5 Vegas Series 'A', Apocalypse 6x58. A big fat dark oily cigar, extraordinary flavors of light pepper, spice, toast, caramel, and creamy smoke.  Perfect balance, not overwhelming, just right.  Exhaled through the nose brings a nice sensation.  This is a really good cigar, especially for the price.

Paired with an orange Cuervo Margarita.

83 degrees on a warm afternoon, slight breeze.

Sol Cubano Cuban Cabinet Seconds, fundadore 7x40. A little pepper, and a little harsh to start. Spicy through the burn, either harsh or sort of a pepper flavor.  Very quick burn.  OK flavor but below average.
 
Paired with 2006 Juan Gil Jumilla Red Monastrell.  A very big, tons of fruit, but very dry Mourvedre.  Pretty good.

91 degrees with a slight breeze.

Camacho Triple Maduro, robusto 4.5x50.  Deep chocolate and tobacco off the light, overwhelming spice and pepper which quickly fades into a deep chocolate and coffee smokiness.  Huge smoke from this dark maduro, smooth but very full bodied and buzz producing.  Intense strong very very nice cigar.  A winner.

Paired with lemonade and orange tequila.

95 degrees with a nice breeze cooling it off.

601 Green Habano Oscuro, tronco robusto 5x52.  Strong pepper off the light, lip burning pepper and spice for a bit, then mellowing into a flavorful sweet spiciness. This is a bold, strong and rich cigar, packed with smoke and flavor.  A great cigar.

Paired with 2002 Rosenblum Annette's Reserve Zinfandel.  This wine cellared well for a Zin.

100 degrees on a hot calm afternoon.

Isla del Sol, Gran Corona 5x44. A small sweet mild coffee flavored cigar, with some chocolate flavor. A nice smooth breakfast smoke.

Paired with Starbucks coffee.


75 degrees on a very warm, breezeless morning.

Romeo y Julieta Habana Reserve Titan Tubo, 6x54.  Woody and earthy, slightly salty.  Slightly spicy as the burn continues.  Great smokiness and aroma.  Pretty good.

Paired with water.

Late warm night in Foresthill.

Partagas Decada Limited Reserve Anual, 5.5x50. Creamy smooth smoke with wood and cedar. Becoming my "attending a wedding smoke" and this time I was able to snap a pic before drinking too much.

Paired with Chandon champagne.

90+ degrees in Foresthill.

No cigars for the last few days due to a sore throat.

But lemon ricotta pancakes make it feel better.

70 degrees on a warm calm morning.

Alec Bradley Tempus, quadrum 5.5x55.  My favorite cigar, sweet, smooth, spicy.  Just a perfect blend.  The best.

Paired with a sour appletini.

83 degrees with a slight breeze.

Padilla Signature 1932 Churchill, 7" x 48.  Pepper off the light, lots of spice and nutty flavor to the nub.  Volumes of complex smoke.  A fantastic cigar.

Paired with ice water.

89 degrees on a warm evening.

Man O' War, double corona, 7.5x52.  Nice spicy smoke, well made and flavorful.  Light pepper and sweet cinnamon spice.

Paired with 2004 Banfi Brunello di Montalcino, a fantastic Brunello from a great year.  After a dinner of manicotti and chicken parmesan.

A very hot evening in Charlottesville, VA.

Isla del Sol, Gran Corona 5x44.  Sweet mild coffee notes.  Smooth soft smoke.

Paired with ice water.

Hot evening in Charlottesville, VA.

Partagas Decada Limited Reserve Anual, 5.5x50. Nice creamy smooth smoke.

Paired with Amstel light beer, various Austrailian merlots and pinots, and a bottle of Delcaves Rose Champagne.  Drank a little too much to take a picture of the cigar.

95 degrees, hot and muggy, in St. Michaels, Maryland.

5 Vegas Series 'A', Apocalypse 6x58. A fat dark oily cigar, full of smoke and flavor. Very light pepper, spice, toast, caramel, and creamy smoke.  Really good cigar.

Paired with Guinness draught.

85 degrees on a warm breezy afternoon.

Diesel, torpedo, 5x56. Strong pepper and spice, but quickly settles into a peppery, spicy and smooth smoke. An excellent cigar.

Paired with Vision Cellars 2007 Sonoma County Pinot Noir.  Mac McDonald is making a great Pinot.

84 degrees on a warm evening.

5 Vegas Triple-A (AAA), 5x56. Strong pepper, spice, oily chocolate and coffee off the light. Mellows into a spicy chocolately nutty toasty flavor. The spice never subsides, but the balance is perfect.  A great cigar.

Paired with Montevina Zinfandel Port.

74 degrees, overcast with slight breeze.

5 Vegas Limitada 2009, belicoso 6.2x52. Dark cocoa aroma prelight. Starts off with a little pepper and quickly settles into a sweet spicy complex of flavors.  About an inch in becomes bitter but still smokable.  May need more rest in the humidor.  Potential is there for a decent smoke, but too bitter and grassy now.

Paired with Heineken Light beer.

87 degrees on a warm evening.

Oliva Serie 'V', torpedo 6x56. A fantastic cigar, deserving of the wide praise and acclaim it has acheived. Huge bold spice and pepper off the light, quickly settling into a spicey goodness for the first few inches. Then notes of chocolate, spice and wood at the midway as its complexity comes through.  Big, bold, strong flavor.  A classic.

Paired with Yellowglen Pink sparkling wine, a pretty decent Austrailian peach-colored rose champagne.

96 hot degrees, the breeze is gone.

Tatiana Mocha, caramely 6x50. Chocolate aroma, very mild volumes of smoke.  A great breakfast smoke. I smoke a lot of them.

Paired with Dominican coffee.

74 degrees on a warm, windy morning.

5 Vegas Gold No. 1, 7.5x54. Very mild smooth smoke, creamy. Flavor is light tobacco, cinnamon and leather, and as mentioned it is very very mild. Makes for a perfect morning smoke.

Paired with Dominican coffee and coconut pineapple pancakes.

75 degrees on very windy morning

Tatuaje Havana VI Nobles Natural, robusto 5x50. Medium spice off the light, and a little pepper.  Surprisingly tame for a Don Pepin Garcia blend, but flavorful.  Uneven burn that couldn't be controlled by rotation, but otherwise fine draw.  Fine cigar but others in this upper price range are better.

Paired with Pyrat Pistol Rum...may be the sweetest rum out there.

Warm but breezy 83 degrees.

5 Vegas Classic, double corona 6x48.  Mild off the light, flavorful leather and herbal hints.  Creamy throughout.  Pretty good cigar.

Paired with  '09 Innocent Bystander Pink Moscato after a fantastic dinner in Winters of steak and lobster with Breggo 2006 Farrington Vineyard Pinot Noir.

74 warm degrees late in the evening.

Nica Libre, diplomatico 7x50.  Leather and earth, smooth smoke.  Well made and decent cigar, but don't believe the hype that these are Padron knockoffs.

Paired with Amstel light beer.

72 degrees and breezy.

Graycliff Turbo, torpedo 6x60. Pepper and strong spice on the front and stays strong along the way.  Full bodied, full flavored.  Well made and nice smoking cigar.

Paired with ice water.

77 degrees and warm.

Perdomo 2 Limited Edition, Epicure 5.5" x 54.  Box pressed and nicely made, smooth velvety smoke off the light, slight sweet spice through.  The sweet spice increases and adds a little coffee flavor toward the nub. Very satisfying smoke.  Nice.


Paired with Dogfish Head Midas Touch Ale.


83 degrees on a warm evening.

La Herencia Cubana Oscuro Fuerte, Robusto 5.5" x 54.  Chewy sweet Pennsylvania broadleaf wrapper surrounds a most flavorful and spicy cigar.  Pepper and spice off the light, but perfectly balanced.  Complex flavor throughout the stick right down to the finger burnin' nub.  Great cigar.


Paired with mango daiquiri.


80 degrees on a beautiful warm evening.

Oliva Serie 'O', Robusto, 5.0" x 50.  Flavorful wood and nutty flavor, light spice.  Very smooth, flavorful, and nice, though I think the toro size smokes a little better.  All in all a nice cigar.


Paired with mango daiquiri.


84 cool degrees, slight breeze, perfect Sunday afternoon.

Sol Cubano Cuban Cabinet, No. 2 Torpedo 6.0" x 52.  Leather and wood up front, then gets a little spicy a third of the way in.  Great burn.  Well made and flavorful cigar.


Paired with ice water.


88 hot degrees on a sunny afternoon.

Isla del Sol, toro 6x52.  Coffee and espresso chocolate flavors.  Smoke 'em a lot for breakfast.

Paired with Dominican coffee.

76 degrees on a muggy warm morning.

Alec Bradley Tempus, quadrum 5.5x55.  Sweet smooth spice.  This is a great cigar that I have smoked and reviewed many times.  Maybe the best there is.

Paired with 2002 Rosenblum Richard Sauret Zinfandel.

75 degrees with a slight breeze.

Perdomo Reserve Ltd. Oscuro, 'C' churchill 7 x 50.  Chocolate and espresso prelight.  Spice and sweet tobacco throughout, smooth and complex.  Nice cigar.

Paired with Hall 2006 Cabernet Sauvignon.  Fantastic cab!

81 degrees, breezy and overcast and humid.

Gurkha Legend, Aniversario Perfecto, 6x60.  Cocoa prelight, spicy with a little pepper, then very flavorful concentrated nutty flavors.  Smooth, full, smoky.  A most excellent cigar.

Paired with 2008 Oyster Bay Pinot Noir.  Very very nice inexpensive and widely available Pinot from New Zealand.  Excellent.

80 degrees and overcast.

Romeo Y Julieta Reserva Real,  robusto 5x52.  Creamy toasty smoke, a little harsh.  Average cigar.

Paired with diet Sprite.

73 degrees with a slight breeze, late evening.