Mad for Maduro...

Is a smoke (Rudyard Kipling). Smoking has been around since the beginning of time but insofar as more recent times the home of both rum and cigars - a wonderful combination - remains the Caribbean. If you can't find a Cuban, you might try an expatriate smoke like one from Gran Papi Rodriguez and Family in Key West.
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Capn Jimbo
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Mad for Maduro...

Post by Capn Jimbo »

Cigars are surely an acquired taste...


Each of us have different tastes. Over time I have found myself gravitating toward nice rich Maduros, medium-full in both body and strength. Here's my short list:

Arturo Fuente Cuban Corona
Brick House Maduro
Sancho Panza Double Maduro
Oliva Serie G Maduro
Kristoff Maduro

BTW, those are in order of preference. For the longest time the Oliva was my go to, and to which all others I try are compared. And came back to, time after time. Now I will say that may be because the Sancho Panza's (a great value) are a bit hard to find.

The tobacconists really prefer that you spend $8 to $9, as their profitable sweetspot, and the Sancho's sell for less. Too bad, because the quality, burn and contruction of both the Oliva and Panza are excellent and reliable.

Then came the Kristoff Maduro at yup, the $8 price point - thus rarely purchased by me. But Stacy at my fave Ft. Lauderdale emporium (it's like the Total Wine of cigars) - on my request and who knew my tastes - recommended the Kristoff and one other.

The other was a disappointment, but as for the Kristoff? Incredible! I rarely get beyond the halfway point before I tire of a cigar or become satiated. I nubbed the Kristoff and it was just as wonderful as the first third of any good cigar.

Now if you read the reviews you may find that the Kristoff Ligero Maduro tends to edge out the Kristoff Maduro, so of course I tried the Ligero as well. Although the Ligero was fuller and indeed enhanced, that was only for the first third.

In sum: buy a Kristoff Maduro. I mean it! You won't be sorry...
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Capn Jimbo
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And yet another...

Post by Capn Jimbo »

And now: the Rocky Patel The Edge Missle Maduro...


It's Christmas so I presented myself with a bottle of Jack Daniel's newish green labelled Straight Rye Whiskey, 90 proof and on sale at a measly $21. Made from about 70% rye, 18% corn, and 12% malted barley, then run through JD's ten feet of charcoaled sugar maple.

I'll review this one later, but it is unique and well done, and a great introduction to rye for both bourbon and rum lovers. Stay tuned.

Back to the Torpedo. This is a lovely, dark, very firm and well rolled maduro (yes, torpedo-shaped), with that nice barnyard smell. Firm, but with a reasonable draw and dominated by that deep sweet leafy maduro taste I've come to seek and love. Smooth nutty, cacao and dark chocolate undernotes, and a nice spicy but pleasantly tolerable retrohale. Nice.

The mark of what I consider a good cigar is one that retains its qualities through at least 2/3rd's of the smoke. This one does. The reviews call this 5x48 call this one medium/full and tangy, with tobaccos aged around 5 years.

My take: a really lovely, full but smooth, consistent cigar. At it's size it won't be a long smoke, but it will last a good 45 minutes which is just fine for me. A more than fair trade for a smaller, but much tastier ring size.

Recommended.
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Capn Jimbo
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

Quickie addition: Padron Maduro 2000 and 3000...


More anon, but suffice it to say the less expensive 2000 is a better maduro, at least from my viewpoint. The 3000 has been reported as better, but except for perhaps the first quarter I have to disagree. Further my 3000 sported a rather loose and spongy roll but I've since learned that is apparently normal for it. This certainly makes for an easy draw, but didn't seem to speed up the smoke appreciably.

The 2000 is notably firmer, and although that is surely not the reason, I found the 2000 much more enjoyable and for more of its length. The 2000 Maduro is worth your pesos and a try...
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Post by Capn Jimbo »

Arturo Fuente: Gran Reserva Flor Fina Maduro 8-5-8 (6x47)


It seems that AF tends to get undeserved criticism, especially for their some of their more economical lines, but even for their flagship Gran Reserva. Compare to the stereotyping trend for movie reviewers who can't see past their group prejudice for Woody Allen. This attitude has become almost de rigueur, to the point that I too even bought in.

To the contrary Arturo Fuente products area really quite well and consistently, and one of the few classic producers who create a line, and then stick with it. No clever branding, just good dependable cigars made with consistency. Compare to Rocky and his machine gun release of his blends du jour.

It happened that I paid a visit to my fave super cigar store - Neptune - in Ft. Lauderdale and spotted the 8-5-8 Maduro, 6x47. Now some reviewers call this stick a bit rough and veiny, but it's really not that bad, just more of the knee jerk negging of the day.

To be brief: there are few cigars I even come close to nubbing, but the 8-5-8 Maduro just wouldn't quite delivering its lovely medium Maduro qualities from beginning to end. Now to be fair there's not a lot of surprising "development" but to the good, this cigar is predictably pleasant from first light to the last. Nice draw, even and solid burn, no touchups, good long ashes that when tapped, left a lovely glowing cherry.

I liked it. You cannot go wrong with this one, or to offer one to a buddy or buddette. Recommended.


*******
Addenda: also purchased the Arturo Fuente Maduro Churchill 7-1/4x48. This is the very same blend and about the same ring size, but I can assure you is a much longer smoke - way too long for me. I ought add that this particular cigar was VERY roughly rolled, and needed frequent touchups. Although the same blend, the 8-5-8 was simply more enjoyable in general.
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