Review
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Firebird Flake is a new addition to Cornell & Diehl’s Small Batch series. This pressed flake is crafted from a blend of sun-cured Orientals, dark-fired Kentucky, and Virginia tobaccos, some of which are aged up to 20 years. The production is limited to 5,000 tins. The aroma from the tin is reminiscent of bread, figs,…
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The Casa Fuente brand by Arturo Fuente is primarily crafted for their Casa Fuente store in Las Vegas. However, it is occasionally available in limited quantities to select Fuente accounts across the US. Fortunately, Twins Smoke Shop is one of those accounts. The medium brown wrapper is slightly toothy, and the cold draw offers notes…
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Toscano’s Puccini is a flake made from Italian and North American Dark Fired Kentucky. The tin note is a delightful blend of smoky, woody, dried fruits, and spice aromas. Upon lighting, I picked up notes of smoked wood, nuts, and pepper. The retrohale was very spicy, featuring black and red peppercorn. This tobacco is definitely…
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Sillem’s is a German brand currently manufactured by Kopp Tobacco, with roots going back to the 16th century in Hamburg, Germany. Commodore Flake is a blend of Latakia, Dark Fired Kentucky, and Black Cavendish. The tin note is sweet and fruity, with hints of nuts and raisins. The flakes are very soft and easily turn…
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HU Tobacco’s Nebari is a ribbon cut blend of Virginia, Burley, Orientals, and Perique. After opening the tin, it feels like it might need some drying time (this turned out not to be the case) and had a light and pleasant tin note. The Orientals and Burley combine in interesting ways, creating a kind of…
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The “LG” references LFD’s co-founder Litto Gomez. The cigar is limited to members of the TAA which recently celebrated its “emerald” anniversary (55th), in 2023, hence the French “Emeraude” in the name. As with all cigars released in the Litto Gomez line, the LG Emeraude is made entirely of Dominican tobacco grown at the company’s…
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HU Makhuwa is a ribbon cut blend of Burley, Virginia, and Perique. The tin note includes figs, graham cracker, and a floral aroma. Upon lighting, it presents a bright floral aroma with notes of nuts, hints of cocoa, hay, lemon zest, wood, and tangy spice on the palate. The finish is smooth and creamy with…
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Wrapper: Ecuadorian HabanoBinder: PA BroadleafFiller: Nicaraguan, Honduran, DominicanSize: Toro 6 x 54 The H. Upmann 1844 Añejo Toro features a uniform and silky-smooth coffee brown wrapper with a light oily sheen. The cold draw brings notes of barnyard, hay, and leather. Upon lighting, the cigar opens with notes of nuts, buttery-sweetness, light coffee, leather, and cedar.…
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To celebrate our 34th anniversary, my wife and I enjoyed the Padron 50th Anniversary Maduro. This special cigar, originally released in limited edition 50-count humidors in 2014, is made to commemorate the company’s 50th anniversary. Refills are available annually to humidor owners. Origin: NicaraguaWrapper: NicaraguaBinder: NicaraguaFiller: NicaraguaSize: Toro 6 1/2 x 50 box-pressed The cigar features a slightly toothy, evenly…
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Rocky Patel has a large portfolio of cigars that seems to grow by two or three lines each year. This year, that includes the Year of the Dragon, the Rocky Patel Gold Label, and most recently, the subject of this review, the Emerald. The Emerald is a soft box-pressed cigar with a silky coffee-brown wrapper…
Not Just Blowing Smoke with Pastor Padron 