2 Cigars A Month: A Cigar Review Blog

A soldier from Iraq just commented on my blog and I wanted to let him and everyone that is fighting for the freedom that we are enjoying know that I appreciate you and the risk you are taking for this great country. From the bottom of my heart, on behalf of my family, my wife, and children, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE, WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR BRAVERY, WE THANK YOU FOR OUR FREEDOM!

I am really not a band wangon smoker. I tried for years to stay away from Cohiba for that reason. Ask any newbie smoker and they will just name the first cigar brand that comes to mind...Cohiba. That and since Cohibas are the most imitated cigar, led to me stay away from this brand. Until...My good friend and fellow cigar aficionado just came back from Jamaica. He recounted his visit to an Indian owned cigar shop. As he walked through and was smellign and pinching the cigars the owner came up to him and said these are for real. Then he did the unbelieveable. He reached into a box, took a cigar, cut it and lit it and said, "Here you go, I stand by my products." Not being a sucker for free99, my friend proceeded to smoke the Cuban Churchill, Romeo and Julietta in 10 minutes. He said it was the smoothest cigar that he ever had in his life. My all time favortie was the same brand, and size from Cuba. See an earlier posting for that. So I had to come over and see for myself.

My friend was kind enough to give me a Cohiba, Limited Edition, Cuban! It was hands down the BEST CIGAR I HAD IN MY LIFE!!! If I could cuss I would, it was so great! The draw was perfect from this double corona size. This pinar was Cuban built so you expected that. I did taste it in my mouth for a bit before lighting and it was a dream. If I could I would have just chewed on it like it was gum. The really incredible thing was that after I lit it, it was just as smooth. I could not tell the difference in taste, heat, or flavor. Usually when you lite a cigar, the flavor changes a bit to when it is not lit. Not this Cuban master piece. The smoke was nice and white and the ash would not fall off. It was so smooth and creamy that I really took my time for the first time. Here is my analogy, you know you are experiencing a great meal when half way through the meal you are already thinking about the next day when you can eat this dish again. I was like this with this cigar!!! From the moment I lit it I was already thinking about the next time. Fortunately that next time is TOMORROW! I will let you know how that goes.I smoked it till my fingers got burned.

I recently came back from Oregon, home of the largest humidor in the western states and 2nd largest in the whole nation...With that introdution let me just say that it was a disappointment. I mean the selection was top notch but the prices were terrible. All very over priced. It was an experience, that I chose not to have because there are great places like cigar.com that also has a great selection and they are cheaper. Plus they deliever to your door. It sounds like a no brainer.

I went over to my buddy’s house this Saturday and we had a great night. De La Hoya fight, NBA playoffs, pasta, jokes, and cigars…did I say it was a great night. He gave me a Gran Habano Connecticut #1. I was a bit weary at first since the only Gran Habano I recall smoking was the 3 Siglos. (See that review.) I was not impressed with 3 Siglos, but I was surprisingly impressed with the #1. Granted, it is not the strong, flavorful ones that I usually smoke, so I could not help feel throughout the smoke though that something was missing. There was an excellent sweet spot towards the very end when the flavor was intensifying, but it was unfortunately short lived. The cigar war wrapped in a beautiful golden Ecuadorian Connecticut shade grown leaf. It has Nicaraguan binders and fillers. The burn was even, and the ash was nice and white. The aftertaste the morning after lingered more than I thought this mild cigar would produce. But still a good overall cigar. I would try another one just to round out my opinion of this brand.

It was also a good to try and convert a Black and Mild smoker to a real cigar. He got a Philippine brand cigar from my friend and was moderately impressed. Then I gave him my Cohiba Extra Vigoroso, red dot. He could not stop talking about how great it was. I will not say I fully made him see the light, or smoke I should say. But I think that my friend and I gave him all the tools and knowledge to make that transition. The Cohiba Extra Vigoroso is an excellent cigar that is a bit more flavor than the original red dot. It features a dark, almost black Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper, fillers from Nicaraguan and Dominican ligeros, bound in a three year aged connecticut leaf. It was a great cigar that I did not mind parting with for such a great cause. Hope you enjoyed it.

Just sold my humi on craigslist. I loved that thing, but tough times calls for tough measures. With a 100 capacity, and my shrinking wallet, I could not keep enough sticks in the humidor to keep it at the right humidity. It is the "age old problem" I smoke more than I store. So I need to downgrade. If any readers out there are in need of letting a humidor go, free99 or close to it, I would love to assist you. So for now, goodbye my humi, you have made me proud. Make your new owner just as, if not more happy than me....

Sorry I have not posted in a while. I quickly met my quota, and then some, while in Hawaii. But getting back, a couple friends came over and we had a bit of a cigar aficionado reunion. I was even able to trade a stick that I had just recently for this months review. I had the Cuban Cabinet, made by Sol Cubano. It was a great time.


The Cuban Cabinet variety of Sol Cubano hails from the Tabacalera Fernandez factory of Esteli, Nicaragua. Home of Rocky Patel Fusion (which I don't really care for) and the RP Double Maduro. The smoke is beautiful in appearance, boasting a dark Habano Ecuador wrapper that’s thick, leathery, and oily to the touch. Inside, a Cuban-seed mixture of Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos unites, resulting in an eventful medium to full-bodied smoke. Layers of spices, strong pepper and earthy undertones greet the palate with each puff, leaving behind dry notes of leather and wood. The finish is strong and robust, completing a fantastic cigar worthy of the finest occasion.

I must admit that at first light I was very tempted to put it away. That peppery taste was very over powering. But time did wonders, and further down the cigar it became more balanced. I hastily made the decision that I would not buy this cigar, but now I must recant that statement.