Back in November, Daniel (aka @Dalamscius) from Casas Fumando held a giveaway contest to raise money for the Movember campaign, which spreads awareness about men’s health issues, particularly prostate cancer. I was happy to make a small donation to help out a pal (who also happens to be active in the Stogie Review Fan Forums), and was thrilled to be chosen to receive a 5-pack of cigars donated by Maldonado Dynasty.
When my 5-pack of the Maldonado Dynasty Mogul arrived in the mail, I let them rest in my coolidor for several weeks before giving them a try. After smoking a few, I decided to shoot a video review. Short on time as I’ve been lately, I took my life into my hands and set up my camcorder to record the review while hurtling down the highway at break-neck speeds in excess (nominally) of the posted limits… when traffic didn’t slow me to a crawl, that is.
Maldonado Dynasty Mogul by the numbers:
Size: 6×50
Vitola: Toro
Wrapper: Brazilian Arapiraca Maduro
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic (plus Peruvian & Colombian?)
Strength: Medium-Full
No. smoked for review: 4
Duration: 1 hour
Source: won in giveaway from Casas Fumando (donated by Maldonado Dynasty)
MSRP: $11.00
Website: www.maldonadodynasty.com
Twitter: @MaldonadoDynsty
How did everything turn out? Was I issued a citation for reckless driving? And how was the cigar? Watch the video to find out the answers to these questions, and more…
(Video length: 10:02)
Soundtrack: “New Life” by Fireproof_Babies (courtesy of ccMixter.org)
As it turns out, my experiment with recording a review while driving turned out just fine. I might have to do one again in the future if I’m short on time, so it’s nice to have a workable backup option. The cigar on the other hand, while it wasn’t bad, just didn’t do it for me flavor-wise. I couldn’t get past the sour notes, and the tight draw on multiple samples was quite frustrating. I’d smoke another if given the opportunity, but the Maldonado Dynasty Mogul probably isn’t something I’ll be seeking out.
Thanks again to Daniel & Tony from Casas Fumando for the giveaway and to Maldonado Dynasty for donating the cigars!
About Charlie:
Charlie has been enjoying cigars since 2000 and generally prefers a medium-bodied, full-flavored smoke. A USAF vet, he is currently pursuing a PhD in computer science, focusing on artificial intelligence and computational linguistics. Originally from Connecticut and now residing in Delaware, Charlie is also a fan of football, science fiction, political philosophy, and single malt scotch. You can contact Charlie on Twitter @greenbacker.
I’ve said before and I’ll say again, I just wanted to “throw some dough at a bro for his mo”, I never intended to win that contest and am embarrassed. I’m equally embarrasses that I, like you, was not a big fan of the cigar. The samples I smoked so far, and I have a couple I’m saving for either warm weather, or an indoor smoking opportunity, have had wrapper issues which took away from the experience for me. If the flavor had been amazing I could have gotten past the issues, but a cigar marketed as super premium with a price point to match should burn right. Period.
On another note, and at the risk of sounding old fogeyish, I’m not big on the reviews recorded while driving. Having been the victim of a distracted driver pulling out in front of me, causing me to total a bike and have lingering physical injuries, I am very nervous about this. I know we all think that we are good enough drivers to pull this off, but all it takes is one idiot pulling out without looking and there’s a catastrophe. I actually like you and Walt, so I don’t want to see you guys get in an accident recording reviews! It’s dangerous out there!
That’s enough of my public service announcement….keep up the good work!
Good points. I think I’ll avoid the driving reviews in the future!
Nicely done Charlie! The video while driving actually turned out ok, haha.
Sorry you weren’t a fan but you can’t win em all!
I hear what you mean about bloggers letting other bloggers win cigars but I think this was a different situation since you made a donation to a great cause. Paul Maldonado actually picked your nickname for me as one of the funniest ones from a blind list, so you won it fair and square 😉
Thanks again for the mention and keep up the good work. You are a great addition to the SR crew and you’re doing a great job.
Cheers,
Daniel
Thanks, Daniel!
Unlike you and Craig, I haven’t had any construction or draw issues on the few that I’ve smoked, although I have to say that they have all been smoked indoors. I found the flavors to be enjoyable, but we all have different perceptions. Thanks again to Daniel, Tony, and Paul.
I have to agree with Craig on the reviewing while driving. It can be a dangerous distraction, so be careful out there, man, we don’t want anything bad to happen to you!
Love the car review, adds element of danger.
Nicely done Charlie. I like the car reivew taking a page from Walts book isn’t a bad thing at all hahah. I haven’t tried these yet but for that price they should stand up to the test in my opinion. Keep up the good work.
Less volume on the road, Looks like you were holding everyone up. I think I saw an old lady give you the finger. just joking , I liked the review
I gave her the finger right back.
thats what she said! LOL
You looked good, the few times before you were all bundled up on your porch. I have to agree with the other guy’s, you and Mike, be careful driving and videoing! Good review.
I was recently gifted with a Maldonao Mogul torpedo and,
personally, I found it to be quite a nice cigar. It was a bit on
the mild side, which is different from my usual smoke, but the
complexity of the flavors far outdistanced any perceived lack of
strength. From the start, the cigar had great eyeball. It was
smooth and shiny and had a comfortable heft in my hand. The
construction was spot on with no detectable flaws. The entire cigar
seemed a tad soft, but that in no way impacted its smokability and
probably reflected previous storage conditions. The pre-light draw
was excellent: not too easy yet not a hernia-maker, either. It had
a pleasing aroma and taste. After toasting the foot, I sparked it
up and found it to be a very tasty cigar. It burned well with no
need for touch ups or re-lights. It did not tunnel and burned with
a clingy, white, one-inch ash. I particularly liked the way the
flavor of the cigar shifted as it burned. I guess that is what the
writers for those shiny-covered magazines call “complexity”. I am
not one who can discern the flavors that some writers talk of. I
cannot tell the difference between the flavor of peanuts, roasted
peanuts or cashews. Neither can I tell the difference between
coffee, coffee and cream or espresso. I guess that if I wanted to
eat or have a cup of coffee, I would have a meal and a cup, and
would not resort to a cigar for those flavors. What I DID taste was
a pleasing and changing flavor of tobacco throughout the entire
cigar, and that, my friend, is why I smoke cigars. The Mogul
gathered some but not much strength as I got to the halfway mark
and that was pleasing. Also, there was a lingering sweetness on my
palate throughout the smoke without much spicy or peppery bite. The
cigar burned cool all the way down to a two-inch nub, when I
retired it. I suppose this is why there are so many different
brands and types of cigars: one man’s ceiling is another man’s
floor. Personally, I enjoyed the Maldonado Mogul very much and
would not hesitate to buy a box of them. I mean no disrespect or
offense to those who did not care for this cigar. I respect your
opinion, but I did not find any of the downsides that were
mentioned in previous comments. Can anyone tell me who retails
these cigars?