Rev's Blind Review Panelists' Profile

[RevSmoke]

Just for something to talk about as we look at the reviews the panelists are doing - and especially when the grand unveiling takes place - I thought this might be a good idea.

I'd like one place where we can go to look up the cigar profile of each of the panelist that are reviewing these cigars. What I mean is that it would give us a possible baseline when looking at their reviews, to figure out whether their palat is similar to "our own." If they were to include their likes, their favorites, their dislikes, and whatever information they could give that might help us to have some insight into their reviews would be excellent.

I'll start, as sooner or later, my reviews of these cigars will also find their way onto each review thread.

I have rather ecclectic tastes, liking a variety of cigars from a rather wide spectrum. Nicotine doesn't seem to affect me much (right MJ?), so when I speak of a cigar being full-bodied or mild, I am talking about the intensity of flavors on my palate.

Favorite sizes: I cannot say that I really have a favorite size. It largely depends on which size trips my trigger or which size in a certain line has the best flavors. For example, I have lately really been enjoying petite coronas because I don't smoke often, and with a PC I can get a couple cigars smoked in single night thereby satisfying my sense of adventure. I probably prefer robustos more than any other size. But I have also found that I prefer certain sizes over other sizes in particular brands. For example, I like smaller ring guages in the Tatuaje lines (Noella, Angeles, Verocu #5, Petite Cazadore Reserve) and the bigger smokes just don't do it for me. In the same vein, I have found that I prefer the largest Coronados over the smaller one, the Corona Gorda (7X60) is my favorite, and the Corona Especial (5.87 x 47) won't find a place in my humidor.

Favorite Cigars: This is tough, because this is where my ecclectic taste really become evident. While I prefer fuller-bodied cigars, I also like mild cigars as long as they have some nice nuances and great flavors. I will list my favorites, but rather than putting them in any kind of order, what I'll do is list favorites and those that I try to always have in my humidor. I do this because sometimes $$ constraints (or governmental restrictions) keep me from regularly having something in my humidor.

I will say that Oliva Vs are my most comfortable cigar. If I could have nothing else, this would be the brand that would keep me happy. What follows below is not a exhaustive list, but what comes to mind presently, so there may be some things missing from my favorites.

Favorites: Padron Anniversarios '64s & '26s, AF Anejos, Litto Gomez Diez, AF Rosado, AF DCs, LFD Coronados, Cruzado Avalitos, Curivari, Paul Garimarian, Tatuaje Noellas, Tat Petite Cazadore Reserva, Cohiba Siglo I, H.Upmann Mag 50 & 48, Diplomatico #5, Montecristo #4 & #5, Ramon Allones Specially Selected, Por Larranaga Monte Carlo & Panetelas

Humidor: Oliva V, Padron X000 series, AF Hemingways, AF Sun Grown, Cain Daytona, El Rey del Mundo Robustos (tissue wrapped), DPG JJ Maduros, DPG Black Perlas, Tatuaje Angeles, Tat Verocu #5, Quesado Tributos, Punch Rothschild, Taboo HSG (till these are gone) La Gloria Cubana (NCs) in maduro, AVO XO, AVO Heritage, Oliva Connecticut, Omar Ortez, RP Edge Corojo (older ones),

I prefer cigars that have some complexity, and by that I mean that they change and develop as they go along. I like strong cigars, but I don't like one-dimensional cigars. For example, I like LFD Air Benders, but the Double Ligero line doesn't imprese me because I find it to be strength for the sake of strength and to my palate, one dimensional. Maybe that is because my palate is so overwhelmed that I cannot detect the subtle changes??? But, if there is to be a cigar that strong, the changes should be equally strong.

Another point I should make is that while I enjoy the flavor of a cigar in my mouth, I think I enjoy the aroma of the sideslip smoke even more. The smells/flavors of that will often make or break whether I like a cigar or not.

Anyway, there is a bit about my tastes so that when my revealing reviews are posted, you know where RevSmoke is coming from.

If you have questions of my palate, don't hesitate to ask.

Peace of the Lord be with you.

[shilala]

Good idea, Todd.

[Jason]

I smoke twice a day, lunch and evening before bed. On weekend this can vary either way depending on if I am working outside or not.

I think I have a very unique personality as a cigar smoker, either that or a unique palate. I say that because I do not really have favorite cigars, favorite marcas, favorite vitolas... I try to take each cigar on it's own and enjoy it, whatever it brings. I've smoked enough cigars, and boxes of cigars, over the years to come to the firm opinion that you never know what you're going to get, two examples:

Best NC I've ever smoked was an original release Tatuaje Unicos, off the chart flavor bomb. Not a comparable experience with the remaining sticks in the box.

Best CC I've ever smoked was a Hoyo 2004 Epicure Espcial Edicion Limitada, this cigar was freakish in the intensity of flavor, me and a friend both laughed out loud hysterically when having our first pull off it. In general I do not reach for the Hoyo marca when deciding what to smoke as I normally don't like them much.

The best I tend to expect from a cigar does not have to do with flavor notes for the most part but rather pleasant or unpleasant. Very few marcas do I expect a certain flavor profile but almost all marcas I have formed a feeling for pleasant or unpelasant (and yes, in some, expectations of flavors to a degree).

My favorite cigars I've ever smoked tend to be one offs (outstanding amongst regular or poor cousins from the same box) so I can't really base favorites off of that can I? No, I guess favorites would be cigars I trust over a box or cab to be pleasing throughout.

Favorites:
Partagas Shorts, 898, Serie P 2; Por Larranaga PC, montecarlo, panatela and Asian EL Robusto; Juan Lopez Seleccion 1 and 2; Bolivar PC, Gold Medal and Royal Coronas; LGC MDO all numbers ; Upmann Mag 46; Punch PC del Punch; La Flor Dominicana Chisel Natural; Padron natural #000 and annis, Arturo Fuente Sung Grown, AVO LEs, La Riqueza 4; Oliva Gs and Vs; Graycliff Crystal Presidente;

I have no reservations buying boxes/cabs of the aforementioned cigars. Anything I'm not experienced with I'll buy 1-5 at a time before getting a box. If the box goes good it'll go on that list an become a regular (so much as the budget allows of course, I cannot afford to keep everything I would deem worthy of box purchase).

Current favs on hand:
P Shorts, BGM, La Riqueza, Monte 4s, PunchPCdP, Boli PC, PLPC, Cabaiguan CE, Punch Platino, PL Asian EL robusto
Current givin-a-trys:
Cohiba robusto, sig 6, sig 5; RASS, RA celestial finos; SLR RE;

Believing as I do through my experience that a box of Tatuaje Unicos (for example) is not going to be one by one awesome smokes, my preferences lean hard to the relatively modest requirement of "pleasantness" In my experience truly exceptional cigars tend to pop up when they pop up, you can't really predict the truly special ones (at price points I can afford anyhow). Cometh the hour, cometh The Cigar. Enjoy them all.

I find most of the flavor and enjoyment in a cigar in a weird place between the back of the tongue and sinus cavity and I smoke pretty much everything through the nose. Exhale goes out through mouth and nose simultaneously and I modulate the quantity through the nose, for different take on the same cigar, and for mitigating the effects of burn in the nose.

[jjirons69]

Winter months I smoke an average of 1-2 on Wednesdays, and 1-4 on weekends, depending where and what I'm doing. Wednesdays are our Men's Meeting night for a local group of 10 or so. We discuss every topic under the sun over drinks and 3-4 guys that smoke cigars. Spring through Fall months, 2-3 on Wednesdays and 3-5 on weekends and maybe a scattered smoke or two during the week. Wednesdays are golf league evenings followed by the Men's Meetings, plus yard work and assorted outdoor activities on the weekend.

My tastes have revolved and evolved. I'm nearly 44 and started smoking cheapies in college. Smoked cigarettes from 1986 until 1996. Dipped Kodiak for about a year in 1987. Never smoked a pipe. Think I started seriously keeping cigars somewhere around 2005, where I only picked one up here and there before that. I love smoking while golfing, fishing, grilling, and sitting around with family or friends. Not a big fan of smoking by myself, but I do about 25% of the time.

Starting 2005 I had assortments of easy-to-find smokes from local B&Ms. Moved onto maduros and stayed there quite a while. Moved onto CCs early 2010 and have been pretty much there since then. I smoke CCs 90% of the time. The other 10% being NCs I smoke while golfing, fishing, or usually one a friend shares with me. When I'm lounging I'm usually having a CC.

Favorite sizes: I really have been enjoying the long skinnies since I started with CCs. A third of my stash is long skinnies. I also enjoy the quickness and flavor bursts of smaller cigars (RASCC, Boli CJ, Monte #5, SCdLH El Principe, etc.). Next in order I like the corona or PC sizes, then onward to robustos, torpedos, and churchill sizes. The few big cigars I keep around are for times I know I'll have enough time to full enjoy the smoke.

Favorite Cigars: Like I said I had a long period of maduro tastes. From 06 through 09 I probably smoked 80% maduros. During that period I had some pretty nice boxes and lots of top-quality maduro cigars. I still enjoy them and those are the typical NCs I have on the course and in the boat. I really don't splurge on them like I used to and typically get specials or deals. I still keep some nicer maduros around. I have never been a big natural NC fan, but I will pick one up every now and then. Grassy, light Connecticut wrappers are my least favorite. I like medium to full dark NC smokes, but I don't like the fuller, peppery smokes that blasts my tongue and throat and keep me from enjoying a nasal exhale. Woody, leathery, chocolatey NCs are my favorite. I like a variety of CCs. I like the toasty, nutty, woody CCs. I can tolerate more spice and pepper in a CC than I can in an NC, as it's more refined and not a harsh to my system. I like medium to full CCs, but probably prefer medium the most. I seem to get more out of a smoke if it's not trying to push me around. My least favorite CC flavor is full on floral. Those tend to freak me out a little and make me think of smoking a perfume-laced stick.

Favorites:

CCs
Bolivar PC, CJ, CG, and GM (really like the earthy flavors from Bolis)
Por Larranaga PC, Monte, and Pan
LGC MdO #1-#4 with #3 being my most favorite LGC
Party Shorts, 898, and PSD No. 4
RASS and RASCC
Cola

NCs
RP Vintage 90 & 92 and Decades
AF maduros
Padron Anni 1964 maduros
HdM Excal Dark Knight
Oliva G and O maduros

Humidor: PL PC, Monte, Pan; LGC MdO #1, #3, and #4; RASS and RASCC; Party shorts, PSD4, and Super Party; ERdM Chiox Supreme; Boli PC, CJ, CG, and GM; HdM du Gourmet; Dip #2 and #4; SLR Regios; various JLPs; and many singles and doubles of various vitolas and marcas; RP Vintage 92 and Decades; CAO Brazilia and MX2; Diesel Unholy Cocktail; 5 Vegas A; Torano 1959; LGC Serie N maduros; Various AF maduros; Various Tats; lots of singles covering a wide range of tastes and flavors.

The strongest NC cigars I enjoy are the Padron Anni 1964. The NC I'd smoke most often given the opportunity would be RP Decades. The CC I least enjoy is Punch. I tend to get a majority of them with a floral flavor I don't enjoy, so I quit taking chances with them. If I had to pick only one cigar I could have from here on out, it'd be an LGC MdO #3. Second would be a Cohiba lancero. Third would be a Bolivar PC. Like Jason, I like to exhale at varying degrees via my nose. Regulating the flow of smoke through my mouth and nose gives the cigars tons more flavor and enjoyment. I find doing this with that same level of enjoyment with NCs is not possible.

[DaBear]

I tend to smoke between 2 and 3 sticks a day on average. That said, the actual number I smoke varies greatly. Some days I won't smoke a thing, some days I'll make it between 5 and 7 sticks. It really depends on what I'm doing that day. I smoke more often at work, and on my all day shifts(aka Saturdays, 10-10) I fit in the most, though occasionally I'll only smoke one or two in that 12 hour shift, but fit 5 in the next day during a 6 hour shift.

Favorite Sizes:
Really a sucker for anything churchill, lancero, or corona. You could even throw PCs and CGs on that list. Never really been a robusto smoker. Went through a phase where all I smoked were toros.

Favorite Cigars:
I like a bit of everything, but I'm a sucker for a good maduro. Sumatras tend to hit me right as well, which I know a lot of people dislike. I'm a sucker for any sweetness(I blame the sweet tooth I inherited from my grand mother through my dad), so a sweeter stick will get extra points in my book. Its one of the few flavors I'm always looking for in a stick and can determine whether I like it enough to buy more.

Favorites:
PAM 64s, Padron x000 series, Anejos, Hemingway Maduros, Anything Pete puts out, LFD Cab L-400s and 300s, 601 Blues, Curivari EGRs, Cain F Lanceros, LP No. 9s(Belis and Double Coronas), Room 101 Daruma Lanceros, HdM Epi #2s, PLPCs, H. Upmann Mag 46s, PL Montecarlos.

Humidor:
A bit of everything. My humi is mostly used for aging, I pick up the sticks I smoke on a daily basis at work for the most part, but as of right now theres a few Anejos, some Tat Browns, a couple PAM 64s, some OR Cain F Lancero Tubos, Oliva V Maduros, etc. Not many CCs as of right now, but I'm slowly falling off that cliff so that'll be changing soon enough.

[RevSmoke]

There are still a couple panelists who have not checked in here and given us profile of their tastes and such.

[jledou]

Oh boy what do I like ....

Favorite sizes: Most of the time I will gravitate to robustos and coronas due to the amount of time I normally have to smoke. That being said, even if I have the time I would prefer a traditional churchill or toro with a 48-52 ring gauge and typically will stay away from a 60 ring gauge.

Favorite Cigars: I really like to find medium to medium full cigars with coffee, cocoa and what I would call a deep earthyness to the flavors. I can take or leave the spice and I will go for milder cigars if the flavor is there. I end up with maduro, corojo and habano wrapper cigars most often.

Favorites: Padrons - all lines preferably maduros. OpusX, Hemingways and Anejos, Toranos (59s, 2008 tribute, master maduros), San Cristobal original line, Camacho Corojo, Punch Rare Corojos, Cabaiguan, Epernay, Esencia, Murcielago, Ortega Series D Maduro

Humidor: A lot...to various degrees I have most of the above at any given time. right now thinking I do not have a master maduro, san cristobal and epernay in my humidor. I believe I know how to correct that .... along with the cigars above I will also smoke some bundle cigars such as the Nic 3000 and will in general give a fiver a try here and there. Among some other notables that I have enjoyed recently and in my humidor right now from various five packs include; CLE corojo, Lou Rodriguez, NHC selection limitada, La Duena, Oliva G/O/V ....

In summary I like cigars and will try almost anything once, twice maybe even three times. Sometimes I get lucky and sometimes I lose, sometimes I lose bad but fortunately with the quality of cigars out there I win more than I lose.

Thanks to the Rev for putting this tasting together. I had a blast going into each cigar not know what I was in store for.