Camacho Diploma

Camacho is a popular Honduran brand known for full bodied smokes. They have quite a wide range of selection too. For this review, I bought one a little more on the expensive side just to see if it was really worth it.

The cigar for tonight is a Camacho Corojo Diploma for $13. The length is 6 inches and the ring is 50. Its wrapper, binder, and filler are all made in Honduras. These tobaccos are grown in the Jamastran Valley of Honduras, a region where perfect soil and ideal climate can compare to Cuba's renowned Vuelta Abajo Region (to be fair, many cigar manufacturers like to claim the same thing so you should take that with a grain of salt.)

The stick is a medium to dark brown. The wrapper is almost seamless and completely smooth throughout. It's perfectly pliable and has an interesting construction as the middle of the cigar seems thicker than at the ends, basically coming to a bulge. Obviously, this was done on purpose and shows that this smoke will probably prove to be more complex that your average cigar.

It lights easily and the draw right from the first puff is perfect with a full mouth of smoke. It burns evenly and the draw remains the same throughout the entire cigar.

The taste starts off bold with a full bodied but not biting or overly bitter taste. There are a lot of strong wood flavors along with heavy tobacco tastes. Also, the texture of the smoke is particularly smooth which allows the flavors to be enjoyed even more.

After a few minutes, faint peppercorn and leather flavors come in and out. It's clear early on that this is a pretty complex smoke as the flavors are constantly changing and trading places. The taste goes from leather to wood to tobacco with very smooth blending transitions. Throughout all this, there remains a pleasant spice taste in the background.

The ash looks a little complex as well as it appears to be differing shades of gray throughout running up and down almost like a design. The ash stays on for a good amount and the cigar continues to smoke perfectly.

As I get into the next part of the stick, the spiciness and leathery flavors pick it up a notch or 2 making the overall taste a little bolder. Also coming out now is a dark creamy texture. The construction of this cigar is superb. The transitioning of flavors is great. You can tell that everything is well planned and the roller was well in control of how this cigar would burn and smoke.

As I get toward the final part of the cigar, a slight nicotine flavor begins to show itself. Also, the tobacco tastes take charge along with some new nut flavors. The wood, leather, and spice, all take a backseat to the tobacco for a while causing the cigar to finish off bold and strong.

I really enjoyed this one. It was definitely worth the few extra dollars. The smoke had excellent full bodied tastes without being overpowering. The flavors were quite complex which made the entire smoke enjoyable. And the draw was simply perfect from start to finish. The next time I earn a good cigar for one occasion or another, the Camacho Diploma will be on my list of ones to reach for.

Overall Rating: 94

La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero

Advertised as one of the most full bodied cigars on the market, I was excited to try this one. Ligero is the name of a priming from the tobacco plant that provides a leaf that is dark, full bodied, and spicy. It is used in many of the famous full bodied cigars to give them their distinctive full flavor. The guy at the store also claimed that the smoke was very complex and I would need to take some time to enjoy it.

The wrapper for this cigar is Ecuadorian and as the name suggest, the filler is made of Dominican tobaccos. I bought a DL600 for $7.00 which is 5 1/5 inches long with a 52 size ring. As I have said before, this is usually a little large for my liking but I decided to give it a try because sometimes the bigger sticks serve as a better presentation for full bodied flavors in terms of burning.

The appearance is a little worrisome once I remove the cigar from it's plastic wrap. The color is a robust brown and there doesn't seem to be many imperfections. However, It seems a little too pliable and the wrapper feels somewhat dry.

The cut is also a little disappointing. I was hoping I wouldn't have to get into this, but it seems like the time to bring up my single biggest pet peeve of cigars. When the wrapper begins to unravel.

Sometimes when the wrapper is too dry or it was rolled poorly, it simply flakes off or sometimes completely unravels from the cigar. This drives me absolutely crazy. When parts of the wrapper are coming off, not only does it prevent the cigar from burning properly, but I can't even enjoy the smoke because I'm dwelling on it. It actually infuriates me. It just does. I have often returned to cigar stores after making the cut to demand a refund for a lousy wrapped and poorly kept cigar. But it's late right now and the stores are closed. So it looks like I'll have to deal with it.

The cigar lights just fine and the burn starts evenly. The ash is a light gray, almost white, and stays on for a good amount during the first part of the smoke.

One thing is for sure, La Flor Dominicana is definitely the full bodied cigar it claims to be. The taste starts out with a wallop. Bold and overwhelming spicy flavors immediately come out within the first few puffs. Some people don't like to have their taste buds dominated like that but I actually quite enjoy this type of smoke. Also, while the taste is quite bold, the smoke is still smooth if that makes any sense. There is no unpleasant bite that sometimes accompanies spicy cigars. Along with the spiciness are very strong tobacco flavors and a pleasing aroma of cedar.

The draw is a little tight which surprised me, after feeling how spongy the cigar was, I was expecting the smoke to actually be too loose. To be fair, as the cigar burns, the draw does get a little better, but it remains to be one of the less impressive characteristics of the cigar.

As the smoke continues, the spicy peppery flavors back off a little. What comes through now is a red wine taste. This is pretty interesting because usually a glass of wine is the last thing on my list of drinks to pair with cigars as the flavors do not typically go together. However, in this case, some Cabernet may actually complement La Flor Dominicana as there would be an overlapping of flavors.

After a few minutes, I miss the bolder tastes. The wine flavor isn't bad, but I think it's something that should serve as a faint background presence rather than the primary flavor it is now.

Unfortunately, the cigar doesn't last much longer past the halfway mark. The wrapper almost completely unravels causing the cigar to burn horribly. This completely ruins the taste and I end up throwing out the rest of it. As a result, I obviously can't comment on the final part of the cigar.

Overall, I'm disappointed in the way the smoke went. I try not to deduct too many points for things like unraveling wrappers because sometimes you just pick up a dud. But I certainly take away a few. The boldness in the beginning was enjoyable, but the wine flavor didn't do it for me. Also apart from those two flavors, there isn't really anything complex about this cigar. It starts out full bodied and stays full bodied. There aren't many transitions of tastes and the flavors do not improve as the cigar burns which was what I was hoping for. Like I said, I never got the opportunity to experience the final part of the smoke, so I might consider trying it again and carefully selecting a better kept stick. However, given that I wasn't really wowed on this one, I don't think it will be any time soon.

Overall Rating: 67

Cusano 18 Year Maduro

This is a trendy brand made in the Dominican Republic. The wrapper is from Connecticut and the filler is made of Brazilian and Dominican tobaccos. I selected a maduro toro for $5.00. The length is 6 1/2 inches and the ring size is 46.

There are two special things about this cigar, the Connecticut shade wrapper and the 18 year aged Dominican tobacco filler.

The Connecticut shade wrapper has become rather popular lately as darker bolder cigars seem to be the trendier thing. It is made from a leaf actually grown in the shade, more specifically underneath tents that protect it from direct sunlight. This careful method causes the leaves to turn to their deep brown color and also leaves them with their oily shiny appearance, rather than dried out from the sun. Even more interestingly is the fact that the shade leafs only seem to turn the perfect color and produce their spicy flavor just right when grown in this specific area of Connecticut. It's been tried everywhere, even Cuba. It simply cannot be replicated. I'm not making this up.

Next is the Dominican Olor tobacco filler that has been aged for 18 years. I'm glad someone did it because I certainly wouldn't have the patience. When cigars are aged, even for just 6 months to a year, they mature and unlock new flavors. Theoretically, a tobacco filler that was harvested 18 years ago, should certainly be an experience.

The look of the cigar is one of its biggest draws. It's deep dark brown with a wrapper so oily that it shines. This one has a few noticeable veins running down it but it's still a great looking stick.

It cuts very nicely. I was able to just cleanly shave a little off the end. It also lights very easily and immediately has a very nice aroma.

Another great factor about this cigar is it's draw. Very easy, smooth, and full even though it has only started to burn.

The burn is decent although it does need a little help along the way. I even had to relight it once which is my 2nd biggest peeve of cigars (hopefully we wont have to address the 1st anytime soon) but I'll restrain myself from deducting too many points for that as sometimes its just the case of the individual cigar. The ash, a medium grey, stays on for about an inch at a time.

The smoke starts off with a bang. Its a bold taste with a full mouth of smoke and creamy but bitter textures. It gets progressively creamier throughout the first part. There are also easily detectable traces of pepper. However, the dominant flavor of this cigar is definitely coffee.

One draw back I notice as I get into the middle of the smoke is a strong nicotine presence. Normally this doesn't bother me. In my opinion, a nicotine taste can add to the overall flavor of the cigar in the same way that a strong alcohol flavor can be a good thing for an Imperial Stout. However, as I smoke this cigar, I swear there is a faint hint of vanilla trying to come out, but it's being overpowered by the nicotine. I little more balance overall would turn this smoke from good to great.

As I get towards the end, the creamy flavors fade away as the smoke gets quite spicy tastes of cedar emerge. Dark coffee still remains the prominent flavor here.

The last part is quite good. I really enjoy it. There is no burning in my mouth as the cigar is not overly heated. This allows me to concentrate on the very bold spicy peppery ending. This powerful flavor was definitely saved for last. Pepper is just consuming the taste buds and even now overpowers the coffee.

Overall, a very enjoyable medium-full bodied smoke. I've heard the churchill suits this filler better with the larger ring so I'll reach for that one next time. Even so, I find the smoke and flavors to be exceptional and greatly attributed to the unique wrapper. This one is definitely worth another try.

Overall Rating: 88

La Gloria Cubana

Before I get into my review, I want to remind everyone that I am not an expert so feel free to disagree with me or add some new insight of your own. However, keep in mind that I am not necessarily interested in having the same ideas and experiences as everyone else who writes reviews for the same cigars. I'm sure you will notice that most reviews by different people can have different perspectives on the same cigar based on their individual palates and personal tastes. Therefore, my goal is to draw my own conclusions and opinions independent of Cigar Aficionado Magazine and all other professional, but certainly credible, reviews.

I am keeping my rating system rather simple to start off with. I won't bother going over the specific formula. I'll be rating each cigar on a number of factors and then just converting everything into a grade on a simple 100-point scale.

90-100: Great smoke. Add it to my list of regular and special occasion cigars.
80-89: Very good and would definitely smoke again
70-79: Good, would consider smoking again
60-69: Fair, but would probably not smoke again
Below 60: Bad, will not smoke again

So let's just get to the first one.

La Gloria Cubana

I have heard this to be a rather popular brand. I bought a natural churchill for $6.00. The length is 7 inches and the ring is 50.

Gloria Cubana is made primarily in Miami, FL but a new factory was also opened fairly recently in the Dominican Republic. The wrapper for this cigar is Ecuadorian and the filler is made with Nicaraguan and Dominican tobaccos.

The cigar is a nice dark brown. There are no visible problems with the edges of the wrapper but there are a few small imperfections along the cigar. The construction seems good as the body is pliable and also does not feel too dry to the touch. The cut is very smooth (I use a double bladed cutter by the way, nothing fancy) and leaves no ragged edges.

It toasts and lights fairly easily. The burn is very good throughout most of the cigar. It burns quite evenly and the ash, a very light gray, stays on for close to 2 inches before falling off.

The Draw is halfway decent but a tad on the tight side for my liking. Also, I usually like to have a little more smoke fill my mouth with each puff.

The first part of the smoke starts off with a mild yet very creamy taste. A syrupy taste and texture controls the front of the mouth for a while. It's a nice way to ease into the cigar, but it's a very simple taste and after a while, I almost become bored with it.

As the second part starts to burn, the tastes are kicked up a notch. The smoke becomes much bolder and while the cream taste still remains, a spicier and peppery taste begins to take over. Also, I detect a faint presence of wood and nuts.

The last third of the cigar ends with more bitter flavors. The wood tastes stand out a lot more at this point and the creamy texture is all but gone. I think I'm also beginning to pick up on the after taste that I have heard accompanies this cigar, but it's nothing too overpowering.

I was a little disappointed with the final third of the cigar as it began to burn unevenly. The heat from the smoke also started to burn my mouth much earlier than I am used to, as there were still about 2 1/2 inches left.

I did like the transition of tastes. It definitely starts out quite mild before reminding you that La Gloria Cubana is meant to be more of a full bodied smoke as spicier flavors come out. I would categorize it between a medium and full bodied smoke. The flavors were enjoyable enough without overpowering the mouth. Considering also the low price, I would recommend people give this one a try.

Overall Rating: 74

Lighting

My first "review" will come later this week. I'm still trying to work out the specifics on how I plan to grade the cigars. I've never done any ratings before so the whole formula is subject to change at any time anyway. I'll go over the details of the review process when I sit down to do my first rating.

Besides, I wanted to go over one more thing before I get down to smoking. The lighting of a cigar.

I don't claim myself to be an expert, but I have seen countless people light cigars as if they have no idea what they are doing. Proper lighting procedures are vital to ensuring that the cigar burns correctly and therefore smokes and tastes the way it was meant to. It really is a simple process, and if a little extra time and care is taken when first lighting up, you will less likely have to worry about an uneven burn or the cigar going out.

First, choose what you will use to light your cigar. Yes, this is a big deal. You should use a wooden match or a butane lighter only. I always use matches but as you can imagine, this gets a little frustrating on windy days. A better option in times like those is to use a butane torch lighter as the flame won't get blown out. However, never use a fluid lighter or a Zippo. The chemicals will mix with the tobacco and affect the flavor. True, a match can take a little more time and be slightly inconvenient, but it will preserve all the tastes and aromas of the cigar. It's meant to be savored and enjoyed so don't be looking to cut corners.

Next, the foot must be toasted. This is done before any lighting or puffing at all. A cigar should not just be lit right away. The toasting step is pretty important. Basically, it heats up the tobacco slowly preparing it to be lit in much the same way that each part of the cigar slowly heats the next part as you smoke before it actually starts to burn. Hold the cigar just out of reach of the flame, but close enough so that a ring begins to form around the foot of the wrapper. Look at it as slowly toasting a marshmallow. You never just shove it into the fire. Instead, you let the heat, rather than the flame, do the work.

When the foot is nicely toasted, it's now time to light the cigar. Put it in your mouth and hold it at a 45 degree angle away from the flame. Again, don't let the flame touch the cigar. Let the heat do the work. We're looking to light it, not scorch it. Puff on the cigar, rotating it as you do so. You'll probably have to do this for a few seconds until the foot begins to glow and cigar draws easily. Check the foot of the cigar to make sure it has been lit evenly and completely.

Take the extra time to make sure the whole lighting process is done carefully and you'll benefit from an evenly burning and great tasting cigar.

What Makes a Good Cigar

There are a number of factors that make a good cigar and should be considered when choosing one. There are plenty of different rating systems that consider varying numbers of factors when grading a cigar. Below are the 4 elements most important to me. As I start to rate cigars on my own, I plan on using these characteristics as the primary focus.

Appearance: It's always a good idea to look over the cigar before buying it. The color should be pretty uniform throughout. Sometimes you'll see a cigar that looks like it was rolled using different colored leaves as the wrapper. I always put those right back on the shelf. Whether it's a light tan, or dark brown wrapper, you want to find something that remains consistent in color across the whole cigar. Also, take a close look and check for any imperfections. There shouldn't be many instances of the wrapper peeling up with any frayed edges. Also make sure it isn't too dry as this often leads to the wrapper just flaking off as you smoke it.

Burn: If a cigar doesn't burn correctly, then you simply will not be experiencing the tastes and flavors you were meant to. The taste of the smoke is heavily dependent on the burn. Remember, a cigar isn't simply a long piece of tobacco. It's a carefully constructed roll of different tobaccos purposely put in certain orders and combinations. The only way to get the intended flavor, is to have these tobaccos burn properly. A cigar should not have to be lit multiple times. It should also burn evenly. An uneven burn is usually the result of a poor roll. Another factor to pay attention to is the ash. The exact color of the ash usually varies depending on the cigar, but you're usually looking for some shade of a dark gray. Never black. The ash should also remain on the cigar for at least one inch before falling off. If you find that the ash keeps dropping off quickly, you probably didn't get the best cigar and it isn't burning properly. If the ash stays on for at least an inch at a time, that is usually a sign that the cigar is of good quality.

Construction: This refers primarily to how the cigar was filled. This is important because it affects the draw of the cigar. A well constructed cigar will be full but have an appropriate number of holes that the smoke can flow through. You should be able to take a light puff and get a mouthful of smoke easily. If there are too many air pockets and it draws too easily, then it doesn't smoke well and you're just getting mouthfuls of air. If it's too full, there will be no room for the smoke to travel. It will have a very tight draw and basically be unsmokable. My personal biggest peeve with cigars is finding one that is packed to full. One way to determine if the cigar is packed correctly is to gently squeeze it. It should be firm yet pliable. If a light squeeze flattens the shape of the cigar, it's probably too loosely packed. If the cigar is harder than a piece of wood, it's obviously too tight.

Taste: Obviously, this is all a matter of opinion. Tastes can range from very mild and creamy to full bodied and spicy. The trick to enjoying the taste is experimenting and figuring out what type of cigars appeal to you most. And don't make the mistake of assuming that the boldness of the flavor is correlated with the quality of the cigar. I sometimes hear people refer to mild cigars as "weak tasting". This makes it sound like someone cut corners when making the cigar. Obviously, that's not the case. The cigar was constructed just as well as a bolder one with just as much flavor. Only in this case, the flavor was meant to be a mild taste. I tend to lean toward the full bodied cigars because I enjoy the bolder and spicier tastes, but that's me. Also, for the purpose of the blog, I do plan on expanding quite a bit in terms of what I smoke and covering all flavor ranges.

The Humidor

I love cigars. I've been smoking them since I was 17 years old. This was probably not a wise decision health wise and may very well have contributed to my rather short frame. But it's basically what my Dad and I did to bond so it was worth it. We would sit outside on the back deck, light up a couple, and talk about.........well he has never been much of a talker. That's not the point. Let's move on.

My friend Josh suggested that I begin a blog like this. I have a blog that I post on fairly regularly but it's about........well it's not really about anything. Actually, it's just mindless rambling filled with too many inside jokes. You can find the link to it here, but honestly I wouldn't bother. It's stupid. Anyway, my friend Josh, who has recently become a bit of a mircrobrew beer connoisseur has started a new blog focusing on beers. You can find a link to get to his blog as well. This I actually do recommend.

Josh and I were discussing his ranking system for beers and somewhere along the way, the topic of cigars came up as we both enjoy them. After talking about it for a while, Josh admitted that he was not aware that I was as interested in cigar smoking as I am. He suggested that I start a blog similar to his.

I thought about it and the idea of occasionally posting about an actual topic intrigues me. No, I don't plan on closing down the Black Hole (my other blog) as it is really an enjoyable way for me to vent about anything. (I have been accused of being a less than cheery person on more than one occasion.). But to have this blog as a way to keep track of my tastes, experiences, and hopefully even get some insight and opinions from others seems like something worth while.

So what's the plan for The Humidor? Actually, I'm not really sure. Eventually, I would like to develop my own sort of ranking system but I'll let that develop on it's own. For now, I just plan on jotting down a few random notes every time I smoke a cigar and I'll just keep on trying new ones. (Lately, I have been sticking with a couple regulars). I'll outline what characteristics of a smoke are most important to me and why. I'll describe the different flavors and level of boldness in each cigar as I'm smoking them so I can go back and read later on. I will also continue on the never ending search to discover what drink is most perfectly paired with what type of cigar. Everyone knows scotch and cigars often go hand in hand, but have you tried smoking with a small glass of tequila or champagne? Different combinations are the key to unlocking new flavors, and I'll try to find as many of them as I can.

I know cigar smokers love to share their opinions and stories and I encourage everyone to do so. I'd love any recommendations from experienced smokers who most likely would consider me a bit of a rookie. What kind of cigars do you like? When is your favorite time or place to smoke? What drinks do you like to pair with your cigar? Where do you buy from? How do you mask odors from you're girlfriend? Let me know.

My New England Patriots are playing in Superbowl XLII this weekend. So hopefully, I will touch base here to enjoy a nice smoke Sunday evening.