2009 October | SmokeScore.com

Archive for October, 2009

Ramon Allones Specially Selected Robusto

Oct 27, 2009 Cigar

Tonight’s review is the Ramon Allones Specially Selected Robusto.

Ramon Allones established this brand under his own name in 1845.

Extremely stylish cigars, whose sizes and shapes are carefully selected with elegance in mind. Reminiscent of Bolivar these cigars are not for the fainthearted, definitely not a beginners cigar.

They are medium to full flavoured, extremely complex with rich chocolate and leather overtones. Smooth, rich cream and peppery spice notes predominate, rather opulent with an unexpectedly floral aroma.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Size: 5 x 50 (Robusto)
Origin: Cuba
Wrapper: Cuba
Binder: Cuba
Filler: Cuba

APPEARANCE and CONSTRUCTION – (18 of 20 pts.)

The RASS has a slight box press to it that feels nice in the hand. Wrapper is medium brown in color. The RASS is somewhat rustic looking. Triple cap is a little sloppy and there are some small veins running along one side. No soft spots at all. Pretty firm, actually.

SMOKING CHARACTERISTICS – (23 of 25 pts.)

Wrapper has an aroma of toasted wood, like when you first light a fireplace. There’s also a sweet spiciness on the foot. Cold draw is a little tight for my liking but not too bad. Lit perfectly with my Blazer Torch. Burn line was pretty thin and remained even throughout. Despite the somewhat rustic look, the cigar burned very evenly and cleanly. Ash was a light gray and stayed firm. Required a good tap to knock it off actually.

FLAVOR – (27 of 30 pts.)

Initial puffs were layered with a combination of leather and nuttiness. The nutty flavor reminded me of almonds and was pretty evident in the first third. The cigar was medium to full bodied. The draw remained slightly tight even after lighting. Again, it didn’t bother me that much, but it was definitely noticeable in the low volume of smoke produced on each puff. The second third had notes of more leather and a light spiciness. I also picked up something that tasted a little like allspice or some other mulling spice. Final third saw the strength pick up a bit to move it from more medium to full bodied. The almond flavor also appeared again in the final third along with some cocoa flavors.

OVERALL IMPRESSION – (22 of 25 pts.)

Despite the slightly firm draw, I enjoyed the RASS very much. This stick almost always delivers in the flavor department and it is generally a very good value as well. I’ve seen some solid websites offering boxes for under $165 which is a great price for a stick of this quality and pedigree.

TOTAL SCORE – 90

Tags: Cuba, Ramon Allones, Specially Selected

CAO La Traviata Divino

Oct 21, 2009 Cigar

Tonight’s review is the La Traviata from CAO.

The La Traviata brand began its life at the turn of the 20th Century in Cuba or, more precisely, in the Tabacalera Cubana, Agramonte no. 106, in Havana. Over 100 years later, CAO has resurrected the La Traviata name, abiding closely to its original Cuban roots in presentation and taste. CAO La Traviata is a full-bodied, full-flavored cigar that combines an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with a Cameroon binder and incorporates two different ligero filler tobaccos from the Pueblo Nuevo farm in Nicaragua and the Dominican Republic. “The inspiration for La Traviata came from smoking numerous classic Cuban cigars,” said CAO President Tim Ozgener. “We wanted to create a cigar that appealed to sight, smell, and taste. The oily sheen of the Ecuadorian wrapper compels you to pick it up. The pre-light has a distinct pepper and leather nose. The flavor bombards the palate with intense, rich notes of cedar, anise, and leather, evolving along the way into a lush and creamy finish. We’ve also stayed true to the original La Traviata vista and artwork circa 1901-1904.”

Packaged in 24-count boxes, CAO La Traviata will be available in three shapes: Divino (5″ x 50), Radiante (6″ x 52), and Intrepido (7″ x 54), and will have a suggested retail price range of $4.95 to $5.75 per cigar.

SPECIFICATIONS:

Size: 5 x 50 (Robusto)
Origin:Honduras
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Cameroon
Filler: Nicaraguan and Dominican

APPEARANCE and CONSTRUCTION – (16 of 20 pts.)

I was astonished at how oily this cigar was. The wrapper is fairly smooth with a medium brown color. The oils coming off this stick simply glisten. The most oily CAO cigar I’ve seen to date. The double cap was a little sloppy including a miscut on the edge. There was one medium sized vein running down the length of the cigar, but nothing too terrible. Overall decent construction

SMOKING CHARACTERISTICS – (22 of 25 pts.)

Wrapper had a distinct aroma of fresh cut wood. The foot gave me more of a sweet aroma, like sweet tea. Clean cut with a punch cutter. Cold draw was perfect. Lit perfectly and stayed lit throughout. Draw remained very good. The burn line tended to be a little thick, but not too bad. Ash had a small amount of flowering, but again nothing too bad.

FLAVOR – (26 of 30 pts.)

I got a nice range of flavors from the La Traviata. First third had some chestnut and earthy flavors. There was a little spice in the back of the throat that stayed in the background for the whole smoke. The nuttiness turned into some sweet hay flavors around the second third. Wood notes also came in the second third and they remained into the final third. Final third remained with the woody notes as well as a return to some of the earthiness in the first third.

OVERALL IMPRESSION – (21 of 25 pts.)

The whole time I was smoking this cigar, I really wanted to like it. It looks beautiful, it’s priced amazingly well, and it’s got good availability. I can honestly say I did like it. Didn’t blow me away, but I did sincerely enjoy it. What I like most about it is the price. For the money, I think it’s a great smoke and more than worth what you’re going to pay for it. This would be something you could turn to as your everyday smoke. It’s got a nice range of flavors, good transitions, and burns well. All at a great price.

TOTAL SCORE – 85

Tags: CAO, LA Traviata

COMING SOON – Exclusive Rocky Patel Interview

Oct 15, 2009 Interviews

SmokeScore is happy to announce that we’ve been in touch with Rocky Patel’s people and he will be granting us an exclusive interview. As busy a guy as Rocky is, we sincerely appreciate him taking the time to answer some of our questions.

Following our Pete Johnson interview a few months ago, we couldn’t think of any better cigar personality to talk to than Rocky. His company has grown by leaps and bounds over the last several years and his products are garnering rave reviews.

Check back in the coming weeks for our exclusive interview with Rocky.

Tags: Interview, Rocky Patel

WINNER!

Oct 15, 2009 Contest

We have a winner in our first official SmokeScore contest!

The winner is Dave C. with his request for a review of the new CAO La Traviata.

Congratulations, Dave. I will be emailing you later today with details and your Padron 45 Year Family Reserve will be on it’s way to you shortly. Thanks to everyone who participated.

More contests coming very soon…