It’s once time again for another issue of Brian’s The Week In Smoke. In case this is your first Week in Smoke, be advised that it covers many (though not necessarily all) of the cigars I’ve smoked in the past week (or the past month, or however long it has been since the last issue), along with a couple of quick thoughts that came to me at the time. These are not full cigar reviews, but quick blurbs based on a single smoking experience. As such, they may be influenced by the natural variations that occur from one cigar to another. Your mileage may vary. (If I know the cigar well enough to comment, I may mention if an experience strays from what understand to be the norm.)

An appearance in The Week in Smoke does not preclude nor guarantee a future in-depth review. Whenever possible, I’ve linked to more a thoughtful and thorough review of the cigar in question. (Or maybe I’ve linked to a photo of Jerry The ‘Stache. You won’t know until you click.) Enjoy!

Drew Estate Undercrown Flying Pig
I was surprised to find this little piggy hiding in my humidor this week. Time has been tight lately, so short smokes are burned about as quickly as I acquire (or find) them. Even when they’re as stout as a Flying Pig. As far as Undercrown experiences go, this was one of my best, and I’d very much like to repeat it. The smokey little stick produced oodles of sweet, savory earth and meat with touches of anise. This swine was just fine by me.

LFD LG Puro 2010 Lancero
I’ve located a small cache of these well-aged LG Lanceros, and I like to return to it from time to time when I’m in the mood for a grassy, meaty, leathery, peppery smoke. This time around it wasn’t quite as peppery as I expected, the flavor needle swung more into the sweet zone. This won’t be my last (hopefully), I’m curious to see where they go from here.

Ortega Serie D No 6 Maduro **
Ortega Serie D Maduros are a fine smoke when they’re fresh, but they’re even better with a little extra time in the humidor. And this one spent years waiting for fire. It was a marvelous combination of creamy coffee, cocoa, earth, syrup and caramel. Skip dessert, cigars like this make those calories obsolete.

Re+United by EP Carrillo and Michael Giannini
I really haven’t done a good job of pacing myself with the remaining limited edition Re+Uniteds, and my supply has dwindled considerably. That’s a shame, I suspect they will continue improve with time. I didn’t take a lot of notes this time around, but I did jot down sweet dried fruit, caramel and the lingering finish of cedar and pepper. I think there was a little butterscotch in there as well. It did not disappoint.

Vivalo Serie Exclusivo Lonsdale
The Vivalo Serie Exclusivo was one of the memorable cigars of the 2013 trade show for me and it’s nice to see it again. I decided to get reacquainted with the line by way of the smallest ring gauge, the Lonsdale. It delivered a nice array or rich flavors. I noted coffee, toffee, cocoa and earth with a hit of acidity early on. My memory of the original is a little hazy, but this smoke seemed similar to what I recall.

Zino Platinum Crown Series Rocket
I believe this Zino Platinum was part of the last Tour Kit that made the rounds a while back. There have been a few package deals like that over the years, and they’re good buy if you like Zino Platinums. I enjoy these ultra-premiums occasionally, usually when the occasion calls for something flashy and my palate isn’t too spent. They seem like a cigar best suited for an event. As expected, this Crown Series Rocket produced creamy (sometimes more buttery), toasty and mushroom-like flavors with the trademark funk, some sweetness and cedar.

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* Big Brother would have you know these cigars were gifts or free samples, and that my opinions on them is suspect. My opinions (and this ridiculously full calendar) are my own, your response to them is your own. All your base are belong to us.

** I have too many smokes, and this denotes that the smoke in question has been sitting in one of my humidors for at least a year, and thus qualifies as “aged”. If my collection continues to grow, the chances are good I’ll be on that Discovery Channel show about people who hoard stuff and face eviction.

Some of the pictures in Brian’s The Week In Smoke first appeared on twitter or instagram. If you’d like to see these lists constructed in real time, follow Brian on twitter or instagram. If you don’t, you’ll make the Fail Whale cry. And he’s ugly when he cries.