Vitola: Perfecto (Diploma shape)

Wrapper: ?? (assuming it’s Corojo)

Origin: Honduras

Age: 1 year

This little puppy, known as Christian’s Blend, is currently unique to the Signature Blends travel bag, which only includes 4 CLEs, is an extremely limited and hard to find cigar.  Thanks to Matt for hooking me up on the BOTL forum.

So being Christian Eiroa’s, Camacho president, personal blend I was expecting a cigar that will drop a man to his knees.  But the first third didn’t do it.

The reddish brown wrapper was oily and alluring, but gave to the touch.  The Diploma size can be under-filled at times.

It began smooth and leathery with a rich tobacco core.   But it didn’t have any of that Camacho “punch”.

But as soon as I got to the middle, wham-o, I’m hot with a massive amount of peppery ligero, that yes nearly took me out.  This was the strongest inch or so of a cigar that I have ever smoked.  And just like Kaiser Soze, “poof”, it was gone, and I then picked up lots of coffee and wood, with a bit of pepper on the finish and exhale.

The draw was easy, the burn was fairly even.

It actually made me a little light-headed, but the smoothness in the last third allowed me to recuperate for the explosive finale.

It had to be babied a bit due to the slight under-fill, but it just gave me more time to savor it.  It really picked up with strong coffee, pepper and dark chocolate.  I really enjoyed this cigar!

Rating: 89 (B+)

Vitola: Perfecto (Diploma shape)

Wrapper: Cameroon

Origin: Honduras

Age:  3 years

Continuing the 4th of Fireworks celebration, I reviewed the next oldest Liberty I had on hand, the 2006.  The 2006 Liberty is a bit special as it is the only Liberty that featured a Cameroon wrapper.  This has been one of my favorites over time, but one I did not enjoy that much when they came out as I thought the potent filler overwhelmed the spicy sweetness of the Cameroon wrapper.

The wrapper has a beautiful oily sheen to it, along with the requisite tooth that is a characteristic to Cameroon leaf.

The draw was nice and easy, but almost immediately after lighting, the burn started to canoe. 

Flavor-wise, I actually noticed the Cameroon flavors right away, which was different than what I experienced when these first came out.  I was greeted with  sweet and spicy cinnamon  with a hint of cocoa and licorice.

As I was nursing the burn back even, the licorice flavors intensified and this really started to get good!

The last third was delicious:  Cocoa, coffee and licorice oh my!

It was a little dry on the finish, but that’s kind of a Cameroon thing, and the cigar was dangerously close to “overheating” a few times, but I really enjoyed it!  I can’t give it as high of a score as I want to as the construction and heat issues need to be subtracted from the overall score.

Rating: 88 (B+)

Vitola: Perfecto

Wrapper: Honduran Maduro

Origin: Dominican Republic

Age:  4 years

This is turning in to a real fun tradition.  Ever since the 1st release of the Liberty Limited Editions in 2004, I have made sure to enjoy one on our Nation’s Independence Day.  This year I decided to treat myself with one of the few remaining 05′s in my humidor.  This is probably their best of the Liberties to date.

These are interestingly shaped cigars; they are the traditional Camacho 11/18 shape, which is a bulbous perfecto without the pointed ends.  The Liberties also are supposed to have pre-embargo Cuban tobacco in them, but I’m sure only in little “sprinkles”.  The wrapper is very, very dark which makes you think this will be a strong cigar, but most Liberty blends are smoother and a little less spicy than it’s Corojo cousin.

This dark rich looking cigar starts very unassuming, mellow Honduran earthiness with a touch of wood.  I am drinking a glass of one of my favorite single-malts, Isle of Jura, when about an inch down it really opens up.  I’m not sure if it was just it’s time or the scotch but I am suddenly greeted by rich mocha flavors and a subtle spice on the sides of my tongue.

(By the way, if you have not yet tried Isle of Jura yet and you like single-malts, do yourself a favor!)

As I was enjoying in the deluge of flavors I noticed the draw start to give way… too much.  I looked down the foot of the cigar and sure enough I had a tunnel.  This occurred when the tapered end opened up to the largest part of the cigar, proving how difficult these shapes are to roll.

The tunneling was short-lived but heated the cigar up enough to produce some sour flavors.  It quickly righted itself and was again generous with coffee and cocoa.  The spice disappeared for a while but came back as I reached the last quarter.  The last 1/4 was robust and spicy: pepper, mocha and wood were all prominent. [image source: Stogiefresh.com]

Overall, this was a good cigar, but the tunneling really detracted from my overall enjoyment.  However, I am stil excited for the next 4th!

Rating: 89 (B+)

Vitola: Corona

Wrapper:  Honduran Habano-seed

Origin: Honduras

From the Vault: Pretty sure I got this from Empire Cigars, then Capital City Cigars, it’s been aging as I really don’t like this line… but maybe with some time resting.

I always have to punch these, because if I cut it, I usually tear the cap. 

It has a nice even draw and decent smoke volume.  Flavors at first are muddled as I can’t really make out anything.  A couple of inches down it settles out and I get a medium-bodied woody, dry on the palate with leather and oak on the short finish.

This line just disappoints me time and time again.  I’m taking some more points off than normal for consistently underperforming.

Rating: 72 (C-)