August 13th, 2018

Quite honestly, I didn’t know anything about this cigar before going into it. I knew that I liked most sticks from Erik Espinosa and his crew, but I didn’t have much to go on before smoking this sample. The fact it was labeled with a blending band made it feel like I was getting a glimpse into the future. While I don’t know if this cigar ever came to be commercially or not, it was handed out at the 2017 IPCPR event. (Yes, I know... quite late! Sorry guys!)

Pre-light

The HUA33 is a 5 inch by 54 ring gauge Robusto with a light brown wrapper and a triple cap. The wrapper contained a few veins, but they were harmless and did not impact the smoking experience. The HUA33 passed the pinch test with flying colors, and a few dry pulls proved that it was filled perfectly. Pre-light draws gave off sensations of hay mixed with barnyard and a slight tingle of spice.

August 6th, 2018

Perhaps the hardest thing about this review was deciding which one of Salamanca’s excellent cigars to select as the subject. Being that I've smoked more boxes of the Matthew than the others, I chose to review it this time around.

A wise man once told me that the most important thing a reviewer can tell the reader is if the cigar in question is worth buying and, more importantly, buying a box of. Well, in keeping with those words of wisdom, I'll tell you that I've smoked at least a half-dozen boxes of this Nicaraguan Beauty.

The Colorado Habano wrapped Toro (measuring a 54 ring gauge by 6 inches), which is sourced from the Plasencia Farm in Nicaragua, is really as wonderful to look at as it is to smoke. This seven-element vitola is the creation of Alan Fonseca.

CigarWeekly CigarReview - The Encore by E.P.Carrillo

I'd sat down and taken a bunch of pictures of this cigar when we received it from the good folks at E.P. Carrillo cigars - care of their great marketing team.  The shipping box, and the presentation of the rocks glass, whisky cubes, cutter and cigar were definately eye catching. And so was the cigar!  A beautiful rich brown wrapper, reminicent of a very rich milk chocolate, or the crema on top of a perfect cup of espresso.

I'm often telling people that in 2016, on one of my many trips to Naples Florida to help my mother care for my father with cancer, that I was sitting one night in a cigar bar (Vincente of London, to be precise) and I'd taken notice of the La Historia - which was, then, a new cigar.  Selecting a La Historia (The don elena, I think, a box press toro) and a pint of guiness I sat down to smoke.  Note, this is not a review of that cigar - though I should pen one, because the point of all this is that when I finished my FIRST La Historia, the bartender asked if I wanted another cigar.  I hesitated briefly, pondering over my (2nd) guiness) and said - "Yes, you know, I'll have another one of those!".  I VERY rarely smoke the same cigar, twice in a row.  But the flavors were captivating. And as best as I can recall - the ONLY cigar I smoked two of, back to back, in 2016.

Karl “The Mailman” Malone was at IPCPR promoting his new La Aurora Barrel Aged by Karl Malone. It was a logical step in his moves to delve into the cigar industry. He and his family launched a retail tobacco store in Ruston, La called Legends Cigar and Vape on June 23rd.

Malone’s booth also was named IPCPR 2018 Best in Show New Exhibitor.

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