Back by at least one request, it’s time once again for 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 more likely, the past month), along with a couple of […]
Oliva Master Blends 3 Robusto
Recently Walt passed along a request for a review of the Oliva Master Blends 3. My initial reaction was something along the lines of “are you telling me we haven’t reviewed the Master Blends 3 already? Inconceivable.” And though that word does mean what I think it means, it turned out be very conceivable that […]
San Lotano Habano Robusto
A.J. Fernandez’s San Lotano is a line of cigars that has been a long time coming. I was introduced to it in its pre-release form at the 2009 trade show. But you could also say the San Lotano is a long time returning. Because once upon a time, in the sepia-toned pre-Castro past, Fernandez’s grandfather […]
La Caridad Del Cobre La Charada No. 48 “La Cucaracha”
I have for you this week a cigar whose cryptic name is nearly as long as the smoke itself. Before I get into the nuts and bolts of the review, let’s break that mouthful down. The vitola’s name is La Charada No. 48 “La Cucaracha”, which translates into a pretty random sounding The Charade No. […]
Herding Stogies: A Composite Top 10
“What’s this? Another top ten list?! Surely you can’t be serious!” Oh, but I am, and stop calling me Shirley. (R.I.P. Leslie Nielsen) This isn’t any ordinary cigar top ten list, it’s a fusion of geekery, curiosity and hours of Excel spreadsheet work. The other day I was reading “These Lists Don’t Lie” on the […]
Before You Buy That Top 10
This week the big dog barked, and all across the cigar-smoking country (and possibly the world), printers cranked to life, dutifully replicating the most anticipated top 10 list of the year. Chances are, you’ve seen it already. But before you take your printout, withdraw the $165.96 it would take to buy the ten smokes ($95.05 […]
The Box-Worthies: Brian’s Top 10 Cigars of 2010
It’s less than a week into 2010 and already top ten lists have been done to death. So why should you bother reading mine? Well, to begin with, isn’t mine really the one you’ve been waiting for? I know it’s the one I’ve been most looking forward to. Additionally, my top 10 differs from the […]
Brian’s The Week In Smoke, Issue 5
With the holidays in full effect, I haven’t had the time time to prepare a proper review for this week. The good news is that I’ve had a Brian’s The Week In Smoke ready to go for a while now, so our readers will have a little something to browse in between parties and hangovers. […]
Macanudo Cru Royale Robusto
Rumors spread on the floor of the IPCPR trade show much like they do the other 51 weeks of the year on twitter and the blogs. Only, when you’re there, word of mouth is really word of mouth. And with more press passes issued this year than in prior ones, there were a lot more […]
Casa Fernandez Arsenio Maduro Robusto
Wait, another Casa Feranandez cigar review? Well, yes. While I was out picking up the sticks for the Aganorsa Leaf review a few weeks ago, I saw these Arsenio Maduros and I couldn’t resist. I knew Jerry had the natural Arsenio covered, and that the Arsenio Maduro is was still fair game. The Casa Fernandez […]