La Jugada Habano Review/UG Goodfellas Guest Review

I recently had the honor of being approached by several members of the elite secret cigar charity group the Underground Goodfellas.  The Underground Goodfellas asked me if some of their members could do a few cigar reviews, and spread the word for an up coming cigar auction to raise money for charity.  Here is a little more information written from a Underground Goodfellas member. "The Underground Goodfellas is a secret society of the Underground Cigar Shop & Lounge dedicated... to improving the lives of UG members through random acts of charitable kindness with no expectation of notoriety, repayment or retribution while maintaining an atmosphere of good will, brotherly love and good times for all members including the brethren of the society."

The Auction is on Sunday March 16th at 8:00 pm EST on the Underground Cigar Group on Facebook.

Stats:

Cigar: La Jugada Habano

Size:  6 1/8 x 52

Vitola:  Belicoso

Wrapper: Habano

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Factory: La Zona in Esteli, Nicaragua

By: Undergound Goodfellas Member

 

First off, I would like to thank Ryan from 2 Cigar Guys And A Humidor for the opportunity to do a review and to Don Wiggins from the Underground Cigar shop for providing the La Jugada Habano.

 

I don’t usually read reviews because I think every ones palate is diverse and could change based on what you ate, drank or smoked that day. I smoke all types of cigars, because you will never know what cigar you might like until you smoke it. So this is going to be a blue collar review. I am not a professional. I just know what gives me the sense of “damn that’s a good cigar”. I like a complex cigar with a lot of smoke, ornate bands and good construction. The La Jugada Habano has all of them.

 

I headed to the casino to fire this up in peace and irritate all of the cigarette smokers. Upon removing the cellophane, I notice the dull brown Habano wrapper. The seams are well hidden and no veins are apparent. I do like the ornate band. I found the La Jugada to be superior in construction with no soft or hard spots. I did get a little spice from the Habano wrapper on the pre lite draw.

Lighting and the first third:

I toasted the foot with a match, and continued to light. I like a lot of smoke and the La Jugada Habano didn’t disappoint. I filled the surrounding area with a large cloud of wafting smoke. This cigar right off is a creamy spicy pepper bomb. The retro hale was nice and surprisingly didn’t burn as I thought it would, I did pick up some peat and hints of chocolate. The pepper continued through the first third. The ash was like a brick and the cigar burned razor sharp.

The second third:

The cigar still put a good amount of smoke out. It was a consistent medium cigar through the second third. The complexity did change, the pepper transitioned into woody earthy flavor with hints of coffee and chocolate on the retro, which was still nice and didn’t burn my nose. If you cannot retro hale, you should try it, you will pick up many more flavors of your cigar.  The ash held firm until I broke it off as I think to myself; Damn that’s a good cigar.

The final third:

The flavor profile again transformed to a spicy peppery goodness. I never thought the cigar made it to full body, it was a consistent medium to me and creamy to the end. The retro hale still gave hints of coffee and cocoa. The smoke stayed strong, the ash was still amazingly intact and would have lasted from start to finish without a doubt. The burn was still razor sharp. I think to myself damn I wish I had another one.

Final thoughts:

The La Jugada Habano satisfies in every way. The flavor profiles change to challenge the palate; the construction and appearance are superb.  The ash is strong and it produces a good amount of smoke. The burn is razor sharp and never needed to be touched up. The La Jugada series would be a great addition to your humidor if you only smoke the larger name brands. I would put this cigar up against any of them as an alternative. I was going to Krump it but the casino was calling my name, as I set the nub in the ash tray, I think to myself “Damn that was a good cigar”. Finally, my recommendation, in the words of George St-Pierre “Buy it, which your money”.

Core Zero Cigars Metal Review

Cigar: Core Zero Metal / CZ Cigars

Size: Toro 6x52

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Maduro

Price: $6.00

     

     CZ Cigars started from the ideas of Bryan and Nick with thoughts of making a cigar based on their metal rock band from Denver, Colorado Core Zero. Bryan with his military and law enforcement background set out to make a quality cigar at a reasonable price that military personnel and police officers could afford. CZ Cigars was later born and in their first line released two blends the Indie and Metal.  The Indie is a medium bodied cigar with a Sumatra wrapper.  The Metal is medium to full body maduro.  CZ cigars are manufactured in Estelli, Nicaragua in the "cathedral" factory with tobacco that is aged for at least three years.  Today I am going to review the Metal.

The Band/Appearance:

The band is silver metallic, red, black, and showcases the name of the company Core Zero.  The cigar also has a foot band which identifies what blend you are smoking either the Indie or Metal.  The band also has a outline of a shiny silver metallic badge in the center which identifies the law enforcement roots of the company.  The wrapper of the Metal is a Nicaraguan Habano Maduro.  The wrapper is dark brown with medium size veins, and has a semi oily feel to it.  The Metal has a light pre lit aroma of leather, with a hint of cedar.

The Beginning:

Well as I always say lets toast this cigar up and get started.  The first few draws seem very light with hints of leather, cloves, and a touch of cedar.  The smoke output is a lot heavier than I thought and the cigar is burning well.  The ash is dark and seems to be holding well.   I would say this cigar is very light for a maduro. I would classify it as a medium body at the end of the first third.

The Middle:

In the second third the leather taste is still dominating my palate.   I am picking up slight hints of pepper and a butter pecan taste.   The burn is really sharp and the construction continues to be flawless. The Metal is not very complex in flavor and continues to smoke like a medium body cigar. 

The End:

I have reached the final third of the Metal. The hints of cedar and leather have taken over my palate again. The pepper taste is very dull at this point and the delightful hints of butter pecan have disappeared. The construction has continued to be flawless though the entire smoke. 

Final Thoughts:

The metal is definitely a medium body cigar that would be a great Maduro for the beginner smoker. If you like a cigar with leather,cedar,pepper, and hints of butter pecan for dessert than you will enjoy the Core Zero Metal. The cigar had great construction and quality for the price. It's time to rank this cigar on the 2 Cigar Guys And A Humidor Scale. I have gave the Core Zero Metal a score of 8.1 out of 10.  I would like to thank Bryan for sending a sampler to me for the review.  Check out there website at CZ Cigars.

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Black Label Trading Company Review Redemption/Last Rites

    One night I was checking out the Underground Cigar Group on Facebook and I noticed a post by Don Wiggins about a new boutique cigar company that he was going to carry at the Underground Cigar Shop and Lounge.  The post immediately grabbed my full attention because I love to smoke boutique cigars.  The presentation of the cigars from the post picture intrigued me.  The cigars in the post were from the Black Label Trading Company.  Let's be honest how could you not be interested in cigars with names like Salvation, Redemption, Lawless, and Last Rites.  James Brown the owner of  Black Label Trading Company runs the philosophy of his company that less is more.  Brown also has an attitude which is stated on the BLTC web site which says "Our attitude re-thinks standards for cigar making, and caters to cigar lovers and aficionados tired of a mainstream, mass produced approach to cigar making."  In today's special review I am going to review the Redemption from BLTC and see if  this cigar lives up to the attitude and philosophy from BLTC.  I almost forgot since today is a special review, and a first time for 2 Cigar Guys and a Humidor. Danny Smith special guest reviewer from the Underground Cigar Group will be providing a review on the BLTC Last Rites.

Cigar: BLTC  Redemption

Size: 6 X 60 Box Press

Wrapper: Aged Nicaraguan Maduro

Filler: Nicaragua

Binder: Nicaragua

Price: $14.00 courtesy of  Underground Cigar Shop and Lounge

By: Ryan Bloomer

Appearance/Band:

The BLTC Redemption Box Press is a Nicaraguan puro with a dark chocolate maduro wrapper that smells as good as it looks.  The pre-lit aroma smells of cocoa, coffee, and hazel nut.  The wrapper is very smooth and the construction of the box press is phenomenal.  The band art work and script just screams bad ass!

The Beginning:

Well as I always say lets toast this cigar and get started.  The first few draws were very smooth with minimal smoke output.  The burn is razor sharp and the ash flawless.  I can taste strong hints, of sweet tobacco, cocoa, cinnamon, and a slight touch of cedar.  The hints of cocoa and cinnamon are not over powering at all on my palate, and seem to blend well with the sweet tobacco taste.  The cigar continues to burn razor sharp with no touch ups needed.

The Middle:

I have reached the middle third of the cigar and I feel like I am on auto pilot.  This cigar requires no work or touch ups, its just allowing me to relax and enjoy the experience.  The hints of cocoa, cinnamon, and sweet tobacco are all still present on my palate.  The slight hint of cedar has disappeared and given away to a touch of white pepper.  The hint of white pepper is in no way over powering, but instead blends well with the other notes.  The ash and construction continues to hold up well.

The End:

I have now entered the final third of the cigar.  I am still in auto pilot mode enjoying this great boutique cigar.  The cigar continues to be a dessert bomb.  The hints from the middle third of the cigar are all still very present here in the final third.  The burn is still razor sharp with the wrapper and construction holding strong down to the finish.  The redemption is a consistent dessert bomb to say the least.  With only a thousand boxes released James Brown has held true to his philosophy of less is more.  The quality and taste of the redemption is outstanding.  This cigar is a must buy with an overall rating of 9.7 out of 10 on the 2 Cigar Guys and A Humidor scale.  I would like to thank James Brown and Stephanie Harris for providing the cigars for the review.

Guest Review

By: Danny Smith

BLTC - Last Rites

Cigar:  Black Label Trading Co.- Last Rites (Box Pressed)

Size: 5x54

Wrapper: Aged Ecuadorian Maduro

Filler: Nicaragua & Honduras

Binder: Honduras

Retail Price: Around $12.00 - $14.00

 

            First thing I notice about this cigar is the bands.  BLTC did an awesome job with the bands on these things...they just scream badass!  Alright, on to the cigar.  The appearance is quite nice.  The wrapper is a dark chocolate brown and is firm to the touch...not spongey at all and it smells the way a cigar should.  I cut this beauty with the trusty xikar and toasted it up with a xikar as well.  The cigar lit easily and the initial draws leave a bit of spice on the tongue.  I can already sense that this is going to pair great with this Rowan’s Creek bourbon.  Lord knows this Kentucky boy needs a great bourbon to go with his cigar. 

 

1st Third

 

            The first third of this cigar tastes of spice, earth, and some cocoa as a background flavor.  The cigar is burning beautifully through this portion.  The ash being a light gray, almost white and is holding on strong.  At this point the cigar is very smooth...draw is a little tight for my liking bordering on the tight side of medium and the smoke production is a little lower than I would like.  Lets see if that changes...

 

2nd Third

 

            As I get into the second third and approaching the half way point of this cigar the draw remains a bit tight but smoke production has definitely picked up!  The spice is kind of lingering on the back of my tongue but the flavor is now predominantly of earth and cocoa....which just happens to be right in my wheelhouse. 

 

Final Third

 

            The flavor remains very earthy with hints of cocoa as the spice fades.  Burn continues to be spot on (no touch ups required throughout the smoke) and the smoke production remains good to the finish.  The cigar never became bitter or harsh at all.  It was enjoyable all the way through (as evidenced by the fact that I smoked it until my fingers began to burn) and I would certainly smoke it again. 

 

Final Thoughts

           

            I really enjoyed this cigar from start to finish.  The cigar burnt great, smelled wonderful, and tasted delicious (not to mention the cool factor those bands add).  Pretty good combination if you ask me.  On the downside....the draw was a little tight but nothing that was any real annoyance and of course price.  These babies come in at a price that is a little more than some may want to spend, especially for a cigar from a new company.  That being said, I will certainly pick up a few more to throw in the humidor.  I would definitely recommend giving the BLTC Last Rites a try! 

Hechicera By Sotolongo Cigars

Cigar: Hechicera

Size: 4.5 x 50 (Robusto)

Wrapper: Nicaraguan

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan

Price: $6.50-$7.00

By: Ryan Bloomer

Would you want to be held captive by a cigar sorceress that uses charm and beauty to captivate and enchant your affection?  I think I would say yes to that especially when you throw in the cigar part with it.  Hechicera was the name of a sorceress that happened to posses such a power.  Hechicera is also the first line from Grace Sotolongo of Sotolongo Cigars.  Sotolongo is looking to use her charm and beauty to captivate your affection in the form of a warming cigar.  Today we are going to Review the Hechicera and see if it posses the power to captivate you.

The Band:

The artwork on the band of the Hechicera was done by Nimoska Perez Castellon who is a friend of Grace's.  I really like the band of this cigar its vary artistic and when you look at it you get the feeling your standing inside of an art gallery.  The Nicaraguan wrapper is light brown in color and seemed to be a little oily to touch.  The cigar seems smooth with small to medium size veins.  The band and the wrapper overall brings a warming experience to the cigar.

The Beginning:

Lets toast this cigar sorceress up and get smoking.  The first few draws were very mild with notes of cedar and peanuts on my palate.  As I continue on through the first third of the cigar I continue to pick up notes of cedar along with a slight touch of cinnamon.  The burn is very loose and seems to be burning rather quickly as I start to get to the middle of the cigar.  The smoke output is average and the construction is holding up very well.

The Middle:

The cigar seems very loose and is burning way to fast.  The great notes of cedar and cinnamon that were apparent in the first third of the cigar have completely disappeared.  The only thing that I can taste on my palate at this point is burnt wood.  I kind of started to feel like I was not in the art gallery setting that the band of the cigar had taken me to earlier.  I would say that the burnt wood taste made me feel like I was sitting around a camp fire with the sorceress of fire.

The End:

The cigar continues to be loose and burn very fast. I keep wondering when the notes of cedar and cinnamon are going to return.  I never was able to get those notes on my palate back but I did pick up a slight touch of mild spice and pepper as I near the end.  The construction of the cigar has burnt very evenly with no touch ups needed all the way to the end.  The Hechicera has been quit an experience to say the least.  The beginning of the cigar started out very good with a great mix of cedar and cinnamon which was very relaxing and captivating.  Then I hit the middle of the cigar which took me on a burning camp fire experience.  I then reached the final third of the Hechicera which again seemed to slowly bring me back with a blast of  mild spice and pepper to finish it off.  I would rate this cigar a 6.8 out of 10 on the 2 Cigar Guys and a Humidor Scale.

Don Vicente Cigar Company Churchill Maduro Review

Cigar: Don Vicente Churchill Maduro

Size: Churchill (7 X 50)

Wrapper: Cameroon Maduro

By: Ryan Bloomer

With winter in full effect from the icy Arctic blast that most of us received through out the country I decided to review a cigar with the potential to warm things up quickly.  Today's review takes us out to sunny Sin City Las Vegas, Nevada home of Don Vicente Cigars Company.  Don Vicente cigar family has been blending and rolling the finest cigars for generations.  On the web site Don Vicente states that they have used the finest long leaf tobacco from Nicaragua and Ecuador to create a rich, flavorful blend.  Don Vicente Cigars are hand rolled and manufactured by top Cuban rollers in the Las Vegas store creating a unique personal cigar for each individual.  Lets see if the Don Vicente Churchill Maduro can bring some Vegas warmth to this Arctic blast.

The Band/Appearance:

The Don Vicente Churchill Maduro has an elegant simple band that is quit golden if you ask me.  The band is black and gold and contains the signature Don Vicente logo on it along with the website.  The wrapper is a chocolate brown Cameroon maduro that emits a fabulous pre lit aroma of sweet tobacco,coffee beans, and cedar.  The construction of the cigar is well maintained and seems to be rolled very smooth with little bumps or indentations.

The Beginning:

Well as I always say lets toast this cigar up and get started.  The first few draws of the Don Vicente were very smooth with a strong taste of sweet tobacco, which was picked up in the pre lit aroma.  The simple sweet tobacco taste along with the hints of cedar and a little bit of cocoa are very enjoyable.  The cigar is burning well with a light smoke output, and little construction issues at this point. 

The Middle:

I have now reached the middle point of the Don Vicente Churchill Maduro and I was taken off guard by the blast of white and red pepper that immediately hit my palate.  The blast of pepper along with the sweet tobacco taste, which is holding strong instantly warmed me up.  The construction of the cigar is burning straight with no touch ups needed at this point.  The ash is a snow white that is very loose and seems to flake off easily from the end of the cigar.

The End:

I have now approached the end portion of this pepper bomb.  I am continuing to get strong hints of white and red pepper on my palate along with a touch of cedar. I am also getting a slight hint of cocoa near the end mixed with the sweet tobacco taste.  The cigar continues to burn well with little problems near the end.  The Don Vicente Churchill Maduro has definitely warmed me up on this cold Arctic afternoon.  If you like a strong taste of sweet tobacco and a explosion of pepper at the midway point of your cigar then this is a must try for you.  The 2 Cigar Guys would definitely recommend that you pick up a few Don Vicente Churchill Maduro's for a great smoke that gives you a variety of taste and spices on your palate.  Check out Don Vicente Cigar Company at https://www.facebook.com/dvcintl 

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Perdomo Habano Maduro Review

Cigar: Perdomo Habano Maduro

Size: Toro (5.5x54)

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Maduro

Price: $5.00-$6.50

By: Ryan Bloomer


 Today I am very stoked about smoking the Perdomo Habano Maduro.  This is the first time that I have tried this cigar and the only other cigar I have tried from Perdomo line is the Lot 23.  I have heard good things about the Habono Maduro, which is one of the reasons I decided to review this stick.

The Band/Appearance:

The band on the Perdomo Habano Maduro is very elaborate, and easily catches the eye of a customer in a local shop searching for something new to smoke.  The back of the band represents were the tobacco was grown on the Perdomo Farms from the Nicaraguan regions of Jalapa,Esteli,and Condega.  The band at the foot of the cigar adds a little extra elegance to serve and protect the bottom portion of the cigar.  The dark oily brown Nicaraguan maduro wrapper gleams when struck by the light.  This cigar easily sticks out and grabs your attention.  The wrapper seems very smooth and the veins are very little which allows the wrapper to stay smooth.

The Beginning:

Well as I always say lets toast this cigar and get started.  The first few draws were a little tight but were easily overlooked by the explosion of sweet tobacco, cocoa, and coffee bean on my palate.  I also picked up a little bit of a pepper taste that quickly gave way to the sweetness of the tobacco.  The smoke out put is very minimal and the ash is a snowy white color.

The Middle:

The draw on this cigar still seems a little tight.  I really can look past that because the flavor seems to be picking up and has been great.  I am tasting hints of chocolate along with the coffee bean, and sweet tobacco.  I have also picked up a butter pecan taste that is phenomenal.  I feel like I just got a dessert from a five star restaurant in my garage.  The cigar construction seems to be average and has been burning fairly straight through the middle portion of the smoke.

The End:

The draw has loosened up some which has made it a little easier to taste this great dessert stick.  The flavors from the middle portion of the cigar are all apparent as I get to the end portion.  I really like the sweetness and butter pecan taste to this cigar.  If you like a sweet dessert like Maduro you are going to want to get your hands on the Perdomo Habano Maduro.  The price of this cigar makes it easy to enjoy on a weekly basis.  I look forward to stocking my humidor with these for a great after dinner smoke.

Hermosa Review

Cigar: Hermosa (Scott de la Pena)

Size: Toro (6 x 52)

Price: $8.80 (Courtesy of  Underground Cigar Shop and Lounge)

By: Ryan Bloomer

The band of this cigar and the name says a lot about Scott de la Pena's Hermosa Cigars.  Hermosa means beautiful in Spanish, which complements well with the band featuring a beautiful shadow like figure of a woman holding a cigar.  There is no doubt that the band along with the nice light brown Ecuadorian wrapper grabs your attention to this cigar.  The Hermosa a medium to full body smoke contains a Nicaraguan filler and binder containing double ligero.  With a filler and binder like that you expect this cigar to have a nice kick to it.  The anticipation is killing me it is time to smoke this cigar and see if the taste can live up to the appearance of the Hermosa.  The first quarter of the cigar hits your palate with an array of tasty spices that are not to strong but some what complex.  I can taste hints of cinnamon, white pepper, and a touch of butterscotch.  The smoke out put is minimal and has a decent aroma to it.  The ash is a dirty white and holds together pretty well.  The construction of the Hermosa is holding up very well with no touch ups needed to correct the burn.  The taste of the cigar has stayed about the same as the first quarter of the smoke.  I would classify this cigar as a medium body smoke.  The cigar construction continues to burn effortlessly along with a smooth draw as I reach the finish of this cigar.  I have picked up some hints of hazel nut and carmel to accompany the spices on my palate.  The finish of this cigar was fantastic with the slight change of taste which kept you interested.  If you like a medium body smoke with a light touch of complex spices and carmel butterscotch this cigar is a must try.  I look forward to keeping the Hermosa in my humidor.  I decided to give the Hermosa a rating of 8.6 out of ten on the 2 Cigar Guys and A Humidor scale.  If you have not tried the Hermosa yet I recommend you go out and search for that dark shadow band of a woman holding a cigar, and you wont be disappointed.

Check out Hermosa Cigars at https://www.facebook.com/hermosacigars 

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Underground with Don Wiggins

By: Ryan Bloomer


If you were going to open a cigar shop and lounge how would you do it? Would you use social media to help you start?  Well Don Wiggins the owner of the Underground Cigar Shop and Lounge has used social media to build an empire of brother's and sister's of the leaf worldwide. Wiggins started a group on Facebook called Underground Cigar where people all over the world can post pictures, chat about cigars, and form friendships.  Wiggins on a regular basis has held contest's, online herf's, and other cigar activities in his group. Wiggins is an avid supporter of Cigars For Warriors and even has a separate cabinet humidor just for CFW inside the shop. Wiggins has showed his deep compassion for cigars and his friendly caring love for members of the group which has helped build his business. The nice thing about the Underground Cigar Group is that everyone is welcome to the group as if they are part of a family of cigar smokers. Wiggins recently held his grand opening of the Underground Cigar Shop and Lounge in Texas which brought in people from all over the country for a weekend of fraternal cigar smoking.  If you are looking to open a cigar shop and lounge it would be safe to say that you should get a hold of Don Wiggins of the Underground Cigar Shop and Lounge and learn how he used his group and social media to build a family following to his business.  I would recommend if you are a brother and sister of the leaf go check out Underground Cigar and become a member of the family.  Wiggins doesn't see you as a customer he sees you as a friend and in this day in time it's rare to find people like that in business. I would like to wish Don the best of luck with his new shop and I look forward to seeing you in the Underground.

Check out Underground Cigar Shop and Lounge at http://www.undergroundcigarshop.com

Aging Room M356 Review

Cigar: Aging Room M356

Size: 6 1/2 X 60

Price: $ 8.50

By: Ryan Bloomer

If you live in the north there was probably a good chance you were in your yard with your rake, blower, or mulcher battling leaves this weekend. Saturday afternoon I decided to take up my battle with the leaves, but I decided I better get a nice yard gar out of the humidor to help with the mental battle.  I immediately saw the Aging Room M356 whith it's medium brown Habano seed wrapper, which made it stick out for some reason.  I grabbed the M356 out of the humidor and prepared it for yard gar duties against those pesky leaves. Just to remind you I usually don't do reviews while doing work at the same time but there is always a first for everything. Enough about leaves and yard work lets get in to this review of the Aging Room M356.  The first few draws put out a strong pepper with a little spice taste on my palate. The pepper and spice continued for the first quarter of the cigar. The construction of the cigar looks good but I am already having problems with the burn. The wrapper is cracking and it's a constant battle with the uneven burn. The halfway point has lead to little change in this cigar unfortunately. The hints of pepper and a little spice is still there but not much else flavor wise. The burn on the cigar is not improving.  I feel like I am now battling the cigar rather than the leaves in my yard.  Well I haven't done this for awhile but I actually stopped smoking this cigar after the halfway point. The aging Room M356 has some nice hints of pepper and spice, but if your looking for more this is not the cigar for you. I decided to rate this cigar a 4.5 out of 10 on the 2 Cigar Guys And a Humidor scale.  This cigar is not even a cigar I would recommend for yard work. 

Liga Privada No. 9 Review

Cigar: Liga Privada No. 9 by Drew Estate

Size: 5 X 52

Wrapper: Connecticut Broad leaf

Price: $12.70

By: Ryan Bloomer

The great Roger Maris of the New York Yankees wore the number 9 on his jersey during his professional baseball career.  Maris was a great baseball player that was not very popular with the fans until the end of his career.  Today's review the Liga Privada No. 9 is kind of similar to Roger Maris in some ways.  The No. 9 has always been a good cigar that just recently has made a surge from behind the shadows of the T52 by Liga Privada.  The No. 9 has recently become one hard cigar to get your hands on due to the demand.  The No. 9 is a Nicaraguan with a Connecticut broad leaf wrapper that was originally made for the liking of Drew Estate president Steve Saka.  The pre smoke aroma is strong with hints of sweet tobacco.  The construction of the No. 9 appears to be great as most of the Liga Privada line is.  Well lets toast this cigar and see why they have become a hard to find.  The first few draws hit me with an explosion of pepper, spices, and some sweet tobacco.  The sweet tobacco taste has continued but the strong hints of pepper have calmed down greatly from the initial explosion of the first few draws from the cigar.  The construction of the cigar at the halfway point has been flawless.  The cigar is burning evenly, which is always a positive when you don't have to do a touch up.  The ash is a solid white and the smoke output is thick and heavy.  The smoke output would immediately grab any ones attention in the room.  Hints of cocoa and a touch of chocolate has hit my palate to accompany the sweet tobacco taste of the cigar.  The cigar continues to burn strong with the added hits of cocoa, and hazel nut which gives it an impressive ending to your smoking experience.  I have decided to rate the Liga Privada No. 9 a 9.5 out of 10 on the 2 Cigar Guys And a Humidor scale.  I would definitely recommend that you get your hands on a few of these before its to late.

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Headley Grange Review

Cigar: Headley Grange by Crowned Heads

Size: Corona Gorda:  5 5/8″ x 46

Price:  $7.95-$9.45

By: Ryan Bloomer


Headley Grange was released in 2012 by Crowned Heads.  Crowned Heads came up with the concept of the cigar by a tweet that said “I wish we could blend a cigar that tastes the way the drums sound on ‘When The Levee Breaks.”  When The Levee Breaks is a song from Led Zeppelin which was recorded in a recording studio in England called Headley Grange.  Headley Grange has a Nicaraguan binder and filler and is produced in the Dominican Republic.  The wrapper is a medium brown Sumatra Ecuador which has a beautiful aroma to it.  The cigar band is gold, black in color, and has a simple touch to it that is elegant at the same time.  While lets toast this cigar and see if the Headley Grange is worthy of an encore performance.  The first few draws has put out notes of pepper and earth tones with a slight touch of leather on my palate.  The cigar puts out a mild smoke output and has a medium to hard draw to it.  The construction and burn are average at this point.  I did have to touch up the cigar once in the first half of the smoke.  The cigar continues to have great flavor of earthy tones along with a hint of coffee beans that just started to kick in on the last quarter of the cigar.  The smoke and spices in the last quarter of the cigar are definitely very complex in a good way.  Near the last quarter of the cigar I again had to correct the burn.  Well its time to rate this cigar using the 2 Cigar Guys And a Humidor Scale.  There is no doubt that this cigar is great on the palate but I was a little disappointed on the construction and burn of the cigar.  I decided to give this cigar a 7.6 out of 10 on the scale.  If you like a great tasting cigar the Headley Grange is for you but be careful of the construction and draw of the cigar.

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