For CAO International, makers of cigars such as the Brazilia, the Italia, the La Traviata and the famous Sopranos line, the last 12 months have been quite a ride.  They dropped Carlos Torano from their brand and were themselves taken over by General Cigars.  This connection could be as magical and enduring as Disney/Pixar or as destructive as Enron.  The first release from this new collaboration was unveiled at this year’s IPCPR convention: The CAO OSA Sol.  OSA is an acronym for the Olancho and San Agustin Valley in Honduras, where the tobacco blends for this cigar were grown.  The blend is an OSA wrapper, Connecticut broadleaf binder and a blend of Nicaraguan and Honduran tobaccos for the filler.  This cigar blend is considered to be medium to full-bodied.  There are three sizes in the initial offer of this cigar, which will be available in retail shops in September: The Lot 50 (5 x 50), the Lot 54 (6 x 54) and the Lot 58 (6 1/2 x 58).  For this review, I smoked the Lot 50.

The Look and Light:

The cigar’s appearance is very appealing, despite the lime-green cigar ring.  The cigar had a nice dark and oily appearance and felt well rolled.  With a standard straight cut, I lit the cigar and found the foot to be very earthy and woody.  I also found the draw to be very tight, which I hoped would loosen as the cigar burned.  The aromas from the smoke were very nice, and there was a decent amount of smoke coming off of the stick.  Throughout the first third of the cigar, I experienced the same earthy, wood flavor that never seemed to develop any complexity.  The burn was very even and smooth.

The Middle:

The cigar did begin to develop some nicer coffee flavors, but did maintain the earthiness on the back of the palate.  The burn continued to be even, however the draw is the true concern.  It could be due to the fact that this is the first batch of the cigar and perhaps there was a push to get the cigars ready for the show so not as much care was taken in the rolling process as would normally be given.  Whatever the reason, the draw of this cigar started tight and seemed to only degrade from there.  Despite the draw issue, the cigar itself had a much fuller, bolder flavor than what CAO generally (pardon the pun) puts out. 

The Finish:

The last third of this cigar became peppery, but continued the earthiness throughout.  The draw did finally loosen a bit, but never developed into any consistency or ease.  The cigar maintained a very even burn and remained so even at the end of the smoke.  I am always impressed with the burn consistency of CAO cigars, and it is good to see that tradition continue after the General Cigar takeover.  Even if this was a cigar that I wanted to nub, however, I wouldn’t have been able to due to the extreme heat coming from the interior of the cigar even at the point where the band was located.  The second picture shown below was taken just before putting it down for fear of setting fire to my fingers.  Commonly, if a cigar has a hard draw, the cigar will tend to burn much hotter due to the amount of force used to draw.  This is most likely the reason for the heat and possibly the lack of true flavor development of this cigar.

Final Thoughts:

The CAO OSA Sol is an interesting cigar that I would like to try again once it is released to the public to see if some of the draw issues are improved.  If it does not improve, I would not recommend this cigar.  The work it takes to maintain the smoke is not worth it when there are many other fine cigars out there to enjoy.  If the draw issues are just an anomaly, this cigar could be quite nice with a little time in the humidor.  If this is an indication of the types of cigars that General will be releasing under the CAO banner, this could be a disastrous marriage, likened to taking vows with Snookie. 

In the world of premium cigars, very few things “surprise” me anymore. There are many new blends and blenders, but generally they are shaped in the traditional methods. Robustos, Torpedos, Belecosos, etc. are generally the norm, and all that truly distinguishes a cigar is by the blend and the flavors. Enter the Berger & Argenti Entubar line. This cigar’s shape is very unique, and quite surprising. You will immediately notice the “nipple” on the foot of the cigar, which at first glance is very catching. The reason for this shape is the style in which this cigar line is rolled. The name “Entubar” is derived from the rolling style, which is an old-world method in which the filler leaf is actually rolled into itself, and then the Nicaraguan Ligero filler is bunched independently and then re-bunched directly in the middle of the other entubar filler blend. This creates a spear of ligero that runs all the way through the cigar and comes out the top, creating what I term as the “nipple”.

The cigar line is blended with Nicaraguan Ligero filler and binder, and an Ecuadorian Desflorado Connecticut sun-grown wrapper. The line sizes consist of a Corona Macho (4 5/8 x 48), Robusto (5 3/8 x 54), Double Corona (7 5/8 x 54), Torpedo (6 7/8 x 56) and Gran Toro (6 5/8 x 64). As you can see, these are not small ring gauge cigars. For this review, I smoked the torpedo.

At the light (in which it is recommended and labeled to light the entire foot, including the nipple) the cigar gives off nice leather and earthy notes. I also noticed a bit of spice on the back of the smoke. The draw is surprisingly hard, and seemed to stay that way throughout the first two-thirds of the cigar. This was very disappointing, as one of the claims to fame for this cigar rolling technique is to provide a much better draw. This is not unique to this particular cigar, as I have smoked a few of these same shape and found them all to be the same.

As I smoked the cigar, I noted some very concerning construction issues (as you can see from the photos). The cigar was stored properly in my humidor at 71% humidity, which for my climate is perfect for all of my sticks. I would also like to think that I got a bad few from a bad box, but these cigars were purchased at different times from different shops. For some reason, this cigar just seems to like to bloom. I never noted any canoeing issues (which is where a cigar burns unevenly, giving the look of a canoe) but the wrapper itself began cracking not an inch into the smoke of the cigar and continued to audibly crack as I continued to smoke. The flavors of the cigar continued with leather, light spice and earthy notes all the way through the cigar, although at the end of the smoke I did pick up a bit more spice and a hint of coffee.

I would love to recommend this cigar as the shape alone is very unique, but due to the nature of the draw, construction and lack of flavor development and complexity, this is a medium-bodied cigar that I would avoid.

Well everybody is talking about their top cigars of 2010 today on twitter so that made me decide to go ahead and do my own top cigar list. This is a list of my top 20 cigars I have smoked in the last year, keep in mind these are not all new smokes for 2010 but just the best of what I smoked last year. I didn’t put to much thought into it or take a lot of time, I know what I like and will normally smoke them over and over.

I’m sure there will be some new cigars from last year that are not on the list. For one I didn’t hunt down every new cigar or limited cigar that came out last year, and two there where some new stuff or limited stuff that just didn’t make the cut. I will leave that to myself. If you see your favorite cigar not on the list you will just have to guess.

So here is my top 20, starting at 20 and going down to 1. Hope you enjoy. Keep in mind that unlike a blind taste test or review price does count when picking the cigars.

20. Ashton VSG Illusion

19. E P Carrillo Short Run Populares

18. 7 20 4 Robusto

17. Don Pepin Blue Invictos

16. Casa Fernandez Arsenio Maduro Robusto Grande

15. La Aroma de Cuba Mi Armor Robusto

14. La Flor Dominicana Air Bender Masetro

13. Avo Heritage Robusto

12. Padilla Dominus Robusto

11. 601 Green Tronco

10. Tatuaje Pork Tenderlion

9. Los Blancos NINE Maduro Lancero

8. Casa Fernandez Aganorsa Leaf Robusto

7. Illusione ~hl~ Maduro

6. CAO La Traviata

5. La Aurora 107 Corona

4. Don Pepin My Father Le Bijou 1922 Petite Robusto

3. Illusione Singulare Phantom

2. Tatuaje T 110

1. Illusione ~cg:4~

This is newest V-Cutter from Xikar, but if you have used the Wolf V-Cutter from Xikar in the past then you know this is going to be a real treat. When I first heard of this new V-cutter from Xikar I got really excited, in the past this would not have been the case. You see I was never a fan of the V-Cut, I mean why would I want a funny looking notch taken out of my cigar when I can just have a straight cut?

My love with the V-Cut started over a couple years ago, and I should clarify that. It is not a love with the “V-Cut’ but a love with one cutter. A friend of mine gifted me a Wolf V-Cutter probably close to 3 years ago now. First thought was “ok” thanks? I didn’t want a V-Cutter and besides I had a Xi cutter that I used. I put the Wolf in my truck door panel and pretty much forgot about it.To make a long story short I had no cutter with me one day and grabbed the Wolf to use it, and thats all it took. In one word, flawlessly! The blade cut through the cigar like a hot knife through butter. Needless to say this quickly became my go to cutter. I learned shorty after that it was sold by Xikar and they backed the product which pretty much explained everything.

Fast forward to today and Xikar has a new refreshing version of a metal V-Cutter coming out.. And the President of the company, Kurt Van Keepel, was gracious enough to send me one to try out.

Brand: Xikar
Model: VX V-Cut
Style: V-Cutter
Finish: Metal body with Gun Metal finish
Blade: Inverted V-Cut, Stainless Steel
Size: 4in x 1 1/2in
MSRP: $49.99
Release: Mid September to early October

The Cutter is made in a factory that makes all the Xikar knifes and also brands such as Gerber and CRKT. So I know it is made with supreb quality and workmanship.

Appearance:
Looking at the cutter from the business side (top side) there is nothing fancy about it, nothing extreme. The cutter has a curved out surface on the top and all edges are rounded off including the finger holes. The bottom side is concave to give it a smaller profile (plus it can hold your cigar if you need to set it down) and has 6 small stainless steel hex head screws holding it together, this is a nice contrast against the flat gun metal finish of the cutter. Also embossed along the bottom is the trademark Xikar logo, really classy looking

Ease of use:
Being that this new cutter has a metal body it has more heft to it then the plastic Wolf V-Cutter, giving it a much better feel in the hand. The cutter has two large finger holes, and a large bowl to place the head of the cigar in for the cut.This large bowl makes it easier then most V-cutters I have used or tried to use in the past, and along with the large finger holes I don’t see anybody having problems holding or using this cutter. Operating the blade is nice and smooth with just enough tightness to make it feel quality made and not cheap and loose.

Cut:
The best part, as it should be! The cut on this Xikar is just crazy, I have never had any cutter no matter size, style, or make that cuts better! There are two key factors to why this cutter works so well, of course the opening/bowl that you place the cigar head into. It is nice and deep, so you get a nice and deep cut with a wider opening then I have seen from other V-cuts. Part two is the blade, now the blade is very sharp but that is not the key to the good cut. Most blades on V-cutters start at a point and you are cutting the cigar from the inside (middle of the head) out. The blade on the Xikar is inverted, so you are cutting the cigar head from the outside moving in. This makes a very smooth clean cut with no tears to the wrapper at all. So you are left with a deep, wide, flawless cut every time.

Warranty:
Do I really have to add this? If you don’t know by now then you need to. Xikar has a lifetime warranty. Any problems and they replace it! LIFETIME!

Overall Thoughts:
Not a whole lot to add here, you can tell from my review I love this new cutter. I have used it on several cigars already and my friends have used it as well. All but one person was impressed right off the bat, the other thought it was a great cut but just didn’t like the way it felt in his hand. One last thing, the Wolf V that I use everyday has basically the same blade and has been used on roughly 900 to 1000 cigars between myself, my friends, and co workers. Besides the blade not being as sharp it still works and cuts perfectly and I expect the Xikar to do just as well if not better.

XIKAR FOR LIFE! http://www.xikar.com

The Room 101 cigar was shown off at last years IPCPR show but I have yet to review it and had one calling my name. I’m sure most know the story behind the cigar but for those that haven’t here is a little background. Matt Booth, the owner of a premium line of silver jewelry, clothing, and accessories, decided he wanted a cigar with attitude to go along with the rest of his line. Camacho Cigars turned out to be the company for him and they produce the Room 101 Cigars.

Room 101 by Camacho
I Purchased this cigar from Serious Cigars
Size: 305, 5 x 50
Wrapper: Semila 101, Honduras
Binder: Honduras
Filler: Honduras, Dominican Republic
Strength: Medium
Retail: $7.50

Appearance/Pre Light:
The stick was firm with a little give from head to foot but no soft spots, along the way are two black and silver bands. One large with a aggressive style with Room 101 and the other letting you know it was made by Camacho Cigars. It had a nice round triple cap, a medium chocolate brown wrapper that had a scent of tea leaves while the foot had a rich tobacco smell. The pre light draw was easy and had a weal tea taste.

First 3rd:
Plenty of smoke right off the bat with an easy draw. The flavor in this 3rd started off slightly sweet and earthy with no spice. It then turned to a sweet hay and stayed that way with a dull finish, like something wants to come out and say hi but is shy. The burn started off uneven and stayed that way but not bad enough to touch up. Ash was medium and dark gray and sideways due to the burn but held this whole 3rd.

Second 3rd:
Taste moved back to more of an earthy flavor before going back in forth between hay and leather without anything ever sticking out and taking control. Some sweetness did come back at the end of his 3rd. The finish did start to come out a little more but I never could put a finger on it, was still playing hide and seek with me. Ash did fall right before the half way mark of the cigar and the burn was still uneven but never got any worse then what it already was.

Last 3rd:
The sweetness got strong and I even got a little bit of spice out of this 3rd. The flavor ended up with the tea I was smelling on the wrapper and that I got from the pre light draw. The finish got stronger as well and I finally picked up some real flavors such as coffee and nutyness. Ash fell again about midway of this 3rd making it just a two ash cigar as well as the burn correcting itself.

Final thoughts:
This is a medium body smoke, medium if strength and medium in flavor. It had some decent flavor to it but nothing tha really stood out and said this is a great cigar. Construction was very good with a nice draw though out with a large volume of smoke. The burn was uneven for most of 2/3rds of the cigar but it never needed to be touched up and did correct itself. If you enjoy medium body cigars then the Room 101 is worth a try, but if you are looking for a bold full flavor cigar, stay away.

The ash on the cigar is a nice white color, however it is not a very strong one. I found myself ashing the cigar frequently.

The first third of the cigar was very earthy with some very powerful pepper notes on the retrohale.
The second third continued to bring on the pepper notes and produced a nice creamy flavor.
The finish of the cigar was about the same as the second third.

Overall I would say this is a good smoke, but not a great smoke.

Check out the video for more:

Cigar provided by Rocky Patel Cigars

Available sizes
Corona Gorda (6×46)
Robusto (5×50)
Toro (6.5×52)
Torpedo (6.125×52)

Smoking Time:90 minutes
Wrapper: Habano Ecuador
Binder: Jalapa
Filler: Nicaragua
Strength: Medium to Full

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/RockyPatelCigar

Other reviews:
Jerry of Stogie Review
Barry of A Cigar Smoker

The Air Bender is currently available in four vitolas, Matatan (5 x 50), Guerrero (6.25 x 54), Maestro (5.25 x 52), and Valiente (6.25 x 60). Each of these names honors a kung fu warrior, something that Mr. Gomez is enamored with.

I am smoking the Maestro.

Cigar: La Flor Dominican Air Bender
Size: Maestro (5.25 x 52)
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Beverage: Water
Smoking Time: 8:00
Humidor Time: A few weeks
Web site: http://www.laflordominicana.com/
Follow them on twitter: @LFDCigars

The Stogie Guys has a great article on the Air Bender here. Thanks to their great article for providing some details about this cigar.

Check out A Cigar Smokers review here.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Corojo
Binder: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 5/5 X 52 (Robusto Grande)
Smoking Time: 8:30
Refreshment: Water
Website: GHCigars.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/GHcigars

“The Cuban Stock Royal Selection is a master blend of the best Dominican grown tobacco aged in a wine barrel for 6 years, with a dark Ecuador wrapper which is shiny and silky. This cigar is full of rich coffee and nut flavors, and is medium to full bodied and super smooth. After all, we treat the tobacco for years, and the results are an absolutely royal class cigar.”

I do agree with the flavors that say will be present in the cigar. I also pick up a chocolate covered expresso bean flavor to it.

Smoking Time: 60 minutes
Size: Toro: 6 x 50
Website: CubanStockCigars.com
Beverage: Water, 12 year Jameson Irish Wiskey
Number smoked: 3
Method of procurement: Sent to me