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With so many cigars out there, both old and new, it sometimes boggles my mind as to how manufacturers expect to differentiate new cigars with any success in such an already crowded market. I recently tried a 601 Habano robusto by Don Pepin Garcia and was enlightened a bit: You have to shoot for something that, while reasonably priced, is so good that it creates an instant buzz as it hits shop shelves.

In my estimation, that is the winning recipe for the 601 Habano. At around 6.00 bucks a stick, the Habano robusto delivers flavor, texture, density, and combustion that is comparable to that of much more expensive cigars.

Some have gone so far so as to compare the Nicaraguan Habano wrapper to that of a Cuban Ramon Allones. Having smoked hundreds of what I consider one of my favorite Cuban vitolas, I obviously don’t go that far, but I don’t mean that to down play how good the 601 Habano wrapper is. It’s simply deserving of accolades on its own merit.

I enjoy a cigar that conveys rich smoke while maintaining a creamy texture and a good depth of complexity. This the cigar does and more. It starts out with baking spices laced with some pepper and a very smooth texture. As it burns, a distinct cacao aroma fills the room.

The aroma gradually turns to sweet leather and musk at around the ¼ mark. Sweet wood comes out on the palate around now, while the smoke keeps yielding a very creamy texture.

Past the ½ way mark, the pepper notes pick up a bit and dark tobacco notes of leather and baking spices set in as well. Though rich, the smoke remains surprisingly smooth down to the last inch. If you are so inclined, this is certainly a stick to nub. The finish is clean and creamy. I recommend this great cigar to anyone.

As a big fan of Rocky Patel, I was really looking forward to sampling it’s R4 Corojo creation. Now, I normally tend to associate Patel sticks with robust, dark and full cigars that are generally on the stronger side. The Rocky Patel R4 Torpedo is in a completely different philosophy altogether.

Perhaps geared toward the mild cigar smokers among us, the R4 is almost nothing like its other, better known, Patel cousins. I always hesitate when I review a very light-bodied cigar; I’m afraid my bias for full-bodied sticks will cloud an objective review. So… let’s just acknowledge, from the beginning, that we’re talking about a cigar for the mild leaf lovers.

The R4 Corojo wrapper mildly exudes aromas reminiscent of baked French bread, cedar, and bitter nutmeg. The pre-light draw is grassy. Light herbs and maybe even some red tea (think: Darjeeling) can be tasted as well.

Once lit, the smoke is thick, as you would expect from a Rocky. The baked bread notes really dominate this stick through out; with one or two notes surfacing here and there as it progresses.

The cigar does get spicy into the second third, and a black pepper note is clearly present. I found this stage particularly interesting.

Around the half way mark, the smoke gets toasty. The pepper notes fade here and the flavor profile pretty much assumes its final posture. From here on end, I found the smoke doesn’t evolve anymore, except for some mild cedar coming in at the last second before the finish.

I generally would recommend a cigar like this to a beginner. However, we’re talking about a whopping torpedo here. It might be alright as long as it is put down before matters begin to get unpleasant.

A relatively new comer to the cigar scene, the Padilla brand has already received accolades from well known cigar magazines and discussion groups. I recently enjoyed the Padilla Miami Torpedo and was impressed by what seems to be a good blend with excellent aging potential.

As good and as solid as the cigar is now, it is in my opinion a little rough around the edges. I believe a couple of years will tone down the power a bit, marry all the present notes and perhaps bring out even new depth all at the same time.

The wrapper on the Torpedo is smooth and oily. The notes on it are buttery, peppery and accompanied by some cacao. Lighting up exuded an aroma of cinnamon and other musky spices. There is a delicious cacao aroma that permeated my office.

The smoke is very creamy at this point. There is sweet cedar and baking spices on the palate initially. These notes are accompanied by white pepper. There is a clear peppery effect, reminiscent of Cuban wrappers, which gives body to the rich smoke.

Half way through, the smoke intensifies a bit. The flavor turns toward leather with some espresso and woody undertones. I noticed that, at this point, the cigar should not be rushed. Doing so may turn out some sour notes; so take it easy and enjoy the complexity of the full smoke.

The power picks up quite a bit in the last third. For beginners, or anyone not used to this level of fullness, the last third may better be put down.

The leather picks up again, and the smoke begins to take on a certain chewy quality. Sweet spicy and cedar notes comprise the medium finish.

No doubt, the Padilla Miami Torpedo is a good full-bodied cigar with the potential to become a truly great smoke.

I admit to knowing relatively little about the GrayCliff line of cigars, since, as you could imagine, they are rather rare in Europe. After getting acquainted with the cigars in the last few months, I can heartily recommend them.

We’re not talking here about a cigar that will knock your socks off with power. The cigar is flavorful, smooth, easy and yet substantial. This is a stick will please everyone.

The GrayCliff vintage 1999 Robusto has dark aromas on its wrapper. It’s slightly herbal on the one hand with marked caramel and cacao. The draw was a little loose, but the sweet woody initial aroma of the light as well as the creamy texture of the smoke made me overlook it.

The initial notes yield to complex notes of hay, cedar, and baking spices; maybe cloves. The cigar progresses well and burns evenly. The ash builds up well right up to the first blue band.

A pleasant progression of flavor goes toward a more roasted profile around the half way mark. Expect roasted nuts and toasted bread to be thrown into the mêlée and pretty much lead to a pleasant finish, which reminisces of the early wood and spicy notes. It’s an extremely refined smoke for everyone.

For more information on these ’99 Vintage GrayCliff Cigars, you can check them out at Cigars Direct.

The Cusano Corojo ’97 Torpedo has earned great marks from prestigious publications like Cigar Aficionado and others. It’s also touted as “Dark and Spicy” on the manufacturer website. Since I have also heard them described as very full-bodied cigars, I set my expectation “gears” up for a powerhouse smoke and reached for the stick.

I had but pulled the cigar from the humidor, hadn’t even lit it yet, when a shadow of doubt began to cloud my mind. The cigar had all the marks of a light bodied, rather blond cigar.

I clipped it, lit up with a nice cedar strip and the cloud of doubt got cemented in. This isn’t a full-bodied cigar; it’s light, very light… but on it went.

The smoke was plentiful, and smelled slightly peppery, buttery and spicy. A faint little stitch of leather lingered in the background of the lightly spicy flavors. I found the ash to be quite solid, though in my opinion this particular specimen had been rolled a bit too loosely; the resulting draw was a bit loose for my taste.

The cigar burned very well, never threatening to go out in the 90 minutes or so I smoked it in. There was a slight progression toward sweet woody notes with what I can only describe as a blond leather undertone. I say “blond” because it isn’t like the dark leather notes of a full-bodied cigar. It is reminiscent of leather, but as if coming from a distinctly light-bodied stick and perhaps even blond tobacco. Does that make sense? It’s quite unique, I must say, and a nice achievement for Cusano.

The last third of this torpedo rose quickly to a buttery cedar note accompanied by some spice. The smoker must beware though. Too much solicitation at this point can return some acrid notes and may even ruin the experience all together.

Keep it smoking cool, lay it down at the first sign of bitterness, and enjoy an agreeable finish for a good hour.

Overall, my first impressions were affected negatively by the overeager Cusano publicity. Labeling a cigar “Dark” and “Full-bodied” seems to be in fashion these days as smokers’ preferences have moved in that direction of late, but in this case it proves counter productive. Since the manufacturer’s description has found its way to major publications, I have undoubtedly come to question their objectivity.

Think light-bodied, maybe a light-medium, with spicy notes and that distinct leathery undertone, and I believe you will be pleased with this stick.

For more information on these ’97 Cusano Corojos, just click on any image above or check them out at Cigars Direct.