Torano Vault {Tony}

Brand: Torano
Line: Vault A-008
Length x Ring Gauge: Torpedo 6' x 52
Country of Origin: Filler: Nicaraguan; Binder: Nicaraguan; Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Strength: Medium
Date Smoked: May 21, 2014

Notes: Head honcho Charlie Torano recently revisited this cigar with the goal of giving it some extra kick.  This was achieved by using tobacco from Nicaragua's rich, volcanic Ometepe region which is known for it's oily Colorado wrapper that gives intense flavors. 

Immediately the band is very nice and elegant. The first few puffs are very spicy with strong pepper and clove flavors. There's a very interesting sweet undertone that is present only when inhaling it. It doesn't stick around afterwards- whether due to the subtlety of the flavor itself or the overpowering spiciness of the aftertaste, I don't know. After a few minutes the spices begin to mellow and end up leaving more clove and sweet grass aftertastes. However, there is still a great deal of pepper flavor that stays in the back of the throat. One thing I noticed which was kind of strange was that the thin wispy smoke had a green-grey hue to it.

The second third sees the spiciness subside while puffing on it but the aftertaste becoming stronger with the pepper flavor. The smoke has also become much thicker and more billowy. This proves to be a very well constructed cigar with a tight burn line and an ash that is very solid grey white. I never had to retouch it once.

Sadly the last third really took a turn for the worst. There was still some decent flavor but it started to become bitter, which got worse as it got shorter and shorter. I ended up giving up on it with still a good inch and a half or more left. Overall this is a well made cigar but it's definitely not for everyone.

Overall: 6 out of 10

2010 Viaje Holiday Blend Petit Robusto (Tony)

Brand: Viaje
Line: Holiday Blend
Length x Ring Gauge: Petit Robusto 4" x 54
Country of Origin: Filler: Nicaraguan; Binder: Nicaraguan; Wrapper: Criollo 98 Nicaraguan
Strength: Medium
Date Smoked: Feb 18, 2014

Notes: 
If you aren't familiar with this vitola, Viaje started releasing a special Holiday Blend in December 2009 as a small batch 5"x54 cigar with only 100 boxes of 30 cigars to boutique cigar shops.  In 2010 they released 2 different vitolas: a 5"x54 Torpedo and a 4"x54 Petit Robusto, the latter of which I'll be reviewing here.  Only 125 boxes of 30 cigars of each vitola were released in December of 2010.

The cigar has a dark wrapper with a few veins and a wrapped foot.  Even though this cigar has been aging for over a year in my humidor set for 72% humidity (I like my stogies a bit more moist) it was still pretty stiff when squeezed.  The first few puffs bring on a black pepper flavor with toast.  But it's not like regular white bread toast, more like a honey wheat toast, and it's really quite good.  However, it quickly evolves to a sweet clove flavor that leaves just a bit of spice in the mouth.  This remains throughout the first third.

The second third smooths out into a grassy hay flavor that's really good and sweet with a mild spicy aftertaste.  I've seen some other reviews complain about it being too bland here, but I enjoyed the light flavor.  Great for a mid-day quick smoke, which is what this is.  It consistently provided thick smoke and burned down to a solid brownish grey ash.

The last third ramps up a little bit with the spice but ultimately stay pretty true to the rest of the cigar.  I did notice a serious nicotine hit towards the end that I wasn't expecting.  It oscillates between the hay and grassy flavor throughout the cigar.  It is good down to the nub; this thing is a true finger burner.  This is an ideal mid-day smoke, however the $9+ price tag is hardly justified.  Too bad they don't make this in a bigger vitola.
   

Overall: 8.5 out of 10

Pinar Del Rio (PDR) 1878 (Tony)

Brand: Pinar Del Rio 1878 

Line: Cubano Especial Capa Maduro
Length x Ring Gauge: 7 x 54
Country of Origin: Filler: Dominican Republic; Binder: Dominican Republic; Wrapper: Brazilian maduro
Strength: Full Bodied
Date: 16 Feb 2014

Notes:

A long winter came- a la Winterfell- for me and my cigar habit but it's over now and I am back to smoking some well aged cigars in my collection.  I've had a few before this one (Jaime Garcia Reserva, CAO Brazilia) but this is the first one I remembered to take notes on.  I won a box of these PDR 1878 at my local cigar shop just prior to my last tour.  They've been aging in my humidor for some time and I was looking forward to trying one out finally.

It has a dark shiny maduro wrapper and is well constructed overall.  The pigtail was really tight and when I cut it off, I could tell the whole cigar was pretty tightly rolled.  Either that or my cutter is going dull.  The first few puffs were very spicy and almost had a cigarette smoke flavor which I didn't like at all.  However, it quickly evolved into a nice peat moss and spice flavor.  Smoke was plentiful, and the ash was a nice white color. The burn line was razor sharp and never needed any touching up.  The second third brought on a sweet hay flavor with just a little spiciness that was really nice.  The second half must have been more tightly rolled because the draw started getting much harder.  The last third brought on toasty grassy flavors with some subtle spice still there in the aftertaste which remained throughout the end with the spicy peppery aftertaste kicking up ever so slightly.

I expected this to be a very spicy maduro, especially given the first few puffs, but it really turned out to be a relatively mild one that was simply full of good sweet and spicy flavors.  I look forward to smoking the rest of this box, especially the few sticks that have been aging for a while.  It's good to be back and watch out for more reviews!

Overall: 7.5/10.