Something worth noting on this cigar! I never ashed it! I could have done a Antano stand with this cigar! Too bad the cam on my phone is BUSTED!

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MOW Badge: Honorable Service recipient 9/21/2010



Work called! They said if you dont come in on Friday, dont bother to come in on Monday! - Whoo hoo four day weekend!

That is something which is consistent from stick to stick too. Rock hard solid ash. Have you tried the Celebrations yet? I keep meaning to and then I order other sticks and forget these. May have to throw a few into an order this week along with some of those San Lotanos.

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Ok,
So Ive taken and Ashton ESG out of my humi about 5-6 times in the last month to smoke!
This is my kids 5th Bday celebratory smoke (their Bday was a month ago!)
Ive taken it out and planned on smoking it.
Every time for one reason or another, I havent lit it up!

Last night I was at a party and had a few too many beers and really wasnt up for a cigar at that point!
other times Ive been rareing to go and got distracted or interrupted!

DAMMIT I WANT TO SMOKE THIS CIGAR!
Maybe tomorrow! Its in my herfador right now, gotta go put it back in the humi!

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MOW Badge: Honorable Service recipient 9/21/2010



Work called! They said if you dont come in on Friday, dont bother to come in on Monday! - Whoo hoo four day weekend!

Don Pepin Garcia JJ Maduro
Selectos (Robusto) 5x50
Nicaraguan Puro


In humi approx 6 months +/- a month.

The Look: (Sorry, no pics, camera phone is busted with no end in sight for a fix).

I take this out of the cello, which is slightly tainted yellow.
The cigar is a nice uniform dark brown, almost black.
Not very oily, almost dry.
The veins are almost invisible. The seams on the roll are barely visible.
The triple cap is PERFECT!.


Prelight:
Clip just a bit off the cap and feel it is a perfect Xi2 cut.
Cold draw is really loose - worriesome loose....
Cold draw has some dark flavors along with sweet tobacco.


The light:
It takes a bit to light this one up, as I dont feel the center is getting any flame - almost feels light it is lighting hollow - Im worried.

1st Third:
The draw is SUPER LOOSE and Im not getting much smoke. flavors are really muted at this point.

I feel like I have to draw and draw to keep/get this going......

about 1/2 way through the 1st third (try that one on for size math majors!)...
At this point the draw 'catches' and the smoke output really picks up!

I wasnt having fun with this cigar up to this point.
At this point the flavors really pick up too. Flavors of earth, cocoa and sweet tobacco.
Totally PEPPERY through the retrohale in typical DPG fashion.
1st Third is a mixed bag at this point. Some good flavors, some not so good.
Burn is a bit wavy through the 1st third but doesnt require any touch ups.


2nd Third:
Ok, the Muted flavors of the 1st third really POP here in the 2nd third.
Totally clear earthy flavors, coffee, cocoa and Sweet Sweet Tobacco! This is turning into a really nice Maduro! Pepper is totally gone on the
retrohale and the additional flavors on the retrohale are totally funy, tasty and welcomed!
Burn line on the 2nd third is totally razor sharp.


Final Third:
1st Ash was tapped shortly before hitting the final third.
Cigar develops a burn problem (one side not catching up.)
A few more puffs in and it becomes clear that this is going to need a touch up.
Hit it w\ the torch and as expected get a few puffs that are totally bitter.
After this touch up the burn line returns to being razor sharp.


The Verdict:
Im finding myself lately leaning away from Maduro's more and more.
I like them, just dont love them.
I think that its more the coating aftertaste that I dont like of a maduro than of other cigars.

This is a totally solid cigar and can be had at a decent price.
MSRP is $8.81, but these can be found for $4-5 on certain deals.

It smoked well and had some decent flavors. For my Money, I would totally prefer the regular JJ line and totally would spend the extra couple $$ for a My Father.

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MOW Badge: Honorable Service recipient 9/21/2010



Work called! They said if you dont come in on Friday, dont bother to come in on Monday! - Whoo hoo four day weekend!

I hadnt had a cigar for about a month and had a lineup rareing go go until I got a headcold that lasted for about two weeks.

I had a couple of cigars this week to try and quickly build up my tolerance for a herf in Boston this weekend.

I smoked the following cigar at Gloucester St. Cigar Company with a few friends.
I was mainly talking and socializing and didnt really take any notes, but here goes from memory.

Tatuaje 7th Reserva
5 5/8 X 46 Wrapper: Nic Corojo
Filler & Binder - Nic


The Look:
Cigar has a nice attractive black and copper double band.
Triple cap appears flawless.
wrapper is a nice toothy dark brown that is very uniform in color, good amount of veins and invisible seams.

Prelight:
Cut with a V cut - not my preferred, but they have one at the shop so I thought Id give it a go.
--V cut leaves a little more loose tobacco and wrapper destruction than I would typically prefer but the draw is perfect.
Cold draw has some flavors of smooth aged tobacco and tea.
Paired with Water

Overalll Profile:
Im not going to really break this down into thirds as I wansnt really paying attention to the flavor transitions.
But I will say this, this cigar is very complex lots of good flavors of aged tobacco and various spices.

What I will mention about the transition is that the 1st half of the cigar is firmly medium and reall builds in strenght throughout the cigar. I was fairly looped at the end, but thats cuz I havent really been smoking too much lately.

Burn was nearly flawless, it got Wonky for about 1/4 inch there around the band area, but really didnt require any attention.

I smoked this puppy to the nub and stumbled to go make a cup of coffee afterward.

(Side note - I smoked this was aslo watching the Seattle - NO game! WHAT A GAME!!!!))))

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MOW Badge: Honorable Service recipient 9/21/2010



Work called! They said if you dont come in on Friday, dont bother to come in on Monday! - Whoo hoo four day weekend!

Viaje WLP
5 5/8 X 46
Corona Extra
Paired with Water
(I had a coffee going too, but cleared w\ water before for the tasting)
Color is a uniform brown no spots.
Nearly invisible seams
Veins are minimal except for the MAIN VEIN which is fairly prominent.
This cigar has a neat closed foot.



Cigar appears to be well made with no soft spots or hard plugs.

Cut with a Xicar
-Cut was clean, but the cap and loose tobacco kinda exploded when I cut.
-Didnt prove to be a problem at all. Didnt get any loose bits in my mouth.


Cold Draw

Cold draw is of sweet tea and a slight spice.
--I wrote down sweet tea, but Im thinking it maybe a dry black tea.
Draw is fairly loose.


Cigar lights smoothly and evenly

First few puffs are of a dry black tea and slight spice.
There is a realy hot spice on the retrohale - For me - Think Cayenne.
Popped a burn hole right through my sinus.

Smoke is volumonous, hot and dry.
Aftertaste is a hot pepper spice.
1st ash falls at 1/4 inch and falls every 1/8th to 1/4 inch thereafter - a Few in my Lap.

(Let me interject here, there is a guy in G. St. yapping at me that I shouldnt be smoking this cigar, it needs to rest and has all these problems... blah blah blah...I would like to say it didnt interfere with my review, but no guarantees).....

Burn gets a little wonky and the ash continues to fall in small clumps in the second third.




Flavors are approximately the same.
Power starts picking up a little bit.
Pepper on the retro hale settles down and is more of a pepper spice, than a hot pepper spice.

So the tobacco is definately aged and has some great flavors.

The burn continues to be odd and needs a couple corrective lights in the 2nd half.



Cigar was very enjoyable, despite its flaws.
I put it down with about an inch left.
Smoke time 1 hour 15 minutes.

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MOW Badge: Honorable Service recipient 9/21/2010



Work called! They said if you dont come in on Friday, dont bother to come in on Monday! - Whoo hoo four day weekend!