Cigar Review: Rocky Patel 1990

This is the second time I was able to taste this great cigar. I was surprised each time to see how mild it was. I really don't think it is a medium cigar. It is so smooth and each time it is a great quality wrapper, draw, and burn. I would describe it as a very easy to handle burning oak. Here is what cigar.com has to say;

"The Rocky Patel Vintage 1990 line is a medium bodied smoke. This blend of rare aged tobacco has the perfect balance of flavor, complexity, and richness. A very smooth earthy smoke with notes of cedar and a light espresso flavor. In pursuit of the finest tobacco"s the world has to offer, Rocky Patel uses this 12 year old Honduran Broadleaf wrapper along with a 5 year old filler and binder that will satisfy every smoker from novices to the most discriminating of aficionados."

The actual cigar smells like an old cob-web ridden barn and its wrapper is a smooth oily Honduran. I noticed its little sweet nuances in the smoke but they were so light and creamy they are really hard to "find". After smoking a whole cigar, I felt none of that film that develops in your mouth. Perfect burn and great finish. So in conclusion, I would definitely recommend this smoke to others but if you are looking for a deep fully bodied cigar this isn't for you. It is very mild smoke that I would have after a big meal. I wouldn't want a rich deep cigar when I am buttoning my belt from a huge meal! I give this mild cigar a 7 of 10.

Scotch Review: THE Macallan 12

Ok guys here is another Scotch review...THE Macallan 12 year, probably one of my favorites of all time! So lets get right to it!

Color: Rich gold, russet

Nose: first off this is one of the best smelling drams in all the land! It starts off with hints of dried fruit and apricot, then moves to a sweetness of sherry and a weak smokey smell lingers after that...AMAZING. Most Scotchs I need to sniff 2-3 times to get that great smell but the first sniff is great and the rest make it even better!

Palate: It tastes of a spicy gingery fruit then very noticeable tastes of honey! By far one of my favorites! The Sherry Casks really comes through here.

Balance/Finish:They say that it finishes with toffee but I get a caramel linger and all that fruit and spicy smoke!

Ok for anyone who doesn't drink Scotch TRY THIS ONE! Its sweet and great and well...amazing and better than some of the 20 year drams I have had.

Also check out the Macallan webpage, it is really cool! They have decided to market with more luxurious brands like watches. It is a really cool idea of co branding and making The Macallan seem like the classiest if the Scotchs! I give this favorite of mine a 8.5 of 10!

Cigar Review: La Vieja Habana the Early Years

Last night I tried another Drew Estate Cigar but his one being a much more traditional smoke, La Vieja Habana. For anyone that hasn't tried some of Drew's more traditional lines, you are missing out! These are some great under rated cigars. The cigar world is finally giving them some credit. I saw that his Chateau Real received an 88 or 89 rating and the Liga is AMAZING. Many of his other cigars have not been rated and that is unfair to the great cigars he makes. Here is the description from cigar.com;


La Vieja Habana - The Early Years are exceptional cigars. The blend consists solely of superlative tobaccos grown in the dark, fertile soil of Nicaragua. This filler is concealed by a beautiful, oily Nicaraguan-grown maduro wrapper, which creates a full-bodied character offering notes of coffee, mocha, and tons of earthy flavors. The finish is long and leaves an enjoyable hint of pepper on the palate, without becoming too spicy. Incredibly complex and very rich, The Early Years are a must try for all enthusiasts looking for a strong, flavorful blend under the Drew Estate flag.


I did not notice the mocha, like the description says but I loved the cigar. The first thing you will notice is that it was heavy!? There was a ton of tobacco packed into that baby. It had a tight draw, but I would expect that due to what I'm sure was a pound of tobacco! It had a sweet oaky taste to it. It was a little peppery at the end and had a great lingering spicy/sweet taste. I really liked this medium-full cigar and I'm a fan of milder cigars. It was a great smoke. I am curious to see what the Habana's are like now. That was an Early Years blend, there are two types. I know the Early Years are more premium but I bet its little cousin is pretty good as well! Enjoy this one after a good meal with a coffee! I give this full smoke a 7 of 10.

Cigar Review: Acid 5

I had the opportunity to smoke an Acid 5 by Drew Estate the other day. It is a 12 dollar premium hand rolled cigar. Here is the description from Cigar.com

"ACID 5 was released to celebrate ACID"s fifth
anniversary. Each cigar contains premium, Nicaraguan long fillers that are bound by a light, seamless Connecticut wrapper. As with all ACID brand cigars, this blend has also been through Drew Estate’s infusion process, making it very complex. In addition, ACID 5 has also been aged for five years, depleting the tobaccos of any acidic nuances allowing for a full-flavored, yet smooth medium-bodied blend."

When I cut it and tested the draw it had a perfect draw. The one thing I do love about Acid's is the complex sweet flavored wrappers. It is also what turns away more traditional cigar smokers. Don't get me wrong I love a traditional medium cigar, but there is just something unique about some of the better Acids. My other post about Drew Estate cigars goes into this a little further. Upon lighting the 5, I was pleasantly surprised to see it burned almost perfectly. It was crazy, it burned into a solid mass almost. You couldn't see the layers of tobacco in the ashed end, it just all fused together. Like advertised it was a very smooth smoke that just seemed to roll out of your mouth. It's sweet wrapper was complimented by the pleasant woody tasting smoke. The wrapper was not too sweet and found the right balance for a great cigar. It was excellent and smoked great the whole way through. Excellent smoke, probably great with a coffee or better yet, Scotch!



My only complaint being the traditional Acid "funk". Almost every Acid I have smoked always gets this funky chemical taste towards the last of the cigar, when it starts to really heat up. It is not terrible but I don't like it. I use matches and clean butane so I know it is not that. I also have a separate humidor for my Acids. It is probably all the flavours he infuses into the cigar. I don't personally like the aftertaste, but as I mentioned, it is not terrible. Just not my favorite ending to a great cigar! I give this cigar a 7 of 10, great smoke till the end.

My Drew Estate Cigar Rant

For anyone familiar with Drew Estate Cigars, this is for you. I know a lot of people bash his cigars for being "fake" and girly cigars, but they are truly remarkable. All you traditional smokers should thank him, he is bringing thousands of non-cigar smokers into the industry. Who cares right?! Most people just don't smoke one kind of cigar their whole lives, they like to try others. So by getting people that wouldn't normally smoke cigars into the fold, it is only boosting your favorite companies in the long run. Most Drew Estate smokers end up trying different things anyway. I know I did. Funny thing is, I then developed a taste for a more traditional smoke and moved to the Rocky Patels and CAO. I do really enjoy Drew's traditional lines though, like the Liga Privada 9, Chateau Real, and La Vieja Havana. I will post reviews on those cigars at a later date.

I started with his Acid Line because they just smell amazing! Plus they made cigars look modern and sleek. From the wrapper to the actual Acid logo it just screams new, fast, and hot. Other Cigar brands feature old Spanish names with very bland packaging and wrappers. CAO is a little better but for the most part Acids are a very unique looking cigar.

For the other smokers who say Drew's cigars are fake, think of this. A lemon flavored beer is still a beer, a spiced cigar is still a cigar and once again it is a great way for newbies to start, thus bolstering the whole industry. So enjoy those smokes and keep reading as I will have details on more smokes later! What Drew Estate has done for cigars is amazing, he has changed the way people look at them. It is no longer just an old man's hobby. It is for the young, the old, the middle aged, and even women! He continually pushes the boundaries on cigars and his concoctions are usually great. Plus how he markets those cigars is second to none in the industry. His logo of a sports bike says it all...