Cigars   Cohiba De Dominicana Torpedo

A relatively new brand, introduced just in 1968, Cohiba quickly became the flagship brand of the Cuban cigar industry. The line was initially developed as a medium-bodied cigar to be presented only by officials of the Cuban government. But alas, signs of capitalism emerged and the brand was was later marketed widely in 1982. First rolled in the El Laguito factory in Havana, the "Cuban" Cohiba line is now produced in the Fernando Perez German factory as well. And now, it is also being produced in the Dominican Republic by two separate entities, Monecristi de Tabacos, who holds Trademark for Cohiba in the Dominican Republic and General cigar, who owns the trademark for the name in the U.S.

Panel Review: Immediately, look for an aesthetically rustic and inviting medium-brown wrapper. It's well constructed, the draw firm but quite adequate. Note an even, nice firm white ash indicating properly aged tobacco. We found the smoke volume substantial and the aroma pleasantly spicy. Look for a truly characteristically Dominican flavor, full of taste and offering plenty of spicy pepper characteristics. Overall, it's well balanced, well constructed, and packed with flavor.
Cigars   El Mejor Box-Pressed Maduro Churchill
"El Mejor" translates to "the best" and you'll see why after you fire up this tasty churchill this month. Hand rolled in Nicaragua, the entire blend is from that country, including Cuban Habano-seed Nicaraguan filler & binders and Nicaraguan wrapper leaves making it a Nicaraguan puro. This box-pressed churchill is a rich and robust smoke packed with flavor. Not for the timid, it's best to enjoy this one with some food in your stomach!

Panel Review: We think this tasty treat is what every maduro ought to taste like! We found it rich, offering an even-burn, and clearly aged for quite some time. Note a fairly strong cigar, rich and full of flavor. It's wrapper hints to flavors of black pepper and spice as well as a sweet, almost maple syrup flavor. It's well constructed, offering a firm, yet not too tight draw.
Cigars   La Corona Torpedo
The good folks at Altadis won't admit it, but ever since they moved production from Honduras to the Dominican Republic, this cigar smokes every bit as great as Playboy line by Don Diego! They're produced by the same manufacturer, the blends are listed as the same, they bear a striking resemblance in taste, appearance is very similar…even the box is almost identical. We're thinkin' that they might have just thrown some "La Corona" bands on a few extra Playboy cigars that were laying around! Bottom line? If you like the Playboy line, we pretty confident you're going to enjoy this one too.

Panel Review: Immediately note a beautiful Connecticut shade wrapper. It's well constructed, offering a long, slow burn and easy draw. The blend of Dominican binder and filler tobaccos creates a very tasty, medium to full-bodied cigar. Note a core of spiciness and a slight tartness in the finish. Overall, smooth and flavorful.
Cigars   Montague #2 Natural Wrapper Corona Gorda
Spices and tobaccos first brought Indonesia its early success in international trade. Now, after many years with no presence in the U.S.cigar market, a new variety of wrapper leaf coupled with a modern cigar plant have effectively restored the "Spice Islands" to their former status in the tobacco industry. Indonesia's rising profile in the tobacco industry isn't just limited to the growing and curing of tobacco. While it may be true that until recently, there was no such thing as an Indonesian cigar, the Montague line has filled the void, offering the country's first significant premium long filler production, Indonesian produced brand.

Panel Review: The first thing to note about this cigar is its rich, oily, dark Brazilian broadleaf wrapper. It simply begs you to light it! We found it to be filled with a generous portions of tobacco, yet not rolled too firmly. Look for and easy draw and even burn to the end. Our panel found the flavor to consist of a core of Indonesian spiciness. Its medium-bodied and offers a hint of cedar, and a light toastiness. Look for a lingering earthy finish.
Cigars   Partagas Sabroso Corona
Prior to Castro taking power in Cuba, the Partagas line was made in Havana under the strict supervision of Ramon Cifuentes. After leaving Castro's Cuba, Cifuentes moved to Santiago, Dominican Republic and continued production of the Partagas brand. The Dominican version of a well known and respected Cuban brand features a spicy Cameroon wrapper and Mexican-Dominican blend.

Panel Review: Immediately note excellent construction, as one might expect from Partagas. Note a handsome, rustic cigar, rolled with precisely the right amount of tobacco. We found the flavor to be full, rich and unquestionably properly aged. It begins mild, but quickly picks up steam and builds to a spicy, full-bodied smoke. Note a spicy finish with a trace of burnt cedar evident. Overall, we were impressed with its complex flavor and boldness. Consider pairing it with you favorite Czechoslovakian Pilsner or an Oban Scotch.