Gabriel's Picks

Gabriel
GABRIEL
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TASTE:All
HOBBIES:Playing guitar, watching movies, reading
STRENGTH:Medium to Full
FAVORITE BRANDS

Arturo Fuente Don Carlos

Crowned Heads Le Careme

Liga Privada H99

Foundation Olmec Claro

Tatuaje Havana VI Verocu Blue No. 2 5"1/2 * 54

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Tatuaje Havana VI Verocu Blue No. 2 51/2 * 54
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I have been a fan of Tatuaje about as long as I've been smoking, but for some reason or another I never picked up the blue version of their classic red-banded Havana blend. It's no doubt a good looking cigar; a velvety Nicaraguan Corojo 99 wrapper drape a Nicaraguan binder and fillers, and the patriotic red and blue bands make for an inviting presentation. Upon lighting I'm greeted with cedar right off the bat. Warm, toasty wooden flavors combined with a pronounced hint of black pepper. I can immediately tell that this cigar is stronger than it appears, a common aspect of a good chunk of Tatuajes portfolio. The construction is excellent, the cigar burns evenly and the draw gives lots of smoke. Going into the second third I start picking up on creamier flavors as the pepper settles down a bit, though it still tingles the nostrils on the retro-hale. The flavor of the tobacco is on the drier side as opposed to sweet, likely owing to the Corojo wrapper. Moving past the second third, the spice lingers and the cigar is getting noticeably creamier. The smooth flavors of cream and cedar are complemented very well by the spice from the black pepper. The Havana Verocu Blue No. 2 is a fantastic, balanced smoke, great for a newbie looking to branch out or an aficionado looking for a solid medium bodied stick. I'd pair this with a sweeter whiskey like a bourbon or an Irish whiskey to further balance the smoking experience. Picked on 07/12/2024

Joya de Nicaragua Antano Gran Reserva GT20 6" * 54

Joya de Nicaragua Antano Gran Reserva GT20 6 * 54
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I've chosen to review today a true classic from Drew Estate: the Joya de Nicaragua Antaño- but, with a twist. This Gran Reserva edition varies in a few aspects from the Antaño you may be familiar with. It's box-pressed, and the extra aging on its premium fillers promise it to be a smoother blend than the traditional Antaño. The dry draw imparts hints of molasses and fruit. Upon lighting I'm greeted with sweet notes of leather and coffee. As I suspected this cigar is less spice forward than the standard Antaño but its definitely still present, mostly on the retrohale. Moving past the halfway point that spice starts creeping in, complemented by a sweet chocolatey finish. It was at this point the cigar needed to be touched up a few times. This Antaño Grand Reserva finished as strong as it started with satisfying notes of chocolate and spice. A must try for Drew Estate fans, or fans of the Antaño looking for a change of pace. I'd recommend pairing this smooth, medium-plus bodied cigar, with a smooth Irish whiskey. Picked on 04/18/2024

Villiger Cuellar Connecticut Kreme Torpedo 6"1/4 * 52

Villiger Cuellar Connecticut Kreme Torpedo 61/4 * 52
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For my review this week, I selected the Villiger Cuellar Connecticut Kreme Torpedo. Appearance wise, this cigar is gorgeous. The elegant white band draped over the silky smooth Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper make for a very inviting presentation. Upon lighting you're greeted with a wave of nutty, creamy aromas. The torpedo has an excellent draw and prduces lots of smoke. Tasting notes of cashews and hay envelope the pallet in the first third. I detected a subtle aroma of spicy cedar in the retro-hale, which I thought complemented the cigar quite well. Moving on to the second third, the spice is fades while that nutty sweetness lingers. At this point in my session the burn needed correcting a few times. No drastic corrections were required however, owing to its good construction. Warm flavors of baked bread and honey are present, and its spice still tickles the nose. The Kreme started strong and ended strong with the same sweet and nutty flavors. A smooth finish of café con leche lingers on the pallet after finishing. This light, creamy Dominican selectionn makes for a great morning cigar to pair with a coffee and a crossword puzzle to start your day right. Picked on 02/18/2024

Excalibur 1066 Maduro Dark Knight I 5"3/4 * 54 

Excalibur 1066 Maduro Dark Knight I 53/4 * 54 
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This full-bodied toro from Hoyo de Monterrey drew me in as soon as I saw it on the shelf. A dark, oily Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper contrasted by a gold label, the Dark Knight I is a cigar that looks as good as it tastes. The dry draw gives sweet notes of chocolate that serve as a delicious precursor for whats to come. Upon lighting you're greeted y=by that familiar chocolate taste complimented by a fragrant spice from the Broadleaf wrapper and Nicaraguan fillers. Draw is a little open for my liking, but this stick produces plenty of smoke. Smoking through to the second third, the spice gives way to an earthy funkiness thats classic in Honduran tobacco. Faint notes of spice linger on in the form of black pepper that tickle the sinuses on the retrohale. By the final third that sweet earth taste takes over. The black pepper provides some nice complexity without overpowering the sweet maduro taste. The Dark Knight I provides smooth maduro complexity and stiff strength levels for a toro. A good draw and a burn that only needed to be corrected a few times are signs of good construction. I'd recommend you eat a nice meal before smoking this potent stick and pair with an aged rum to cut through that mineral taste. Picked on 01/16/2024

L'Atelier Surrogates Big Ten Robusto 5"1/4 * 52

LAtelier Surrogates Big Ten Robusto 51/4 * 52
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Nothing makes you want to try a cigar like a big red exclamation point on the box? The L'Atelier Surrogates Big Ten is a solid medium bodied and flavorful Habano seed offering from Tatuaje. The first third brings a potent amount of spice, as expected from the brand, accompanied by a faint nutty sweetness. Smoking into the subsequent third, the spice subsides, making way for those nice Habano notes of toasted nuts and cream. Further down the stick, I got some pleasant sweetness and a subtle return of that initial spice. The final third is full of notes of coffee spice that leave a nice finish on the pallet. As a pairing, I'd recommend something sweet like a bourbon or rum to cut through some of that spice. Picked on 11/08/2023

Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Concerto 7" * 50

Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua Concerto 7 * 50
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Another amazing cigar from Rafael Nodal, this time with the help of AJ Fernández and his Nicaraguan factory. The Aging Room Quattro Nicaragua is an extremely well renowned blend, taking cigar of the year in 2019 with its torpedo size, and this beautiful box-pressed Churchill simply gave me more to enjoy. This Nicaraguan puro starts off strong with some heavy chocolate and espresso notes from the first third, balanced out by a pleasant spice in the retrohale. The maduro sweetness is soon complemented by faint leather and earth notes in the second third. The final third brought the smoke to a close with a rich sweetness, which leaves a nice mild finish on the palette. Construction wise the cigar was near perfect, wrapper leaf in beautiful condition with clear rolling seams and the burn line only needed to be corrected a few times. I’d pair this cigar with a nice cognac to complement the mellow sweetness in the final third. Picked on 09/14/2023

EP Carrillo Dusk Robusto 5" * 50

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EP Carrillo Dusk Robusto 5 * 50
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I’m a fan of Broadleaf & EP Carrillo Cigars, so for me the Dusk was a no-brainer. The homegrown Connecticut broadleaf wrapper drapes an Ecuadorian binder and Nicaraguan fillers. The dry draw gives a little bit of chocolatey sweetness but you’re greeted with much more complexity after its lit- including sweet notes of coffee, earth, and a little bit of pepper to balance the cigar. Construction wise the cigar looks fantastic and there’s a nice open draw but the burn leaves a bit to be desired. The second third rounds out the dull earthiness with notes of cedar and leather making for a very well rounded smoke. Between the compact size and robust flavor this is the perfect smoke for a late night wind-down. I recommend pairing it with a nice bourbon to cut through that earthiness. Another tremendous cigar from EP Carrillo at a very reasonable price. Picked on 08/15/2023
Gabriel

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