Tatuaje La Verite

***I am honored to present my second guest review, this time from Jon (Kidrock on the forums)

I often don’t do cigar reviews because I’m not an expert. In April 2009 Pete Johnson posted a photo of a cigar with a 2008 band on it saying it would be a limited released cigar that was a tribute to his passion for vintage wines. I rarely believe in hype or marketing, and was very skeptical when the price of the La Verite (5X50) would be 16.00 dollars. This is a steep price to pay especially since I left the work force recently to peruse my graduate degree in Secondary Education at Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan. Mark Just, the owner of Tower Cigars & Pipes (www.towercigars.com) in Sacramento, California was extremely gracious in giving me the chance to access a box of 25, and sent a fiver of Angelenos along that I will be reviewing in the future.

Construction: The wrapper is a tad bit fragile and had a little cracking during the smoking process. However, I firmly believe that it was based the fact that the cigar was so fresh and a tad bit wet.

Ash: The ash held nice and tight the entire time I enjoyed this cigar. The La Verite was smoked in 65 minutes.

Flavor: The beginning of this stick hits you with the Pepin spice that Tatuaje cigars are known for. At the halfway point, I got a few notes of carmel and bread. This is a very distinctive note that I absolutely love. The last part of the cigar mellowed out; the spice was there and my palette found it quite favorable. I nubbed this cigar :)

My verdict: I would easily rate this cigar in the low 90’s and would buy another box if given the chance. Also, A HUGE THANK YOU to Mark at Tower Cigars & Pipes (www.towercigars.com) and to AJ as well for letting me contribute to his wonderful blog.

Until next time, may your ashes be long and your humidor full,

Jon “Kidrock” DiBartolomeo

Viaje Summerfest Torpedo

I was sent this stick recently by a great BOTL, and thought it would make for an interesting review. The Summerfest blend is a special release from Viaje for the summer of 2010, coming in a Robusto (later add on) and Torpedo (the original planned size). The cigar itself has 1.5 inches of unwrapped foot (yes, that is just tobacco flapping in the breeze), which makes it quite a sight... I hope the flavors are as interesting as the shape!

I'll be smoking outside tonight, lighting with matches and cutting with my Palio. To get a proper light, I cut almost all of the shaggy foot off, leaving around a quarter inch out of interest.

The Summerfest starts out with a medium bodied spice, some earthy wood flavors, and a nice toasty flavor that rounds it out. There is definitely an unmistakable creaminess and a bit of carmel to the smoke as well. The burn is pretty decent, though required a touch up along the way. Draw and ash have been perfect thus far, while the spice has faded out. The wood flavor has taken over with the spice emerging again, and some nice bitter dark chocolate nuances. In the last third, the D/A/B are all spot on. Woody flavors dominate along with espresso/dark chocolate and another round of the toasty note. I smoked this stick down to the tasty little nub, and would rate it a ninety (90). Though I think last year's Holiday Blend is a slightly better cigar (it had a bit more full-bodied flavor), this stick is definitely a winner. I will definitely be looking for more!

Liga Privada Flying Pig

Drew Estates came out with the Liga Privada line in the last year or so, one of their few non-flavored lines, which immediately made a splash in the cigar world. One of the special releases in this line was the 'Flying Pig,' a pigtailed 4 1/8 x 60 perfecto which was made in small quantities. I loved this cigar when it first came out last year, and was lucky enough to grab a few. Tonight is a perfect cigar smoking night, and the Flying Pig's leathery, almost black wrapper caught my eye when I went for a smoke. I'm looking forward to seeing what a bit of age has done to this funky little stick!

Smoking outside tonight with some water. Cut is a Palio and lit with matches.

The initial puffs of the Pig have notes of cedar, earth and some dark chocolate, though the overall flavors and body are more medium than I remember. The burn is a bit awkward at the end of the perfecto though soon straightened out, and the draw is spot on. As I move towards the second third, the flavors open up a bit more as the complexity bumps up a notch and some spice starts up. Later on, the spice picks up with some rich, complex, earthy flavors, and more sweet/bitter chocolate. The construction remained fantastic throughout, and I would rate this stick a solid 91. I think the humidor time really made these great instead of just good, and I am happy I still have a few left. Definitely grab a few if you're able!