™
Cigar Reviews from the Burgh's
Cigar-aholics
Camacho Triple
Maduro
"Win Them Before You Can
Buy Them Contest"
winner submitted reviews
Name: Joel S.
Hi Rob and fellow burgherfers,
I couldn't believe my good fortune
today, when I got home from teaching the youth of America the
difference between a permutation and a combination, a box from
you and Camacho was waiting for me.
I ate supper and quickly went out
to my smoking room, a.k.a. my garage, and promptly lit up the
Camacho Triple Maduro Robusto. What a treat! It was meticulously
crafted with a tremendous maduro taste. It was easy to cut and
light while providing volumes of smoke. Camacho got the Triple
Maduro just right. Congrats!
The cigar gave tons flavor without
ever being way to much of a cigar for me. (I tend to lean towards
the medium bodied smokes.) I appreciated the fact that I knew
I was smoking a medium to full bodied smoke without getting that
kick-in-the-head nicotine punch. Any and every maduro fan needs
to try this cigar. As soon as they become available at my local
B&M I'll be putting quite a few in my humidor. Ring the bell!
I have to give it an 8.5.
It's been about a half an hour
after I finished the Triple Maduro and I'm still enjoying the
lingering maduro taste. Thanks for allowing me the opportunity
to win the Camacho sampler pack and for putting out a tremendous,
entertaining podcast. Someday I hope to vacation in your area
and show up to one of your Herfing Podcasts.
Respectfully,
One Damn Lucky Herfer
Joel S.
Beaver Dam, WI 53916
~Posted 31 May 07~
A big Hi and Howdy to the Blowin'
Smoke gang!
First off, I want to thank Blowin' Smoke for sponsering the Camacho
Triple Maduro contest, and especially thank the Camacho rep you
guys had on the show, who in very obvious wisdom, deemed my entry
worthy of being one of the four contest winners. Just like
Rob had guessed on the latest episode of the show, I put the cigar
away in the humidor for a couple weeks to ripen a bit.
Last night was beautiful night here in this northern suburb of
Buffalo. It was a cloudless and starlight night, if just
slightly cool. It was the kind of night that I find to
be perfect for taking a slow walk around the my neighborhood while
puffing on a cigar. After a little thought, and with Rob's
show comments about still waiting to hear from the other two contest
winners in my mind, I pulled out the Triple Maduro to accompany
me on my walk. An excellent strolling companion I found
the Triple Maduro to be!
When I first got the package in the mail from Rob, I was surprised
that the Triple Maduro didn't have a more oily feel to it.
It had a nice leathery feel, but had little or no oily sheen to
it. However after a couple weeks spent chillaxing out in
old humidor, the oils had emerged a bit, and it had an oily feel
and a slight sheen when I pulled it out last night.
I have to say right off the bat that this is one VERY well built
and constructed cigar. Being a Maduro, I had expected a
dark wrapper, but this thing was almost blackmore like an Oscuro,
aka Double Maduro. My initial thought upon looking at the
color of the wrapper was that the color reminded me a bit of the
Hoyo Dark Knight, which is one of my favorite cigars. The
dark brown to blackish wrapper is nicely smooth, with just a few
small veins visible. Last night, outside under the illumination
of the moon and a streetlamp, only one small vein was visible.
Another thing I was impressed about the construction of the Triple
Maduro was how well the cigar held up over the time I smoked it.
Lately, with most of the cigars I've been smoking, by the
time I'm done with the cigar the end has gotten a little soggy
and is ready to start unraveling slightly. Never happened
with the Triple Maduro. The end was just a firm and holding
together as it was when I snipped off the cap.
The flavor and character of the cigar is very complex and at first
somewhat confusing, but that just adds to the cigar's novelty
and mystique. The pre-light draw confused and surprised
me at the same time. I expected a standard, and maybe even
stronger than standard, maduro sweetness and chocolaty flavor.
Surprisingly it returned a strong grassy earthy taste instead.
The pre-light draw also indicated that this would be one of my
favorite types of cigars as far as the draw goes.middle-of-the
road. I don't know why, but I was expecting a very tight
drawing cigar, but the draw was neither tight nor loose.
It was almost exactly smack dab in the middle, which to me is
heaven as far as cigar draws go. I hate to have to puff
my lungs out to get a cigar to draw, and I also hate to have half
the cigar burn away in a few puffs. This was just right.
The first couple puffs after I put flame to it, indicated just
a small tad of spiciness, but that disappeared almost immediately.
The first inch or so had a real nice grassy taste to it,
but I hadn't yet tasted any real Maduroness. I was almost
staring to wonder where the hell the maduro in thing was, when
it suddenly appeared almost out of nowhere. For the rest
of the smoke the Maduro flavor was in full evidence and got slightly
stronger the further I got into the cigar..
As far as smoke, the Triple Maduro produced just billows and billows
of it. If a cigar that produces volumes of thick aromatic
smoke tickles your fancy, you'll find yourself dancing in the
streets when you smoke one of these. As far as the burn
goes, it was almost dead letter perfect. I was down about
half-way through the cigar and amazed at how evenly it had burned
to that point. Its' been a long time since I've seen a
cigar burn this close to perfect consistently through the entire
smoke.
The ash is another story in itself. The ash was simply beautiful.
Firm, long, and the perfect color you'd expect from a premium
hand-rolled cigar. When I take a walk while smoking a cigar,
I do as I suspect most of you do and hold it down by my side at
a parallel angle when I'm not puffing on it. I'd been walking
for about ten minutes and the ash was still intact and showing
no signs of flaking off even though it was about a good 2 to 3
inches long at that point. I decided to tap it off at that
point, not so much because it I needed to but was curious at hard
I'd need to tap to get it to fall off. I really had to tap
the cigar a good tap to knock the ash off. It was amazing.
Given its' all maduro nature I was fully expecting to get a super
light-headed buzz. While I did get a slightly light headed
buzz from it, it was nowhere near the feeling I had been preparing
myself for. Not that I'm complaining. I thoroughly
enjoyed the entire experience this cigar delivered. Now
don't get me wrong though.I'm not saying that the Triple Maduro
isn't strong. It definitely is that. But unlike some
cigars, its' not strong just for sake of being strong. I
remember one of the Cretins talking about this when you had the
La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Chisel as the cigar of the month,
and stating that it seemed to be strong but without sufficient
character to back it up. The Triple Maduro is the opposite.
It's strong, but it has a character to it that that makes its'
strength worthwhile. But here's another interesting thing
I found, as least in my experience with it. The Triple Maduro's
strength is not to what I'd call an overpowering kick-your-ass-up-one-side-and-down-the-other-make-you-want-to-cry-mommy
strong. I fully believe that Camacho has produced a cigar
that can be equally enjoyed by those folks who like a great medium-bodied
smoke, as well as those looking for a fuller bodied smoke.
Its' a nicely well-rounded cigar, that both of those classes of
smokers can get something out of.
I think that Camacho has got themselves a real winner with the
Triple Maduro. I'm going to order myself a box of them today and
let them age for a month or two in the humidor. I decided
last night that this is going to be one of my "go-to"
smokes for warm summer evenings out on my patio. Rob, get
ready with the bell..I'd rate the Triple Maduro a 9.
Thanks again for the chance to be able to brag to my herfing buddies
that I had one of these babies sitting in my humidor LONG before
they did!
Mark O.
North Tonawanda, NY
~Posted 31 May 07~
Oliva Master Blend 3
5 x 50 Robusto
Received at the Blowin' Smoke anniversary party 11/11/06
(Thanks to Sam from Oliva)
Wrapper: Broadleaf Sun-Grown
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan Ligero
Appearance: Box pressed. Slightly
toothy cocoa-colored wrapper with very fine veining. A beautiful
cigar.
Pre-light draw: A little on the
firm side but still what I would consider a good draw. A spicy,
robust flavor.
This cigar immediately presents
itself as full-bodied and flavorful with some spicy overtones.
Even with the firm draw, this cigar produces a ton of smoke. First
ash at the 1" mark, even though it's still holding on tight.
(I'm driving and can't pay attention to a long ash right now.)
About an inch and a half in, I notice
a small split developing in the wrapper about a 1/4 inch above
the burn line. Once I smoke to this point, the wrapper unfurls
a bit, but nothing too bad. I get through this slight problem
and notice another split developing the same way the first one
did. This continues off and on throughout the middle third of
the cigar. While annoying, the only real problem it creates is
some flaky ash that I end up wearing.
The flavor continues to develop
more complexity and I notice a earthy, slightly woody flavor beginning
to come through along with the merest hint sweetness (a touch
of caramel perhaps?)
In the final third, the wrapper
problems have disappeared and the flavor has gotten much more
robust. The smoke is thick and almost chewy with the woody overtones
becoming much more pronounced. I smoke it all the way to the nub
before finally putting it down.
Final Thoughts: A rich, complex
cigar that is definitely geared toward the more experienced smoker
as the strength and subtleties of the ligero would be lost on
a rookie. I wish that I hadn't tried it on the way to work as
I believe it would pair up well with a peaty single malt. This
was a wonderful cigar and without the wrapper problems, it would
easily rate a 9. With the problems however, I can only give it
a 7. However, I am looking forward to trying another one again
soon.
~ Joe
Posted 20 Nov 06
Pinar P3000 Churchill "El
Feroz"
Price paid: $11.00
This brand has generated controversy from day one. Just about
everyone who knows anything about cigars has an opinion on the
Pinar, whether they have actually tried one or not. On
the surface, the story is the stuff of cigar legend. I have to
admit my pulse quickened a bit when I first read about the
US Legal 100% Cuban Pinar P3000. Usually though, legend requires
some adjustment when translating to reality. Also, Pre-embargo
Cuban tobacco sounds too good to be true for a lot of folks, and
a common reaction is disbelief. I'm not going to make a
case for truth here one way or another. I'm just here to burn
this stick.
Supposedly the El Feroz tobacco was stored in sherry tainted
oak casks for nearly 50 years. Pre-light aroma seems
to validate this. I've never smelled anything quite like it.
It's uniquely sweet/sour and actually quite pleasant. This
band-less stick looks a little rough, with some wrapper
veins, but it feels fairly firm, no soft spots. I used a
Colibri "V" cutter to open it up. Pre-light draw is
nearly effortless, and that worries me. In my experience,
a draw this light means burn problems.
Appearance/Construction 7/10.
I toast it with a Colibri Vortex. This lighter is great
for soldering copper pipes, too. The Pinar fires up with tons
of smoke and a flood of great flavor, very toasty and creamy.
It never got harsh or bitter. Some people are apparently disappointed
that this line doesn't taste like the Cubans they have been
smoking. Personally, I'd expect tobacco this old to be unique
no matter where it came from, and it is. It might not be everyone's
cup of tea, but I like it.
Flavor 9/10.
Burn was another story altogether. It's amazing how a badly
burning cigar can blow the entire experience, even
when the taste is great. I was making corrections nearly
from start to finish. The ash would barely hold on beyond
half an inch. Then it would fall, entirely on its own, putting
the cigar out several times. I've never seen ash this soft
and flakey. It hits the ground, turns to dust, and vanishes,
sort of "mummy like". I'm no forensic anthropologist,
but I'd guess that age and storage conditions are affecting
this.
Burn 2/10.
Overall I'd say this smoke is a novelty. Great story, great flavor,
terrible burn. The price is what you would expect to pay for
a limited supply product with this history, but the burn quality
destroys the value. I'd recommend that you try one or two so
you can say that you got the T-shirt, but don't expect an $11.00
cigar experience and don't expect them to improve with age.
Overall 6/10.
Still though, I'm anxious to try the two P3000 Double Corona
Maduro's I have tucked away. Appearance and pre-light aroma
are completely different from the 'El Feroz" P3000. I must
be a sucker for a good story.
~Nooch
13 Feb 06
Camacho Coyolar Puro Rothschild
I happed to be in Fox Chapel, PA,
today, which just happens to be near
Blawnox, which just happens to be where Allegheny Smokeworks is.
So, I
just happened to stop in for a smoke.
Although I have had one in my herf'dor
for weeks, I have not taken the
opportunity to smoke one yet and decided to give the new Camacho
Coyolar
Puro Rothschild a shot. The first thing Mike, owner/partner, asked
me
was if I had recently eaten. Indeed I had. He gave me his permission
to smoke this cigar and wished me good luck.
The wrapper is dark and a little
rough. Many brands would easily call
this a maduro. The cigar felt packed and solid, but not heavy
in the
hand.
After a bullet cut and a little
pre-light draw, which was nice and easy,
it was time to take some fire to this one. As I did, I noticed
that all
eyes were on me...staring. It reminded me of those TV shows where
people are made to eat disgusting things like horse rectum or
French
cuisine and, like rubber-necking a traffic accident, you can't
look away
for fear of missing something...like a convulsion or projectile
vomit.
Just toasting this cigar sent an
aroma into the air that I had never
smelled before and shifted my brain into DefCon 3. Something is
not
same-old same-old with this cigar. Mike raised an eyebrow and
smirked a
little, but kept on staring.
Cigar to mouth and flame to foot...puff...puff...blow
it out...bleech!
We're talking harsh here, folks. We're talking strong, tight throat,
bitterness, where is the flavor, God help me, give me something
to drink
smoke.
Bernie says, "I can't smoke
'em, and I'm not ashamed to admit it."
Mike says, "Give it some time...until
the calluses grow on your tongue."
Well, I have had many cigars that
didn't impress initially, and this
might be one of them. So, I pressed on...now at DefCon 2.
I'm glad I did too.
It took about one half an inch of
this cigar for that bitterness and
just plain harshness to fade and some character to come through.
It did
not mellow by any stretch, as it maintained its presence with
a bit of
authority, but it was tempered a bit and partnered with some flavors
like pepper, spice, and leather. The cigar was not a complexity
dream,
but it did show some character down the line. Getting through
that
initial stage, however, will probably turn a lot of folks off.
I'm not
sure if the slight mellowing I sensed was more the cigar's delivery
or
my tongue's numbness overall.
Nevertheless, the price point is
good at under $5 for the Rothschild and
the construction was also good. I did have to touch it out a few
times
as the wrapper seemed a bit too thick to carry on totally solo.
I'd like to try another Camacho
Coyolar after a REALLY big meal to see
if this review is upheld or overturned by a higher court. Until
then, I
suggest you give it a shot...after you have eaten...to see how
you do.
Camacho makes a great cigar...they know what they are doing. I
wonder
if this one was just a leap onto that power trip the industry
seems to
be taking, or if they will mature into a real full bodied gem.
Time
will tell.
~ Rob
12 Jan 06
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© Copyright Rob Heming
2006