cuban cigars

Home Cuban Cigars FAQ Shipping & Billing Contact Tell a Friend Cigar Articles Privacy

cigar ratings

cigar tasting notes

My hunting (and capture) list. I'm purposefully seeking these out to see if I can find a cigar "home."

Sources:

UiS=Up in Smoke (DBA Tobacco Lane, Irving Mall
Gal=Galleria, Dallas
LS =Lone Star Cigar, Dallas
TC =Tobacco Club, Dallas (Midway/Trinity Mills)

By my cigar ratings only:

93      Romeo & Julieta Churchill (Cuban tubo)
92      Aliados Pyramido
90      Royal   Jamaica   Churchill Mad
89.5    Aliados Churchill Deluxe
89.5    J.R. Alternative to Royal  Jamaica   Giant  Corona  Maduro
89.5    J.R. Alternative to Ashton Churchill
89      Hoyo de Monterrey Sultans Maduro
89      La Unica #100
88      Excalibur #1 Maduro
87      Macanudo Prince Phillip Mad
87      Arturo Fuente Hemingway Short Story
86      Aliados Valentino
85      Hoyo de Monterrey Exc. #1
85      La Unica #400
84      J.R. Alternative to the Ashton 898
84      Arturo Fuente 8-5-8
83      Cuesta Rey Maduro
83      Caballeros Churchill
82      Partagas Robusto
80      El Rey del Mundo tissue-wrapped robusto
80      Cuesta Rey 898
75      J.R. Alternative to Macanudo Prince Philip maduro
75      Punch #75
75      Hoyo de Monterrey Rothschilde robusto
75      Arturo Fuente Panatella Fina

ROBUSTO tasting

 
Arturo Fuente Hemingway
5x50
My cigar ratings:      85/87   $2.85?@UiS
CA Rating:      na
4/18/95         Thoroughly enjoyable.  Perfecto tip was nice as it made
for a very even light.  This shape is not for me, but I enjoyed it.
Maybe try the signature line in a larger size?
 
>> New tasting
Canaria d'Oro Rothschild maduro
4.5x49
My Rating:      80      $1.60@LS
CA Rating:      81      $1.50
6/25/95         The wrapper seemed brittle to my teeth (I tend to hold
the cigar in my teeth when turning a page or when pouring a beer or
whatever).  Super, super light, especially for a maduro.  It was so dark
I'd call it oscuro, in fact.  Technical merit 75, emotional appeal for
some reason 85.  I'm gonna compromise and call it an 80.
 
El Rey del Mundo Robusto
5x54
My cigar ratings:      80      $2.50@LS
CA Rating:      83
5/10/95         Tissue-wrapped.  This finely-made smoke was good-looking
and felt right in the hand, but had a simplistic woody/twiggy flavor.
Like hot bark or something.  Maybe my tastebuds are off. In this size
and for about the same $$$, I'd have to recommend the A.Fuente hemingway
Short Story.
 
Hoyo de Monterrey Rothschild
4.5x50
My Rating:      78/75   $1.79@Uis
CA Rating:      86      $1.55
5/7/95            Non-descript flavor, loosely constructed. Burned
very fast, hot, and unevenly.  At times it tunnelled down the edges
about 1". :(
 
La Unica #400 
5x50
My Rating:     85      $2.50@Edwards
CA Rating:     na
11/1/96        Good.  Not as good as it's #100 brother, but very enjoyable
nonetheless.  Excellent wrapper, nice taste, pleasant aroma.  A solid B.
 
 
 
>> New tasting
Licenciados Wavell
5x50
My cigar ratings:      85      $2.85?@TB
CA Rating:      88      $2.20
6/24/95         A solid robusto, a nice experience.  And the pretties
band of all, if label aesthetics is your game.  :)  I didn't rate it
higher because it seemed a little murky, a little dank.  I'll try
another one if I can find another outlet for it.  Maybe that box was
just grunged.
 
 
Partagas Robusto
5.5x49
My Rating:      84/82   $3.10@Gall
CA Rating:      86      $2.95
5/5/95          Well constructed.  I may be liking this shape better.
Fairly non-descript but of decent quality, the ash had a definite
reddish tint particularly at the center.
 
----------
wish list
----------
 
Macanudo Hyde Park
5.5x49
My Rating:
CA Rating:      87      $3.20
 
La Gloria Cubana Wavell
5x50
My Rating:
CA Rating:      85      $2.15
 
La Gloria Cubana Wavell maduro
5x50
My Rating:
CA Rating:      90      $1.65
 

CHURCHILL tasting

Aliados Churchill deluxe
7.25x54
My Rating       89.5    $3.25@LS
CA Rating:      88      $3.00
5/20/95         Dammit!  Tight draw again.  What is up with this smoke?
It's excellent when you can smoke it.  Other times it's just impossible.
Grrr...
5/20            The draw problems of the smaller sizes are relieved
here.  Same transcendant pure tobacco aroma and flavor.
 
Aliados Valentino
7x47
My Rating:      86      $2.75@LS
CA Rating:      91      $2.75
4/13/95         Exquisite smell and taste.  Overwhelmingly positive
public reaction. Hard draw.  Need to re-taste.
5/5/95          Draw was easier this time, but still very firm.  Almost
hard to the touch.  Not dry, just hard.  Excellent flavor and aroma. The
ash tends to 'flower out' [my term] at the end.  I'd say 'bloom' but
that has another connotation.  Seems to me that the excessive tightness
of the construction causes the tip of the ash to pull away as it gets
long. Would give it a 90-91 if the draw were less extreme.
 
Caballeros Churchill
7x47?
My cigar ratings:      83      $3.70
CA Rating:      na
5/21/95         A well-made, evenly smoking cigar.  Completely
undistinguished. No personality.  
 
>> New Tasting
Cuesta Rey 898
7x49
My Rating:      80      $3.00?@UiS
CA Rating:      na
6/20/95         Nicely built but tasted hot and barky-brushy like a Te
Amo only not so bad (worse than the #1, though).  Same gray, powdery ash
like in the #1.
 
J.R. Alternative to the Macanudo Prince Philip Maduro
7.5x49
My Rating:      75      $1.60@LS
CA Rating:
6/19/95         This is the alternative to the Macanudo Prince Philip Maduro.
Although the flavors were very nice (sweetish coffee?) and had a
gorgeous aroma this smoke simply was not worth the effort. The draw was
/viciously/ hard, worse than the Aliados could ever hope to be.
Grrr....  I bought two of them but only smoked this one.  I hope the
first one was a fluke.  I fought it for about 15m and then stomped it
out in disgust.
 
Macanudo Prince Philip
7.5x49
My Rating:      86/87   $3.65@UiS
CA Rating:      NR
5/8/95          Much nicer than expected...  usually macanudo is too
tame.  Easy cocoa flavors that were well blended into the whole.  This
big smoke does what the RJam Churchill does, only not quite so well.
Rather firm to the touch, but with a perfect draw.  I think I would like
this one better if it were a 51-52 ring gauge.  One of the prettiest,
most even, and white ashes seen so far.
 
Sosa Churchill
6 7/8x49
My Rating:      84      $3.05@LS
CA Rating:
5/11/95         Wrapper looked like it wanted to come undone so I smoked
it earlier than expected.  Light but pleasant color and nice flavor
(even if too mild).  I kept thinking 'pumpkin pie' while I was smoking
this one, so it either reminded me slightly of roasted pumpkin seeds or
maybe nutmeg; i can't tell which.  Maybe a bit of cedar, too.
 
----------
wish list
----------
 
H. Upmann Monarch
7x47
My cigar ratings:
CA Rating:      87      $3.60
 
Arturo Fuente Double Chateau
6.75x50
My Rating:
CA Rating:      90      $2.35

LONSDALE tastings

 
J.R. Alternative to the Ashton 898
6.5x44
My Rating:      84      $1.20@LS
CA Rating:      NA
6/18/95         Nice, creamy base to this alternative, but it was marred
by hot, woody flavors.  : Maybe it's just a function of the thinner
cigars when I have a bias toward fatter ones.  Gave one to my boss and
he went nutso over it.  Wait tell he tries the Churchill in this line.
 
>> New tasting
J.R. Alternative to the Paul Garmirian lonsdale.
6.5x42
My cigar ratings:      85      $1.20@LS
CA Rating       NA
7/11/95         Smooth, well-finished wrapper with even finish.  Even
burn with slighly gray firm ash.  Medium-flavored with an honest tobacco
profile.  Slightly firmer draw than I might otherwise like, or it would
have warrante an 86.
 
----------
Wish list
----------
Aliados Lonsdale
6.5x42
My Rating:              $2.20@LS
CA Rating:      91
 
Licenciados Excelentes
6.75x43
My Rating:
CA Rating:      89      $2.20
 
Arturo Fuente Spanish Lonsdale
6.5x42
My Rating:
CA Rating:      88      $1.65
 

PANATELLA tastings

Arturo Fuente Panetela Fina
7x38
My cigar ratings:      75      $1.95@UiS
CA Rating:      85      $1.75
5/9/95  Unenjoyable.  Based on this experience, I will likely not try
any more Panatellas. Although this smoke had a lovely dark wrapper, it
had a too-hard draw and unpleasant taste characteristics.
Dry-harsh-bitter-chemical-plastic tasting. Blech.  It burned evenly with
a medium-gray ash.  The ash held together well but the wrapper buckled
up right before it was burned, making a kind of ridge all around the
foot.  :  I wouldn't make convicted felons smoke this.  And it's doofy
looking.  Has no 'presence' in the hand, for want of a better term.
 
----------
Wish List
----------
Belinda Belinda
6.5x36
My Rating:
CA Rating:      87      $1.40
 
Cuesta-Rey No. 2 Cabinet
7x36
My Rating:
CA Rating:      87      $2.00
 
 

FIGURADO tastings

Aliados Pyramido
7?x60
My Rating:     92!     $5.00@LS
CA Rating:
July 1995      Oh, wow.  I don't like the shape for two reasons.
1) I tend to hold the cigar in my teeth when shifting or pouring, etc.  
This was a big smoke, but the little end in your mouth just seemed too 
small for the weight of the cigar.  2)  The extremely wide gauge (60) of 
the business end worried me that it might be difficult to get and 
maintain an even burn.
Even given these reservations, this cigar was glorious.  Dense layers of 
tobacco flavor, maybe some musky leather flavors.  Yummmm... smoked it 
for about two hours.  :)  Smoked the first one on the lawn at Dallas' 
Shakespeare in the Park and received only happy comments.  I can't wait 
to find some more in stock.
 
----------
Wish List
----------
La Gloria Cubana Torpedo No 1
7.25x52
My Rating:
CA Rating:      92      $2.65
 

CORONA

Arturo Fuente HemingwaySignature Perfecto
6x47
My cigar ratings:
CA Rating:
5/5/95          I can't review this one because I gave it to my best
friend.  :)
 
Honduras Special Release #4 (bundle)
approx 6x42
My rating       84      Free sample from LS
CA Rating       na
8/4/95          Nice dark maduro, good draw with lots of smoke.
Somewhat soft construction.  Reminded me more of a AF Curlyhead than
anything else.
 
Punch #75
5.5x43
My Rating:      75/70       ?@UiS
CA Rating:      82          $1.15
4/24/95         OK flavor but terrible construction.  Uneven draw then
came completely undone.  Boo, hiss.
 
----------
wish list
----------
Canaria dOro    Coronas         6«x43   85      $1.60
Cuesta-Ray      Cent Col #5     5«x43   84      $2.10
Don Lino        Peticetro       5«X42   87      $1.55
HdMonterrey     Excalibur #5    6¬x43   85      $2.60
La Gl habana    Glorias         5«x43   84      $1.35

CORONA GORDA

 
Joya de Nicaragua Toro Maduro
~6x48
My rating      78      $2.35@TC
CA Rating
12/16/95       I picked this out to give Joya another try (see Viajante).
The color was absolutely gorgeous, a deep and slighty uneven woody 
brown.  Construction was rustic: veiny and serious lumpy (smallish lumps 
rather than undulating wave-like lumps. 
The draw was too tight.  :(  It eventually plugged completely about 
halfway (25mins) into the smoke.  I didn't even have to try hard to put 
it out; it had been a challenge to keep lit.  The ash was very firm 
although a dirty gray color.  Same barnyard murky undertones I have grown 
to expect from JdN.  
 
 
JR Alternative to the Don Diego Corona Gorda
6x50
My cigar ratings:      84      $1.20@LS
CA Rating:      na
8/4/95          Simple but nice.  Decent, if somewhat veiny,
construction.  Burned quite evenly with a slightly unfirm white ash.
 
 
Arturo Fuente 8-5-8
6x47
My Rating:      84      $2.25@UiS
CA Rating:      86      $1.90
5/8/95          Dark-looking wrapper, about like a light maduro.
Excellent construction, feel, and appearance.  Lit well and burned
perfectly evenly.  Ash held together nicely and symmetrically.  Can't
report on the color of the ash as I was smoking in the dark on the
porch.  :)  The flavor, although slightly bark-like, remained consistent
throughout (even when I intentionally smoked it too fast for about
5mins).
 
 
----------
wish list
----------
Belinda         Cabinet         6x45    89      $1.65
HdMonterrey     Excalibur #3    6¬x50   89      $2.80
Licenciados     Toro            6x50    93      $1.95
 

DOUBLE CORONAS tasting

La Unica #100
8.5x52
My Rating:     89      ~$3.50@LS
CA Rating      na
12/1/96 Man, this is the best of the La Unica line, IMO.  Big, even,
earthy, honest tobacco flavors.  Like the best properties of the Cuba Aliados
line, only not quite so much so. Nice wrapper.  I could be persuaded to make
      this an everyday smoke.  I'd forgotten how much I like big smokes.    
 
Cuesta Rey #1 maduro
8.5x52
My Rating:      84      $3.75@UiS
CA Rating:      na
6/21/95         Well, it was ok, worth smoking.  The aroma is quite nice
(smelled one the tobacconist was working on and bought one like it).
Decent-looking wrapper and construction, but seemed to burn a little
unevenly.  The ash was grayer than I like and also somewhat powdery
looking.  Tasted brushy, kind of like a Te Amo only less so.  See also
the 898 listing.
 
Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur #1
7.25x54
My Rating:      85      $3.40@UiS
CA Rating:      89      $3.10
4/1/95          Very Nice.  Better than the Sultans Natural.  Excellent
construction.
 
Hoyo de Monterrey Excalibur #1 Maduro
7.25x54
My cigar ratings:      88      $3.40@UiS
CA Rating:      88      $3.10
4/22/95         Very nice!  But I think the Sultans Maduro is better.
Need to retaste both for comparison.
 
Hoyo de Monterrey Sultans Maduro
7.25x52
My Rating:      89      $3.10@UiS
CA Rating:      89      $2.75
4/1/95          Excellent.  C. Afficianado is right on the money with
these ratings. The flavors in the Sultans Maduro seem to be more even,
more blended.  Ash tended to 'flower out' at the tip when it got long.
5/23/95         Wonderful.  After a rash of uneven smokes and gutless
cigars, this Sultans comes through like a favorite wool jacket. Slightly
unstructured, but honest, integrated, well-made, and totally
comfortable.  Fine whitish ask that holds together well. I'm going to
buy some for my best friend. What else can you say?
 
J. R. Alternative to the Royal Jamaica Giant Corona Maduro
7.5x49
My Rating:      89.5    $1.60@LS
CA Rating:      na
5/20/95         Holey Moley.  This smoke is the JR alternative to the
Royal Jamaican Giant Corona Maduro.  Truly, truly fine.  Almost
indistinguishable in flavor from the RJam churchill maduro. Burned
evenly with a gorgeous gray-white, firm ash. Would have warranted a 90
but the shape was slightly imperfect (ie, the construction was good but
the sides were not perfectly straight).  I suspect this is a second from
the RJam factory. I'll try the Alternative to the RJam churchill mad
when it is in stock again.  And look at that price!
 
J. R. Alternative to the Ashton Churchill
7.5x52
My Rating:      89.5    $1.60@LS
CA Rating:      na
6/19/95         This is the alternative to the Ashton Churchill, which
CA places in the DCorona category because of ring gauge. Exquisite.
Mild but flavorful (honest tobacco flavor with mild and toasty leather
 
                          touches).  Bur

 

 

 

Cuban Cigars | Products | FAQ | Shipping & Billing | Contact | Testimonials | Cigar Articles | Affiliates