The Arturo Fuente Chateau Fuente is, of course, an oft-reviewed cigar. But when a cigar is this good, it deserves the extra attention. We smoked two of them for the review and, without any consultation, we found that we shared the same opinions at every point.

Construction
The wrapper is smooth with a few veins and good seams. The cap is well-seated but not round (not really a problem, but doesn’t look appealing). Feels firm to the touch but not rock hard. Cedar wrap with green ribbon foot band is quite attractive.

Draw
As good as a cigar gets. Just perfect, really.

Flavor
The taste is a subtle blend of leather, earth and hint of honey and perhaps a few notes of citrus creeping in on occasion. The consistency of the smoke can be described as moderately creamy. We found it an interesting and satisfying combination of flavors –worthy of the smoker’s attention during the smoke. That is to say, the flavors aren’t flat or boring. The cigar grew more earthy with a bit of coffee notes toward the end of the smoke.

Consistency
As noted in the introduction, we smoked two of these for the review. In each case, the burn was very even & tight. The ash fell only a few times during the entirety of the smoke–first time at around 1¼”. Despite the odd shape, the cap cut cleanly (guillotine). There were no problems at all with unraveling or splitting.

Value
At a price of about $5/stick, the Chateau Fuente is difficult to beat. Btw, you can pick them up a little closer to the $4 range in a five-pack at BnBTobacco.com.

Note: B n B Tobacco was the gracious provider of these cigars. This generosity is not intended to influence the review in any way.

I should note that I have smoked two of these cigars. My impression of the cigar from the first smoke was not so good, but I am basing this review mostly on the second because I smoked the first pretty much as soon as it arrived UPS, while the second had a week or so to rest in the humidor after shipping. I am uncertain whether this is really the reason for the deficiencies in my first Reposado ’96 Habano Saloman or not (I find myself to be very skeptical when I read statements about cigars becoming dried out and worthless if left out for an hour), but I will give this brand the benefit of the doubt.

Construction
The perfecto is a very pleasing cigar shape. Every time I have smoked one I find myself wishing they were more commonly available. I was a bit concerned, as I first examined the Reposado ’96 Habano Saloman, that the seams were loose and would be prone to unravelling. My concerns seemed to be vindicated when the wrapper peeled away from the binder a bit when I opened the cigar. I was pleased, though, that I had no problems with unravelling through the entire smoke.

Draw
I have to admit that the draw of the Reposado ’96 Habano was not especially good. If you are patient, however, it is possible to smoke and enjoy it without injuring yourself. The draw did open up some about 2 inches in. Because I enjoyed the smoke so much, I regret having to give it a less-than-stellar rating in this very important category, but to do otherwise would be to give out false information.

Flavor
The Reposado ’96 Habano Salomon was mild–not at all spicy. Dust and straw were the base flavors, but they were not overwhelming to the complex mix of other flavors. The smoke was creamy and lightly sweet with a toasted character. There was also a note of fruit which I had difficulty identifying; raisins is the closest I can think of. There was addditionally a faint note of black licorice (note: I hate actually eating black licorice, but I found this subtle note in the smoke quite enjoyable).

Consistency
Despite my initial concerns, the Reposado held together very well. There was no unraveling or peeling of the wrapper, and even the tip held together perfectly for the entire smoke. The ash was completely trouble-free, holding tightly beyond two inches before the first fall.

Value
Cigar.com’s current single-stick price for the Reposado ’96 Habano Saloman is a little over $4, but if you buy it elsewhere (in larger quantities–I didn’t find anyone else who offered singles) the price is usually quite a bit less. Since it is our practice to rate value based on the single-stick price, I’m using $4 as the mark. At that price, it is still a good value (an easy 8). If you get it for around $3, you are approaching great value territory.

Construction
Of course the distinctive shape of this cigar is very impressive. I can only guess that the difficulty of successfully rolling such a cigar is what keeps more manufacturers from offering such an attrative shape. This shape allows for unsurpassed ease of holding the cigar in one’s lips without adversly affecting the draw (which can happen with some pyramids and torpedos). The wrapper of the La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Chisel is very well-affixed; there was never any hint of peeling or flaking with it. It is fairly veiny and dull in appearance—more than the promo photos you will see on resellers’ websites lead you to believe.

Draw
While the chisel’s shape doesn’t restrict the draw too much, it is not easy-to-draw cigar. I debated for a while whether to cut deeper into the tip for the chance of freeing up the draw a bit. After resisting the urge for a bit, I did decide to cut a little more off. Unfortunately, that didn’t seem to help the draw at all. Despite that, I give it a decent rating for draw overall.

Flavor
The La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Chisel if more mild than I was led to expect from reading the descriptions given by resellers. The flavor is subtle, but very enjoyable. The base of light earthiness is almost entirely hidden by notes of berries, hazlenut, and red wine. It is sweeter than most non-flavored cigars. All in all the flavor is delightful.

Consistency
At the very start it appeared that the ash would be flaky, but that issue resolved within first ¾ of an inch. The ash held together quite well after that. The flavor was completely consistent throughout the smoke, which lasted for a solid hour easily.

Value
At $7.00, this is and upper-mid-priced cigar. That is a good value for this cigar, but I stop short of calling it great.. If it were close to the $5 mark, I would happily give it the highest rating in the value category.

If cost is not an issue for you, I can almost guarantee that you will enjoy the La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Chisel. At it’s current price, I heartily recommend it for an occasional smoke. If you can find it for around $5.00, jump on it. You won’t regret it.

John and Kevin each smoked an Excalibur Connecticut, and reviewed this cigar together. While there are many fine features worth mentioning, the uniqueness of the flavor is what stood out the most to us. This is fine cigar which we will look forward to enjoying again given the opportunity.

Construction
The Excalibur is constructed nicely. It has a slightly fuzzy, slightly waxy wrapper which is common with Connecticut wrappers. The wrapper is somewhat pliable and rather thin. It held together flawlessly throughout the duration of the smoke. The ash length was acceptable, but one did need to pay attention to its fragility. The seems were almost invisible, but the cap was noticable and a little sloppily placed with several folds and ridges. Nevertheless, the cap was no obstacle to the enjoyment. The Excalibur cut very nicely with a clean edge with no loose bits of tobacco .

Draw
Next to flavor, the draw was the best feature of this cigar. The draw was effortless–as natural as breathing. Consequently, the draw delivered the flavor exactly as it should.

Flavor
As I have already noted, The Excalibur’s strength is its flavor. We found ourselves descrbiing the flavor of this cigar in ways we haven’t with any other cigar. The flavors were balanced well and they complimented each other nicely. We picked up on flavors of toasted nut–mostly toasted walnut–hay, and occasionally a little black tea. The flavor is bright and mild, though certainly not bland. We would not advise someone to smoke the Excalibur Connecticut with coffee, since the flavor is delicate and mild and would probably be overpowered by the taste of coffee on the palate. It would perhaps go best with a milder scotch or a wheat whiskey.

Consistency
The cigar was consistent across the board. It burned evenly from beginning to end, and the flavor stayed the same throughout. Because Kevin and I both had the same experience with the cigar, we gather that the Connecticut is probably consistent cigar line.

Value
The value is a little tricky to determine since we found that the price per cigar when purchased by the box is exceedingly cheaper than the price of an individual cigar. Even if purchased individually, it is a reasonable pricepoint, but if purchased by the box, its pricepoint becomes exceptional. For such a distinctive cigar with so many appreciable qualities, we consider the Excalibur Connecticut to be good value, and for all of these reasons, we heartily recommend this to beginners as well as veteran smokers.

Construction
The surface of this Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte Madrid is mostly smooth and free of lumps. There was only one vein, and it was relatively minor. The seams and cap were perfect,and the cigar felt evenly packed and not too tight.

Draw
The draw of this cigar was very good, but could have been just a little bit freer. It was nothing to complain about.

Flavor
The flavor was interesting, but not exactly terrific. The base flavor was a mild combination of coffee and earth. Also, the flavor contained a mild but dark sweetness which reminded me of raisins or currents. It was not spicy at all. The flavor did wash out in the last third of the cigar. I deem it to be satisfying, but not espcecially thrilling.

Consistency
The burn of this cigar was less than perfect. It started running up one side early on, and this problem continued throughout the smoke, despite several attempts to even it out with a lighter. At first it seemed that the ash would be rather loose (it first fell at ½ inch), but for the rest of the smoke it held fairly well. I was impressed with the length of the smoke, for it lasted for 80 minutes.

Value
The Sancho Panza Extra Fuerte Madrid is a good cigar for a reasonable price. Especially for those who enjoy a large, long lasting cigar. I do not hesitate to reccomend it.

Construction
Maduro of Costa Rica by Rocky Patel is one of the darkest cigars I have tried. It’s dark color is impressive, but the other parts of its construction are less so. The surface is very dark and somewhat veiny. Though the seams were tight, there were several wrinkles and rough spots in the surface. It was generally sturdy, but the tip was crooked and the cap was odd-shaped and sloppily made. I opened it with a guillotine cutter and had no problems, but with its crooked tip it looked very strange.

Draw
The draw of this Maduro of Costa Rica was very good. If it were just a little freer I would gladly give it a perfect score in this category.

Flavor
I was a little disappointed in the flavor. I expected such a dark cigar to have a rich, smooth, creamy chocolaty flavor. This cigar, however was not creamy at all, and the note of chocolate seemed somewhat muted. The predominant flavor was coffee with notes of chocolate and earth. There was a light spiciness present, which was good, but sometimes the flavor was a bit harsh. Overall, the flavor was decent, but certainly not exceptional.

Consistency
The ash held together pretty well and was never a problem, but the cigar burned a little unevenly all the way through. It burned fairly cooly and slowly, though, lasting a little over an hour.

Value
The Maduro of Costa Rica by Rocky Patel was a decent cigar, but it is a little overpriced. It was enjoyable, but I think that $8.50 should buy a better cigar.

Construction
The surface of the Cusano Corojo 1997 Robusto is dark, oily, and smooth–with the exception of one major vein and a few lumps. The seams are very secure and the wrapper seems sturdy. I opened the cigar with a guillotine cutter, and the cap held up to the cutting very well.

Draw
The draw of this cigar was impressive. I give it a perfect rating in this category. That means that the draw was neither too restrictive nor to free–it was in that perfect middle area in which you are free to enjoy the flavor without any impediment from the draw. If I didn’t have to rate it in this category, I wouldn’t have noticed it at all, which is exactly as it should be.

Flavor
The flavor of the Corojo 1997 was unique. It was mainly characterized by a medium earthiness with a note of leather and–surprisingly–a butteriness. It was not my favorite flavor of all time, but it was distinctive and quite enjoyable.

Consistency
The ash on this cigar was a little loose but generally held together accpetably. The burn was reasonably even, but not perfect. The smoke lasted a total of 45 minutes…a bit less than ideal for a robusto size.

Value
The Cusano Corojo 1997 Robusto is a very good cigar at quite a decent price. As always, the price I list here is the price one can expect to pay retail for a single stogie. If you search around, I’m sure you can find it for less–especially if you are willing to buy a 5-pack or a full box.

The Rocky Patel Cameroon is a line of cigars produced by Rocky Patel exclusively for resale by Thompson Cigar. Rocky Patel also produces the Cameroon Especial which is more generally available. I cannot find any information on whether the two brands differ or how.

Construction
The cigar is generally smooth with a few small veins showing. The wrapper seams sturdy and well-applied, but the torpedo tip is a little rough. There is no problem with the cut, which I made with a standard guillotine cutter.

Draw
The draw was a little restrictive, but I had no trouble getting good flavorful puffs from it.

Flavor
The flavor of the Rocky Patel Cameroon Belicoso was more mild than I expected. The first few puffs were slightly spicy, but it mellowed out very quicly. The main flavors were earth and, more dominantly, coffee. The flavor is not unpleasant, but it is a bit bland.

Consistency
The Rocky Patel Cameroon Belicoso really shined in consistency. It burned slowly, cooly, and evenly and produced a clean, tight ash. There were no problems with the wrapper at all.

Value
The Rocky Patel Cameron is fairly decent cigar. With a price tag of $6.00, it rates as a decent, but not excellent value. It should be noted, however, that Thompson only sells them either by the box or as part of a sampler, which means that they can’t actually be purchased one at a time.