Review # 1,016 - LFD Double Press Habano

3.3 years old; Full Body; $10.40

Rating 4.2 out of 5  

Ecuadorian Wrapper; Nicaraguan Binder & Filler

Construction - Box pressed oily

Pre-light aroma was hay

Pre-light draw was hay

Drink - Coffee

1/3 - Very Good to great - Strong pepper with great Ecuadorian sweetness ;Sweet coffee  RH; good draw & nice paper aroma.   Erratic burn needs touch ups.

2/3 - Great - Less pepper in the flavor and very sweet RH.  Burn issues continue and went out

3/3 - Very Good - Mostly pepper on the draw at the end but sweet RH still there until the end.  Burn issues to the end as well.

Peeper finish

Easy band removal

Buy Again? Yes if I can find them

Future Aging?  None

Smoke Time - 1 hr. 45 min.

Happy Smoking

Don Ricardo

Review # 1,018 - Nestor Miranda 20th Anniversary Danno Rosado

3.2 years old; Full Body; $8.50 
Rating 3.3 out of 5 Nicaraguan Habano Rosado Wrapper; Nicaraguan Binder & Filler
Construction very lumpy and oily Wrapper cracking and coming apart as it is smoked Pre-light draw was sweet hay Drink Coffee
1/3 - Very Good - Nice and Sweet flavors. RH Molasses and Burnt coffee with a hint of licorice. Terrible burn and plugged draw - had to spike it twice but still not getting much smoke. Sweet old paper aroma. This would be Excellent if not for the burn, draw and wrapper issues. About 1 1/2" in the draw finally opened up. Unfortunately some slight bitterness has crept in as well. Long solid ash. 50 min. for 1st third.
2/3 - Very Good to Good - Molasses sweetness continues and it is both smoother and stronger at the same time. Bad burn continues due to wrapper cracking with touch ups required. RH Slightly bittersweet with some floral tanginess and a touch of peppermint! Very unique. 2nd third 40 min.
3/3 - Poor to Fair - Had to spike it again causing some more bitterness. Keeps trying to go out causing allot of puffing and ineffectual draws yielding little or no smoke. Went out and relights not helping. Wrapper cracking problem finally over. Had similar issues with the 1/2 Danno I smoked last year. Flavor flat and bitter at end due to strong draws to get any volume of smoke. RH mostly floral, if any. Put it down early. Tis a shame. Was hoping for much better.
Lightly sweet finish
Easy band removal
Buy Again? No
Future Aging? 1 aged
Smoke Time - 2 hrs.
In 2009 Nestor Miranda released a special size (7 x 56) of his Special Selection 20th Anniversary, named after his late son.
Happy Smoking
Don Ricardo

Review # 1,019 – Rocky Patel Summer 2008 Lancero

5 years old; Med to Full Body; $5.00

Rating 4.4 out of 5

Ecuadorian Sumatran Wrapper; Cameroon Binder; Nicaragua Filler

Construction – Oily, lumpy with some prominent veins

Drink - Milagro Tequila Select Barrel Reserve Reposado

1/3 - Great - There is such a nice light creamy sweetness to the beginning of this cigar. Firm draw still yielding plenty of good smoke.  Fairly even burn line; Sweet nutty oval chocolate RH; Great Spicy paper Cameroon aroma from the binder.

2/3 – Great to Very Good – Sweet flavors continue despite the fact that it got a little plugged so had to spike twice. Wonderful sweet RH and aroma

3/3 Very Good - Unfortunately the plugging still plagues this stick.  But after spiking it and it opened up, the flavors are great.  Sweet floral RH.  Aroma continues to be awesome. 

Spicy sweet finish

Easy band removal

Buy Again? Yes

Future Aging?  38 aged

Smoke Time - 2 hrs.

Happy Smoking

Don Ricardo

Review # 1,014 - Padron 1964 Habano Exclusivo

5.50" x 50 - 2.2 years old; Medium to Full Body; $14;

Rating 4.80 out of 5  

Nicaraguan Puro

Smooth box pressed

Pre-light aroma was hay

Pre-light draw was hay

Drink - Coffee with Bourbon

1/3 - Great to Excellent - Predominantly wood flavors with some pepper.  Wonderful old wood creamy retro-hales.  Perfect draw, perfect burn and solid white ash.  Sweet and peppery paper aroma.  What a winner!

2/3 - Excellent - Some coffee flavors mixed in with the wood both on the draw and RH.  RH still favorite part of the cigar, but the aroma is picking up in sweetness as well.  Draw continues excellent but the burn is a little erratic requiring some touch ups.

3/3 - Excellent - Sweet wood flavors with a hint of pepper continue.  Every draw is now accompanied by a marvelous sweet RH.  A little strength on the back of the throat, but well within Excellent parameters.   

Sweet peppery wood finish

Easy band removal

Buy Again? Yes

Future Aging? None this Size.  One aged Diplomatico and 3 aging Principes...need more

Smoke Time - 1 hr. 40 min.

A phenomenal cigar from beginning to end.  I keep going back and forth between 1964 Natural vs.1964 Maduro vs.1926 Natural vs.1926 Maduro - all of them seem to be the best of the choices while I am smoking them, so I guess there is no contest.. all are great.  I smoked this in my study whilst the cold winds blow outside, hence the picture of the cigar with the cigar review sheet on my computer.  

One site says that the cigar is "crafted with select sun-grown Habano tobacco aged for a minimum of two and half years." If that is the case, then this cigar had close to 5 years on it. Whatever Padron does to get such consistently great tasting and balanced Nicaraguan's when there are unfortunately other Nicaraguan's out there that are not so great is well worth the extra $$ they cost.

Happy Smoking

Don Ricardo

Review 1,003 - Illusione Le Petit

Smoke Date: 2-3-13

3 years old; Full Body; $5; Rating 4.0 out of 5  

Nicaraguan Rosado Wrapper; Nicaraguan Corojo Criollo Binder y Filler 

Construction - Lumpy rough

Pre-light aroma was hay 

Pre-light draw was sweet hay 

Drink - Coffee with Rum

1/3 - Very Good - Sweet peppery flavors; Sweet and peppery RH; good draw & sweet paper aroma. Wrapper cracking badly. 

2/3 - Very Good to Great - Flavors stronger and aroma better

3/3 - Very Good - Tamed down a little at the end.  Had some minor burn issues.

Spicy cigar finish

Easy band removal

Buy Again? Yes

Future Aging? 19 aged

Smoke Time 1 1/2 hrs

Smoked during the Superbowl.

Happy Smoking

Don Ricardo

Review # 1,002 - Perdomo Grand Cru Maduro Robusto

Smoke Date: 2-2-13

2.5 years old; $3.50; Rating 3.9 out of 5 

Nicaraguan Maduro Wrapper; Nicaraguan Binder & Filler Construction - Dark oily lumpy 

Pre-light aroma was honey 

Pre-light draw was honey hay 

Drink - Coffee

1/3 - Very Good -Sweet dark chocolate Maduro ; Dark chocolate peppery RH; firm draw & peppery aroma. Uneven burn requires constant touch ups.

2/3 -  Very Good To Great - Similar flavors with a little more floral. A little plugged - spiked it and it opened up.  Sweetness on the RH has picked up considerably. Burn issues remain. Seems to be burning fast, but actually burning off wrapper with torch trying to keep it under control.  Very weak flaky ash.  An ugly but tasty stick.

3/3 - Very Good to Fair - Flavors still good but still getting plugged. The burn / plug issues keeping the score down.

Dark chocolate floral finish

Easy band removal

Buy Again? Yes - if I can find this older blend.

Future Aging? None

Previous stick at 4.4  Burn issues not flavor dragged this one down 

Smoke Time 1 hr. 15 min.

Happy Smoking

Don Ricardo

Review # 1,001 - Arturo Fuente Anejo Reserva No. 46 2009

Smoke Date: 1-30-13

3.1 years old; Full Body; $12;

Rating 4 out of 5  

Connecticut Shade Maduro Wrapper; 

Dominican Binder & Filler 

Construction - Solid and Smooth 

Pre-light aroma was pipe tobacco 

Pre-light draw was honey hay 

Drink - Coffee with Scotch

1/3 - Very Good To Great- This puppy came out swinging with lots of pepper and dark chocolate; Tangy chocolate floral RH; Good draw &peppery paper aroma. Ragged burn requiring touch ups. 

2/3 -Very Good - Mellowed out but has some pepper still. Creamy sweet RH.  Burn still erratic. 

3/3 - Very Good - Return of the pepper at the end. All other flavors much the same.  

Tangy floral finish

Easy band removal

Buy Again? Yes

Future Aging? One this size trying to get to 4+ years.

Smoke Time 1 1/2 hrs.

Took advantage of this beautifully warm January evening to enjoy a second stick.

Happy Smoking

Don Ricardo

Review # 1,000 - Arturo Fuente Don Carlos No. 4.

Smoke Date: January 30th, 2013

8 years old;  Medium Body  $6.70   Rating out 4.6 of 5

Cameroon Wrapper; Dominican Binder & Filler Construction Smooth few veins 

Pre-light draw: Sweet Hay 

Pre-light aroma: Sweet Hay 

Drink: GlenDronach 18 Year Single Malt Scotch

1/3 - Very Good to Great - Sweet Cameroon with pepper flavors; Sweet smooth RH; good draw & wonderful aroma.

2/3 - Great to Excellent - What more can I say that I haven't already said about the flavors and aroma?  Love my Cameroons. It is almost a food group for me. Perfect burn to boot.

3/3 - Excellent - Cameroon Heaven!! Smoked to nib of nub.

Sweet Cameroon finish

Easy band removal

Buy Again? Uh...let me think...  YES!!!

Future Aging? 10 Aged 8 years and 25 aging.

Smoke Time 1 Hr. 35 Min.

When I first lit this, my 1,000th review cigar, I was not excited with the first draws. The Scotch is now actually a little too strong for this aged beauty and the spice just drew out the pepper in the stick with non-plus flavors.  Then the RH's and phenomenal aroma kicked in and I knew I had made the right choice to celebrate this auspicious occasion!  What a great cigar!  Age just makes it better and better.  Kudos to Don Antonio and Dan Pepin for the recommendation.  Congrats to both of you as you are the winners of the Don Ricardo Millennial Aged Cigar Contest.   

Happy Smoking

Don Ricardo