Opux X Lost City Robusto Review

Opux X Lost City
Made by: Arturo Fuente
Country: Dominican Republic
Vitola: 5 1/2 by 50

Opus X, these are with no doubt, great cigars. However, there are many factors that play into who will enjoy them. To new cigar smokers that have no experience, this would not be something I recommend off the start. High complexity, usually high strength, it may not give you the experience you want at a special moment. For seasoned cigar smokers, absolutely worth the money and worth having. Me saying that won’t be news to anyone’s ears. Why, is the question though, in this Opux X Lost City Robusto Review I hope to show just why these cigars are coveted like they are.

Prelight

Slight tooth to the wrapper, small veins. Barely visible seams, and a well-constructed cap, not perfect but almost there. The foot is giving off a significant floral note alongside citrus and has a thick sweet note underneath it. There is an oak or woodsy base, but that will only come out once a lit.  Great cut, very little loose tobacco. Citrus with a bit of cayenne on the front of the prelight draw, there is an oak undertone and sweet syrupy leather. Interesting and very complex notes. Expecting medium strength and medium to full body. Let’s see how it performs.

1/3

Medium smoke production, medium smoke thickness. Cedar and light citrus on the front with a sweet hay on the center and leather and bitter macadamia nut on the finish. Great draw, full body and medium strength. Pretty quick burning, light cream, but there is a clean white pepper rounding out the profile. Highly complex, but absolutely possible to separate the notes. Smoke thickness is increasing as the first third burns down. Already transitioning, cedar on the front citrus has dropped. The sweet hay center has almost disappeared, as leather and a minty herbal white pepper come up on the finish. Strength is holding at a medium no changes to body.

2/3

Beautiful cedar, smooth floral jasmine on the front. Leather on the center but then the flavor drifts into a sweet candy note, similar to Swedish fish with an extremely balanced mix of white and red pepper. Wonderfully smooth, excellent experience, this is rivaling the angel share opus release in my opinion. Thick smoke with a great mouth feel. Holding at a medium strength and medium to full body. The body has dropped a bit and I expect the strength to pick up in the past third.

3/3

Cedar and oak on the front, the center has deteriorated, and the finish is a leather with floral jasmine. White and red pepper linger in the mouth until the next draw. Medium to full strength and back to full body. Great complexity and solid transitions, good burn and great smoke production and thickness. Absolutely worth the price point.

Smoke Time: 1 hour

Conclusion: 92

Pretty quick burn time, it could have been due to the fact I was enjoying it, but from the start it did appear to burn quickly. The strength was there, I little bit lower than some other opus lines I have had but still coming in at full strength in the end. Wonderful complexity and transitions, without everything blending together and washing distinct flavors out. The cigar is absolutely 93 material, the price point of these cigars always seems a bit high. But in truth, you know what you are getting with this brand. Definitely for the more seasoned smokers, if somebody new to cigars is coming into this territory they better be ready for the strength. I gave one to a friend recently and he didn’t fare so well, which was a shame for the cigar to not be finished. Also unfortunate for him but, it is important to know what you are getting yourself into and know what you are smoking. This was a great offering from Fuente Fuente Opus X.

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

Las Calaveras EL 2015 Review

Las Calaveras LE 2015
Made by: Crowned Heads
Country: Ecuador and Nicaragua
Vitola: 6 by 52

Since 2014 Crowned Heads has been putting out a Las Calaveras edition. This is a Las Calaveras EL 2015 Review, the ones that will be available this year are the 2016. These cigars can still be found, lets see what they have to offer. They are always worth trying while you can find them, as with most limited production cigars Jon Huber of Crowned Heads puts out.

Prelight

Perfectly constructed cap, being a limited production by Crowned Heads this cigar has a lot of effort put into it. A couple of medium sized veins and nearly invisible seams. The foot is giving off a light fruity aroma with subtle cedar and more prominent leather. Just a bit of tooth to the wrapper, well stated band. Firmer than usual pack, lots of nuts and leather on the prelight draw. Interesting mix of notes, there also seems to be a clean dry cedar underneath.

1/3

Very easy light, great smoke production and thickness. Lots of creamy leather on the front with a slight salted peanut coming up in the center but then slightly bitter leather comes back on the finish. There is a bit of red pepper zing on the finish as well but leather is heavily dominant in the profile. Medium body and low strength at the moment. There is a good amount of cream playing on the front despite the stick not having a ton of tooth to the wrapper. This characteristic must be coming from the binder or filler. As I get into the first third, it may need a touch up. A bit of an off kilter burn line but great flavors. Cream and leather remain on the front, salted peanuts and cashew in the center with the leather carrying through. The finish is red pepper and leather. Interesting that the leather note goes through the whole profile. No change to body or strength.

2/3

Cream and cedar on the front now, the leather has dropped a bit. The salted peanuts have been dominated by cashew in the center, and the finish is staying at red pepper and leather. Medium body and low to medium strength. Still good smoke production and thickness. Great red pepper bite on the finish, the burn is going well now. Solid cigar and an interesting profile. The burn has gone a bit off again at the end of the second third.

3/3

Cashew and cedar on the front now, and that moves to leather and red pepper on the finish. No fruit to this profile, just on the foot before lighting. Medium body and low to medium strength still. Not a perfect burn, but no tough ups needed since the first. At the nub cashew and salted peanuts were on the front with leather and red pepper on the finish. The cigar did get a bit squishy.

Smoke Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Conclusion: 87

Great profile, and wonderful visual construction but it did need a touch up. Clear and distinct transitions, wonderful smoke output. Overall a good year of production in my opinion. If you can find them it’s absolutely worth picking up a fiver. If you like the profile a lot then that could push it into box territory.

Click on the picture to find this years 2016 LE cigar at anthonyscigars.com

Las Calaveras EL 2016 from Crowned Heads

The Crowned Head’s Limited Release Las Calaveras EL 2016 is coming in June!  The best limited release cigars to recently hit Anthony’s Cigar Emporium was the Las Calaveras EL 2014 and EL 2015 with boxes selling out within three weeks.

Crowned Heads Las Calaveras Edicion Limitada 2016 
Made by: My Father for Crowned Heads
Country of Manufacture: Esteli, Nicaragua
Wrapper: Grade A Dark Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Dimensions: LC46 (6 x 46 Corona); LC50 (5 x 50 Robusto); LC54 (5 1/2 x 54 Toro)

Beginning with the Edicion Limitada 2014, Las Calaveras is an annual release that is a respectful homage to Day of the Dead celebrations to honor those who have passed away in the year before and is intended to be a celebration of their lives and remembrances, rather than a mourning or a symbol of sadness and death. With each year’s annual limited release, the blend and presentation of Las Calaveras will be altered.

The Las Calaveras EL 2016 features a Grade A Dark Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper, different from the 2014 Ecuador Habano Oscuro wrapper and the 2015 Habano Rosado.  The filler and binder are still a very strong all-Nicaraguan blend. Crowned Heads described the Las Calaveras EL 2016 as “big, bold, and muscular with an abundance of white pepper, complimented by a subtle molasses-like sweetness. Crowned Heads has switched up the sizes again for the Las Calaveras EL 2016; the LC46 is a bit longer, LC50 is the same, and now there’s a new LC54 wich measures 5 1/2″ x 54 (Robusto Extra).

A total of 4,500 boxes of Las Calaveras EL 2016 were produced, and, like the previous years’ ELs, the Las Calaveras EL 2016 is made at the My Father factory in Esteli, Nicaragua.  Crowned Heads is adding a special vitola to its Las Calaveras 4-Cigar Sampler that includes a LC46, LC50, LC54 and a sampler-exclusive 6 1/8” x 52 Piramide

The Las Calaveras EL 2016 Lineup from Jon Huber’s twitter.

Las Calaveras is packaged in 24-count boxes, each containing 3 rows of 8 cigars. The 3 rows represent life’s cycle of a beginning, middle, and end. In biblical terms, the number ‘8’ signifies new beginnings, and in mathematical terms an ‘8’ laid on its side symbolizes “infinity,” as in eternal life.

Order Your Las Calaveras Edicion Limitada 2016 Here Today!

My Father La Duena Review

My Father La Duena Review
Made by: My Father
Country: Nicaragua
Vitola: 5 by 50

In this My Father review I will be covering the La Duena. Slowly but steadily I am reaching the different cigars from this company. So far, as unbiased as I can be, my favorite is the Martino. Simply because I think that size best brings out the flavors offered in the 1922. In either case, this is a cigar that I have not had in a long while and am looking forward to revisiting. Lets see what it has to offer with a My Father La Duena Review.

Prelight

Tons of tooth to the wrapper and barely visible seams. Consistent spongy pack, and a couple of wrapper flaws. A very well constructed cap, and the foot is giving off oak and almost a sweet graham cracker aroma. Clean cut with just a bit of loose tobacco, the prelight flavors showed oak and black pepper not really showing the graham cracker that the foot had. Medium to large veins, lots of tooth I am expecting quite a lot of cream and a very thick mouth feel from this cigar. Lets see how it performs.

1/3

Tons of smoke right off the bat, wonderful thick cream on the front. There is a deep oak note on the front with a heavy bitter macadamia nut in the center. Black pepper lingers throughout the profile. Medium bodied and low strength. There is a bit of harshness to the cigar currently but I am expecting that to drop. Wonderfully thick smoke that seems to be this cigars strong point as I get into the first third not much in the way of transitions. The profile is enjoyable though.

2/3

At the start of the second third there is still a good amount of dry oak on the front but now there is a bit of herbal mint in the center of the profile. The finish is a bit of the bitter macadamia nut accompanied by the slightly harsh black pepper. Toward the center of the cigar the cream is really shining through. Maintaining a medium body and low to medium strength.

3/3

Dry oak has stayed on the front throughout the cigar, the center has returned to a bitter macadamia nut and the mint has retreated. The finish is a really dry black pepper, the flavors haven’t changed much but they have been good. At the nub the macadamia nut is really showing through. Very dry but pleasant flavors, really an interesting cigar. It held at medium bodied and low to medium strength, and good burn line and smoke production through the end.

Smoke Time: 1 hour and 15 minutes

Conclusion: 84

A good cigar, lacking a bit in the area of complexity, but overall solid flavors and a good burn time. Good construction, and wonderfully thick smoke output. This would be a great box buy for a small family event or something along those lines. The consistency of the profile may be appealing to some people as well, on that note this may have a variety of patrons. Overall, not a bad cigar, and absolutely worth the revisit at its price point.

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

Davidoff Special R Review

Davidoff Special R Review
Made by: Davidoff
Country: Dominican Republic
Vitola: 4 7/8 by 50

The Davidoff of the week, at least that is the pattern that I have seen the past several weeks. This is a general alternative to the Davidoff 6000, which is another offering I hope to review in the upcoming months. The Special R is acknowledged as one of the more frequently visited Davidoff cigars by my coworkers. Lets see what the fuss is about with a Davidoff Special R Review.

Prelight

The foot of this cigar is hinting at a great mix of notes. Dry cedar, slight citrus mixed with a floral note. There does seem to be some nut qualities as well, that’s a great sign for the complexity of this cigar. Small to medium veins and barely visible seams. Nicely applied cap, the cigar has a nice consistent pack and not to firm. Almost no loose tobacco on the cut. Heavy cedar on the front of the prelight, floral jasmine and light citrus on the center. This finish has very significant white pepper. All of these characteristics are good signs. Let’s see if that’s the case by getting this lit.

1/3

Dry cedar on the front, there is a light mix of jasmine and citrus in the center but it fades quickly. The finish is a very clean white pepper, this cigar tastes very clean and dry. Right away I can tell this is going to be an enjoyable smoke. Smooth and balanced, great thick smoke production. As I get into the first third that interesting center note fades as cashew starts to drown it out. The finish is a wonderful almost herbal clean white pepper. The dry cedar front did make me grab a cup of water though.

2/3

Cedar has come up still clean and dry, the center has morphed again. It now has a bitter macadamia nut note with the jasmine lingering. The white pepper finish has dropped in power while the front has control. Medium bodied and low to medium strength, and a perfect razor sharp burn. I am impressed with this cigar so far, great overall flavors. The transitions are mainly occurring on the center of the profile. Cream has entered the profile toward the end of the second third.

3/3

The front is still holding dry cedar, the center has changed again to be a mix of macadamia nut and cashew. The floral/citrus note is completely gone and the white pepper finish has dropped and leather has come up. Great transitions and complexity. At the nub the nutty notes and leather control the profile, quite a shift from the starting notes.

Smoke Time: 1 hour and 10 minutes

Conclusion: 91

Great cigar, I was expecting a less impressive smoke in truth, but yet again this is a great offering from Davidoff. This is a cigar any level of smoker could enjoy, and the flavors speak for themselves. This surprisingly beats out some other cigars that I would have assumed to outperform this.

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

Caldwell Eastern Standard Manzanita – Just Arrived!

Robert Caldwell, owner of Caldwell Cigar Company, made a small batch release of just 500 boxes of the Caldwell Eastern Standard Manzanita (4″ x 42 Petite Corona) for a handful of his favorite retailers.  Anthony’s Cigar Emporium now has these Eastern Standard Manzanita boxes in stock.  They are avaliable at our online store here. The MSRP is $5.99 and come packaged in 27 ct. boxes.  The Caldwell Eastern Standard Manzanita is a very affordable way to get a quick Eastern Standard taste.  The smooth creaminess in a 4″ x 42 Petite Corona size does well with a morning coffee.

Manzanita is not displayed on boxes. They are short run and the boxes are basic flip tops,

Arturo Fuente Signature Hemingway Review

Signature Hemingway
Made by: Arturo Fuente
Country: Dominican Republic
Vitola: 6 by 47

The Hemingway is another offering often visited by long time cigar smokers, this is often just in the sake of habit but maybe the Don Carlos smokers could find a new option with this is well. The Don Carlos was already reviewed and it will be interesting to see how this compares with that line. This is a “Signuture” size and with that it should command a decent burn time, their are much larger vitola’s in this line if that is more of an interest. Lets see what it has to offer with a Arturo Fuente Signature Hemingway Review.

Prelight

Decently applied double cap, medium sized veins, and visible seams. The wrapper has quite a few blemishes, I don’t expect them to be an issue but it does detract from the aesthetics of the cigar. Same band as almost every other Fuente, the foot smells like cashew and butter with a cedar and mixed pepper undertone. Good cut with just a bit of loose tobacco. The prelight draw shows cashew a bit of leather and mixed pepper on the finish. The oily butter flavor will probably come into play on the mouth feel, there is a good amount of tooth which will only add to that.

1/3

This is one cigar where the foot hints perfectly to the profile. Cashew and leather are on the front with lots of cream in the center of the profile. Oily slick mouth feel and the finish is a black and white pepper. Medium bodied and low strength. Slightly of balanced burn, but that usually comes with the tapered foot on figurados. Beautiful compact white ash though, the tooth remains visible in the ash. As I get into the first third the leather rises on the front and the cashew drops, the buttery creamy center is holding. The finish remains a fairly balanced black and white pepper.

2/3

As I get into the second third the nutty notes are developing the front is short but consists of cashew and salted peanuts. And then fades into leather and mixed pepper. The creaminess has fallen noticeably. Distinct and noteworthy transition, it’s always a plus when there is a shift like that. Fair complexity and good transitions currently, the cigar is holding at medium body and low strength. The burn line has leveled out and has no issues at all. No changes to the profile as the second third burbs down, the main noticeable difference is cream is returning in the center. The cigar still has a great oily buttery mouth feel. The black pepper is up in the mixed pepper note and is a bit harsh but not in a bad way. It is complimenting the leather nicely.

3/3

Cashew has come up on the front boldly, the cream has dropped in the center and leather replaced it. And the finish has broken down to a balanced black pepper. Great rotation of notes and flavors. Good complexity and solid transitions, great burn once it self-corrected from the start. The best part in my opinion was the thick smoke and the buttery mouth feel. One more thing to note is that the cigar did get squishy and picked up a harsher bitter note on the finish at the nub.

Smoke Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Conclusion: 87

Good cigar, it is a step above general flavors and complexity which explain the loyalty so many people have to this company. This is a cigar that should absolutely be kept in rotation, mainly because it is a consistently good cigar. If you haven’t tried it then you are missing out and it should be the next thing you visit. This is a cigar that most people are aware of whether or not they are advanced or beginning cigar smokers.

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

Padron 1926 No. 48 2016 TAA Exclusive – Coming mid June

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium, a Tobacconists’ Association of America (TAA) Member is getting the Padron 1926 No. 48 2016 TAA Exclusive.  Padron said it would be shipping in mid-June, 2016.  For its 2016 TAA Excluisve, Padron is following last year’s concept by adding another LE  size to its 1926 Serie portfolio.  It is the 1926 No. 48 (refers to the 48th annual TAA Convention).  The Padron 1926 No. 48 2016 TAA Exclusive is a very hefty 5 1/2″ x 60 Gordo.  A large ring gauge is quite unique for the Padron 1926 line, and sure to be a slow burning masterpiece considering the sheer quantity, and the fine quality, of Padron’s ultra-premium aged tobaccos that are used in its ultra-premium 1926 and Family Reserve lines.  The Padron 1926 No. 48 will be available in Natural and Maduro wrappers.  The Padron 1926 No. 48 will be a one-time limited release with boxes expected to hit Anthony’s Cigar Emporium in June.

A sneek peek at the massive Padron 1926 Serie No. 48 TAA Exclusive.

The 1926 Serie are box-pressed Nicaraguan puros offering refined tobaccos aged five to ten years then blended to create an exceptionally smooth, complex, balanced and full-bodied flavor. Flavors of savory roasted meat, dried tart cherries, rich earth, and black pepper spice envelop the entire palate as a woody and barnyard aroma fill the air.

You can make sure to get your hands on a box of Padron 1926 Serie No. 48 in both Natural and Maduro by pre-ordering at Anthony’s Cigar Emporium.  They should be arriving in June and as soon as we get them, we’ll ship them to you immediately!

Pre-order a box of Padron 1926 Serie No. 48 2015 TAA Exclusive today!

Avo XO Notturno Tubo Review

XO Notturno Tubo
Made by: Avo
Country: Dominican Republic
Vitola: 50 by 42

Another Avo offering this week, the XO. The vitola being observed this time around is smaller so naturally I can expect it to be a shorter smoke time. I have my expectations curbed, knowing that I have just had two spectacular cigars from the company and this is back to earth with a regular production cigar. Lets see what it has to offer with an Avo XO Notturno Tubo Review.

Prelight

Visible seams, medium sized veins, and a tight but slightly sloppily applied cap. Avo does a great job with their bands, just perfectly stated. The foot is giving off cedar with a hint of sweet hay and cinnamon. A little bit of tooth to the wrapper. Good cut with a bit of loose tobacco, the prelight flavors are mainly cedar and cinnamon.

1/3

Mild to medium body with cedar on the front and a light herbal cinnamon in the center. The finish is a well-rounded white pepper note. Low strength and the resistance is a bit above normal. As I get into the first third there is a bit of black pepper coming into the finish. That little harsh tinge at the end is actually a nice addition. It’s a very smooth profile so the finish is an odd shift.

2/3

Quick burning little cigar. Cedar remains on the front with some cream coming in from the thick smoke. The herbal cinnamon remains on the front, and mixed pepper is still holding the finish producing an enjoyable bite that is actually coming from the black pepper. Body is approaching a medium and the strength is staying at a low.

3/3

Cedar and oak are mixed on the front. Smoke thickness has dropped along with the cream note. The cinnamon that was present in the center has fallen and been covered by the mixed pepper which has risen on the finish. No changes to the strength or body, the burn line has been good throughout but not razor sharp.

Smoke Time: 40 minutes

Conclusion: 86

Good profile, decent burn, this makes a good travel cigar. Being a tubo this is definitely something that would be an on-the-go choice. With a shorter burn time, it isn’t a commitment to get into. This would make a good golf cigar. The body and strength stay down, and the complexity is on par with the price point.

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

Viaje Exclusivo Reserva – 2016 Limited Release now here!

Anthony’s Cigar Emporium has the newest 2016 release from Viaje: the Viaje Exclusivo Reserva, which uses 100% AGANORSA Nicaraguan vintage tobaccos that have been aged longer in the curing barns and aged for a significant period after being rolled than the Exclusivo blend on which the blend for the Reserva release was based. Viaje is reusing a concept of making an longer aged version like it did in the Viaje Oro and Platino Reserva releases from 2010, and the ever popular Edición Limitada releases from the Cuban Habanos S.A. conglomorate.

The Exclusivo Reserva is a Viaje release intended to be smoked right out of the box, instead of put away and humidor aged after purchase. Viaje’s all-Nicaraguan full-bodied blends age well as their flavors marry into a rich aroma.

The Viaje Exclusivo Reserva is made at Raíces Cubanas in Danlí, Honduras.

The Viaje Exclusivo Reserva Toro (6″ x 52) and Robusto (5″ x 54) are both box-pressed.  They come packaged in 25 ct. boxes with Reserva secondary bands.  Browse these cigars here.

From Viaje Cigar Co. Click for more info.

From Viaje Cigar Co. Click for more info.