Man I missed this. Haven’t had a good spot for a smoke in a while. Just in time for cooler weather here!

$10 stick and really enjoyed the first 2/3 but became a little harsh towards the finish. I’ll definitely pick it up again at some point. Would be a great morning smoke with coffee.going to ease my way back into some good full bodied sticks. lol been too long to dive head first.

I live in a northern state that gets brutally cold. Looking at the extended forecast, my smoking days are coming to an end. Today is the last day on the foreseeable forecast that I'll be able to enjoy a cigar outside. This is also my last La Flor Dominicana Chapter One. I'll be restocking over the fall and winter for next year.

My first Oro Oscuro (Belicoso xxx) having it as a short high end celebration stick for closing out a tough business deal that took a while.

Rested for only 3 months, burning evenly, cool and slow, major flavor development almost from one draw to the next, won't even attempt to call out notes I'm getting as this is a major flavor bomb that definitely overwhelms and humbles my not so developed palate, though it maintains a nice smoothness with little bite even during retro. Nic strength is over the top which is the big negative for me.

A unique experience that I'm happy to have tried, the premium factor is noticeable but it's not one I'll be revisiting soon as for the price I can think of many blends I very much prefer, starting with ESG.

Been wanting to get my hands on one of these for a while now. Finally had the opportunity when a Crowned Heads rep gifted me one at a local event, and managed to track down another at a nearby shop shortly afterward.

Decided to light up my first one during a solo camping trip. Campfire going, dinner planned, nowhere to be, and plenty of time to enjoy a good cigar.
And man, I can see why these have developed such a following.

Right from the start, incredibly smooth. The retrohale was especially impressive, with none of the aggressive pepper that can sometimes overwhelm an otherwise enjoyable cigar. Lots of pleasant earthiness, some cedar, and an overall creamy, delicate character that I really appreciated.

What stood out most was how refined the experience felt. I’m typically drawn toward richer, darker smokes, and lately the Oliva Serie V Melanio Maduro has been setting a pretty high bar for me. The Moonflower was a completely different experience, but equally enjoyable in its own way.

It didn’t need to beat me over the head with strength or intensity to keep my attention. Just a beautifully balanced, smooth smoke that seemed perfectly suited for a quiet evening by the fire.

Definitely not one I’m going to burn through casually. This is the kind of cigar I’d rather set aside for an evening when I can slow down and really appreciate it.

Fortunately, I’ve got another resting in the humidor. Unfortunately, I suspect I’m going to need more.

I hadn't smoked in a few years until recently when some friends invited me out to Fox's Cigar Lounge. Realized that I missed it. Decided to pick up two of my favorites... Le Biju and LP9.

Just came today. How long do you like to let them sit before smoking them? (I prefer 65%).

Recently purchased Padrón 1964 Anniversary Príncipe Naturals, and I was struck by the dramatic variation in wrapper color compared with others I already had on hand.
I understand that Padrón Naturals can vary considerably in color, but I thought these photographs were a particularly interesting illustration of just how pronounced those differences can be.
The first photo shows the cigars grouped by color; the second alternates the lighter and darker wrappers for comparison.
All were sold as Naturals. The darker cigars came from my recent purchase, while the lighter ones were from previous purchases.
Curious what others think. Would you have assumed some of these were Maduros based on appearance alone?
Either way, I’m certainly not complaining about having more Padróns to enjoy!

Never been a fan of big ring cigars, but they tend to appear all the time. My issue is that flavors tend to dilute in these sizes, but when a cigar is made for a 60 ring gauge, then things get interesting. The Clydesdale not only is made with a 60 ring in mind, it's only available in the 6½ x 60 size. It's an almost 3 hour smoke with tons of notes of chocolate, maple, firewood and cinnamon. Add a couple of years of humidor time and this was bliss.

I paired it with the Benromach Peat Smoke, a NAS (but 9 year old) whisky from their "Contrasts" line, which is also aged in sherry casks... very smoky (55ppm) but also very layered in notes of oak, smoked meat, ginger and plums. For a 3 hour smoke I had to take this slow.

This is a longer review, the short answer on how I feel is this cigar is amazing you should buy it, it's worth your time and money. Exclusively available here, and in person at these stores

Hey everyone, for full disclosure I did receive this cigar for free but at the time of receipt the person who gave me the cigar did not know I made reviews. I think it was just a little treat for being a regular and buying bulk that day

If I'm being honest, today's smoke is one I was not expecting to like, much less expecting to like as much as I did.

To be honest, upon passing it months prior and asking what it was I was a bit appalled by its existence. My tune has changed on that matter but more on that in the review.

This is the Kalasho reserve, a house blend of King Corona which is a fairly popular lounge that has 4 locations, two in California and two in Florida. The one I go to is in San Diego county and it's genuinely one of my favorite lounges, the staff is friendly the humidor is stewarded very well, the prices are fair and the selection is great. So why would I have a problem with their proprietary house blend?

That would be because this cigar retails for 25 dollars, which I thought was an extremely high ask for a house blend. When most of us think of house blends in sure the opinion is "Oh this is an unbanded oddity that I'll by to waive the cutting fee since I couldn't decide on something else" or just a cheap nondescript smoke. A yard-gar if you will.

You can see from these pictures the presentation is extremely premium, very grand. Without knowing anything about it, all I could think was about how much hubris that projects. "Gosh I wonder who they think they are, dressing up and polishing what is likely another esteli surplus buy, jacking up the price and thinking people will fall for it. Oh well I'll smoke it when I get to it"

Normally I like to keep opinions to the review portion but I've gotta give up the ghost early, this blew my expectations into orbit, I have never been so wrong about my early assessment of a cigar.

Into the first third I had to go back in and ask more about the cigar. While the blend information is private, this cigar does include tobaccos from lesser utilized countries and I can say that the farm is located in Costa Rica which really interested me. When I asked about the mission of this brand and the cigar I was told it's all about legacy. The owner wants to leave a mark on the cigar industry after being such a part of it on the lounge side for so long.

As a follow up I asked if there were plans to make this a nationwide brand, bring it to stores outside of the king corona umbrella, as of now there aren't which is such a shame because this cigar is a gem through and through.

As a cynic I thought this brand and these cigars were a lazy attempt and horizontal expansion with no purpose. Posturing as if they were cigar makers not staying in their lane. Yet this information shows me I'm wrong and honestly if they were trying there's nothing wrong with that. This shows more about me than anything, that to try is to commit a folly, showing your hand by reaching for more than you are on a foolish dream, yet effort and trying is how we attain success and how society as a whole benefits from receiving new ideas.

It's not like it can't be done, sure maybe Tim from cigars daily doesn't have his sticks "all over the country" as his content promised but this cigar is already multi-state! And Ashton is living proof something like this is possible (though I'm not impressed by the Ashton classic and I would take one kalasho reserve over 5 Ashton's)

With out further adieu here's

THE REVIEW

Wow, I mean just wow. Every time I write conneticuts off it seems like one shows up and really shows me how different this style can be. On light up I got so many subtle pleasant flavors. Breakfast blend tea a subtle floral note and oak. When the flavor opened up I got cream, but not latte cream more like brulee.

This is not a sweet cigar don't get me wrong, and it does have a little bit of darker flavor but it's not bitter. When the cigar fully opened up to me I got an amazing spice, white pepper with oak UNDERTONES. I NEVER GET WOODY UNDERTONES, I love a woody cigar but oak notes usually command so much of the flavor profile it's hard to taste much else.

As I puffed faster in the second third the flavors did darken without getting anything harsh. It's hard to explain or put into a note. A hint of vanilla here, caramel there. Not a straight tobacco flavor either at least not what I normally ascribe to tobacco flavor. Usually with my quick puffing habits flavors will muddy, wood will take over and the flavor will converge on tar. This. Did. Not. Happen. Which is amazing and made it worthy of nubbing.

I also wanted to mention a pleasant electric tongue numbing note I can only ascribe to like Szechuan peppercorn. I usually hate when a cigar nunbs my tongue but it added here.

I will be buying every single dulzura farms cigar I can get my hands on here on out. This goes toe to toe with others in the price point, the only unfortunate thing about it is the availability. Please buy it.

NOT SPONSORED OR AFFILIATED IN ANY WAY

Final pic is view from the lounge because it was nice

Got a box of these earlier this summer. Keep a stash at my mom's place for when I'm here hanging out with her.

I must say these were very unpleasant when I smoked them fresh out the box. I actually regretted the purchase lol

Now that a few months have passed and they have had some time to rest, its a damn solid smoke!!! Its amazing what a little bit of time can do to a cigar 😌

Why is it that Padron maduro sticks seem to be the only brand that’s color varies a bunch even in the same line? Example, middle section is all 1964’s but the shade is all over the place.

Same with the 1926’s on the end. The middle one is way darker.

They all smoke great and taste the same, just curious why other brands like the foundation sticks on this rack don’t have the same variation.

The weather outside here in Southwest Florida was too perfect not to enjoy another stick tonight. I’m visiting family on this side of the state and decided to head out to a local cigar lounge to view their selection. After enjoying the La Aroma de Cuba Mi Amor last night I was curious to see else I could try that was new and interesting but similar to that experience. The staff directed me to give this boutique cigar a try. It’s the Patina “Red Pill” - box pressed and impressive looking with the dark grey/charcoal and red band.

With temps in the low 70s dipping into the upper 60s I lit this stick up and was immediately hit with a smooth draw, easy on the palette initial smoke, hints of earth, cedar/woody? Definitely chocolate-ish as well. This cigar burned very well and held ash impressively. For me, the flavors were consistent and smooth and at around the halfway point got a bit spicier and earthier, but still smooth and balanced. I smoked this one nearly to the nub before I had to call it an evening. Totally happy with the recommendation and found another cigar I had no idea even existed. It was cool to go out somewhere, chat with someone at a local store, and have them serve me up something I said “why not” and see how it goes. I may end up grabbing a few to add to my humidor and let them sit for another time.

Anyone else tried the Patina Red Pill?

I want to mention I paid $3.40 per stick for 12-cigar box.

Strength: Medium to full
Body: Medium
Flavor Intensity: Medium at best. Don’t expect particularly intense flavors from a budget-friendly cigar.
Flavor Quality: Although not intense, the flavors are enjoyable.
Complexity: Fairly linear, but so are most cigars at this price point.
Balance & Texture: Smooth and creamy.
Construction: Perfect draw, possibly helped by the box-pressed shape. Decent burn line despite only two weeks of rest, and good smoke production

Colorado wrapper, as the name suggests, with a box-pressed shape. Pre-light aromas of aged tobacco on the shaft, with butter and chocolate on the foot and clipped cap.
1/3: Mild toasted bread, earthy tobacco, and roasted nuts. A subtle underlying caramel sweetness. Nothing particularly intense, but that’s expected at this price point.
2/3: Roasted nuts continue, joined by more pronounced leather and cedar, particularly on the retrohale, along with some white pepper. Toasted bread remains in the background, with a mild caramel sweetness.
3/3: Mostly the same flavors, with more baking spices emerging on the retrohale.

Final Thoughts: An enjoyable, budget-friendly smoke that doesn’t offer much complexity or intensity but delivers pleasant flavors and excellent construction. I’d definitely smoke it again. In fact, I blind-bought a box, although I honestly can’t remember why I bought it in the first place!

My only concern is these produced at Rocky Patel factory so I am not sure 2 years from now you will get the similar taste.

We just received our latest swag: coffee mugs in orange and green (very Miami) and our Orange ashtray. What do you think?

Box Date: Mar. '23

More rustic in appearance than other Montecristos that I've had. I like the new bands with the shiny gold. Veiny at the foot, but well-filled and firm. I mangled the cut a bit and the draw is tight, but here we go.

1/3

I may have to go get a draw poker.... The smoke I am getting has excellent flavor, just not enough of it. Leather, wood, cocoa, and Cuban twang. I've never had a Montecristo Open, but it still tastes like Montecristo to the best of my recollection. I haven't had one since Christmas. Burn is wavy. Ash is pretty good. Mild to medium body and flavor.

2/3

I tap off the ash and poke it with draw poker. Now we're in business. A delicious spice note in the nose joins in. Very mild, very pleasant. Twang, coffee, wood and earthiness around the midpoint. Medium in flavor. Body is a bit lighter than that and strength is still mild. Oh, here's that Cuban mineral flavor that I haven't experienced in a while. It's not salty like a Sancho Panza, but still a distinct mineral flavor. More leather and the wood note is getting a little charry. The secondary band came off cleanly. Burn is still wavy. Ash is dark but firm.

3/3

I had to fix the burn as I near the band. Body increased to medium. The wood note changed from oak to cedar. The spice in the nose is almost gone but has a bit of baking spice nuance to it now. Lots of earth, minerals, leather, and coffee but the twang is backing off. This is interesting in that the flavors are pretty dark, but it still presents as a refined medium-bodied smoke with a medium flavor level. Maybe a touch of strength, but I wouldn't notice if I wasn't paying close attention. Light black pepper on the throat as it heats up at the band, which came off cleanly. The cigar almost made up for the performance issues with an incredible experience through the nub. Tastes like the last few hot puffs of a Monte no.4.

83/100

This was definitely a Montecristo but at $350 a box, it's not for me. Construction wasn't anywhere near what a $15 petite corona should provide. I can't get over the price, but this was a gift so I consider myself very blessed. The flavor was actually a lot closer to the normal Montecristo line than I thought it would be, so I'd recommend a single if you're lucky enough to find them.

Give me your top 3 cigars for sharing on the golf course. Here's the criteria.

• Under $6
• Not viewed as a "cheap"

Wanted to finally try this. Something very out of the left field for me. Had it sitting as is for a few weeks in it's own ziploc bag because it had a very strong fire pit type of smell. I knew not to mix this with any of my other cigars. Felt the box right before I oepend it and it definitely had a wet feel to it. Opened it and behold the wonderful site of glorified plume. Now do I smoke it and have the ambulance on stand by or do I toss it. Just kidding I know it's my own human error for just leaving it in a bag for a few weeks. My bad, walk of shame.

As in "last meal" cigar. If you could only have one final cigar, what would it be, and what would you pair it with?

Cigar + pairing

edit: some great answers in here. I'd probably go with a leaf by oscar corojo in gordo with wild turkey 101. They're both at the very top of my list (though there's still plenty I want to try)

Dunbarton Umbagog (Corona Gorda) - 87
medium to medium-strong bodied
Cold aromas: pepper, chocolate, caramel, coffee
First third: chocolate, pepper, wood, earth
Second third: licorice, chocolate, pepper, wood
Final third: pepper, wood, earth, licorice

Intro
Umbagog is one of those names that it took me three tries to pronounce correctly; and even after I got it right, I still felt like I was saying it wrong. At first, I wondered if it was a name spelled backward, or perhaps a word from another language, which many brands do. But no. Umbagog is the name of a lake where Steve Saka, the creator of this brand, has a vacation home, a place where he says he does a lot of his thinking. Could Umbagog be a thinking cigar?

This is the Corona Gorda, with dimensions I've come to love from Dunbarton at 6 x 48. According to Saka, the Umbagog uses a blend very similar to that of the Mi Querida, but since it’s a more affordable cigar, the leaves are taken from lower sections of the tobacco plant. The Broadleaf wrapper of the Umbagog carries notes of pepper, chocolate, and caramel, while the foot reveals hints of coffee, pepper, raisins, and wood. Finally, the cold draw offers notes of intense pepper, leather, chocolate, and molasses. Time to light it up.

1/3
The Umbagog starts developing its notes gradually from the first drag. These notes emerge subtly, revealing gentle hints of chocolate, white pepper, and a hint of damp wood. Notes of damp earth appear, while the retrohale brings out black licorice and pepper. The burn line points to solid construction, and the draw is nearly ideal, all while producing a steady, consistent stream of smoke.

2/3
Notes of black licorice become more prominent, moving to the forefront. The chocolate notes change places with the licorice for first place all the time, while pepper and wood firmly establish themselves as secondary notes. Once past the midpoint, the damp earth note becomes the dominant flavor, and the licorice settles into a secondary role. Also, the pepper and wood increase in intensity; however, the overall strength remains medium, with a medium-high intensity. The cigar continues to burn very well and produces a generous amount of smoke.

3/3
The final third of the Umbagog is a combination of red pepper, wood, and earth, while the licorice becomes sweeter yet also more subtle, and even an occasional almond-like note, but it's not particularly intense nor persistent. There are no major further shifts, but the cigar never heats up or loses its flavor profile, remaining consistent right down to the very last puff, an hour and 40 minutes after lighting it.

Conclusion
The Umbagog is not a cigar meant to impress anyone. Between its nondescript name, a cigar band that rarely draws any attention, and a smoking experience that doesn’t particularly stand out for its complexity or strength, the Umbagog is a cigar that does exactly what it promises: it helps you pass the time. According to Saka, it’s a cigar for sitting back and reflecting; as long as you don’t expect anything more from it, it shouldn’t let you down. This could be an issue if you aren’t aware of this aspect of its concept, as most Dunbarton products are crafted to impress. The Umbagog is not and its price should be the major indicator of that.That said, it's still a Dunbarton, and as such, it isn’t exactly cheap, or at least not in the way one would define a "budget" cigar.

Made by: NACSA
Brand: Dunbarton Tobacco & Trust
Line: Umbagog
Size: 6 x 48
Vitola: Corona Gorda
Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: USA (Connecticut Broadleaf)
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
MSRP: $11.50
Score: 87

An earthy reddish-brown wrapper grown in Brazil is crafted with a signature pigtail cap over a complex core of Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Honduran long-fillers in Kristoff’s GC Signature Series. The 91-rated blend is handmade in the Dominican Republic and rumored to be a favorite of brand owner Glen Case. Tasting notes of molasses, leather, hay, and licorice converge in a handful of shapes made with Kristoff’s well-known shaggy foot. The finish is full-bodied.

Anybody else enjoy a trail stroll while enjoying a smoke (being responsible)? Really enjoying this one on a perfect fall day.

After my major mishap with the Parodi Ammezzati that turned to plume I mean mold I nubbed the heck out of the Black Diamond. What a great smoke from start to finish. Full body of sweetness and definitely dark chocolate notes. Enjoyed this one a lot and must say it's box worthy. If you ever thought to get something that is a powerhouse but without the intense strength of a nicotine bomb this is the one. Definitely going to be on my top 10 list for awhile. Anything else you can throw out me that is similar in all ears.

Took me about an hour using mod podge glue. I have over 500 bands of all kinds but of course we use some of the best. Used an h.upmann triple torch lighter which is pretty much the same ring gauge as most cigars so I didn't need to trim. Now I need to figure out what to do with all the other bands. Any ideas would be cool.

There is a cigar event happening this Saturday here in OKC on Saturday evening that I purchased a ticket to, there will be ten brands present. I enjoy mild to medium plus cigars and definitely enjoy Corojo.

The brands are:

Definition

AVO

Cavalier

Ferio Tego

Drew Estate

Black Label

Camacho

Micallef

Black Works

Emilio

The AVO Expresivo in Churchill is already on my list after seeing an interview on Creeksides podcast.

What else should I be on the look out for? Let's say budgeted for about 10 to 15 cigars, and I already got a bunch of DE stuff from an event a few weeks ago.

Hello, recently bought the NewAir 250 unit. Planning to run a cigaroasis excel 3.0. So can I just run the oasis at 73% RH for 3-5 days until the hydrometer on the newair + my external hygrometer holds steady I can drop the cigaroasis to 65% for everyday use and put my cigars in?

Am I missing anything? Most of what I read for seasoning a humidor is using the boveda method.

I’ve always had a soft spot for Padrón, but the Dámaso was never one I went out of my way to pick up. I usually gravitate toward their darker, richer blends, and claro wrappers have never really been my thing.

The Dámaso wears an Ecuadorian Connecticut Shade wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler. It’s a lighter, golden-brown leaf, and the whole cigar is a departure from what I normally expect from Padrón.

The first thing that caught my attention was the nutty creaminess. Smooth, rich, and surprisingly satisfying. Then came the cedar, which settled in nicely alongside a faint sweetness of tobacco. The smoke production was excellent. Thick, dense clouds with every draw.

What impressed me most was how much I enjoyed a profile I would normally overlook. I kept expecting to miss the heavier character of my usual Padróns, but the Dámaso had enough going on to keep me interested.

Solid well balanced offering by the king of cigars.

Really enjoying this one tonight. Nice punch cut, great draw and smoke output, solid construction and barely needed a relight.

Getting roasted nuts and cinnamon with a little cedar and coffee in the background. The regular Serie V has an Ecuadorian sun-grown Habano wrapper over Nicaraguan binder and filler. It gives the cigar a lovely mix of spice, richness and a touch of sweetness.

The Zacapa is sweet too and the two complement each other nicely. The rum really brings out the cinnamon in the cigar.

I’ve always loved a good Habano and this is one of my favourite reliable cigars. Great price for what you get.

Enjoying it down under. Hope everyone’s puffing well! 🇦🇺