Viaje Birthday Blend – Just Arrived!

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium just received the Viaje Birthday Blend.  They are available on its website here.

The Viaje Birthday Blend is a new release in the White Label Project (WLP) line that celebrates owner Andre Farkas’ 38th birthday.  The Viaje WLP Birthday Blend is a 6” x 52 Toro that will come in boxes of 38. The blend incorporates a Mexican San Andres maduro wrapper covering Nicaraguan tobacco for the binder and filler and rolled at TABSA in Esteli, Nicaragua.  According to Farkas the Birthday Blend will be an annual limited release and the box count will increase by one every year to keep in line with his age.

Production of the Viaje Birthday Blend was limited to 300 boxes.  The packaging for the cigar may change in the future.  So far, it is a White Label Project release so it could be marketed ahead of the August deadline for FDA regulation.

Viaje Birthday Blend Label. Click to browse at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.

Viaje Birthday Blend Box.  Click to browse at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.

Viaje Zombie Antidote Review (2015)

Zombie Antidote 2015
Made by: Viaje
Country: Nicaragua
Vitola: 6 1/4 by 44

Viaje is a brand that we haven’t visited a lot for reviews. This is a Special release for 2015. The shop also has an exclusive called the “hangover” that is by this company. In all honesty this is one of those cigars that it is harder to come across, but if you do, you’ll know what to expect once you have gone over this review. So, on that note lets see what this has to offer with a Viaje Zombie Antidote Review.

Prelight

There is a nice sponginess to the entire pack, the cap is done very well. The foot is a bit sloppy for a figurado in this shape, but that is usually the case when you enter figurado territory. The foot is giving off milk chocolate and spices. The cut was good but definitely some loose tobacco. The prelight draw shows more milk chocolate but the spices are more of a subtle white pepper. There also appears to be the presence of some leather. Barely visible seams and good tooth to the wrapper. The big thing performance wise is if the but will make it past the foot without issues. Lets see what this has to offer.

1/3

Easy to light, lots of smoke production off the start and almost medium smoke thickness. The body is sitting at a medium plus, not quite medium-full body. Low strength, I expect that to increase. A great balanced mix of subtle white pepper and milk chocolate. The flavors are holding through the profile but there is an addition of leather on the finish alongside the white pepper. As I am getting into the first third the smoke thickness is increasing, there is some oak coming up on the center. The milk chocolate has calmed down to more of a cocoa, that and white pepper are lingering on the front. The oak comes up on the center and then leather joins in on the finish.

2/3

Surprisingly great burn line, the top of the figurado was no issue. Medium to full body and medium strength. So the body is rising with the strength. The smoke thickness is up to a medium and the production is still at a high. The flavors have shifted significantly. Bitter sharp cocoa with a red pepper bite on the front, oak and leather on the center. The finish is that sharp red pepper with leather. Crazy transition, very bold shift but a wonderful characteristic to the profile. As I reach end of the second third the flavors are holding and the burn line is going strong. The cigar did loose some complexity in this third, lets see what the last third has in store.

3/3

The milk chocolate note that was present in the first third is coming back up a bit on the front, the leather is prominent throughout the profile now. Oak is back on the center, and the finish now has a all encompassing mixed pepper with black and red forward. So the complexity came back a bit which is unusual, in my opinion this last third and the first third are the winners of this profile. The body is medium to full and the strength is still medium, the burn line has been great during the whole cigar. The transitions are incredible, going from the first third to this last third is a very significant change. Good blending by Viaje.

Smoke Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes

Conclusion: 91

Good body, good strength, the transitions were the best part of this cigar. If you can find one this is a great cigar to visit. The flavors were note overly unique but they were blended in a way that made them have good levels of softness and then power. A good example of this is the milk chocolate going to a more bitter and strong cocoa. Then returning to a softer milk chocolate at the end. Great blending by Viaje on this release.

Click on the picture to find this cigar at anthonyscigars.com

Las Cumbres Freyja Review

Freyja
Made by: Las Cumbres
Country: Dominican Republic, Mexico, Nicaragua
Vitola: 5 3/4 by 42

Las Cumbres cigars puts out amazing blends. Period. They are harder to find and less known among the cigar community but I would recommend trying one of you come across one of their offerings. This is a newer cigar by the company, the last one reviewed was the Seniorial 65th which scored very high. Naturally that gives me high expectations for this cigar. Let’s see what it has to offer with a Las Cumbres Freyja Review.

Prelight

The seams blend right into the wrapper. Small to medium veins and a surprisingly low skilled cap for the quality of cigar. The band absolutely adds to this cigar, beautiful art. Not much tooth to the wrapper. The foot is giving off a light oak mixed with grass note, really it reminds me of the smell of a woodshop. It will be interesting to see how that develops once this gets started. Easy cut, no issues with the cap. Just a bit of loose tobacco to wipe away. The prelight draw shows lots of woodsy notes just like the foot. I am expecting high complexity, let’s see if the flavors are distinct enough once lit. I have a feeling they will be well blended and mixed very thoroughly.

1/3

I don’t understand what this company does right, but they are wonderful at blending. Really clean grass and a floral note like I have never experienced. I would venture to say that I feel like I am smoking a rose. That center note is unbelievable, and the finish comes around with a sharp white pepper and a tangy note that I can best relate to nerds candy. Extremely thick smoke and medium smoke production. Great mouth feel, there is some pepper bite but it is white pepper bite, not the usual red. This is a delicious profile, the ash is as white as it gets and the burn line is near perfect. Its almost hard to pick out all the notes, wonderful complexity.

2/3

I almost forgot to address the body, it is coming in at a medium to full and the strength is at a medium. The balance is good but even if the strength was matching body it would be hard to discredit the cigar due to the absolute uniqueness of the profile. The front has lost a bit of complexity, leather and the floral note are present now. Rose is still good summary of that floral note. The tangy nerd candy note is coming right on the center and marks the profiles transition to the sharp white pepper that now has an undertone of clean cedar. The burn line is still almost flawless, and the smoke production and thickness have held at a wonderful balance of thick smoke and medium production.

3/3

There is something else I need to say, the band glue can be an issue sometimes and with a band this beautiful you don’t want to ruin it. They took that into account, the band comes off with no issue at all. As I am getting to the end of the cigar the flavors seem to be blending. The front and center are a pretty balanced mix of white/rep pepper, rose, and leather. There has been the appearance of that red pepper, just a additive of the complexity dropping. The finish has changed a lot though it is now a sharp and clean cedar and dry macadamia nut with some cream. So even when this cigar was diminishing in complexity, it was certainly still there.

Smoke Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Conclusion: 93

Yeah this is a great cigar and something that is worth searching out. Las Cumbres cigars is a great company, you may have a bit of a harder time finding this one. However, it is worth it to see those unique flavors that are present. The cigar shined through the first half and then lost some luster but it was still a great cigar. Hope you enjoyed this review and I should have a couple other harder to find offerings coming up in the line up for reviews soon.

Avo Syncro Nicaragua Fogata Review

Syncro Nicaragua Fogata
Made by: Avo
Country: Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Nicaragua
Vitola: 4 1/2 by 52

We’ve done several sizes of the Avo Nicaragua, this particular Cigar is a recent release as of the IPCPR event this past July. Their previous vitola’s have varied on how they performed, it will be interesting to see where this one stands among its close cousins. Let’s get this started with an Avo Syncro Nicaragua Fogata Review.

Prelight

This has a rounded torpedo cap and I have never seen one done better. Great construction in that regard. There is a good amount of tooth to the wrapper and the veins are mainly small with one or two exceptions. Fairly consistent pack with only one noticeable bump. As far as aesthetics go this is a beautiful little cigar. The foot brings about a bolder “attitude” then the appearance let’s on. Notes of strong barnyard and deep oak with a lighter leather. It’s funny because it does immediately remind me of the other Avo Syncro’s I have reviewed. The main differences being the size and the barnyard note seems to have a tinge more complexity then I remember. Decent cut with some loose tobacco, a good amount of resistance on the prelight draw. The prelight shows similar notes to the foot, barnyard and light leather with a bit of mixed pepper thrown in. Let’s get this started.

1/3

Slightly sour cashew and light leather on the front, it does taste a bit young but the profile tastes nice from the start. Dry flavors so this is something I would recommend a drink with. The leather holds throughout the profile, and the cashew drops as barnyard and dry oak accompany the leather on the center and the finish. Low to medium smoke thickness and medium smoke production for this cigar, this is a bit surprising compared to the other Avo Nicaragua vitolas. I expect that to change as I get into the cigar, the strength is low to medium and the body is holding at a medium.  The burn line is self-correcting and I don’t expect a touchup will be needed at this point.

2/3

The strength has come up to a medium and the body has risen to a medium to full pretty steadily. Leather and bitter macadamia nut not control the front, the flavors continue to be pretty dry. Smoke thickness has improved significantly up to a medium and a medium to high smoke production now. The leather is still holding throughout the profile but the center takes on a bit of jasmine and black pepper as the nuttiness dies.  The sour note that was present in the first third dropped and the floral jasmine seemed to replace it. Some decent transitions going on and this definitely has more complexity then the regular Avo Syncro Nicaragua line.

3/3

As I get to the nub the smoke production and the thickness have held at medium and a medium to high. The body has stayed at a medium to full and the strength is at a medium. The burn line has been consistent, not needing a touchup, but not perfect. Dry oak and leather on the front and then really dry red an black pepper alongside the floral jasmine come in on the center. So overall this cigar had good complexity and good flavors and it was pretty different the regular Syncro Nicaragua line.

Smoke Time: 1 hour

Conclusion: 88

The cigars body and strength did build a bit, but the dry characteristic was interesting. I really enjoyed it, this is certainly an offering from Avo that I will be visiting again. The complexity was definitely better then the Syncro Nicaragua, that in mind I would absolutely consider this cigar an upgrade from that line. Great new cigar from a solid company. If your a normal Avo Nicaragua guy, I would say that venturing in on a box of these would be a must.

Click on the picture to find this cigar at anthonyscigars.com

Caldwell Savages

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium will be receiving the first planned size (6″ x 46) Corona Gorda of the new Caldwell Savages line.

The Caldwell Savages are only available to existing Caldwell accounts and were launched at the 2016 IPCPR Convention last month.  The entire available allotment of the Caldwell Savages sold out at the convention on day one. There will eventually be five sizes in the new Savages line which was originally to be a limited edition line extension to Long Live the King, but right now it is a single size release: the 6 x 46 Corona Extra.

The Caldwell Long Live the King is a Dominican puro with a Dominican Negrito wrapper.  The Caldwell Savages has a Habano wrapper but there was little else released by Caldwell about the blend.  However, Robert Caldwell told Cigar Aficionado: “It’s a softer blend than Long Live the King. It features a Habano wrapper, debuting in one size in a 10-count box. The artist (who designed the band artwork) is Pixel Pancho, a major artist out of Italy.”

The Caldwell Savages are now available at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium here.

The Caldwell Savages are packaged in 10 ct. boxes

God of Fire Don Carlos 2012 Review

Don Carlos 2012
Made by: God of Fire
Country: Dominican Republic, Ecuador
Vitola: 6 by 50

The “God of Fire” brand holds a lot of weight with its name. This will be the first time reviewing a cigar by this brand. I have high expectaions for the blend based on the price point and my knowledge of the cigar so lets see if this can hold up to those with a God of Fire Don Carlos 2012 Review.

Prelight

The cap is pretty well done, mainly small veins. Lots of tooth to the wrapper and visible seams. The bands are done nicely on these cigars, the name definitely adds to the experience. You would hope the tobaccos could back that up and they often do with my findings. Slightly spongy pack all the way though and just one knot right above the band. Easy cut, but it does have some loose tobacco. The foot is giving off notes of nuts and grass. The prelight draw is showing more complexity, there is a green fresh grass note with mixed spices and then some mixed nuts. Given the tooth of the cigar I expect a good amount of cream, So this should be a pretty unique cigar.

1/3

Talk about a blast of complexity. Wow, full bodied and medium to full strength. Very deep macadamia nut and leather with a thick chewy mouth feel. Medium smoke thickness and medium smoke production but the flavors are absolutely delicious and surprisingly balanced for this level of body. There is a ton of mixed spice on the center and finish, some cayenne and mint. Light cedar, but what comes back up on the finish is the leather and macadamia nut. The best way to put it, the cigar starts off wonderfully strong then takes you for a flavor ride on the center. At the end of the profile it drops you off right where you started. That spice/herb mix on the center is delicious. The burn isn’t razor sharp but it is pretty near it, This cigar is performing excellently at this point.

2/3

Ok, this cigar is incorporating leather, mixed nuts, spice/herbal notes, and a soft blanket of cream into the profile. I hope that sounds as good as this cigar actually is. The balance is phenomenal, still full bodied but the strength has calmed down to a medium. Wonderful experience and everything you would expect from a cigar at this price point. It is worth it and it is something that should certainly be tried. As I get toward the end of the second third the body has fallen a bit, the strength has held at a medium. This is a perfect sequence of body in my opinion, and the leather and mixed nuts balance is spectacular. The burn line continues to perform well, the ash is falling between an inch and an inch and a half consistently.

3/3

Interesting, as I am coming to the end of the cigar the body is raising back up and the strength is as well. I would put it back to my initial levels of medium to full strength and full body. As for the flavors, the mixed spice/herbal note is up with the presence of some floral jasmine on the front. That has been the biggest shift throughout this cigar, because the more powerful mixed nut and leather that controlled the front for so long is now in control of the finish. Slightly flakey ash here near the end, the burn stayed pretty nice.

Smoke Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Conclusion: 94

Good cigar, worth the price point, and magnificent body and strength balance. This is definitely for somebody that likes the fuller bodied cigar. The construction was spot on, just a bit of wavering to the burn line. Great draw, and those flavors, specifically the mixed nut and leather, made the profile of this cigar. There was some soft cream but the body of the other notes kept the cream from playing a larger role.

Click on the picture to find this cigar at anthonyscigars.com

Caldwell All Out Kings –  Coming this Fall!

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium will be getting the Caldwell All Out Kings this fall.  Robert Caldwell, owner of Caldwell Cigar Company, wanted to make his first Nicaraguan cigar very special and he went to the best, the creators of the Nicaraguan Liga Privada.  He wanted it to be an oily, complex, and full bodied cigar with a stalk-cut, sungrown Connecticut Habano wrapper like the famous Liga Privada T52.  So with Jonathan Drew, and master blender Willie Herrera they blended the All Out Kings using Liga Privada tobaccos and made at La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate in Esteli, Nicaragua.

From Drew Estate: “All out Kings debuts with tobaccos from La Gran Fabrica Drew Estate in Esteli, Nicaragua including Connecticut Stalk Cut and Sun Cured Habano Wrapper, with Indonesia Sumatra Binder, and filler comprised of Jalapa Viso, Esteli Viso, Dominican C-98 Seco, and Connecticut Broadleaf Ligero. When asked about the blend, Willy Herrera, from Miami, Florida noted “Working with Caldwell was challenging because he is very specific on what he likes and does not like with a maduro blend. Creating a cigar that he could enjoy while still staying true and giving it my signature spice was a delicate balance that I looked for in our numerous blending sessions at Joya and Drew.”

The wrapper of the Caldwell All Out Kings is Connecticut Habano, binder is Indonesian Sumatra and the filler blend is a mélange of four leaves: Connecticut Broadleaf Ligero, Dominican Corojo 98 Seco, Nicaragua Estelí Viso, Nicaragua Jalapa viso. While these are made at Drew Estate, Caldwell will be distributing the All Out Kings.

Order the Caldwell All Out Kings at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium here.

Caldwell All Out Kings vitola line-up. Click picture to browse are Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.

 

Warped Maestro Del Tiempo Blend 5205 Review

Maestro Del Tiempo 5205
Made by: Warped
Country: Nicaragua
Vitola: 6 3/8 by 42

This is a great up and coming brand, Warped puts out some amazing cigars. This cigar is going to be the newest addition to the reputation the company has been creating. I have to say two things about my experiences with this company so far. The construction is always flawless, and when this company does anything limited it fly’s off of boutique seller shelves. So that really means if you find one grab it. Let’s get this started with a Warped Maestro Del Tiempo Blend 5205 Review.

Prelight

Wonderful looking triple cap with small to medium sized veins, barely visible seams. There is some nice tooth to the wrapper so I do expect some nice cream in the profile. The foot is actually pretty spot on with the cigars visuals, it is putting off an almost fluffy note. There is certainly cream in the profile, with a softer note alongside wood in the background. That could mean one of two things; the cigar hasn’t aged properly yet or there is going to be some serious complexity to this blend. The cut was perfect with no loose tobacco, nice firm pack and there is a bit of sponginess near the cap. Slightly sour fruit on the prelight draw, with some very clean cedar. There also seems to be a bit of white pepper in the background. Lets see how it performs.

1/3

Easy to get lit up, the flavors are great off of the start. Some nice coffee with an undertone of cream. There is a sharp hazelnut in the background, this has the makings of a great morning cigar. Medium smoke thickness and tons of smoke production, the amount of tooth on the wrapper is deceiving because there is a great mouth feel and presence of cream in this cigar. There is a bit of a sour note in there, but I would classify it as an aspect of age at this point rather then a blend characteristic. Great cream, really that is the best part of this blend so far. The body is coming in at a medium and the strength is at a low to medium. Not a perfect burn line but pretty close to it.

2/3

Lots of wood coming up as I get into the second third, that sour note is actually adding to the profile which is odd. Instead of the age of the cigar affecting the blend negatively I believe it is actually a positive here. The cigar tastes very fresh and clean, great balance and great flavors. There is still lots of coffee and cream to the profile in addition to the wood. The burn line is razor sharp now, beautiful white ash, this is a great cigar at the moment. Consistent smoke production and smoke thickness. The body is holding at a medium and the strength is still at a low to medium.

3/3

The slightly sour woodsy note is lingering on the front and there has been an appearance of the pepper that was detected on the foot. This pepper finish is new for the profile and has come up as I have gotten into the last third. The coffee is still there but it is in the background. White and red pepper is what the finish is made of at the moment and it is pretty balanced. That hazelnut note came back up a bit on the center, it had dropped slightly in the second third. The transitions have been smooth, this is just a really nicely blended cigar.

Smoke Time: 1 hour and 20 minutes

Conclusion: 92

Great cigar, great balance, wonderful flavors. That sour note was actually a wonderful addition to the profile in my opinion. The balance was dead on and the body stayed at a medium the strength did raise slightly but it never matched body. Absolutely a must try, this was a prerelease so it isn’t available on the site yet but keep your eye open and ready for it. This is a real winner.

Davidoff Yamasa Piramides Review

Yamasa Piramides
Made by: Davidoff
Country: Dominican Republic, Nicaragua
Vitola: 6 1.8 by 52

We have a new release from Davidoff this year, this is the Yamasa. The one will be observing today is in the piramides vitola. As always, if the cut goes well with a Davidoff you’re in for a flawless experience. The name demands quality, and I expect nothing less from this offering. Let’s get this started with a Davidoff Yamasa Piramides Review.

Prelight

The cigar smells like a mixed greens salad on the foot, lots of white pepper and then a hint of lemon and cilantro mix. Very interesting note on the foot, I wouldn’t quite classify it as floral but it’s definitely herbal. A better way to describe it might be a balsamic vinegar, somewhere between that and the lemon and cilantro. Wonderfully done cap, I would not expect anything different from Davidoff. Barely visible seems, medium size veins, and a good amount of tooth to the wrapper I’m not sure if this is going to cause creamy smoke but it might. Easy cut, the draw has just the right amount of resistance. The pre-light flavors are consistent with white/red pepper and a herbal/floral note that will be better describe once the review is underway. There is also a bit syrupy raisin but that may just be a surface note. The only way to know for sure is to get this started.

1/3

Extremely easy to light, the cilantro and lemon are more what I would describe the front. That balsamic vinegar is close but the flavor doesn’t quite match. Good smoke production and medium to high smoke thickness. Not quite to high smoke thickness. There is a clean cedar/balsa wood underneath the herbal/citrus front. That clean woodsy note carried into the center of the profile. The finish is a balanced mix of leather and then red and white pepper. So absolutely wonderful complexity. I can’t speak for transitions yet but this cigar is great and unique so far.

2/3

Not the best burn line but the flavors are unbelievable. Not overwhelmingly in your face, but quite one of a kind. Medium plus body. Almost to medium-full body. And the strength is at a medium as well. Outstanding blend in my opinion. This is a winner, the Escurio was good but this is even outperforming that blend. The flavors are deteriorating as I reach the end of the second third. The complex herbal note that was at the front, is now a green slightly bitter grass/hay note. Underneath the woodsy note remains, the center is now consistent of that mixed wood along with a slight amount of cream from the wrapper. The smoke thickness has increased. The finish has come up, the white pepper is behind the red pepper now. There is a bit of tongue burn on the finish. The strength is up to a medium to full, and the body is up to medium-full as well. It’s not ideal for the body to be matching the strength, but given the complexity of the flavors it is acceptable.

3/3

The burn line evened out, and the smoke production and thickness has remained pretty consistent. With the exception of the center of the cigar where smoke production and thickness both rose for short amount of time. The body and the strength maintained at a medium to full level till the end of the cigar. The herbal note that was present at the first third of the cigar dropped significantly. Mixed wood and cream now can control the front and most of the center of the profile. The mixed pepper (white/red) came up at the end of the cigar and controlled the finish. Not excessive by any means but quite balanced, there may have been a bit of black pepper thrown into the mix. The leather accompanied the pepper till the nub as well. Overall good transitions and a good profile.

Smoke Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Conclusion: 90

Balanced, very good body and good strength. Wonderful complexity and transitions for a cigar of its level. I think this was a good blend, there are better profiles out there but this did a good job of incorporating an array of notes and characteristics. So, worth trying and possibly worth a fiver. A box buy my be pushing it, but it was a good blend. Personally, when a cigar comes around and its strength matches body it leaves me wanting more. This was satisfying which was a bit different, so I can certainly say I will be revisiting it. Very good for a switch-up if you enjoy the Davidoff Nicaragua. I could see the two complementing each other.
Click on the picture to find this cigar at anthonyscigars.com

La Flor Dominicana Salomon Unico

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium will be getting the La Flor Dominicana Salomon Unico next week.   La Flor Dominicana has outshined itself in terms of artistry and craftsmanship with the new LFD Salomon Unico, the latest release of its signature Salomon . The La Flor Dominicana Salomones have always been in a class all their own as one of the most expertly made cigars in the world. Exclusively using tobaccos grown at its own La Flor de Palma Farm in La Canela, Dominican Republic, each 7” x 64 La Flor Dominicana Salomon Unico is rolled by a single roller in the LFD Factory. The La Flor Dominicana Salomon Unico is packaged in 10-ct. boxes with 10 unique wrapper designs in each box. There are a total of 75 individual wrapper designs in total. From those designs, ten cigars are selected for each box so that each box contains a unique set of ten designs. The packaging now features company owner Litto Gomez’s silhouette on it. The total amount of cigars rolled will be based strictly on what is ordered from the 2016 IPCPR Convention.

Over 75 unique designs. Each box of the La Flor Dominicana Salomon Unico is individually packaged with 10 different wrappers. Click picture to browse at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.

LFD Salomon Unico features compoany founder Litto Gomez’s silhouette.