I just love it when a plan comes together. Though calling what I have for you this week the result of a “plan” is really stretching it. It’s more the result of a little luck and a lot of shooting from the hip. Last week, Rich Meade (a regular on the Stogie Review forum, and occasional front-page guest reviewer) and I were sitting in the Buckhead Cigar Club here in Atlanta, doing what guys do in a cigar shop, smoking cigars and telling lies. In the course of the evening, we both found ourselves in possession of the yet-to-be-released Dominicano by Nestor Miranda.
Rich is a photographer by trade, and had been talking a lot about expanding his expertise into video. Sensing an opportunity to do some video without the hassle of editing, I told him that if he wanted to get some more video practice under his belt, we outta do a joint video review of the Dominicano. Instead of proposing unconventional and unpleasant uses for the cigars I just acquired, he agreed. We met up on Sunday, again at Buckhead Cigar, lit up our Dominicano Robusto Grandes and did a lot of recording. And from that rocky mess of footage, Rich put together a pretty impressive joint video cigar review!
But before we get to the video, here’s the scoop on the Dominicano. This cigar marks Don “Pepin” Garcia’s first adventure with tobacco from the Dominican Republic. And he didn’t mess around. He opted to wrap the Nicaraguan bedrock of this extension to the Nestor Miranda line in the same wrapper you’ll find on La Aurora’s 100 Años cigars. In addition to the Robusto Grande vitola Rich and I smoked for this review, the Dominicano will also be available in the following sizes: Coffee Break (4 1/2 x 50), Pyramide (6 1/8 x 52) and Lancero (7.5 x 40), which I incorrectly called a Churchill in the video. Speaking of video, here it is:
Cigar Stats:
Size: 5 1/2 x 54
Wrapper: Dominican Republic Corojo (La Aurora 100 Años wrapper)
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Smoking Time: 1 1/2 hours
Beverages: Water/Sweet Tea
Source: Free Samples
Price: MSRP $7.00 – $8.00
Important Note:
We do mention it in the video, but bears mention again that this review is based on single experiences with a pre-release cigar. The product available in cigar shops in March will have had the benefit of at least another solid month of age, and less rocky storage conditions. So yeah, your mileage may vary.
A contest winner will be selected next Wednesday, 2/10/10.
Contest Winner: HomeBrewer!
Nice review guys. I like the joint review format but it would be nice to find a way to keep the background noise out… a more peaceful environment maybe. Get Buckhead to give you a key and you can do these before the shop opens.
Whenever someones cigar at a cigar shop starts to run like Rich’s did I have to restrain myself from correcting the burn for them.
Secret message… I think you two must have implanted subliminal messages in there at the 18:36 mark as I have been on a strange cartoon network Flintstones bender ever since I watched the review.
Nice review. I can’t wait to try one so I can see what Pepin has done with his first time using Dominican tobacco. I don’t know what the code word is but I am going to guess that it is Fred Flinstone. Nice job with the dual cameras.
Awesome job guys..Really enjoy having 2 perspectives on a cigar…To me the band looked like a “Pemican Beef Jerky” label..and speaking of Fred Flintstone..does anyone else think Rich could be Bam Bam’s great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great grandson..LOL
Hope to see more of these types of review from you guys..
Great job..
Rob
rgianelli
At the risk of boring myself as well as everyone else, I really think Brian should do more of this kind of thing. Very well done both of you…cheers.
Great video guys! Funny stuff. The music was a nice touch.
The secret word is: Corn chips, Frosted Flakes, Fred Flintstone, or Bedrock….one of those sounds good! haha!
As mentioned above I too think Brian should do more video reviews, really nice to watch this one!
An thank you for the preview.
Enjoyed the review! “All you white people look the same to me” — LOL.
My guess is that the word was “Bedrock”. If I’m wrong, then send me those cigars as punishment 🙂
Nice to see a Brian video. And Rich, you look nothing like what I imagined. I’d say 14:15-15:05
Nice review guys…. I definitely like the joint review format. Only BootyRockRich would refer to a cigar having a “Bedrock” theme LOL (at the 17:23 mark I might add)
Nice review. Great team effort. Secret word flop at the end.
If theLa Aurora has cient ano wrapper to give to Nestor Miranda for this cigar; why has La Aurora stopped making the Cien ano? They have reportedly made 20,000(800 boxes) Lanceros out of the last of the wrapper.
You were just there Gary, so was I and I know the answer to this….
Gary,
I’m sure La Aurora hasn’t “given” them anything…I’m sure that wrapper cost Nestor a pretty penny. That aside…The rumors/speculation we had heard prior to filming/editing this video were that it “Could be” the same wrapper.
Brian put an email into the local Rep to find out what he could, and maybe he got back to him with confirmation that it was the Cien Años wrapper.
Though
That can mean a WHOLE lot of things in “factory speak”
It could mean:
A) It is the Exact same wrapper, it is left over from the Cien Años line.
B) It is the same “wrapper” leaf, it is grown/harvested/fermented in the exact same way as the Cien Años wrapper (but a new crop)
C) It is from the same plant specie (different crop, different process), only thing that is the same is that its same specie of Corojo
Yep, it’s as Rich stated, Josh, the area rep indicated it was the Cien Años wrapper.
PRE-RELEASE!!! Key words, Brian was fortunate enough to enjoy one of these samples, “smuggled” from the DR. These samples made there way un-humidified through many hours of plane travel and 2 days of ground.
As far as notes of this or that in the cigar, remember personal taste reflects on our own interpretation of flavors experienced when smoking cigars.
I have smoked a good half a dozen of these in BOTH wrappers. Rosado and Oscuro. My experience was of both a rich and complex cigar. I did not experience any dryness in the finish, though my previous nights sobriety may have led to my being more physically humidified.
Brian and I will be having a sit down to discuss new products coming from Miami Cigar & Co. later this week and to touch base on his experience with the Nestor Miranda Dominicano…
Thanks for the comment Josh…
You are absolutely right! Personal tastes do matter the most…
That’s the main thing I like about Stogie Review’s (reviews) is that they always leave it open ended for peoples personal takes.
By no means are we trying to blackball the Dominicano or any other cigar for that matter.
For the record Everyone (full disclosure and all)… JOSH is the local rep here in the Atlanta area…so keep in mind he WORKS for Nestor Miranda, just as our review is PRE-RELEASE, Both significant keywords when it comes to our opinions!
Those that I smoked, and am still smoking, Josh, are rather excellent from combustion to finish. And, I am burning my fingers to enjoy every last millmeter.
Thanks Rich. My comments only come from my experiences with the cigar, and yes I do work with Miami Cigar & Co.
I only feel that if we are here to educate smokers that we should do our research thoroughly on all products that we sample . IE. The line is called Nestor Miranda Special Selection ( not Coffee Break which is a specific size ) and the “samples” that you guys smoked were kept about as well as a pack of back woods in a local 7/11.
I really appreciate the non-bias reviews on SR but also appreciate well educated smokers who do not form opinions on a single smoking experience with a certain cigar. I personally feel it takes multiple times to get the full effect that a cigar has to offer. Keep up the good work and smoke well….
Don’t be so offended by our little review here… I doubt that it will have much effect on whether or not someone tries the Dominicano.
We CLEARLY stated MULTIPLE times that it was the first time we smoked it, that it was in “transit” virtually the whole way into our hands, and that we would both pick it up again on its official release.
What education would you have us have? I could give a shit about what the wrapper is… Its not going to change my opinion whether its connecticut, or corojo, or whatever. Who cares what the size is? This size was nice for 2/3rds, then went to hell, is that the norm…probably not… but it happened.
And don’t tell me that Miami Cigar’s brands don’t give sticks hot off the tables to people and say “what do you think?”… thats all that happened here.
I understand that you feel the need to defend a brand that you represent…but belittling us by calling us uneducated is out of line…and unnecessary.
You’ve had the opportunity to smoke loads of these sticks… GREAT!
We haven’t… and we stated that VERY CLEARLY.
Wo, Wo, Wo, no one is calling you un-educated. And I am not offended by your review. The education comments were for all cigar smokers not directed at you guys, with the exception of the correction on size versus brand name.
We in the cigar industry are very passionate about our craft. We love to hear peoples opinions both good and bad, it is what keeps us fresh and interested in creating great products.
By no means do I feel you guys are lacking in education and did not mean for it to seem that way.
To share opinions is what comment forums are all about. And these just happen to be my personal opinions.
Cool…
Thanks for clearing that up… Things can get EASILY misconstrued when read and not heard…
I respect your opinions Josh, and have no doubt you know more than I’ll ever know about this particular brand, and that’s cool.
As I mentioned before, both Brian and I look forward to giving this cigar another try when it is officially released.
As far as the name of the size…It is ignorance, on our part… Boram smokes so many NM Coffee Breaks that it’s become synonymous with the brand in the shop….I think one person even referred to a “coffee break Danno”. looking back it does sound uneducated lol, since I’m sure everyone else in the world is used to saying NMSS. We are hicks… don’t forget that!
We cool Josh.
“Given” was politesse, Rich. I could have said “sold,” as easily.
But that’s not really about the cigar, so the comment becomes superfluous.
Just a great review guys! Glad Rich was there to carry that Brian guy!! 🙂
Sounds like a decent cigar, but I am hoping that final third gets situated with a bit more aging and less traveling.
Mike
Brian – gotta love the dual reviews when the other guy has to do all the work =)
It’s the only way to do video reviews! LOL
Great job guys! Really enjoyed watching it! Yet another brand that I never see in Canada 🙁
no entry into the giveaway???
Loved the review. I looks like the first two thirds have the kind of flavors that I look for in a cigar. A shame the cigars took a bad turn in the last third. Hopefully with some aging they will become better. Loved Brian’s comment about the Flintstones look at 17:35. Keep up the good work and keep on smoking.
It was nice to see a review where you guys are out and about! Seems like a really good cigar, maybe with a little more time in the humidor the burn issues will go away and give it more lasting flavor.
The secret word is “Fun” at 18:01
Maybe Josh can provide 5 packs to give away to those of us who watched the review… That way we can judge for ourselves what we think!
Nice review guys, i like the dual viewpoint presentation. I think the whole is larger than the sum of the parts, if you get my drift. btw, I understood the pre-release qualifications; i offer that as a man on the street, just walking by impression.
Like most readers here, I will go for a single or a 5er to see for myself when they are released, thanks to the public service that you have provided.
The secret word has to be Walnuts
Again, Walnuts, @10:24ish
Good job on the review, the comical moments just add to the review. Secret word if I had to guess is flavor.
Or Dominicano LOL.
Don’t forget the time in your guesses!
I’m guessing the secret word is “Dog Rocket” it happened whenever you pulled out the box of Room 101’s
I’m gonna go with “Flop” or “Doom”, both near the end
Brian,
Love the two camera concept! It worked out great! Oh and I also would say Fred Flinstone (LOL).
Stew
Great review guys, I loved the format for some reason, really different with the two cameras in the same place, kinda cool. Anyway my guess is Bedrock.
Great review!! You guys gotta make this a regular thing.. The humor and the 2 cameras really make it great! I agree with the previous post, Rich has got to be in Barney Rubbles family tree. He could easily be a descendant of Bam Bam’s.
I think the secret word is peninsula, as how Rich described his burn issue. LOL
Keep up the great work.
Good review, hope there are more like it, and hope next time you figure out a way to tame the background noise, my guess is fun.
Nicely played boyz. Those Room 101 cgars would make an awesome 42nd birthday gift (which I’ll be celebrating on 2/10 when you randomly pick the winner … wink, wink). OK, nuff with the begging. My guess at the secret word or words is “cornchip barnyard compost combination” which Brian came up with about 5 minutes 59 seconds into the video. Absolute money!!!
Did you guys smoke it when you were hungry; did you smoke it when your appetite is sated? Did you smoke it at different times of the day? Did you smoke it when you were ebullient; when you are ‘down’? Are you considering all the elements – construction, burn, appearance, draw, strength, flavour? How many boxes of these did you guys smoke?
Ooops…there I go again flaming the fire…
In all seriousness…well done! I hope the three of us can do something similar when I’m down in the ATL next week.
Great Review Guys! I’m interested in giving these a try once they get released in march. I think the the secret word is “RichFatty” at 6:08 LOL
That was great! (Well, ‘ceptin’ for the background noise… not your fault).
I like ole Nestor… good guy; good smokes.
“Just say da secret woid”: I’m going with “peninsula” at 11:30 (although bedrock at 17:55 was a close contender!).
I liked the dual camera/dual reviewer format. Cool concept I’ve wanted to try for awhile now.
As for the contest, don’t enter me, because I don’t have a clue what the word is!
Great tag team review guys! Will pick one up and try it out when it hits the shops, I love the coffee break size and am glad this cigar will come in it. I have had another Pepin cigar go dead on me at the end before. Was the JJ Maduro and it was a freaking awesome cigar the first half, but at pretty much the half way point it just died and had no taste the rest of the cigar.
As far as the secret word, I think you guys back tracked and it came early in the video between around the 4 to 6 min mark. I didn’t go back for the time, hope that is ok. But I think the secret word is “Walt” when Brian called Rich that by mistake.
Hey guys,
Thought you both did awesome. Some good on camera chemistry there and it was a good watch even with the background noise. I watched this vid three times trying to figure out the secret word and the best I can do is “fun” at around 18 mins. There was a change of facial expression and then “that was a good word” was mentioned. lol I’m probably way over thinking this. Anyways, I’ll be sure to go out and get a couple of these sticks when they are available online or in my smoke shop. Great work again and keep doing that voodoo that you do so well.
Thanks for the kind words guys!
hmm not many official entries into the contest…
*protip* the more observant you are the better your chances.
Also, remember that we need the word and the time (we’ll give you a cushion of +/- 5secs)
Excellent review guys. Loved the duel camera concept and think Rich did a very good job of switching back and forth when it came time to edit.
Looking forward to the next one and thanks for Buckhead for donating the box of Room 101 as a contest prize
ok let’s try this again. “Doom” at 22:11
i’ve never seen so many panties in a bunch over a cigar.
regardless im looking forward to trying one of these, i smoked a couple of the 4.5×50 nestor miranda special selection about 4 or 5 months ago and really dug them. i honestly didnt know pepin had anything to do with the nestor miranda line, i thought it was jusy a nestor and la aurora thing. whatver, im in.
on a side note, im an art director by profession. And as much as i love the special selection band, im not a fan of the dominicano band, i think the font cheapens it. just a thought, josh.
Thanks for the review. My guess is for the word flop which occurs at 18:38 and 18:41
I meant 23:38 and 23:41. Typo.
“bedrock” at 17:21
“flop” at 23:38 and 23:40
Fun at 18:05, yeah thats a good word….
Ok lets try it again. Fred Flintstone at 17:07 in the video (LOL). Now give me my box (LOL).
I’m going to guess Dominicano at 17:28
I loved the NM Special Selection and the 100 Anos so I can’t wait for this to come out. To bad I can’t watch the videos from work as I have no idea what the secret word is. Lets go with “the” said about 400 times during the review.
i would guess the word would be fun at 18:01
but i really got a laugh at newly formed nation at 11:46
the dominicano coffe break at 4:13
Hey guys, great review of a cigar I would love to try if I ever get the chance. You two should do more reviews together, varying perspectives are good. Secret word…. who knows, maybe “secret word” is the secret word which first occurred at 13:13 in the vid. Keep up the great work.
Sorry to keep everybody waiting.
And the winner of the box of the Room 101 404’s is….. HomeBrewer! Congratulations!
oh…
The secret word could have been found by mousing over the image at the top of the page.
The exact time at which it occurs is 17:21
Congrats HomeBrewer.