Graycliff 1666 Double Expresso

This beauty is the Graycliff 1666 Double Expresso.  I got this stick from CI.  It is supposedly an expensive little nicotine delivery device but CI gave me 5 of them with my order over $125.  Lets get into it.

Pre-light: It has a dark velvety brown wrapper and a smell that is just as deep.  I would say that, other than the Acid line, the most flavorful pre-smoke aroma I've experienced.  Lots of wonderful aged tobacco fills the nostrils.  Yummy

Cutting/lighting: Again I used a punch cutter for this guy (more on that in a minute).  I have to say that getting it light was a little bit of a challenge but it was windy, cold, and where I am at in Afghanistan, it is about 7200 ft above sea level.  So, it most likely wasn't the stick's fault.  First flavors were a rich and creamy coffee flavor that runs around your mouth.  I loved it.  With an undertone of nice aged tobacco, it really hit the spot.

First 1/3: Still with that wonderful coffee flavor.  I mean it felt like I was drinking a cup of my favorite java.  Smoke output was on the light side.  I think this may be due to the punch cut.  It makes a pretty small hole and this cigar has a fat ring gauge.  The cap is really oily and coats your lips in that sweet creamy tobacco flavor.  Body is medium to full and the strength so far is medium.

Second 1/3: You guess it...still that delicious coffee flavor but now with a little spice to it.  Not pepper however, more like a cinnamon or something close.  Smoke, body, and strength haven't changed.

Final 1/3: Still all the rich flavors with a little more strength coming in.  Nom Nom Nom....love it.  Unfortunately, my smoke was cut short because we had some business come in.

Overall, as you probably guess, I love the flavors this thing puts out.  If you can pick some up on special, I say go for it if you like these kinds of smokes.  And I enjoyed not having to wait in line for some snotty barista to  make a cup of $5 coffee to get my java fix.

Alec Bradley American Classic Blend

This is the Alec Bradley American Classic Blend.  Yet another fine smoke I received from the good folks at cigarsforwarriors.net.  I think this was a Churchill size.  All I know is that it was huge.  I figured it was gonna take well over an hour to smoke it.  Since you can see the snow on the ground in the pic, you can guess I was freezing.  The things I do for nicotine.

Pre-smoke: It has a nice light brown wrapper with tight seams, some veins, and is firm to the touch.  Nice woody smell to this stick.

Cutting/Lighting: Used a punch cutter again (kinda starting to like that method) with no issues.  Light up like a champ but the draw was a little snug.  I don't know if it was the roll or the punch cut.  Still produced lots of good smoke, I just had to work at it a little.  Initial tastes are a nice smooth tobacco with a hint of wood.

First 1/3: Not much changes in the flavor profile.  The draw opened some.  Strength and body I would put at mild . Burn line is a little off but no biggie

Second 1/3: Still with the same flavors but maybe a little more of the woodiness.  Still a mild body and strength to it.  Ash fell off about an inch at a time (But I was shivering a little).

Last 1/3: Again, not much changes to the flavor.  Just a nice smooth mellow smoke.  Finish was short and left a pleasant tobacco/wood flavor in my mouth.  Finished up this beauty at 1 hour and 25 minutes and got my frozen ass indoors.

Overall, a very nice stick for someone looking for a mild body/mild strength smoke.  I had this one in the morning and I think that was a perfect time.

Joya de Nicaragua Antano Dark Corojo

Origin : Nicaragua

Size : 6 x 54

Wrapper : Nicaraguan Corojo

Binder : Nicaragua

Filler : Nicaragua

Hand-Made

Price : ~$7-8 each

Pre-light: This another beautiful stick I got from Cigarsforwarriors.net .  It has a very dark brown, rich looking wrapper.  Nice tight seams and small little veins.  It has  full flavor on the pre-light sniff.

Cutting/Lighting: I am trying a punch cutter for the first time on this cigar.  Looks like it worked pretty well.   Lit up without an issue. Nice smooth draw.  Plenty of creamy smoke.  Initial flavors are a deep but not overpowering tobacco flavor with a hint of bitterness.

First 1/3: Not much changes in the flavor profile.  Still a lot of rich creamy smoke.  I would say that it full bodied but mild strength. Nice burn line and gray-white ash production which fell off after about 0.5 inches.

Second 1/3: More of a burned black coffee flavor.  It's bitter but surprising smooth.  Still lots of creamy smoke and a nice finish that lasts until the next draw.

Final 1/3: Not much different in taste than the second 1/3.   Still with great smoke.  Strength is a medium but the body is full.

This was a pretty good little stick.  The Joya de Nicaragua line in general are good.  I wish this one had a little more strength to it but all in all it was enjoyable. And I enjoyed feeling like a Columbian dictator while smoking it.

Again, thanks to Cigarsforwarriors.net  for sending this stick out to our unit.

Nub Connecticut 358

This is one of those Nub cigars.  I got this from a Nub sample pack from CI.  It is supposed to be the "Sweet Spot" of the cigar.  Meaning, I guess, that the first 1/3 of  a normal cigar is not worth smoking.  I dunno.

Pre-light: The wrapper is a beautiful light brown with tight seams and a few small veins.  I guess veins are bad, I see a lot of the real cigar reviews mention them.  It has a sweet dry grass/hay aroma.  Very smoothing to the nose.

Cut/Lighting: Lights pretty easily for being a fat as it is.  First few puffs had a sweet hay with maybe a little nut flavor to it.  Nice draw, medium amount of smoke.

First 3rd (If you can even call it that): Not much different from the first couple of puffs.  Nice thick tight gray-white ash that stayed on until about half way down.  Still medium amount of smoke.  I would say that the body is mild as well as the strength.

Second "3rd": It seems to have increasing body to the flavor, maybe a black coffee like taste.  The sweet hay flavor is decreasing and the smoke output is picking up.  The finish is lasting longer in my mouth as the black coffee flavor increases.

Last "3rd":  The sweetness has completely gone away and now it is predominately the black coffee flavor and maybe a little toasted nut.  The smoke output has doubled since the beginning. The strength and the body came up to a solid medium. The finish is lasting until the next puff now.

Overall, a very enjoyable cigar.  I don't really get the sweet spot thing but none the less it was a good smoke.  I like the way it got a little stronger and more full bodied as I smoked it.

Acid Kuba Kuba

This is a Drew Estate Acid Kuba Kuba.  It is suppose to be one of the best selling cigar lines in the world right now.  When this little beauty arrived and I opened the box, the aroma was amazing.  You could literally smell it trough the plastic bag.  I couldn't wait to see what all the fuss was about.

Pre-smoke: nice looking light brown wrapper with tight seams.  Very nice sweet perfume smell.

Cutting/Lighting: minor cap unwrapping when cut.  Very easy light and great draw. Initial puffs were very sweet with mild smoke.

1st 1/3: leaves a very pleasant sweet taste on the lips, gray draw with mild copious smoke. Good solid ash and burn line.  Strength is medium at the most.  The finish is pretty short and leaves a sweet dessert like taste in your mouth.

Note: a large crack developed in the middle of the stick.I really don't think this is an issue with the cigar.  I had to have this shipped to Afghanistan. So it is probably a product of the dry climate then placing them in my humidor.

2nd 1/3: The sweetness has started to die down and a nice earthy tobacco taste has come up.  Maybe a little pepper and nut flavor in there also. Still a relative short but tasty finish.

Last 3rd: Not much change. Still a little sweet and the same flavors as the middle 3rd.  Smoke time was just over an hour.  

Overall, I would say that this is an excellent cigar for beginners and those who only try cigars on a rare occasion.  It is nice to have in the morning or after a light dinner for dessert. I can see hard core cigar lovers hating these sticks but I think it is a well made tasty product.

P.S. I would like to thank Cigars for Warriors for sending these to my unit.  They are a great organization that sends premium cigars to deployed soldiers.  Please visit their site www.cigarsforwarriors.net

Another cigar review site?

I know, just what the internet needs. Some guy who thinks he is an expert on cigars talking in a vocabulary that nobody understands. Well, that isn’t me. I’m just a regular guy who knows the bare minimum about cigars except that I like to smoke them. Hopefully, I can review a few sticks and give you my opinion without all the usual cigar jibber-jabber.