendly with a wide array of cigar accessories like cutters, humidors, and lighters, and punches.. They are the only Walk-in humidor within 100 miles around. It is a must stop if you are in the area. 

Stop in and say Hello to the friendly staff, Mike, Faith, or Ryan who will gladly try and help you with your purchase.

Smokey's is located:

935 State Route 37 

Hogansburg, NY13655

Phone:

518-358-9920

Hours:

Mon-Thurs: 8 AM-8 PM

Fri-Sat: 8 AM-9 PM

Sun: 8 AM- 8 PM

If you are into cigars, cigarettes, or pipes, you have to stop in here and take in this beautiful store! Stay tuned and I will be reviewing cigars purchased from this store. I am going to try and sample every cigar they sell, over time of course, not all at once! I am not making any promises that it will totally happen, but that way if you are in the store and see something you are curious about, you can pull up my blog on your smart phone, everyone has one of those these days right?, and you might be able to see what we here think of it before you buy it.

That's all for today! Check back for updates! 

Till next post........................Peace!

Paul Stulac Video

Hey all! Hope this post finds all of you in good weather smoking your favorite sticks!

 I found this video on Paul Stulacs website about how he got started.

You can see the video here on his site: http://www.paulstulaccigars.com/

I have been trying to put it up here but it hasn't been cooperating!

Little did I know he got his start in Canada! Great Job Paul!

Trying to get time together to post some reviews. Bear with me folks...........

Till next post...........................Peace.

Gurkha Empire V Cigar Review

Hey All! Yes we here at Cigar Moose are still alive and kicking! We are in overdrive with getting our daughter ready to graduate from Highschool and get ready for college. What a MOUNTAIN of paperwork, from announcements, to scholarships, to all the paperwork that the colleges want! Whew! After all that, I have saved a well deserved Paul Stulac Cigar for the Graduation Party!

Without further ado, today I am reviewing the Gurkha Empire V cigar.

 

 

Cigars International and Cigars.com describe this cigar as a hearty mix of Mexican, Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers all bound with an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. Mild and creamy with hints of cedar and black pepper.

 

As I look at this cigar, I am thinking "Big band, lots of glue". Visions of peeling it of with the wrapper haunt me like so many other cigars I have had with large bands. This is not true with this one. I was pleasantly surprised that it came off very easily keeping both bands in perfect shapeand an unscathed wrapper. (I like to save the bands, although I have not yet decided what to do with the hundreds of them I have!)

 

The wrapper has a real nice sheen in the light, and seems to have minimal veins to the Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper.

 

 

 



Not sure you can see it here but if you look close you might be able to see the generous double cap!

Sweet tobacco smells are on the body and foot, with a slight aroma of raisins to the foot in my opinion. The body of this cigar goes from firm at the head to slightly spongy at the foot.

A perfect cut with my Xikar cutter revealed a near effortless draw, which tastes of sweet tobacco and a hint of sweet rum. A quick toast and light with my Perdoma table lighter, which I can't live without, brought a pleasant pepper taste. There is a very slight bitterness I can't quite identify, nothing over the top but still present.This cigar started off a bit more on the mild-medium side with lots of smoke, not creamy thick smoke but a good volume.

By a third in I am getting light creamy hazel nut flavors plus an ever so slight leather nuance. Thats the bitterness I was picking out. The cigar has a slightly uneven burn, but I think it's do to my off lighting skills today, improper rotation while lighting the cigar. Luckily it corrected itself through out the smoke.

 

 

The Ash is grey and flakey and fell off at the 1 inch mark. By the mid-way mark there are caramel notes coming through along with the same creaminess. Pepper is still on the pallate and ever present through out the smoke. The cigar is really hitting the sweet spot now and has mellowed out to a mild strength cigar.

 

In the last third woody/cedar notes are coming through. As I near the end I am getting a bit more leather, which I am not really fond of, but it is tolerable. Also I get a brief shot of bitter chocolate and had a long finish.

On the end I notice that at the head the wrapper had cracked in one spot and was coming undone just to the side of it. The crack in the picture is tward my index finger and the undone wrapper near my thumb. I don't bite on my cigars so I am oblivious as to why it did this.

 

 

Buzz Rating on this one I give a 4 out of 10. Just slight but not enough to fly, as a matter of fact, not even enough to get you off the ground. It's pretty mild in strength.

 

Overall I give this one a 2.5 out of 5. Nothing real special to me even though it was eventful with it's flavor changes however slight and subtle they were. I was kind of disappointed with this one as I am a fan of most Gurkhas. For me the slight bitterness and ever present leather tastes was a turn off. Not a big fan of it. But that aside, it would have been a bigger hit with me, with it's creamy mildness and flavor changes.

 

Like it?: It's OK........but not for me.

Buy it again?: Probably not.

Recommend it?: Only for those who like the bittery leather tastes in a mild cigar.

 

You can get these cigars from Cigars International and Cigars.com for $70 a box of 20 in all sizes.  Cigars.com sells all sizes also in singles for $6 each. But the best deal comes from Cigars International with a 12 cigar sampler, 2 of each type in the Empire series, for just $34! Thats a little over $2.80 each. I have not tried the others in the series yet but it might be worth it to me to get the sampler.

 

Lots of nice weather coming up. The hummingbirds are starting to show up on the back deck which means Stogie weather is upon us. I have another Stulac Review for the Black Midnight Fire which has been tested, but I am gathering all the data from the notes from the Posse to put together a review up on here. So check back soon.

 

Till next Post.......................Peace!

 

 

 

 



Paul Stulac White Blinding Light Cigar Review

Hey all! Here again with another review!

I am bringing you today the Paul Stulac White Blinding Light.

Yes, I know I am a day late and a dollar short, as this cigar has been out for some time and that there have been quite a few reviews put out already. But this is Cigar Moose style! Besides I loved the Red Screaming Sun so much, I had to try Paul's other lines.

I would like to add that you all thank Meatloaf for his constant harassing to get this review under way during one of the busiest holiday seasons of the year! Thanks pal!

Another note I would like to say is that I apologize in advance for the lack of personal pictures for this review. Having difficulties with the cold temperatures and the camera not..................Aw, who am I trying to kid? We were so tuned into getting these into our 'Gar Puffers we forgot to take pics! So instead we give you the pics generated (stolen) from other, er, places......Yeah that's the ticket!

Right off the bat, the visual on this cigar is stunning! The Dark Ecuador Habano seamless wrapper is oily with slight veins and is simply put, flawless! Paul seems to have high quality rollers putting out consistently high quality product. It has a Sumatra binder and Nicaraguan filler. The binder,  interesting enough, I think, lends some interesting tastes to the Habano wrapper when smoked to give a nice mix of flavors.

Beginning with my usual prelight rituals, I smell the body and foot, taking in several deep inhales. Turk and I agree on a sweet aroma to the body, I get an almost Sweet Tarts taste on the back of my throat from the inhale. Meatloaf says to him its more of a sweet barn hay. We all agree on a chocolaty smell to the foot. After a perfect cut with my Xikar cutter, the prelight draw is slightly medium with sweet tastes of tobacco.

Upon light, We all get a big hit of spice on the back of the throat and for me more through the nose. Note: I am the only one of the panel who consistently rolls the smoke through the nose a few times throughout the smoke to get a more intense flavor profile. The others just don't care for it. 

For all of us, the smoke quickly within minutes mellows right out. I get a nice caramel taste through the nose which is quite creamy. We all notice a sweetness to the aroma of the smoke. A bit of citrus added to it for me. Turk and Meatloaf says they are getting some really great tastes, the pepper ever so subtly present on the palette. Turk says it has a little bit of a bite and changes flavors so quickly that he cannot pinpoint one alone. Finally I have pinpointed the aroma! It smells like sweet barbecue sauce on the grill, that charred sweet smell. Now that I have pinpointed it, the others agree that it is a really good aroma. It creates a nice imagery in the mind as you smoke it.

The burn at first for all of us was a bit uneven, with a whitish grey ash, but now has started to correct itself about one inch into the smoke. Dense smoke is had with every puff of this cigar, creamy and wafting through the air.

This cigar is definitely medium in body and full in complex flavor.  One third in it mellows even more with some nice chocolate notes. Turk says he is getting more of a date flavor.

My ash along with Meatloaf's falls off almost 2 inches into the smoke. Turk's hangs on to over the 2 inch mark. Man! Only fabulous construction can get you to this length in ash. Stulac is the man! I mean really? What is better for a man to measure his manliness than the length of his cigar ash?!?!? But even with over a 2 inch ash, no cone was produced. Even though I really like to see a cone, the sharper the better, it in no way does it affect my opinion of this cigar. This cigar is another hit for Mr.Stulac!

The cigar has a clean mouth feel and a clean finish with hints of chocolate in the last third of the cigar.

The White Blinding Light comes in the Robusto, Toro, and Torpedo sizes in the $12 + range for singles or $279-288 per box. You can get 5 packs from pipesandcigars.com for a little bit of a discount in the upper $50 range.

Meatloaf gives this one a Buzz Rating of 6 out of 10
                         And an Overall Rating of 3.5 out of 5

Turk gives this one a Buzz Rating of 6 out of 10
                  And an Overall Rating of 4 out of 5   

Cigar Moose Gives this one a Buzz Rating of 7 out of 10
                                And an Overall Rating of 4 out of 5

Like it?: Absolutely! Excellent construction, tastes and complexity!

Buy it again?: I would definitely buy a 5 pack to keep in my humidor!

Recommend it?: Absolutely! But I must confess Paul, while the White is of the same caliber the Red is, The Red continues to be my favorite! But remember folks, This cigar was produced before the Red Screaming Sun, which tells me that Paul consistently improves on an already great and high quality product. Another feather in your cap Paul. You continue to amaze me!

 

Hope you all had a great Christmas Holiday! And here is to all of you, my "Brothers and Sisters of the Leaf", raise ashes high, and Happy New Year 2013! Till next post.......................Peace!

Lighter maintinence

Hey all! Cigar Advisor published an article on how to properly purge and refill a lighter. Here is the link:

 Cigar Advisor

For a long time I would just purge before I put the butane in, and not every time I might add. I would only do it when the lighter would act up. Wish I would have seen this article about two weeks ago as I had a problem with my NEBO lighter which I have also had for about 6 years, like the author of the article. Unfortunately I became frustrated with the lighter and chocked it up to a possible leak as it didn't seem to hold butane or light. So in my frustration I tossed it in the trash! After reading the article I am thinking that it had just reached a point that there was to much air in the tank mixing with the butane. Bummer!

Well the good news is that I haven't taken the trash to the local dump yet. The bad news is do I want to go through the twelve or so bags of garbage in the freezing cold to take a chance that my hunch is right?  I mean I got a great deal on the lighter and only paid about $7 plus shipping. So is my time worth the loss of about $10 for 6 years of use? But it was really shiny chrome and had a really neat lighting mechanism that flipped out towards you with a double torch! Mmmmmmmmmmm?????

Well...............Maybe I should put on some warm clothes.....................................

Till next post..............................Peace!

Stulac Review coming!

Hey all! Just a heads up to let you know another Stulac cigar review is coming this week. This week we will be reviewing the White Blinding Light. Yeah I know it's hardly a new cigar and has already been reviewed by many before me, but it's new to us and will now  be done Cigar Moose style! So stay tuned and in a couple days you can see a review From the Cigar Moose Crew!

Till next post.........................Peace!

Cuban Rejects Review

Hey all! Sorry for the big delay in reviews. I have been having trouble with my old 5 year old laptop and decided it was time to put it to rest. So now we here at Cigar Moose have a brand new laptop with Windows 8 installed. Wow! What a difference! But there is quite a learning curve moving up from Windows Vista to Windows 8! Also Mr. and Mrs. Cigar Moose have had busy schedules with kids in sports and trying to get everything together for the oldest Moose kid to get ready for college! Times like these is what makes Mr. Cigar Moose really enjoy the fruits of cigars!

We have all seen these cigars in the catalogs, online, or at our local shop. At first glance I didn't think much of them, as might you have,  thinking they were another cheap knock off. Boy was I fooled!

Cuban Rejects.

With a little research on the net, I found out Cuban rejects are considered seconds or "Segundos". They are made by new rollers in training and don't always look good. But they can be surprising as you will see. I have yet to have a bad tasting one. Made by Tobacco General these cigars have very confusing info as to their make-up. One site says they are Dominican, while Tobacco General claims them to be made with Nicaraguan Tobacco. Another site claims the make-up is a Nicaraguan sandwich blend , but they all agree that these are all hand-made and not by machine. The wrappers it comes in are a natural fino and maduro. Another point I'd like to point out is that the company has a hard time keeping up with demand for this cigar, so it can't be that bad.

I have looked at and bypassed these cigars many times. So why now? Why this time? Well, like all of us at some time or another, I was in my local cigar store looking at the racks of cigars one day and noticed that my pockets were quite light that day, get my drift? But I wanted a cigar for that afternoon, something I didn't have in my humidor, Something different. So I spotted the Cuban Rejects on the shelf, price was right (cheap!), and they didn't look all that bad. I chose the Torpedo in Maduro wrapper.

When I got home, I sat down on the back deck to do this review. After all, thats what this blog is supposed to be about, good affordable cigars for the average Joe.

For a cigar that is supposed to be a second and rolled by a new roller, it had a seamless wrap with few small veins to the dark oily wrapper. I must say they are using really good aged maduro wrapper. You can see a slight oily sheen to it.  

The body Smells sweet of hay and raisins, the foot smells of chocolate. The prelight draw is fairly easy, not perfect, and tastes of sweet tobaccos.

Upon light I get nice nutty aftertaste. There is a slight sting to the back of the throat and through the nose, but it is pleasant. A few minute in I notice the burn is slightly uneven. This might be due to my lighting technique. I torch the center of the cigar and move to the outside edges. I recently read of a new technique that makes more sense. All you need to torch is the outside edge of the foot. The air flows fastest at the center of the foot, therefore it will draw the burn from the edge to the center allowing a more even burn. I have not yet tried it, but will keep you posted after a few attempts in the future.

About an inch in, I am getting more pepper through the nose. The cigar is progressing to more medium in taste. Getting a medium volume of smoke which has a salty aroma to it like being near the ocean. By the 1/3 mark I am getting rich tobacco tastes with brown sugar and chocolate. I am really surprised by the complexity of flavors.

Sorry for the lack of more pictures, I got so caught up in the flavors I forgot to take more!

The cigar produces a nice cone with a whitish grey ash. Burn is still uneven.

A little under the 2/3 mark, the strength started to pick up. Alot more spice coming through the nose and on the palate with nice chocolate aftertastes. I am getting a nice buzz! Towards the end the wrapper started to lift a little but nothing to fret about to much.

Buzz Rating on this one I give an 8 out of 10. A nice buzz that builds up perfectly as the smoke progresses.

Overall I give this cigar a 4 out of 5. This cigar really surprised me. It was very eventful in tastes and in building strength. For a cheap cigar I think this one is a winner everyone should have in their humidor.

You can buy these beauties online at various vendors for around $60-65 for a box of 50. But at places like my local tobacconist I have seen these cigars in 10 packs for around $20. You can get Cuban Rejects in Churchill, robusto, toro, and torpedo sizes all within a few dollars of each other. you can puchase online 10 packs of Torpedos like I reviewed for $15 plus shipping from PrimeWholesale.com (http://www.primewholesale.com/cuban-rejects-torpedo-maduro-cigars-4657-prd1.htm) or TobaccoGeneral.com (http://www.tobaccogeneral.com/cuban-rejects-torpedo-maduro-cigars-4797-prd1.htm)

Like it?: Absolutely! Nice buzz and quite the flavor profile!

Buy it again?: I will definitely buy a box to put in my humidor!

Recommend it?: Absolutely! This is the classic cigar that I have been preaching about. It's affordable, it has decent construction, it has a good flavor profile and strength, and did I mention affordable.? Do yourself a favor, buy a 10 pack and try them. I bet you will buy a box!

Cold weather is upon us and we are forced to either give up our hobby for the Winter or move into makeshift Man Caves (garages, porches and sheds) with paltry heating to enjoy our smokes. Unless you are lucky enough to have a spot in your heated house or cellar. I personally am working on a Wood shop/Man Cave but have yet to even put electricity in it (sigh) maybe this Spring.........................

Till next post........................................................Peace!