Toast

Cigar Review | Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988

April 16, 2020CutLightSmokeReviewsbrown sugar, Citrus, cookie dough, dried fruit, floral, leather, sourdough, ToastLeave a comment

It’s Stog o’Clock, and this time, I check out the Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988. This cigar was made as a nod to the birth year of Kyle Gellis, founder of Warped Cigars. It comes in one size, a 5 ¼ x 50 Robusto, and it retails for $9. The blend consists of all Nicaraguan tobaccos with a Corojo 99 wrapper.

Pre-Light & First Light

The cold draw is loose with cedar and fruity notes. The wrapper gives off a nutty leather aroma, while the foot smells similar with a fruity note. Once lit, I pick up oak with cashew. Through the nose, there is deep toast and white pepper. The finish gives me nutty cedar and brown sugar.

First Third

Twenty-five minutes in, the first third comes to a close. On the draw, I pick up nutty caramel with sweet cream and toast. Through the nose, I find more toast with cinnamon spice. The finish is delightful with toasted marshmallow, brown sugar, and leather. Strength and body settle in at medium.

Second Third

The second third gets me to fifty-five minutes. The draw consists of black pepper and floral notes alongside citrus. On the retro-hale, spice settles down and turns into a sweeter cinnamon on top of cookie dough notes. There is more leather on the finish with a sourdough toast and hints of marshmallow. Both strength and body remain at medium.

Final Third

The final third wisps away around an hour and a half. On the draw, I pick up more black pepper and citrus on top of leather. Through the nose, cookie dough persists with hints of marshmallow. The finish displays dried fruit and leather with the return of brown sugar. Strength and body finish out at medium.

Overall

The Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988 is a phenomenal cigar. Flavors are mouth-watering, and complexity is solid. Burn and construction are perfect, and the cigar gives off huge plumes of smoke. I have no complaints about this cigar whatsoever.

This is one of those cigars you wish lasted longer every time you smoke it. The price is extremely competitive and makes this treat an exceptional value. It’s a box-worthy blend, and I highly recommend it.

Smoke on!

-Noah (CutLightSmoke)

Cigar Review | Jas Sum Kral Rudy’s Exclusive 2019

February 3, 2020CutLightSmokeReviewsCitrus, honey, leather, peanuts, Toast, white pepperLeave a comment

It’s Stog o’Clock, and this time, I check out the Jas Sum Kral Rudy’s Exclusive for 2019. This cigar is a limited extension to the original Zlatno Sonce blend, and it comes in the same size as the previous JSK Rudy’s Exclusive – a box pressed 6 ½ x 42. The cigar retail for $13 and comes packed in boxes of 10. Production is limited to 100 boxes and sold only at Rudy’s Shop in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

Blend

The blend on the Rudy’s Exclusive 2019 features an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, but the tobaccos within remain a mystery. Riste Ristevski, owner of the company, has acknowledged the presence of ligero and corojo, but no other details have been released.

First Third

Twenty-five minutes in, the first third closes out. On the draw, I pick up spicy white pepper with nutty cedar and leather. Through the nose, peanuts blend with spicy cedar. The finish offers up earthy hay on top of spicy honey and white pepper. Strength and body settle in at medium-to-full.

Second Third

The second third finishes around one hour. I find citrus notes complemented by nutmeg and leather. On the retro-hale, flavors remain consistent with the addition of toast. The finish displays damp earth and white pepper. There is no change to strength or body.

Last Third

An hour and a half into the cigar, the final third rolls to a stop. There is more citrus and nutmeg dominating the draw. Through the nose, sweet toast pairs well with white pepper. On the finish, I pick up bitter earth with more white pepper and a subtle hint of caramel. Strength and body finish out at medium-to-full.

Final Thoughts

The Jas Sum Kral Rudy’s Exclusive 2019 is a good cigar. It’s reminiscent of the original Zlatno Sonce with that signature punch the original powerhouse Connecticut delivered so well. Flavors are enjoyable with solid complexity keeping it interesting, and presentation is beautiful.

My only complaint about this cigar would be the snug draw. Throughout, I had to pull the smoke harder than I personally prefer. I’ve smoked almost a box of these with varying levels of draw resistance, so it seems some of these may have simply been rolled a little tight. However, the draw issue is minor enough to be tolerable, and it’s a tasty cigar I’d recommend trying if you can find it.

Smoke on!

-Noah (CutLightSmoke)

Cigar Review | AJ Fernandez New World Cameroon Robusto

October 26, 2019CutLightSmokeReviewscaramel, cedar, cinnamon, ToastLeave a comment

It’s Stog o’Clock, and this time, I check out the AJ Fernandez New World Cameroon. For this review, I smoke the box-pressed Robusto vitola coming in at 5 1/2 x 54. This cigar features a toothy Cameroon wrapper concealing all Nicaraguan tobaccos. It retails for $5.50.

On the cold draw, I pick up a sugary sweetness. The wrapper produces a grassy aroma with the same out of the foot. Once lit, I get some toasty cedar. Through the nose, I taste the same with the addition of graham cracker. The finish consists of oak, almond, and black pepper

Twenty-five minutes in, the first third comes to a close. I find nutty cedar and toast on the draw. Through the nose, spicy toast notes coat my palate. The finish consists of light cinnamon and pencil lead. Strength and body settle in at medium.

The second third ends at forty-five minutes. The draw gives me light nutty cedar. On the retro-hale, there is a much sweeter toast. I see no change to the finish. Strength and body drop slightly to mild-to-medium.

The final third burns away at one hour and fifteen minutes. On the draw, nutty cedar remains consistent. Light black pepper and toast come through the nose. A nice caramel and cinnamon combo make for a tasty finish. Strength and body finish out at medium.

The AJ Fernandez New World Cameroon is a good cigar. It’s relatively simple and offers minimal complexity, but flavors are enjoyable enough. Construction is spot on as always with AJ. The selling point for this cigar is the price. You can buy two of these for the price of many single cigars on the market of equal quality. The value can’t be dismissed, and for that reason, I recommend trying it out.

Smoke on!

-Noah (CutLightSmoke)

Cigar Review | Warped La Relatos The First

January 3, 2019CutLightSmokeReviewsblack pepper, caramel, cedar, ginger, graham cracker, Toast, white pepperLeave a comment

It’s Stog o’Clock, and this time, I check out the Warped La Relatos The First. Around 10 years ago, this cigar made its original appearance and now returns for more. This 6 x 38 Petit Lancero retails for $9.30 and looks to be perfectly rolled. The blend consists of an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper with a Nicaraguan binder and Nicaraguan fillers.

Pre-light, the draw gives me some oaky bourbon flavor. The wrapper produces a hay aroma while I smell dried fruit out of the foot. Once lit, I pick up toast with cedar. Through the nose, potent white pepper, cedar, and toast blend together. The finish consists of spicy pepper with caramel.

Twenty minutes in, the first third closes out. I pick up salty cedar with hazelnut and black pepper on the draw. Through the nose, spicy ginger blends with white pepper. The finish hits me with caramel and graham cracker. Strength and body settles in at medium.

The second third gets me to forty-five minutes. I find similar flavors on the draw with no distinguishable changes. On the retro-hale, cedar carries through with more ginger and caramel. The finish offers leather on top of smoky oak and more caramel. Both strength and body remain at the medium mark.

The final third pulls through to one hour and simplifies the flavor profile. On the draw, I pick up black pepper and leather. Through the nose, toast blends with white pepper. The finish sees no change with more leather, smoky oak, and caramel. Strength and body finish out at medium.

Warped La Relatos The First is an excellent cigar. It offers a thoroughly enjoyable flavor experience with moderate complexity and perfect construction. It’s a pretty quick smoke, so don’t expect this one to last much more than an hour. It’s a return hit from Warped, and if you like any of their other blends, you’ll surely enjoy this. I highly recommend it!

Smoke on!

-Noah (CutLightSmoke)

Cigar Review | Southern Draw Cedrus The Hogan

December 20, 2018CutLightSmokeReviewsbrown sugar, cedar, cinnamon, coffee, molasses, Toast, vanillaLeave a comment

It’s Stog o’Clock, and this time, I review the Southern Draw Cedrus The Hogan. This Belicoso Fino comes in at 5 ½ x 52 and retails for $11.99. These come packed in unique boxes of 10 with each cigar standing upright. The cigar was made to honor Phil and Shelly Hogan, friends and early supporters of the brand. The blend features an Indonesian Sumatra Bosuki TBN wrapper concealing a Nicaraguan Habano binder and fillers from the Dominican Republic and Nicaragua.

The wrapper produces a light leathery aroma, while I smell raisin out of the foot. On the cold draw, I pick up wine notes. Once lit, this stick blows tons of smoke. The draw offers cedar with sweet cocoa. Through the nose, I find more cedar with spicy nuttiness. The finish hits me with red pepper, cocoa, and molasses.

Twenty-five minutes in, the first third closes out. On the draw, I pick up a hint of cedar with raisin and brown sugar. Through the nose, red pepper and cinnamon mix. The finish gives me cinnamon with roasted coffee and light molasses. Strength settles at a medium while body is very full.

The second third finishes at forty-five minutes. The draw offers toast with more cedar and distinct flavor of sunflower seeds. On the retro-hale, I’m greeted with more cinnamon alongside coffee. The finish consists of bold espresso with fading molasses notes and hints of vanilla. Both strength and vanilla sit at medium-to-full.

One hour and fifteen minutes in, the final third wraps up. Brown sugar returns on the draw with cinnamon and some sweet cocoa. There is no change through the nose. I find flowery earth, citrus, and molasses on the finish. Strength and body finish out at a solid medium-to-full.

The Southern Draw Cedrus The Hogan is a phenomenal cigar. It hits all the right notes on flavor pulling you back in with every puff, and there’s enough complexity to keep things interesting. Every minute of this smoke is a treat. Construction is top notch, and smoke output is plentiful. If you haven’t tried this cigar, you’re missing out. Watch for this to hit top 25 lists everywhere.

Smoke on!

-CutLightSmoke

Cigar Review | Alec Bradley Prensado Lost Art Robusto

August 26, 2018CutLightSmokePR & NewsAlmond, black pepper, cinnamon, earth, leather, ToastLeave a comment

It’s Stog o’Clock, and this time, I check out the Alec Bradley Prensado Lost Art. For this review, I smoke the Robusto size, a 5 x 52 box-pressed cigar. It retails for $9.90. This cigar is a follow up to the original Alec Bradley Prensado which earned #1 cigar of the year from Cigar Aficionado. The blend consists of a Honduran wrapper with a Honduran and Nicaraguan double binder as well as Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers.

The cold draw offers me an oaky wine flavor. The wrapper puts off a muted earth aroma, and I smell toast out of the foot. Once lit, I pick up creaminess with black pepper. Through the nose, toast and black pepper find my sinuses. The finish hits me with bitter black pepper.

Thirty minutes in, the first third produces earth, leather, and buttery cream on the draw. Through the nose, a sweet toast takes over. Black pepper and almond are dominant on the finish. Strength and body settle in at medium-to-full.

The second third gets me to one hour. On the draw, black pepper blends with leather. The retro-hale offers up a pleasant cinnamon and toast combo. A lingering finish of black pepper and char complements black licorice. Strength and body remain the same.

An hour and a half in, the cigar winds down to an end. The draw offers no changes on this third, while I taste floral earth with a spicy cinnamon on the retro. Coming through on the finish is black pepper with earth and the return of almond. It closes out at medium-to-full to both strength and body.

The Alec Bradley Prensado Lost Art is a good cigar. I’ll leave it at the word good. It’s got some nice flavors and moderate complexity. Burn and smoke output is spot on. It just doesn’t blow me away. It’s not bad, but it’s not mind-blowing, either. It’s worth a try, but I personally prefer the original Prensado at least when it smokes well – I’ve had a few of those that just weren’t the same level of quality as most. Give this Lost Art a try before you commit to a box.

Smoke on!
-Noah (CutLightSmoke)

Cigar Review | RoMa Craft Tobac CRAFT 2018

May 27, 2018CutLightSmokeReviewsblack pepper, Char, cocoa, earth, grass, leather, ToastLeave a comment

It’s Stog o’Clock, and this time, I check out the RoMa Craft Tobac CRAFT 2018. This new cigar is limited to 2,000 boxes of 10 and is a follow up to the last CRAFT release from a few years ago. It’s a 5 x 60 figurado shaped almost like a baseball bat. Each cigar retails for $15.

There are two wrappers on this cigar – an Ecuadorian Connecticut Dark Candela and a Pennsylvanian Broadleaf. Inside, the blend features an Ecuadorian Habano Ligero binder and fillers from the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua, and Pennsylvania.

The box these cigars come packaged in is noteworthy. It’s a solid cedar box with a cedar insert displaying an Ernest Hemmingway quote right on top of all the cigars. The lift-off lid is secured by a custom-made steel wrap of sorts that has the company logo stamped out of it. I’ve seen this steel band turned into some pretty “crafty” stuff (see what I did there?)

Pre-light, the cold draw tastes just like a chocolate bar. The foot produces a grassy aroma, while I smell chocolatey earth off the wrapper. Once lit, I get earthy grass from the closed candela foot, and it quickly transitions to black pepper. Through the nose, nutty toast and pepper make an appearance. The finish gives me grassy earth, chocolate, and vegetal leather.

After forty-five minutes, the first third comes to a close. On the draw, I pick up grassy earth with bombs of black pepper and leather. Through the nose, toast blends with dark cocoa and a hint of sweetness. The finish displays an explosion of black pepper alongside dark cocoa and earth. Strength and body start off very full.

An hour and twenty-five minutes in, the second third ends. I find cocoa, espresso, and earth on the draw. On the retro-hale, black pepper blows through my sinuses with some toast and grassy notes. The finish hits me with even more bombs of black pepper on top of a slightly salty char. Strength and body remain at the full mark.

The final third gets me to two hours. Spicy black pepper and earth take over the draw. Through the nose, a very potent mix of black and red pepper ignite my senses. Spicy black pepper dominates the finish with some more char and hints of leather. Strength and body finish out at the full mark.

The RoMa Craft Tobac CRAFT 2018 is an excellent cigar. It’s got a healthy amount of complexity with very rich, bold flavors. Construction is impressively perfect, and smoke output was satisfying. It’s one of the stronger cigars on the market, so if you prefer a milder smoking experience, you will not likely enjoy this. However, if you can take the heat of a bold cigar, this is an exceptional option that you’ll smoke until your fingers burn. I highly recommend this one. Buy them all up if you can find them!

Smoke on!
-Noah (CutLightSmoke)