PANACEA 560 RED

Wrapper: Brazilian Maduro

Binder: Dominican Habano

Filler: Seco Cubano, Ligero Piloto Cubano, Ligero Olor Dominicano, and Ligero Nicaragua

Tasting Notes

A lovely full-bodied cigar with a great balance of rich flavors. A very smooth smoke with medium strength, and no harshness at all. Beautiful in construction, draw, and taste.

Flavor notes consist of pepper, caramel, molasses, earth, and coffee. I had a nice amount of pepper in the beginning with hints of sweetness, which then transitioned into tastes of molasses, earth, and coffee. At the last third of my cigar the hints of spice returned balancing out the round flavors for a nice finish.

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I liked how none of the flavors were extremely dominant, they all played off each other nicely making for a smooth smoke. Definitely great on is own- would also be very nice with a dark ale or black lager. A lot of options really, depends on your palate and what you prefer.

This was a beautiful smoking experience and a treat I would like to thank Paul Bush, owner of Flatbed Cigar Company, for giving me to taste and review.

I love discovering great boutique cigars- especially when there is a passion for quality and a story to tell from the company that produces them. Just take a glimpse into their philosophy:

“At Flatbed Cigar Company (owner/distributor of PANACEA) we are taking an Old-School approach to the cigar business. Right or wrong, it is the path we decided to take. The philosophy is: put all the money into tobacco. If we focus on making great cigars, they will sell themselves over time.

You’ll see our packaging is very basic (all cigar packaging once was), but it does its intended job, keeping the cigars fresh and safe. We do not manipulate the leaf in any way. No heating, cooling, steaming, coloring, flavoring, massaging, etc. What you see is what we started with. You may even see slight shading variances in the same box. That is OK. How the cigar tastes is really what is most important. In this age of cosmetic selling, we do have an uphill climb, but want to stay true to our convictions.”

Delighted to see it! Check them out here and give one of their PANACEA cigars a taste for yourself.

CAO eLements of the LX2 puro sampler:

#1 is the puro dominican piloto

#2 is the puro esteli

#3 is the puro pueblo nuevo

First, I would like to give a special thank you to Brian McGee of CAO Cigars for this wonderful gift and great experience! I am delighted to be able to share this with you here on the blog. This is a true tasting experience and has given me a great perspective on the art of blending a cigar.

LX2 5×52

Wrapper: Nicaragua

Binder: Honduras

Filler: Dominican Republic and Nicaragua

The LX2 recieves its name from having a double Ligero, or Ligero times two. Ligero refers to the top portion of the tobacco plant which is generally very strong, and in the case of this cigar is from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua.

Personally, I wouldn’t consider this a very strong cigar though- it has a very nice sweet and pleasant flavor and is an overall smooth. For me it was on the lighter side of the spectrum and more medium-bodied than full.

What really appealed to me here was the tasting experience. It is amazing how tuned in you can be when you sample each region’s puro tobacco that goes into the blend which creates a cigar and final product. I have an appreciation now for this cigar that I don’t know I would have been able to notice had it not been for this tasting experience. This was a real treat!

Take a look at the video to find more insights from my experience; I hope that if a CAO event featuring this tasting sampler comes your way you will enjoy a similar experience for yourself!

CASA MAGNA Colorado Robusto

5 1/2″ x 52

Wrapper: Nicaragua

Binder: Nicaragua

Filler: Nicaragua

This is the Casa Magna Colorado Robusto. It’s a very tasty medium-bodied smoke. It’s peppery and earthy with some sweet caramel notes and a hint of coffee.

Popularity of this cigar is in great credit to being listed as the Number One cigar of 2008 from Cigar Aficionado, and particularity the pretty little price tag along with it. It is a bargain at under $6 US, a nice surprise indeed.

This cigar comes from the design of Manuel Quesada and Nestor Plasencia, two big names in the tobacco industry. Mr Quesada is head of Matasa, makers of Fonseca and Cubita brands in the Dominican Republic, the Quesada family has been involved in tobacco since the 19th century in Cuba. Mr Plasencia is one of the largest growers of fine tobacco in the world and makes cigars in Honduras and Nicaragua. Having the two work together to create an affordable and lovely smoke is great to see.

The price factor is what I believe contributed to the frenzy surrounding this cigar earlier this year as it is a contrast from other cigars listed with the honorable title of Number One Cigar Of The Year. I love to try any cigar, and the profile on this one was just right, too. Add the price factor and it is an incredibly appealing choice. With more Casa Magnas becoming available again, I thought now was a perfect time to bring it up for discussion. It is all about finding what you like to enjoy your experience, and not about the ratings or frenzies. I hope if you come across one you’ll pick one up and let me know your thoughts. Speak soon.

I was very fortunate the other day to given a Tatuaje Noellas Reserva cigar to enjoy at my favorite cigar shop, Santa Barbara Cigar. I am a big fan of Tatuaje cigars, I love the intense flavors and smoothness these smokes provide each and every time- they are luxurious and always a treat. The Noellas Reserva, I soon discovered, was something exceptional!

While I was looking through cigars, deciding on what to smoke that afternoon, a fellow cigar lover and I began talking about what we love in our cigars. Very quickly we discovered we had similar thoughts on the subject and he began describing the Tatuaje Noellas Reserve. Wow, I was excited and wanting to try it- only thing is they are limited and very difficult to come by.

This gentleman was kind enough to offer me one from his own collection, a treat I will not soon forget. The flavors were incredible from the first draw and soon built up in a smooth and lovely manner. It was just heaven. Earthy and rich, full of spice, hints of perfect sweetness, ample smoke and flavor, but all in balance- this was a cigar you did not want to end. It was incredibly smooth without any bitterness at all, just delightfully pleasant! And I found myself smoking it until my finger tips could no longer hold on. I fell in love with the experience and did my best to take my time- it was so enjoyable that pacing myself was difficult, especially knowing the rareness of this cigar.

This cigar is 5 ¹/8″ in length with a 42 ring gauge, a size I generally do like in a cigar for the balance of the wrapper flavor to the filler flavor. The wrapper, filler, and binder are all Nicaraguan. I also tend to like the flavors of a Nicaraguan cigar, in blend or pure I appreciate its presence.

Just, wow on this one. Find one and take the time to appreciate it, you won’t be disappointed as it fills you with fond memories.

ROCKY PATEL DECADE TORPEDO

10th ANNIVERSARY

6 1/2 x 52

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Getting the weekend started, I decided to go with the Rocky Patel Decade Torpedo- a lovely flavorful cigar that is medium bodied. As I passed the first third of this cigar, I noticed the finish went from a short abrupt finish to a very pleasant long finish. Tastes of nuttiness and sweetness also became very apparent as I continued. At the end, notes of spice rounded out the flavors and the sweetness diminished, leaving very rich and full earthy flavors.

ROMEO Y JULIETA HABANA RESERVE CORONA CIGAR

Ring Gauge 45

Length 5 5/8″

Filler: Honduras, Nicaragua

Binder: Nicaragua

Wrapper: Nicaragua

NUB CIGAR 460     4×60

Wrapper: Habano

Filler: Nicaragua

Binder: Nicaragua

Flavor: Rich, Full Body

I do love a nice cigar- so full of flavor and so wonderful to indulge in for those special occasions. I greatly believe in making my own occasions and so I do love to have my cigars fairly often. I make my own moments, with style as much as with food, and cigars and spirits very much among them.

Last night was one of those nights in which I felt like celebrating! I have some new gems I picked up to keep the luxury coming-I’ll let you in on a sneak peak for now and keep you informed more on them later. But last night was a special treat, and so I had a very lovely cigar in hand: The Oliva Serie V Double Robosto.

What a beautiful cigar, so wonderful I had to pick up another one this afternoon to have again soon. Everything about it is just right and what I love in a cigar, the flavors are magnificent. So smooth and rich with those dark tones- my dark chocolate lovers will appreciate this one, I know it.

I found these fine cigars at the Richmond Avenue Cigar shop for those of you who travel through Houston, a very fine shop with the people, humidor, selection and care you want. I love a place that looks over the details, and this is definitely the place.

I’ll be having more lovelies for you soon. I have some special plans for my Cabaiguan Cigar pictured at the end- ah the familiar tastes of my Miami. I have a great pairing in mind for that little gem, ooh yes!

More coming to you soon. xx