Review # 1,118 - Oliva Serie V Special V Figurado

Review Date: 05-26-13

Review Time: 3:45 PM

Review Setting: Front cool and windy

2.9 years old; Full Body; $8.50

Rating 4.25 out of 5  

Nicaraguan Habano Sun Grown Wrapper; Nicaraguan Binder & Filler

Construction: Solid oily with a few veins

Size: 6 x 60 Figurado

Pre-light aroma was none

Pre-light draw was honey

Drink - New Hope Almondiera Wine

1/3 - Great - Honey and pepper flavors on the draw.  Sweet peppery wood RH.   Strong so far and a little harsh on throat.

Good draw, pepper aroma & ragged oily burn with solid ash.

2/3 - Great to Very Good - Sweet pepper flavors on the draw. Nice sweet wood RH.

Burn still bad with constant touch ups.

3/3 - Very Good - All about the same.

Sweet wood finish

Easy band removal

Buy Again? Yes

Future Aging? One aged

Smoke Time: 2 hours

Happy Smoking

Don Ricardo

Review # 1,119 - Diamond Crown Maximus No. 5

Review Date: 05-27-13

Review Time: 9:20 AM

Review Setting: Front glorious warm sunshine.

2 years old; Full Body; $10

Rating 3.4 out of 5  

Ecuadorian Sun Grown Wrapper; Dominican Binder & Filler

Construction: Firm, dark, oils glistening in the sun with one prominent vein.

Size: 5 x 50

Pre-light aroma was Chocolate

Pre-light draw was Honey chocolate.

Drink - Coffee

1/3 - Very Good - Spicy leather and wood flavors on the draw.  Dark coffee with lots of pepper RH. The pepper is a little harsh on the throat Firm draw but still getting plenty of smoke to chew. Dark paper aroma & fairly even burn with very weak flaky ash. Need to either constantly ash it or wear the ashes - which of course clash with my black pants.

2/3 - Good - Bitter coffee and wood flavors on the draw with less pepper.  Slightly sweet wood and coffee RH. 

Continued firm draw with moderately uneven burn.  Surprisingly strong stick -too strong for a morning cigar.  Had to take a break and eat a banana.

3/3 - Good to Fair - Bitter leather flavors on the draw. Wood RH.  All else same.

Tangy dark wood finish - lots of cigar oils on the lips.

Easy band removal

Buy Again? No

Future Aging? None

Smoke Time: 1 1/2 hrs.

Happy Smoking

Don Ricardo

So far not overly impressed with Diamond Crown - especially at their high price point. I had smoked the Robusto No. 4 Maduro and gave it a 3.2

Three famous cigar families were brought together to create the Maximus: the Stanford Newman family, the Carlos Fuente family, and the John Oliva family. The Fuente family continues to provide their "secret" blend of 5 year-old Dominican filler and binder, while the Oliva family produces the 5 year-old sun-grown Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper grown at their El Bajo plantation in Ecuador.

Top 51 - May 2013

Below is my current Top 51.  When I look at this list, I am as surprised as some of you might be with the cigars on the list.  I am as equally surprised by not seeing some of my best friends on this list.  My palate changes over time and maybe even seasonally, so that accounts for some of these.  Many are currently One Smoke Wonders and the 2nd stick might move it off the list.  But currently, it it what it is.  Hopefully this will entice you to try something different.  Please feel free to shoot me your lists too!
Happy Smoking, 
Don Ricardo
P.S. - Had to make it 51.. couldn't bring myself not to include the Don Pepin Demi-Tasse

Smoked Query Main Cigar Average

Main Cigar	Rating	Brand	Price	Wrapper	Qty Smoked
Cubao No. 3 Lancero	7.50	Cubao	$7.00	Ecuadorian Sumatran Oscuro	1
Padron 1964 Habano Exclusivo	4.80	Padron	$14.00	Nicaraguan	1
RP Summer 2008 Robusto	4.80	Rocky Patel	$4.00	Ecuadorian Sumatran	1
AF Flor Fina 8-5-8 Rosado Sungrown - 2002	4.75	Arturo Fuente	$10.00	Dominican Rosado	1
Ashton VSG Sorcerer	4.75	Ashton	$11.60	Ecuadorian	1
AB SCR Churchill	4.75	Alec Bradley	$7.00	Honduran	1
La Aurora 107 Lancero	4.75	La Aurora	$7.00	Ecuadorian	1
Nub Cameroon 464	4.70	Oliva	$5.75	Cameroon	1
AF Anejo Reserva Xtra Veijo No. 48 2008	4.70	Arturo Fuente	$11.00	Connecticut Maduro	2
La Aurora Preferidos Cameroon Lancero	4.68	La Aurora	$6.96	Cameroon	15
Illusione Epernay Le Grande	4.65	Illusione	$4.50	Nicaraguan Café Rosado	1
AF Opus X Perfecxion X 2007	4.65	Arturo Fuente	$17.00	Dominican Rosado	2
Ashton Heritage Puro Sol Churchill	4.60	Ashton	$10.00	Cameroon	2
LFD Coronado Gorda	4.60	La Flor Dominicana	$8.00	Nicaraguan Sun Grown	1
AB SCR Gran Robusto	4.58	Alec Bradley	$8.00	Honduran	3
Punch Honduran Pita Maduro	4.50	Punch	$7.00	Connecticut Maduro	1
AB Havana Sun Grown	4.50	Alec Bradley	$6.75	Ecuadorian	1
Nub Cameroon 464T	4.50	Oliva	$5.00	Cameroon	1
Puros Indios Toro Especial	4.50	Reyes Family	$5.00	Ecuadorian Sumatran	1
AF Don Carlos Double Robusto	4.50	Arturo Fuente	$10.35	Cameroon	1
Padilla Miami 8 & 11 Salomon	4.50	Padilla	$25.00	Nicaraguan Corojo	1
Exile Robusto	4.50	Exile Cigars	$7.00	Ecuadorian	1
AF Anejo Reserva No. 77 "Sand Shark" 2007	4.50	Arturo Fuente	$35.00	Cameroon	1
Vibe Corojo	4.50	Rocky Patel	$4.50	Honduran Corojo	1
Padron 1926 Maduro No. 35	4.50	Padron	$10.75	Nicaraguan Maduro	1
Cohiba Esplendidos	4.50	Cohiba	$30.00	Cuban	1
HDM Cuban Petite Robusto	4.50	Hoyo De Monterrey	$9.00	Cuban	1
Illusione Epernay La Ferme	4.43	Illusione	$9.30	Nicaraguan Café Rosado	3
Illusione Epernay Le Matin	4.40	Illusione	$9.00	Nicaraguan Café Rosado	1
AF Casa Fuente Torpedo	4.40	Arturo Fuente	$25.00	Cameroon	1
Fonseca Cubano Limitado Toro	4.40	Fonseca	$7.50	Honduran	2
Padron 1964 Maduro Exclusivo	4.40	Padron	$10.98	Nicaraguan Maduro	2
AF Casa Fuente Belicoso	4.40	Arturo Fuente	$25.00	Cameroon	1
AF Don Carlos No. 3	4.36	Arturo Fuente	$7.52	Cameroon	6
Astral Cameroon Beso	4.35	Astral	$5.00	Cameroon	1
Tabacos Baez H	4.35	Don Pepin	$4.50	Nicaraguan	2
AF Hemingway Signature Maduro	4.33	Arturo Fuente	$8.19	Connecticut Shade Maduro	3
AB SCR Corona	4.32	Alec Bradley	$6.42	Honduran	3
AF Don Carlos No. 4	4.31	Arturo Fuente	$6.81	Cameroon	12
Oro Cubano Natural Lancero	4.30	Oro Cubano NJ	$4.00	Dominican	1
AF Don Carlos Edicion de Anniversario 2006 Robusto	4.30	Arturo Fuente	$25.00	Habano Sun Grown	1
Perdomo La Tradicion Reserve Champagne C	4.30	Perdomo	$6.75	Connecticut Shade	1
Padron Family Reserve 45 Years Maduro	4.30	Padron	$26.00	Nicaraguan Maduro	1
Pinar Del Rio Petite Maduro Salomon	4.30	Pinar Del Rio	$10.00	Dominican Maduro	1
Cohiba Robustos	4.30	Cohiba	$10.00	Cuban	1
Nub Habano 358	4.30	Oliva	$5.00	Nicaraguan Habano	1
AF Casa Cuba Toro	4.30	Arturo Fuente	$10.00	Unknown	1
Ashton VSG Belicoso No. 1	4.30	Ashton	$11.00	Ecuadorian	1
AF Unkown Don Carlos	4.30	Arturo Fuente	$10.00	Unknown	1
LFD Limitado III Toro	4.28	La Flor Dominicana	$9.00	Ecuadorian Sumatran	3
Don Pepin Blue Label Demi-Tasse	4.26	Don Pepin	$4.03	Nicaraguan	10