halfwheel

Review: Ramón Allones 8-9-8 (1998)

For those of you that don’t know… The brand of Ramón Allones was started in 1845 by (strangely enough) a man named Ramón Allones… Originally from Spain, Allones (also owner of the La Eminencia factory) was reportedly the first to employ bright, lithographed labels on his boxes, which help set his brand apart from his [...]

Review: Montecristo Maravilla (2005)

This time, I will be sparking up a Montecristo Maravilla…Released in 2005 as part of the Colección Habanos (or Habanos Book Series), there were only 500 boxes of 20 cigars (or 10,000 total) produced for the entire world…So I think that qualifies as a somewhat rare smoke… The cigar itself is a HUGE monstrosity, measuring [...]

Review: H. Upmann Belvedere (1954)

[Editor's Note: This is the 4th review in a newer section on the site titled "Vintage Smokes", in which we will be reviewing some extremely aged cigars...In order to be considered for this section, the cigars reviewed will be AT LEAST 20 years old, and will consist of both Cuban and non Cuban cigars...Also, there [...]

Reviews: Cohiba Gran Reserva (Prerelease)

As long as I have been smoking, I have not seen the Cuban hype machine go as crazy for a cigar as I have for the Cohiba Gran Reserva. Non Cubans are another matter, and for more info on that, see my Tatuaje Drac review. With just 5,000 boxes of 15 cigars to be released [...]

Review: Romeo y Julieta Perfectos (1968)

I recently purchased a 4 pack of Romeo y Julieta Perfectos from 1968 to see what they would smoke like over 40 years after they were rolled. There is not a bunch of historic info on these specific cigars. According to various websites, these were released pre-1960s (nobody knows an exact year, apparently) and were [...]

Review: El Rey del Mundo Especiales (ER Italia 2009)

I had high hopes for this cigar and it had everything going for it. Great looking stick with a light brown wrapper, an interesting shape (I am a sucker for a Piramide), and a great smell of hay and tobacco. Alas, I was to be disappointed. Cigar Reviewed: El Rey del Mundo Especiales Piramide (Edicion Regional [...]

Review: Bolívar 109 5th Avenida (ER Germany) (Prerelease)

(Editor’s Note: This cigar was reviewed blind (in other words, I had no idea what cigar it was while I was smoking it) for a Blind Smoking thread on the Brothers of the Leaf forum…In case you don’t know, every once in a while, a member of various forums puts together a thread where they [...]

Review: Por Larrañaga Magnificos (ER UK 2007)

Just like in Highlander, there can be only one. And that one could very well be the Por Larrañaga Magnifico. It has been called the most beautiful cigar in the world and I certainly agree with that sentiment. Specially produced in 2007 for Hunters & Frankau, the United Kingdom’s agent for Cuban cigars, it is [...]

Review: Partagas Serie D No.4 Reserva

This was a great friggin’ smoke. This is an incredibly difficult cigar to find. Even when it was released in 2005, there were only 5,000 boxes (100,000 cigars) total produced for the entire world market. Manufactured with tobacco leaves specially selected from the 2000 harvest and aged for three years prior to being rolled, the [...]

Review: Ramón Allones Phoenicio (ER Libano 2008)

Oh, I can hear you now, “another Edición Regional review; what is the point?” Well, I know there are what seems like a thousand REs (and LEs as well) coming out of Cuba these days, and while I am right there with you on the seemingly overwhelming numbers, there ARE a few gems in the multitude, [...]