RIOT 55

I'm sure you've seen the post by now about my closing of the blog. Well, I was contacted by the lovely Sheryl over at StogieBoys and asked I would be willing to review their newest exclusive release. Who am I to say no to Sheryl and the fine folks at StogieBoys? So here we go without further ado, the short story behind the RIOT cigar line. The RIOT is a brand that will be exclusive to StogieBoys and is blended by none other than Master Blender Jose Dominguez himself. If you are unfamiliar with Jose, I'm almost willing to bet you have smoked a cigar at some point in time that he blended or had a hand in blending. Without listing all of his blending accomplishments, let's just say the man knows his tobacco. The RIOT is available in 3 sizes: the 45(figurado), the 55(robusto), and the 65(toro). Each of the size offerings are mad of the same Dominican tobaccos wrapped in a dark chocolate brown maduro wrapper. What makes the RIOT so unique is the chisel tip at the foot. This allows the cap to opened with just a squeeze and eliminates the need for a cutter to enjoy the cigar. The band has RIOT across the front in red letters but the i has been replaced with a Molotov cocktail. The words at the bottom are somewhat inspirational. The band reads "The successes of a man is his riot against mediocrity".  Now to the nitty gritty, let's see how it smokes. I have to admit I have smoked more than one, so I already know how this is going to end muahahaha. 

Before lighting I addressed the cigar and found a rather rustic chocolate brown wrapper with visible but smooth veins. The body of the cigar was pretty firm but with some give, I would say it falls right in between spongy and rock-solid. With that said, I'm anticipating a quicker burn than some cigars but it shouldn't burn hot or have a wild burn line. The body of the cigar offered notes of sweet field grass and the foot offered notes of cocoa with a mild sweetness. I squeezed the chisel cap and it opened perfectly, allowing me to test the cold draw. I found the cold draw to be a bit on the tight side and offering notes of cocoa with a hint of molasses. I used my handy Bugatti torch to get things toasted up and smoking with no problems. 

The initial third opens with a ton of flavor, the most notable being toasted nuts. The finish is long and nutty and there is a nice amount of spice on the retrohale but note nought to be unpleasant. Around 1/2 of an inch into the burn the spice has calmed some and the flavors are that starting to define themselves. The toasted but flavors are gaining some depth as they are joined by a oaken woodiness. The finish has found a peppery tingle that lingers on the palate that wasn't present at the time of lighting. 

As I enter the second third the toasted nut flavors are still going strong as the woody notes are moving into the background. There are some coffee notes beginning to emerge and a very faint hint of dark chocolate that pops in every now and then. The sweetness of the maduro wrapper is also starting to make itself known. So far the burn has only required now small correction and body has been consistently medium-full. There has not been any harshness, in fact it's really mellowing out for the finish.

The final third didn't see any new flavors. The complexity of this stick comes from the depth and presentation of the flavors and not so much from the amount of flavor transition throughout the burn. I don't mind a cigar being one dimensional as long as it's a good dimension. One of my favorite lighter cigars, the perdomo champagne, is fairly one dimensions but is an excellent smoke. I would put the construction and flavors on par with some cigars I have had that are double and even triple the price point of the RIOT cigar. I can only imagine what some aging would do for this already good cigar. I may just have to grab a box and age the for a bit just to see. Final verdict is that RIOT cigars are a hit and a great value smoke. StogieBoys has these for around 4 bucks per stick and I would say they are well worth that and more. Thanks to StogieBoys and Sheryl for sending these samples for review, they are quite tasty.

Loose Cannon 1206 by C&C Cigars Toro (6x54)

It's hard to believe the year is almost over. I realize the lack of new content here has probably lost some readership but it has been one crazy year. I spent the first part of the year getting the house, specifically the nursery, ready for our baby girl. Along with welcoming our baby girl into the world, we had to say goodbye to a couple of grandparents who passed away. I promise to make more of an effort to get the reviews pumping again, I have so many sticks I have been forced to let sit and age (not exactly a bad thing I guess). So without further delay let's get to the good stuff, a great stick that was provided for review by the great team at StogieBoys.com.

I have reviewed several of the offerings from C&C and have been very impressed with the outcome. They offer wallet friendly sticks that are oh so very tasty. The Loose Cannon 1206 has a Dominican filler and binder that is wrapped in a maduro sumatra wrapper. The wrapper has minimal veins and is a bit lighter than maduros I am used to seeing. This cigar is lightly boxed pressed and is firm to the squeeze with only a little rebound. The wrapper offered notes of light notes of cocoa and barnyard with a mild sweetness. The foot offered the same cocoa notes with more of a fruit-like sweetness. I decided to go with a punch cut on this one, for no other real reason than I wanted to. Testing the cold draw of the freshly punched cap, I found the draw to be perfect with notes of hay and sweet field grass. I used y handy single flame torch to get things going with minimal effort.

The initial third opens with warm notes of cedar and a long toasty finish. The finish has a mild sweetness that lingers on the lips and palate. There is a fair amount of spice to the retrohale, which helps to balance out the maduro sweetness. The spice lingers in the throat and on the back of the tongue. As I progressed through the first third, notes of earth and black pepper begin to develop as the cedar gains some depth.

The second third sees a slight increase to the sweetness but no real flavor changes. The flavors are complex in their presentation as each takes turns sharing center stage with each puff. The black pepper, earth, and cedar all gain depth in the second third as hints of coffee start to pop in and out. The cedar becomes the more dominant flavor around the mid-point of the cigar. The other flavors are not muted by the cedar but are complimenting it very nicely.

As I start the final third, the sweetness begins to fade out The smoke has taken on a very creamy texture. The black pepper is starting to fade out with the coffee, earth, and cedar still going strong. As the black pepper fades, toasted nut flavors take it's place. The finish become more crisp in the final third as I find myself wetting the palate a bit more frequently. It's not like a desert in your mouth but just enought to notice.

With the Loose Cannon 1206 nubbed, I find myself satisfied and ready for bed. This was just what I expected from C&C, a great cigar with a ton of flavor. The body remained, for me, medium thoughout most of the burn with a slight upkick to med-full just after the halfway point. At no time was there any harshness or hot burn. The Ash held to over an inch at a time and the burn required only one very minor correction due to wind and misty rain. If you are thinking about trying the Loose Cannon, I recommend it. It was a fine smoke and I will be hitting StogieBoys.com to place an order when I get some room in the humidor. You can grab these for 5.75 as a single, 25.95 for a 5 pack, or a box of 20 for 101.95 at StogieBoys. I think I may just have to go for the box, any less and I would just go through them too fast. Stay tuned for an upcoming review of the the Loose Cannon Trigger Happy from C&C.

Thanks to Sheryl and the crew at StogieBoys.com for providing the samples for this review, they were great. 

The C&C Robusto Sampler from StogieBoys

I realize it has been far too long since my last update. I have had a run of bad luck with sinus infections,  family members passing, and trying to get ready for the arrival of our daughter in August. With that being said, what better way to make up for it the with a review of an entire sampler? I was sent the C&C robusto sampler by Sheryl and the wonderful folks at StogieBoys.com. I have reviewed the C&C LRMD maduro and the Connecticut previously in the toro size, and I am very eager to see how the sizes affect the flavors. I will give a brief run down of each cigar here and provide a link to the more in-depth review of each stick.

The C&C Connecticut has an Ecuadorean Connecticut shade wrapper with Dominican Olor binder and a blend of criollo 98 and corojo ligero filler. A fantastic mild-medium to mild bodied cigar with tons of flavor and a perfect draw. You can expect notes of toasted nuts, earth, light notes of coffee, and a nice mild sweetness complimented by the perfect amount of peppery spice.http://shaggyfeetz.blogspot.com/2013/05/c-connecticut-robusto-5x50.html

The C&C Corojo has a 2006 corojo wrapper, a corojo binder, and filler consisting of Dominican criollo and corojo ligero. This was probably my favorite of the offerings. The corojo offered notes of caramel, coffee, and some mild woody cedar notes. With a touch more kick and just a bit more spice, the corojo really hit the spot.http://shaggyfeetz.blogspot.com/2013/05/c-corojo-robusto-5x50.html

The C&C maduro sports a Arapiraca wrapper, Dominican Olor binder, and filler blend of Dominican Ligero and Cubano Seco. The maduro is the strongest of the three offerings but is still just as complex and flavorful as the other 2 blends. Rich cocoa notes abound with notes of coffee, leather, and even a few notes of cherry to provide you a fairly strong but very smooth smoking experience.http://shaggyfeetz.blogspot.com/2013/05/c-maduro-robusto-5x50.html

http://www.stogieboys.com/c-and-c-cigars-en/c-and-c-robusto-sampler-3-pack.html

La Jugada Prieto robusto (5x50) by Moya Ruiz cigar co.

I was contacted by Nelson and Danny about trying their new line from Moya Ruiz Cigars called the La Jugada Prieto. Of course my answer was heck yeah I would love to try them. I unfortunately had a sinus infection when these arrived and had to let them sit in this humidor longer than I wanted to before lighting one up. It took a little over four weeks, 2 shots in my behind, and a round of antibiotics but finally I was able to breath and taste again. It was torture looking at these on the top shelf of my glass top humidor, knowing if I did light one up I would taste nothing. The Moya Ruiz line is being produced in Erik Espinosa's factory named La Zona in Esteli, Nicaragua. The name means "the play" or "the move" and refers to their love of dominoes. But on to what you came here for, the meat and taters of the cigar. This is one of the most attractive cigars I have ever seen. The bands color scheme looks awesome against the dark Maduro wrapper.

The dark, oily Mexican San Andreas Maduro wrapper house a Nicaraguan binder and filler. There were only very small veins and near invisible seams and the body was firm with very little give. The body offered notes of barnyard and light hints of manure and the foot offered notes of barnyard and hay with a touch of sweetness. I clipped the cap with my trusty Xikar Xi cutter and found the cold draw to be perfect. I used my single flame torch to toast the foot and get things going with no problems.

The initial third explodes with tons of dark flavorful goodness. Notes of dark chocolate jump out front, complimented by a nice black pepper and mild maduro sweetness. The finish is very long and has a nuttiness to it. There is a mild spicy tingle that lingers on the back of the tongue and the spice on the retrohale was perfect.

The dark chocolate and black pepper have developed nicely going into the second third. Shortly after starting the second third, notes of coffee and leather join the mix as the dark chocolate starts to fade. The mild spicy tingle is starting to spread to my throat as the sweetness kicks up just a notch to help balance the spice. The flavors have become more rich and the smoke has become more creamy.

The final third didn't see the addition of any new flavors, just the way the others presented themselves. Each puff brought a different flavor to the foreground and in a different intensity. The dark chocolate did move further into the background but was still present through the final third.

The La Jugada is a hit in my book. Excellent construction, full of great flavors, fair amount of complexity, and beautiful presentation. If you haven't had one of these yet, I recommend getting your hands on some. Brad over at cigarstix is now carrying these for around 8 bucks a stick, which is about right for this flavorful stick. I hate I had to wait so long to enjoy one of these but the wait was worth it. Thanks to Nelson Ruiz and Danny Moya for the samples smoked for this review. You guys have a high quality flavor bomb on your hands that is definitely box-worthy. I look forward to seeing what new blends will these guys will out out next. You can find Moya Ruiz cigars on twitter and on facebook.

Thurman Thomas Maduro Toro (6x52)

The nice folks over at StogieBoys.com sent me a surprise prize pack for the next giveaway (Details will be posted soon) and also sent a couple of the Thurman Thomas Connecticut and Maduro to review for the site. If you're not familiar with Thurman Thomas, he is a Hall of Fame running back who spent most of his NFL career playing for the Buffalo Bills. Like golf, football and cigars pair well together. I decided to start with the maduro first since I am fan of that maduro sweetness. There isn't a lot of blend information on these sticks, but I can tell you that they are made in General Cigars in the Dominican Republic and utilize Dominican long fillers. The Milk Chocolate brown wrapper has minimal veins and smooth seams. The maduro is rock solid, well packed, and has very little give when pinched. The body offers up the aroma of barnyard and hay and the foot offers some light earthy notes. I used by StogieBoys V-cutter to clip the cap and found the cold draw to be just a tad on the firm side of perfect. The flavors on the cold draw were of cocoa and molasses. The wind is not blowing at all so I used matches to toast the foot and get things started with no problems.

The Initial third opens with some very nice flavors. Notes of cocoa and a nice earthy spice, balanced by the mild maduro sweetness. The finish is moderate and has a caramel-like tone. There is a touch of spice, especially noted on the retrohale, that leaves a tiny tingle on the tongue. As I progress through the first third notes of coffee start to emerge. Going into the second third the cocoa moves to the background as the coffee moves into the foreground. The smoke and the finish have taken on more of a creamy texture as the coffee notes become more rich and really work well with the subtle earthy spice. There are a few woody oak notes popping in on occasion as well. Going into the final third the woody oak notes take on some depth and really start to shine. The caramel-like finish has become more of a dark roast with a bit of a black coffee bitter sensation. This in no way detracted from the smoking pleasure. Construction on the samples I received was excellent and ash held to around 1.5" at a time. The maduro's burn went a touch wavy but always corrected itself with no help from me. Final verdict? For the 3.60 per stick price tag, you're cheating yourself not to give them a try. They are exclusive to StogieBoys and can be purchased as a single or in bundles of 25 and boxes of 25 (like myself, some people love box collecting). You can find more information about Thurman Thomas at  www.thurmanthomascigars.com and find his cigars only at StogieBoys.com. Once again, thank you to Sheryl and the StogieBoys team for providing the samples for the review. The review of the Thurman Thomas Connecticut can be found HERE

Cusano P1 Maduro 606 (6x60) and Churchill (7.5x50)

I was sent some more sticks to review by the fine people at StogieBoys.com. They sent me a sampling of the Cusano P1 in the 606 and Churchill size. From the makers of the Cusano 18 comes a budget friendly stick call the P1. The P1 is a mixed filler cigar, but if you're like me it doesn't matter as long as it performs. how does it perform you ask? Well that is why you are here, isn't it. At first glance the P1 has a rustic look, with a oily sheen on the milk-chocolate brown Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro wrapper. The veins are, for the most part, small and smooth. Inside the wrapper lies a mix of long and short filler Dominican tobaccos. The body offers the aroma of hay and barnyard and the foot smells of rich tobacco and some good sweetness. Despite the mixed filler the cigar was firm and well packed with no soft spots to be found. I used my handy StogieBoys V cutter to cut the double cap and found a perfect draw with notes of hay and sweet field grass. I used a single flame torch to toast the foot and get things going with no problems.
The first third of the 606 opens with some rich coffee notes accented by notes of cocoa. There is a very pleasant sweetness from the maduro wrapper and just enough spice to balance it out. The finish is long and nutty and the sweetness lingers on the palate as well. At about an inch in the spice kicks it up a notch and really works well with the sweet component. As I go into the second third there are some nutty pecan notes starting to emerge. The sweetness sees a boost in the second third to round the spice out even further. The coffee notes faded just a bit in the second third giving the pecan nuttiness the spotlight. Until the mid-point the cigar has been on the medium side, but at the mid-point body kicks up to a med-full. Going into the final third there are some woody oak notes that come to my attention, as well as some leather. The nutty pecan notes fade giving the oak and leather the spotlight for awhile. There was an occasional honey-like note that jumped in in the final third, but it was fleeting and infrequent. The ash was a bit flaky but held tight for about an inch and a half at a time. There were only a couple of minor burn corrections and ample amounts of tasty smoke were produced. The final verdict from me is that this is a winner. I'm not one to turn my nose up to a budget stick, especially one that can perform where it counts. The review really applies to both sizes, as there were no major flavor differences between the two. I, personally, enjoyed the 606 just a bit more than the churchill. StogieBoys offers the P1 in three sizes: Robusto, Churchill, and the 606. Prices range from 2.65 for the Robusto to 3.25 for the 606, making this a budget friendly stick that is tasty to boot. You can find more info on Cusano Cigars at www.cusanocigars.com . You can find the P1 on www.stogieboys.com in singles and bundles of 20. The direct link to the 606 bundle is HERE and the Churchill is HERE. If you like a cigar with a good maduro sweetness with just enough spice to round it out, I recommend giving the P1 a go. Grab a single and i bet you'll wish you had ordered a bundle. Thank you again to Sheryl and the fine folks at StogieBoys for providing the sticks for this review, they were great!

Rafaeli's Cigars

I am very excited to have been contacted by Rafaeli's Cigars about reviewing their cigars. They have also generously provided some prizes for a giveaway here on the site. I find the back story to this brand very interesting and will post the press release from their website toward the bottom of the post. Rafaeli's Cigars are available in 3 sizes robusto, toro, and churchill and offered in either a sumatra or a maduro wrapper. The cigars do come individually cellophane wrapped and pre-punched for the convenience of the consumer. This, to me, is a pretty cool feature and is usually not found on a premium handmade cigar. They come in boxes of 50 and are available for 115 bucks or less, making is a great value in the cigar world. Rafaeli's cigar are filled with a blend of Indonesian, Cuban, and Dominican seed tobaccos. The sumatra wrapped offering is medium in body and the maduro is a more full body offering. The following is the press release and story of the brand, as found on their website at www.Rafaelis.com. Stay tuned because I will have the review and the details of the giveaway posted soon.
Press Release:

"Elite Life Magazine, from Armenia"

Rarely in the history of mankind does a miracle occur that everyone can witness.

The phenomenon of the Templar Diamond is just such a marvel. A beautiful creation of nature, this incredible brilliant diamond is almost three carats in weight and a natural greenish color, but the miracle of this gift of the universe is a spectacular cross that can be seen at its center.

One day in late autumn, David Rafaeli, a diamond dealer in Los Angeles, was sorting through his latest acquisitions from Israel. To his amazement, one of the precious stones was like nothing he had ever seen. He focused his jeweler's lens as closely as he could, and no matter how he tried to adjust it- the symbol was still there. It was a perfect unilateral cross, totally natural and magnificent! The beautiful cross was positioned exactly in the center of the diamond.

Even more stunning was the fact that the cross is a replica of the symbol of the Templar knights from the first crusade of 1096.

The Templar knights were entrusted with the mission of defending the Holy Land and protecting the Holy Grail, said to be the cup that contained the blood of Christ. The knights believed that anyone who drank from the Grail would have eternal life. To be the defenders of the Holy Land and keepers of the Grail was an immense responsibility indeed, but one that the knights gave their lives to fulfill.

The Templars were instrumental to the successes of the Crusades, easily recognizable by their white mantels emblazoned with a unique stylized cross. The knights were the bravest and best warriors in battle, but they were also responsible for creating an economic infrastructure that resulted in the earliest form of banking and created economic stability in the medieval world. The Templars represented an amazing balance of unfathomable courage in battle and incredible foresight for the preservation and development of civilized society.

Today, we romanticize the concept of knights, courage, and devotion. It is the stuff of legends from long ago. Recent movies such as "The Da Vinci Code" remind us of this era of romance and chivalry. For centuries, the eight-pointed cross of the Templars has represented the virtues of:

• Loyalty
• Piety
• Honesty
• Spirituality
• Honor
• Charity
• Devotion
• Brotherhood

Recently, the Vatican announced the release of long-hidden papers in the Vatican library that absolve the Templars from all charges of heresy. Philip IV, King of France prosecuted fabricated charges against the Templars in order to free himself of debts owed them. These papers are soon to be displayed for public viewing and a limited number of books will be published about the document. With all this publicity about the ancient order, what perfect timing for the discovery of the Templar Diamond!

The marvel of a diamond itself gives us awe. Taking millions of years to create, the diamond symbolizes eternity and love. But this unique creation embodying the image of the Templar cross is almost incomprehensible to the human mind. Can it be a gift from God and a reminder of the Holy Grail at a time in our history when we need to refocus our energies toward peace and unity? This amazing brilliant diamond is indeed a messenger for all mankind. It is a symbol of universal faith and hope for our future. It represents the divine essence of the human spirit.

Brian Kannard, PR Director for the Templar Diamond Exhibit, expresses his feelings on the discovery:
"The significance of this find is difficult to ignore. Could it be a sign sent to us now when we need it the most? This is a time of conflict and war, when we need it the most? This is a time of conflict and war, when mankind needs to take a step back and reevaluate the meaning of sharing the Earth. It is essential to remember the meaning of unity and love. We all need to come together to resolve our difference and live in peace."

David Rafaeli has been greatly affected by the discovery of the miracle diamond. He is dedicated to seeing that this gift is seen and experienced by as many people as possible. Thus, plans are being set in motion now to have the diamond placed on view around the world for the benefit of everyone.

To celebrate the Templar diamond David has produced a fine handmade boutique cigar that is now available! You can find MT Cigars through Phillips & King. Cigars-now.com, or by ordering directly from the company in Los Angeles at  213.373.1393