Taster’s Notes: Liga Privada UF-13

The Liga Privada UF-13 is starting to creep into local shops after making appearances at events, shows and as handouts to people in the know. (We are not those people)

Before lighting, there are two things that are quickly noted. The triple looped whale-tail cap is evident from the moment you see them in the box. The strong lead of cinnamon broom is evident,  both to the nose and the palate with a pre-light draw.

The main body of the UF-13 develops into a medium bodied blend of black tea, cedar and now-distant cinnamon, and remains that way for a good portion of the experience.

Once lit, the UF-13 surprised several of our tasters with it’s medium body. Most were expecting a pretty good kick but didn’t receive it. Another superficial note worth making is the nice gray ash, that resembles a light gray sidewalk chalk (without the taste… don’t ask).

Just about the time that you start asking yourself if it will undergo additional development, a faint hint of cacao and a mid-level addition of cashew appear for the final third, giving it an interesting complexity during the final 20 minutes.

 

Taster’s Notes: Emilio AF Suave 6X50 Toro

Emilio AF Suave 6X50 Toro

This cigar is of mild/medium body with a pronounced note of grass and hay,  backed up with a dash of white pepper and a pinch of cinnamon.  Throughout the smoke it shows off a nice boldness of flavor for a mild/medium twig, including a rich creaminess that accents its core flavors nicely, allowing it an appeal to those that prefer stronger cigars.

Michael Herklots: An Editorial

Editor’s Note:  Michael Herklots is the Executive Director of Retail and Brand Development  for Nat Sherman Cigars.  Following an impassioned address to the online cigar community at the 2012 Chattanooga Tweet-Up, Mr. Herklots agreed to provide us with his comments in the form of a written editorial.  With a very special thank-you to Mr. Herklots, we present his thoughts:
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Ok, so first- Cigar Smokers, our Brothers and Sisters of the leaf, whether enthusiasts, bloggers, or whatever- I believe we all share an inherent desire to “better the industry”.  Everyone who loves cigars loves the discovery, loves the camaraderie, loves the culture… and loves their fellow BOTL’s and SOTL’s.  To that end, when you look at the folks who’ve dedicated their lives, and who’ve put their blood, sweat, tears, money, hard work, faith, and livelihood on the line to try and bring to market a product… the intention is of course, to be good and to be enjoyed.

When you look at the culture of enjoying cigars prior to the internet, the analysis and critique of cigars generally existed person to person… mouth to mouth.  Some folks kept notes.  Some folks shared opinions… but there was never such permanence for a review or opinion as there is today with the internet.  To like or not like a particular thing is one’s own opinion, and I believe 100% in a person’s right to share and express that opinion any way he or she sees fit.  But, I’d hope that before committing that opinion to the permanent record of cyberspace- he or she thinks about why they’re sharing the opinion publicly in the first place.

I believe the real reason is rooted in what I mentioned above- an inherent desire to better the industry… and engaging in the sharing of great products… ones that you enjoyed and hope others will enjoy as much as you.  But, I would simply offer for consideration… personally, I always focus on the positive experiences I’ve had.  Those are the stories I share with my fellow enthusiasts.  Those are the conversations I want to have with my fellow brothers and sisters of the leaf.  Those are the cigars I want to share and enjoy with folks.   Let’s face it- no one sets out, and invests their time and money into making a product that you won’t enjoy.

We’re inquisitive by nature- we always search…. And the internet has brought so much more information available at the click of a mouse.  If, I have a bad experience with a product… I don’t document it publicly, because it’s not worth the time it takes to write about it in the first place.  I move on from a bad experience.  I remember it.  And I don’t repeat it.  But, just because I had a bad experience doesn’t mean other people will have the same… it just means it wasn’t for me.  But we all get better at things when we experience things for ourselves… good and bad…

Our industry is under attack, at federal, state and local levels.  We need to work together to fight against the things that are killing our industry, rather than devote time to sharing negativity within our industry.  And even more- the folks who work in this industry, whether you like them or their products or not… these folks are working together to ensure we have an industry that we all enjoy.

The industry is connected.  It’s people are connected.  Every blog, review and opinion about our products, we read… positive or negative.  Might I ask, though- that if you have a negative experience, and have some helpful criticism, that you reach out to the manufacturer.  I can’t tell you how much we all appreciate feedback, positive or negative.  We need to hear opinions.  We need to know if there are problems so we can help resolve them.  Whether manufacturer, retailer or consumer- we’re all in this together.  We’re all cigar lovers… and through continued teamwork, support, and trial and error- we’ll continue to become a stronger, better industry for the future.

Michael Herklots

Taster’s Notes: Terazona XTC Robusto

This attractive and firmly rolled Robusto is a Medium-Full smoke with a rich, toasted tobacco being the main flavor placeholder.   It also has early notes of cinnamon and a touch of nutmeg.

Terazona XTC Robusto

These dissipate quickly into a bold consistency that displays a milkiness and a distant complexity of spice. There is an element of vintage flavor in this cigar.  The XTC line is one of three that Terazona produces.  It is available in three sizes. Terazona Cigars is a product of Eddie Terazona and his dog Khan.  Terazona cigars donates $5 from every box sold to the humane society.

Guest Review: Perdomo Grand Cru Sun Grown 2006 Grand Robusto

PUBLISHER’S NOTE:   This is the first in what we hope are many user-submitted reviews.   Feel free to submit your own taster’s notes via “comments”.     This submission was written by “The Right Reverend” who resides… not on the porch, but he is extremely cool and an excellent judge of cigars.  His comments regarding redheads alone makes him worthy of the porch.     This concludes this test of the Emergency Cigar System.   We now return you to your regularly scheduled program.
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I’ve had some bad Perdomo’s…one in particular that I cursed at. But I’ve found that they are like red-heads: super-hot or kick their butt to the yard.

Started off a little bossier than most sun-growns I’ve had. It had the obligatory sweetness you expect, but it wasn’t a soft, feel good, latte-sipping sweet. It was more of a jab and move, as it punched but didn’t last long. Only time will tell if it is setting me up for the rope-a-dope.

After a bit of time, its age started to show, in a good way. Call it experienced, I suppose. It is really gorgeous stick, for what I can see of it under the huge, perhaps excessive, band. Who am I kidding? That band is gorgeous. Baked caramel in color, but not overly veiny. Firm white ash with an even burn.

I tend to compare cigar bands to rock bands. This one is as flashy as KISS, but it’s unlike them in that it’s makeup isn’t covering for an inferior product. I’ve hit the sweet spot on this one now, and it’s making me smile. It has some strength to it with little to no acidity, which I am not a fan of, in my coffee or my cigar. I’m burning it faster than usual. It’s not the type where I set my fork and knife down between bites. In fact, as this point I’d be using my hands and wearing a plastic disposable bib with a pithy saying on it, like “Perdomo messed me up!”

I’m two-thirds of the way down this thing and it is holding up well. While my palette is not experienced enough to pull specific taster’s notes out of it, I know what I like, and this is it: a comfortable smoke with lots of flavor that I won’t walk away from quickly. It’s a perfect evening ending cigar, and I wouldn’t kick it out of bed for eating crackers.

I call it an hour, but I will call again.

Sincerely,
The Right Reverend

Taster’s Notes – Guayacan 5X50

The Guayacan 5X50 from Noel Rojas

The Guayacan brand debuted at the Orlando show a couple of weeks ago and we got our hand on some at the Chattanooga Tweet-Up. This 5X50 medium  (perhaps medium minus)  cigar begins with a lot of rich flavor and a nuance of spice.   It debuts a nice creamy lead with pronounced woody notes including oak cask and a dash of hickory.  Developing flavors include ground coffee, a wisp of butterscotch and a late arriving cacao.   All of these flavors entered into play, however the overriding flavor of this cigar was that of creamy smoke and wood with enough nuance and complexity to make this cigar enjoyable throughout.

All of the Guayacan cigar sizes have a different blend, however, with the 5X50 size, newcomer Noel Rojas appears to have a winner. This cigar is now in cue for a full Front Porch Cigars review.

Taster’s Notes: 1502 Black Gold – From Global Premium Cigars

The Black Gold blend is the strongest of the three 1502 blends produced by Global Premium Cigars.    The early presentation of this Mid-Full cigar is that of sun grown maduro tobacco with pronounced cinnamon and some medium pepper, which mellows nicely to a strong aged oak.   The majority of this Nicaraguan cigar smoked at medium-plus strength and remained very consistent throughout.   The 1502 line was launched at the recent IPCPR trade show in Orlando and is starting to appear in retail humidors.  Keep your eyes open for  a full Front Porch Cigars review of this notable newcomer.

The 1502 Black Gold from Global Premium Cigars

Taster’s Notes – JC the Cuban Roller 7 X 42 Long Corona

OK I know what you are thinking… JC the Cuban Roller?  Yeah.  He lives in St. Augustine FL and bills himself as a Master Cuban Roller with 20+ years of experience.   There isn’t exactly a lot of press about him other than the fact he is available for special events, and some basic info about his shop, in St. Augustine, which I THINK is called JC Rollers.

There was not going to be a review of any kind about this cigar.  It was one of those “I bought you a cigar because you like cigars” cigars.    Having never heard of JC Cigars, it went into the “storage” humidor, waiting to be given away or perhaps smoked when I was desperate.   Tonight, I was neither, but I decided to try it out anyway, for a couple of reasons.

First: I was in the mood for something I hadn’t tried before.  Second: I didn’t want to do a review tonight.  The other reviewer (the one that is funny and more cigar savvy than I am) is out of town.   Because of that, I wanted to smoke something of which I had only a single cigar.   Thus: JC Long Corona.   This is also why the photography is a bit on the drab side.  As I had not planned on even doing a review, I simply debanded, clipped, and lit this cigar, only to discover a few minutes later that is was delicious.  That is why the photos were taken in deep shadows, sitting on a Charlie Spivak album cover. (By the way, Charlie Spivak and his Orchestra pairs nicely with this cigar)

The JC band, removed from the surprise of the month.

The JC Long Corona… AKA… the “I didn’t see that coming”

 

Let’s be fair here.  I have never heard JC Cigars, nor of JC the Cuban Roller;  and to be honest, I had a second cigar (a Tatuaje Tubo) sitting right next to it, so after two puffs I could say “I tried it” then toss it for something I knew I liked.   That was 45 minutes ago.

The JC Long Corona is a Mild-Medium cigar with a natural wrapper.  Its primary influence other than a slightly tangy sweet tobacco is that of honey.  It’s not overly complex, and that might put off some aficionados that prefer the more of a punch or some advanced complexity, however in terms of taste (and that is how we party on the porch) it was absolutely delightful.

I am not sure if these cigars are available outside JC’s shop other than his basic web page.  If you are in St. Augustine, be sure and stop by his shop and pick up some of his wares, which are apparently all rolled in-house.  He has several sizes and blends available.    If there is one note worth mentioning, it is that this cigar has been aged for roughly two years and anything newly purchased might require some time to rest.

From the very beginning, Front Porch Cigars has been about bringing you the best cigars, regardless of make, price or marketing campaign.  Because of this, when we (or in this case “I”) discover a cigar that is this enjoyable, I am required by law to share.

Let me summarize with a completely unexpected comment.  If I find some more of these, and if they are of equal quality, this is a top 20 cigar.   I know there  is a lot of “IF” in there, but this stick was the best mild-medium cigar I have had in a long time.  The JC Long Corona has been a pleasure.

This has been really long winded for a “Taster’s Notes” submission, but this cigar was such a bolt of out of the blue, it needed to be expanded.   In addition, we like to give credit where credit is due, and JC deserves a lot of credit.    Now on to your regularly scheduled Taster’s Notes segment:

The JC Long Corona is a mild-medum blend displaying a sweet and slightly tangy tobacco flavor, tinted with pronounced honey.   Notes of dry leather and vanilla eventually develop.  Rolled in-house at JC Rollers in St. Augustine Fl,  the most pleasing aspect of this competently rolled cigar is actually in it’s blend, which remained consistently enjoyable throughout.

Taster’s Notes: Para Ti Prominentes 6X59

Para Ti Prominentes 6X59

 

The Para Ti Prominentes is a Dominican Puro, and is the result of a Fred Schrader/Pete Johnson union. Its prelight and early note is that of pepper and damp leather with woody and grassy overtones. These flavors stay strong until a progression toward black tea. The majority of this full bodied cigar is a combination of black tea and pepper, with a distant hint of cherry and leather.

Taster’s notes: Tabacos El Triunfador 7.5X38

The Tabacos El Triunfador, from Tatuaje is a is a mid-body, mid-flavor cigar with strong tenancies toward  Brazil nut early, maturing toward a sweet tobacco with caramel and black coffee.

Tabacos El Triunfador – Lancero