What's new
By:
Filters
Society of Smoke

Register to get access to post to the forum, chat, and send private messages.

Gurgalunas' Fun Contest reviews

gurgalunas

gurgalunas

Corona Gorda
Rating - 100%
11   0   0
I was the lucky winner of Dran's Fun Contest last week. In a nutshell, he shipped out a unlabeled 5er, and now I've got to review, offer guesses on tobacco origin, brand, etc. Oh, and he kicked me in the nuts with chaperones for the 5 naked ladies he sent...20190321_135156.jpg

Just so nobody gets their hopes up, I'm not a very experienced cigar smoker. I've smoked on hunting and fishing trips for years, but only last summer set out to really explore cigars. I can probably list on one hand the number of cigars I've smoked multiples of, but there is a long list of singles I've tried. I'm trying to keep up with all the bombs you fuckers have dropped in my lap in the last couple months... I guess my point is, you wont be mistaking this thread with something from @irratebass ...

I know I'll get made fun of. That's ok, I'm sure I'll deserve it. Just stop before you make me cry...
 
irratebass

irratebass

Churchill
Rating - 100%
19   0   0
gurgalunas said:
I was the lucky winner of Dran's Fun Contest last week. In a nutshell, he shipped out a unlabeled 5er, and now I've got to review, offer guesses on tobacco origin, brand, etc. Oh, and he kicked me in the nuts with chaperones for the 5 naked ladies he sent...View attachment 2480

Just so nobody gets their hopes up, I'm not a very experienced cigar smoker. I've smoked on hunting and fishing trips for years, but only last summer set out to really explore cigars. I can probably list on one hand the number of cigars I've smoked multiples of, but there is a long list of singles I've tried. I'm trying to keep up with all the bombs you fuckers have dropped in my lap in the last couple months... I guess my point is, you wont be mistaking this thread with something from @irratebass ...

I know I'll get made fun of. That's ok, I'm sure I'll deserve it. Just stop before you make me cry...
Click to expand...


You'll do fine, just close your eyes with each puff and imagine what you're tasting, this might help too

cigar-flavors-wheel-large.png
 
gurgalunas

gurgalunas

Corona Gorda
Rating - 100%
11   0   0
Ok, starting out with Contestant A. Went out on the property to relax and enjoy round one.
20190325_130536.jpg
Definite barnyard smell pre-light.

Initially, leather, nutty flavors to start, transitioning into some light pepper.

Starting 2/3, pepper diminishes. Still good nutty flavor. Very pleasant smoke. Medium body, med strength. Burn line has been spot on, holding ash reasonably well.

Final third, pepper creeping back in. Keeping a nutty, leather, light cedar flavor still. Not a wildly transitioning experience, but flavors that I enjoy. Nicotine ramps up at the end, no lunch today, so that may contribute... Wrapper starts unraveling in the last inch, and burn line gets a little wonky, but worth the struggle.

20190325_143956.jpg

If I had to guess origin, based on my limited experience, I'd guess Dominican. Not quite the Dominican profile I'm used to (nearly all has been Fuente for me), not as bold of Cedar (that's the forward note I find in Fuente). On the outside chance @Dran dropped a CC on me, I couldnt rule that out, but I'm working under the assumption this wasnt a CC sampler. I've only had a couple CC to compare to, so...

I hope this turns out to be some $1 special, but I doubt that. I couldnt be so lucky... Again, not wild ride type of cigar, but a steady, enjoyable one.

So, official guess, non-fuente Dominican.

Time to head in for the reveal.
 
gurgalunas

gurgalunas

Corona Gorda
Rating - 100%
11   0   0
The pepper starting out light, then totally disappearing really threw me. And the return was after it nearly went out. Thought I might have gotten after it a little aggressively. Reading others notes, my experience with this cigar was not far off... havent smoked a Ec Hab wrapper before that I can recall.

Thanks @Dran . That was fun. Humbling, but fun. I've never had Ava Maria before, but may have a couple larger vitola examples in the humi from bombs. Look forward to revisiting, knowing what to expect.
 
gurgalunas

gurgalunas

Corona Gorda
Rating - 100%
11   0   0
Time for Contestant B.

20190326_125516.jpg

Again, the wrapper had a barnyard aroma, not as powerful as contestant A yesterday. Pre-light draw was distinctly grassy, with an easy draw. Head is distinctly flattened. I'd guess it's about 5x50.

Initially, flavor was vegetal, kinda like hay that lays swathed and drying in the sun. Some leather and wood notes. Complete absence of pepper. It settles into a nutty, woody, leather by the end of the first third. Ash is salt and pepper, holding easily 3/4".

2/3 is leaving the hay behind, and transitioning into wood and mild coffee, like a breakfast blend. Nutty. Third ash just fell, all three are clones, 3/4" and firm, sitting in the ashtray like eggs in a nest, and not a flake on my shirt.20190326_135921.jpg

Enjoyable to this point, not complex, and burn has been great but wavering a little as I start the final 3rd. Growing bitter in the final third. Bitter enough that I'm not going to nub this one...

Overall, medium flavor, medium strength, large volume of smoke. Lots of woody, nutty flavor. I'd smoke another without hesitation.

In terms of what this is, I'm guessing fuente, mid-shelf. Had some similarity to CAO Amazon. Kinda gun shy about guessing Dominican again, but it's my best comp on the medium body cigars. Most of what I go for have been fuller flavor Nicaraguan, and I'd bet against that origin.

I'd rate it 7/10.
 
gurgalunas

gurgalunas

Corona Gorda
Rating - 100%
11   0   0
Wife is out of town, so playing single parent. Kids are down, so let's burn contestant C... Sitting on the screened porch, 60 degrees still, breezy. Rain coming tomorrow, but doesnt feel overly humid.20190327_210243.jpg

Wrapper has a barnyard aroma again, but there's something else... Reminds me faintly of pipe tobacco?.. almost a hint of cherry or something... odd. My grandpa was the only pipe smoker I've known, and he passed in the early 90s.

Draw is very tight, but the Perfect Draw saves the day, needing about an inch and a half of work. Prelight, flavor is manure and some kind of vegetable I can't quite place.

Size is about 5x45ish

Initial flavor is woody- charred oak. Very slight pepper spice that builds. Burn issues develop within the first half inch, demanding a touch up. Flavor stays true to the charred oak and pepper, spicy and tannic. Almost astringent. Makes me want to sip the finished rye I brought out with me, but I stick with water until I'm done. Damn, burn issues continue and it goes out before I'm done with the first 3rd. Relight, and things seem to be back in order.

Second third continues the same, but starting to pick up a touch of bitter dark chocolate. Fuck, this thing wont burn straight for nothing. 20190327_215713.jpg
Third touchup... and still only half way into 2/3. Oh, for shit sake. Out again. And I'm not neglecting this thing... what a struggle...

Almost to 3/3. Screw it. Sip of HW rye finished in Manhattan barrel hits the spot. Flavor hasn't changed a bit the whole way, I'm sure the burn difficulties have adversely affected this one. Bah, out again. I quit.

15537434298973461347736188910200.jpg

Full flavor, medium full strength.

Flavor reminds me of a Tat I tried a couple months ago. Or a aging room f55 I tried. I've never had an oliva yet, but this is similar to what I imagine based on brief descriptions I've read. I'm going with Nicaraguan all the way here. If it's one of the ones I mentioned above as tried before, I won't revisit. If something new, I'll give it one more shot, maybe a fluke and hoping for a better experience next time.
 
gurgalunas

gurgalunas

Corona Gorda
Rating - 100%
11   0   0
WTF. Farthest thing from my mind...

15537440503497716779533448982288.jpg

Nothing like the few CC I've tried. I'll chalk it up to the difficulties I had with keeping it lit and hope another chance yields a better result...

Thanks @Dran for the Cuban. Really wish that one had gone better...
 
Dran

Dran

Churchill
Rating - 100%
14   0   0
Well, the flavor notes line ul pretty good with what I've experienced from Boli... Too bad i sent a dud of a burner.

Sent from my LGL83BL using Tapatalk
 
gurgalunas

gurgalunas

Corona Gorda
Rating - 100%
11   0   0
@Dran I keep wondering what factors caused the burn issues. Was it all the cigar? How much of a role did the gusty wind play? The cigar was kept in the 5 finger bag with the bodega pack you sent. Didn't seem humid outside, but was that an issue???

I've no doubt that the flavor of the cigar was adversely affected by the burn issues. When you have to try to keep it lit, you smoke too fast. And the relights and touch ups couldn't have helped. I won't hesitate to try the Boli again, I couldn't have gotten the true experience...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top