CigarReview

Cigar Review: The De La Concha Grand Reserve

Filed under: Cigars

I have a soft spot for the De La Concha Grand Reserve. Manufactured by Pepin Garcia, it came out in 2003, within roughly a month of the master roller's other creation, the Tatuaje, hit the streets. Both sticks are similar in taste and construction, though the Grand Reserve, which is the house cigar for the tobacconist with which it shares a name, isn't quite as heavy as its cousin. This is my regular, daily cigar and has been since I discovered it, at about the time it came to market.

The Grand Reserve is the first private label cigar created by Pepin Garcia. It is fully Nicaraguan – binder, wrapper and filler – and consequently delivers a bold experience. Momentum gathers through the first third of the Grand Reserve, giving way to a middle third that is a bit peppery with some hefty earth tones. The cigar ends strong but leaves little aftertaste. It generally burns evenly and holds up well against the elements (I smoked one in the snowstorm that hit New York over the weekend).

When you smoke the Grand Reserve, there's no doubt that it's a Pepin product. When I'm away from home (you can only get this cigar in New York), I usually smoke a Tatuaje, as it's quite close.

[Photo by Brian Sayler]

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Cigar Review: Oliva Cain

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars

Smoke this one on a full stomach. The Cain by Oliva – with "Straight Ligero" on the ring as if to warn as much as entice – is a hefty cigar. Several of my friends, who tend to smoke bold sticks, found it to be too much for them. So, this is a cigar that belongs in the hands of a regular consumer of heavy cigars. If you fall into this category, then you are likely to enjoy the Cain.

I was excited about the Cain when a friend gave me a preview over the summer. It was well-constructed and had an incredible taste that changed several times throughout the smoke. It's difficult to balance power and flavor; the blender runs the risk of the former's overtaking the latter. Oliva navigates this peril easily, delivering an interesting and enjoyable cigar from foot to cap.

Unfortunately, the Cain's construction has not lived up to what I saw with that first experience. In a box of torpedo-sized cigars, I found more than half of them with severe cracks in the wrapper.* Other Cain smokers with whom I've spoken did not have a problem this substantial, though they did encounter more than a few cracked wrappers among their purchases.

The wrapper aside, I loved the draw on this cigar. You can pull big mouthfuls of smoke effortlessly. Also, the binder holds together well, so the cracked wrapper doesn't cause the cigar to explode on you.

The Cain could be a fantastic cigar (especially for the price), but the construction issues are a bit of a concern. If the problems with the wrapper are sorted out, this will be an excellent smoke.

*Oliva did offer to remedy the situation, but my tobacconist had already done so.

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Cigar Review: Camacho Connecticut

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Cigars

camacho cigar I saw Camacho Connecticut's wrapper and was immediately suspicious. It was incredibly light, which could only foreshadow the entire experience to come. So, I cut, and I lit, fully expecting to spend the 45 minutes to follow smoking little more than air. As the final ash fell, I was only too happy to admit to myself that I was wrong.

Without a doubt, the Camacho Connecticut is a light cigar, and it's unlikely to become the mainstay for smokers who prefer full-bodied sticks. That being said, it does have a place in even the hefty Nicaraguan devotee's humidor. A bit of variety isn't a bad idea, and the rich flavor in this cigar will keep smokers of medium and heavy cigars engaged from foot to cap. At the same time, cigar smokers who gravitate toward lighter alternatives will find complexity (and overall enjoyment) in the Camacho Connecticut, making this cigar appealing to a broad and diverse constituency.

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