Opus X Super Belicoso

Construction

With very tiny veins and no blemishes, this is one of the most beautifully constructed cigar I’ve ever smoked. An Opus X cigar could be used as the gold standard by which all other cigars should be constructed. When this Super Belicoso is squeezed, there is no sponginess or soft spots, just firmness throughout the body and inspecting the foot, the leaves are bunched nicely together with no visible gaps, indicating a very skillful torcedor.

With such great construction, the burn line is excellent requiring no burn corrections. The mostly solid white ash builds easily to almost 2-inches before breaking off. If you look in the pictures below, you can see how very nice the ash is!

I also wanted to take a moment and recognize the amazing artwork and effort that goes into the Opus X cigar band. It is by far one of the most ornate and beautiful cigar bands I’ve ever seen grace a cigar.

After snipping off a bit of the head and taking a pre-light draw, I was immediately rewarded with perfect draw, not too tight or loose with just enough resistance. And after conversing with my smoking buddy, we’ve came to the conclusion that the last Opus X I had suffered from an extremely tight draw. It kept going out on me and a number of times I tried to “save” it from going out and I most likely got sick from the hyperventilating. With the perfect draw from this Super Belicoso, I was able to blow out opulent clouds of smoke.

Flavors and Taste

Pre-light draw revealed some nice pepper and wood and I knew this was going to be a fun tasting cigar from the get-go. The first-third of the Opus X starts off as a weak medium body that gives you a preview of things to come with predominate flavors of wood, tobacco and a taste of nuts, all in a nice creamy package. By the second-third, some spicy notes and pepper start getting introduced to the wood and nuts flavor and the cigar begins developing into a medium bodied smoke, still quite enjoyable. By the final-third, the Opus X is at it’s stronger taste, medium-full body. The creaminess has subsided a bit and becomes slightly bit bitter while the other flavors (wood, tobacco, nuts, pepper, and spicy) become more pronounced, but nothing unpleasant.

This is one of those cigars that you need to be patient with to fully enjoy. Suck this thing down in less than 30-minutes and you’ll probably be quite sick. To get the full enjoyment of the flavors, take a puff every 30-seconds to a minute. I personally was at a puff every 30-seconds and it took me over an hour to enjoy this Super Belicoso.

Value

SUCKS! MSRP for an Opus X is generally $11.50 ((http://www.cigaraficionado.com/Cigar/CA_Static/BigSmoke/Vegas2001/fuentes_dd.html)), but because of the supply and demand for these, most places sell these upwards of $30 each. If you find a place that sells them for MSRP, please let me know.

Conclusion

So the big question is, is the Opus X Super Belicoso worth ~$30? For the most part, no, but that depends on the person you ask. For me, when I’m paying for a cigar, I’m looking for value in that the flavors and taste is what I like worth how much it cost and how long it takes to enjoy it. The flavors and taste were very good, but otherwise uneventful for me. As I was smoking the Opus X with my buddy, half way through he mentioned I looked bored and I was. The flavors never really change and only get a bit stronger as you near the finish.

And while this Opus X Super Belicoso took over a solid hour to finish, the price is a bit sticking point for me. I have enjoyed a number of other cigars, including my current all time favorite the Montecristo No. 2, at the ~$10 or less mark and wouldn’t hesitate to grab one of those over the Opus X Super Belicoso any day. But if I was able to purchase these at the $11.50 price point, I would’t hesitate purchasing more sticks to have in my humidor.

As it is a tradition with Opus X cigars, I was left with a nice parting gift in the form of a nicotine buzz that lasted for maybe 15-20 minutes.

Be sure to check-out these other great reviews on the Opus X Super Belicoso:

• CigarObsession.com
• Puff.com

Opus X Super Belicoso Gallery Pics

Cohiba Esplendidos

Construction

I have always found how unimpressive looking the Esplendidos are; other than for the famous Cohiba cigar band and the large size, there is nothing distinguishing or flashy. Compared to how beautifully constructed a Fuente Opus X is, the Esplendido looks like a Honda Accord next to a Ferrari. There are few minor veins on an otherwise smooth dark caramel wrapper.

The two Esplendidos I’ve had so far did not have any burn issues, but did need a few burn corrections. My buddy who also smoked one with me did experience some crazy burn issues that resulted in a very bad burn that was never correctable, although it did not affect the taste. The salt-and-pepper ash is unimpressive and barely held on for more than an inch, even when I was trying. The cigar remained lit and the draw was initially tight in the beginning, but clipping off more of the cap resulted in a looser draw.

Otherwise, no construction issues.

Flavor & Taste

For the first 1/3rd of the cigar, I found it to be ever so slightly bitter with a grass taste, but once we progressed into the 2nd and final third of the cigar it settled to more woody/cedar with some spicy tastes to it. The Cohiba Esplendidos starts off mild to medium and becomes be mostly medium body in the 2nd third and a bit stronger by the final third, but never really reaching full bodied taste. The final third is probably the best part of this cigar as the flavor is at its most intense yet the cigar remains buttery smooth.

Throughout the entire smoke, you can get decent clouds of white smoke on each draw. Many tend to describe cigar smoke as pungent and disgusting, but I’ve found the smoke produced by the Esplendidos to be pleasing, although I wouldn’t recommend prolonged (or any) exposure to second-hand smoke…

Value

Next to the Opus X, these are the most expensive cigars I’ve smoked. For nearly $30 a cigar, this will definitely be a special occasion treat. But in all honesty, I think the Cohiba Esplendidos are overpriced.

Conclusion

While many go ga-ga over the Esplendidos, I have to say, considering the price, I wasn’t impressed. There are a number of other cigars that I am quite happy with that can be “daily-smokes” without breaking the bank such as the Montecristo Edmundos or Bolivar Royal Coronas, but then again those aren’t Cohibas. There’s a certain prestige, justified or not, smoking Cohibas just as there is choosing a Rolex over a Timex, but to each his own.

Would I purchase the Esplendidos if I could? Probably not. The flavors and tastes just wasn’t there enough for me to justify the three times the cost over the Edmundos, which are one of my favorite go to cigars. YMMV.

Be sure to check-out these other excellent Cohiba Esplendidos reviews:

• CigarInspector.com
• Cigars-Review.org
• StogieGuys.com

Cohiba Esplendidos Gallery Pics

A. Fuente Hemingway Best Seller

Construction

While not a fan of Piramide/Torpedo or Perfecto vitolas, I can certainly appreciate the skills necessary to roll such a unique shape. The wrapper is a nice looking rustic Cameroon leaf with minimal veins and a light oily sheen. For the price, its rolled very nice with few, if any blemishes and sporting a double cap that is too often hastily applied.

The burn is very even requiring only a minor burn correction. The ash is flaky with mostly gray and the occasional black spots. The ash holds firm for two inches easily before succumbing to pressure.

The Hemingway Best Seller is well packed and tightly rolled, no soft spots throughout when squeezed, with a slight spongy feel. I have nothing but excellent draw from the Hemingway Best Sellers I’ve smoked.

It looks deceiving large in photos, but when you actually hold a Best Seller in your hands, you’ll be surprised at how small it is. At 4-inches long, it’s shorter than the Robustos I’m accustomed to and smoke time on average is 30-40 minutes, a great after lunch or on-the-run choice.

The cigar band is an attractive fusion of red, gold, and black gorgeously designed with the Fuente seal.

Flavors and Taste

The reviews I’ve read mentioned how much of a flavor firecracker this little guy is and after smoking a couple already, I can’t say I totally agree. Pre-light draw has a peppery taste with a slight bit of wood. Once lit, the flavors do start off fairly quickly, but I never got any of the flavors that wowed me. Right off the back you are treated to a nice sweet taste because of the Cameroon wrapper which progresses to a woody and peppery taste as the cigar progress. Once you get to the nub, the wood flavors start getting overpowered by the peppery taste.

All-in-all, the flavors weren’t bad, but not terribly exciting either. I wouldn’t go out of my way to find more, but would pick up a few sticks if the price is right.

Here’s a great explanation by Matt from MattsCigar.com on the Perfecto vitola:

The other reason I like the shape is because it lends itself to a more complex smoke. When the cigar starts off narrow, there is less filler mixed with the wrapper and so the wrapper plays a larger role in the flavors of the smoke to start. As you progress through the smoke and the burn starts to widen into the thicker part of the cigar you are burning more filler and the wrapper’s role is less dominate and the flavors begin to change. It’s not long before the cigar begins to narrow and the flavors begin to change again. It makes for a complex, attention holding, fun smoke. This has been my experience with the Hemingway cigars including this Best Seller.

Value

I purchased the Hemingway Best Seller in a 5-pack sampler for $32.75 from Famous-Smoke.com, as I wanted to give these a try but not commit to a box purchase just in-case I didn’t like them and they’re not too bad. I’m not sure that I would pick up a box, but a couple of 5-packs would be good to have. Many of the reviews I read also mentioned that the Hemingway Best Seller is worth, at best, ~$4.00 per stick, and I would probably have to agree.

Conclusion

This is certainly a decent tasting cigar, when found for under MSRP price. It doesn’t take very long to enjoy and has decent flavors making it ideal for enjoying in the colder winter months or an after lunch treat. At the very least, the Perfecto shape is an interesting conversation starter at any cigar lounge.

Also note, the Hemingway Best Seller is the larger version to the very similar looking Hemingway Short Story, and I’ve heard the flavors are very similar.

Be sure to read these other great reviews on the Fuente Hemingway Best Seller:

• ACigarBar.Blogspot.com
• CigarAsylum.com
• CigarRants.com
• HerHumidor.com
• HoosierHerfers.com
• JoeCigar.Blogspot.com
• MattsCigar.com
• Puff.com

Gallery Pictures

From the list, I selected four locations to try and I called each looking for a few things: cigar lounge, cost to use their lounge, do they carry the Zippo Blu butane lighter, and do they carry any NUB cigars. Of the four places I called, only one place fit everything I was looking for: Cigar Loft and Lounge (Yelp review) in San Mateo, CA. With two other stores in the East Bay, I decided to pay the San Mateo store a visit after my dentist appointment and not only was I not disappointed, but I met a few new cigar buddies.

Cigar Loft and Lounge (650-312-1141) is located at 106 W. 25th Avenue, San Mateo, CA across from Lucetti’s Italian Restaurant (an excellent Italian restaurant from what I’ve been told) along with a number of other stores. Parking is decent, with many 1-to-2-hour metered parking spots on 25th Avenue and be-careful not to make a u-turn on 25th because it’s prohibited and is a costly ticket according to one cigar aficionado who got a $300 fine.

My first impression upon entering Cigar Loft and Lounge was how nice a setup this place is. They have a number of large floor-to-ceiling humidor cabinets filled with a huge selection of premium cigars from many brands such as Opus X, Padron, AVO, Olivia, Fuente, Rocky Patel, Ashton, NUB, and so on. One brand I couldn’t find there that I’ve really been anxious to try was Pete Johnson’s Tatuaje brand (Wiki article), but with their selection so huge, I’m sure there are plenty of other brands that I can try. [2009-12-30 UPDATE: Further proof that I am blind, turns out that Cigar Loft and Lounge does in fact carry Pete Johnson's Tatuaje brand cigars. Will clarified this in email to me. ] I also found the prices to very reasonable for a brick-and-mortar store. A number of the Opus X cigars was priced at ~$28, which is a great in-store price considering I’ve seen other places sell them for as high as $50 or more because of how limited and hard to find the cigars are. Although I usually buy my cigars online, I’ve been making an effort to support my local b&m store for a number of reasons including supporting the local economy and fellow BOTLs (Brothers of the Leaf).

I found Will Shekaib (store owner) and “Z”, Will’s cousin, very personable, professional, friendly and knowledgeable especially in helping me, a NUB noob, select the right NUB cigar for me, the NUB 460 Cameroon for $6.83 (review here). They were also the only store in the San Francisco/Peninsula area that carried the Zippo Blu butane lighter, which I’ve been looking to buy. There were two to select from: Zippo BLU Shadow Lighter Dark Chrome or Zippo Blu Sable Lighter; I selected the Shadow Lighter Dark ($54.95) as the Sable ($51.95) had a plastic cover cheap feel to it. I also purchased a large can of Vector premium refined gas that is “Quintuplus filtered 5+ times” for ~$7, as the cheap butane refill gas that I’ve using are crap and causing my lighters to perform less than satisfactory. A testament to their service, I had a bit of a struggle in filling my newly purchased Zippo Blu and Z took the initiative to help and spent the time to show me how to properly fill it.

After completing my purchase, I decided to partake in their cigar lounge. While there is no cost to use the lounge, you do have to purchase at least a cigar, though you don’t have to smoke what you just purchased and are welcome to smoke anything you may have bought with you. I find it rude when some people come to a cigar lounge, don’t buy anything, and expect to use the lounge for free. That would be like going to Starbucks drinking home brought coffee sitting at the tables. The cigar lounge at the Cigar Loft and Lounge is quite generous taking up half, if not more, the size of the store in the back with plenty of large, over-sized, comfortable leather single-seat couches, a large wall-mounted Plasma T.V. complete with a microwave and a fridge. I joined two other BOTL (regulars there) who were already watching the football game and they were very personable, friendly, and inviting. Before long, we were joined by other regulars, all of which were extremely friendly and welcoming. With the relaxed atmosphere, comfortable couches, and friendly cigar aficionados, we discussed everything from favorite cigars to the football game to life in general. Who could ask for more.

This is a very friendly and relaxing atmosphere where you can bring your significant other, provided that he/she enjoys cigar smoking or can tolerate the smoke, and a bunch of friends. While the store has great ventilation, because of the enclosed room, you will end up smelling like cigar smoke after you leave. It’s like eating at Hot Pot City, food is good, but you smell like it afterward. You get people from all walks of life: retired/active police officers, teachers, engineers, CHP, and so forth. There are many great conversations to be had and shared over a fine stogie.

The lounge complete with microwave, comfy leather seats, mini-fridge with beer, and big screen flat panel

The Cigar Loft and Lounge has a number of private humidors for rent for $25/month. Renting one gives you certain perks such as invitations to all their events, special discounts (anywhere from 10-25% depending on the cigar) and more. The group I was with there all had a private humidor.

I will definitely be back every couple of week or so. San Mateo is a bit more of a drive for me, but the ambiance, friendliness, fair prices, and great service is worth the drive for me. I didn’t really get a chance to take any snaps, but next time I’m there I’ll be sure to get more pictures. Will was generous enough to let me snap some pictures.

Cigar Loft & Lounge
106 W. 25th Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94403
(650) 312-1141
Hours: Monday to Saturday: 10 AM – 8 PM, Sundays: 10 AM – 6 PM

© Smokingstogie.com

The Cohiba Siglo VI Gran Reserva is beautifully constructed and comes in an equally beautiful display case. But the big question that lingers is: how good is a 100-point cigar? Check out reviews by SmokingStogie.com (with lots of great pictures) and World of Cigars.

Judging from the people who have had the opportunity to have one, it’s heavenly. Apparently the secret of the Cohiba Gran Reserva is the use of the Ligero leaf, the top part of the best tobacco leaves and since there isn’t much of the Ligero leaf on each tobacco plant, it takes a number of them to make a single cigar.

Be sure to checkout the YouTube video by Friends of Habanos:

Click here to view the embedded video.

Years later as I started getting back into this past-time and having had a number of cigar brands, I was beginning to understand and develop what I liked in terms of taste so I figured it was time to take a whack at the Opus X. I stopped into a semi-local B&M store at Valley Faire Mall in San Jose that I knew would have some in stock and ended up picking up the Opus X Reserve de Chateau, a churchill length cigar and it stayed in my humidor for a measly thirteen days before I decided it was time to try this baby out.

Fuente Fuente Opus X Reserve de Chateau

Appearance & Construction

First glance at the Opus X Reserve de Chateau and you can’t help but marvel at how beautifully constructed this vitola is: very few veins, very solidly built, no imperfections, with a great looking triple cap reminiscent of a Cuban cigar. In short, it’s a Dominican Republic cigar with the beauty of a Cuban.

The Opus X cigar band has to be one of the most beautiful cigar bands I’ve ever seen. Bold colors such as gold and red adorn the intricately designed band definitely letting you know this is no ordinary cigar, but a premium cigar. No detail was left out here.

I was able to get an inch and a quarter of nice white ash, a testament to the build quality, before it broke off when I accidentally placed it down a little too rough on my ashtray to take a picture.

Flavor & Smoke

After snipping off a bit of the cap and lighting the Churchill, the initial draw is very smooth. It is very easy to get a lot of smoke with this cigar given it’s length and easy draw. I would classify this cigar as a medium bodied smoke with the main taste being coffee beans with a touch of earthy taste, which lasted throughout. Just as a note, my beverage of choice was Diet Coke (usually is whether I’m smoking cigars or not).

After smoking the Opus X Reserve de Chateau for two hours, I finally decided to put it down despite having at least another 30-45 minutes left. The two main reasons for this was 1) it kept going out and the final time it went out, I was tired of having to re-light it, and 2) the predominantly coffee bean taste became boring to me. I can now appreciate cigars of the Churchill and Coronas Grande size such as the Cohiba Siglo III I had awhile back, changes taste midway keeping the smoke interesting and lively.

Value

At about $36 USD a stick, I found this cigar to be overpriced and this specific stick over-hyped, read the next section to see why I think so.

Conclusion

I was very excited when I purchased this Opus X Churchill given all the great things many have to say about the Opus X line, but sadly I was disappointed. For $36, you get a beautifully looking vitola with an equally beautiful band, but most cigar aficionados care more about the taste than looks.

One of the most annoying problems I was having with the Opus X was keeping it lit. It went out a total of no less than four times requiring constant re-light. I would take a deep draw every few seconds and had set it down twice for a mere ten seconds at most, take another draw and found that it was starting to go out. In one case, I was a able to save it and not have to re-light, but in the other four cases, I was left with a cold tobacco taste you get when a cigar has gone out and you take a deep draw. Granted it was a bit cold out (59 degrees Fahrenheit), but not windy. In the other cases it went out, I was holding it in my hand as I was watching video on my laptop. When it would stay lit, I had to spend quite a bit of time correcting the burn as one side would occasionally burn a bit faster than the other, couldn’t figure out why.

I’m willing to believe that quite possibly the Opus X I purchased might have been a fluke or I didn’t let it age long enough in my humidor, but I don’t think I will be trying the Reserve de Chateau anytime soon again, but rather I might try the Opus X robusto, since I’ve started becoming a fan of the Robusto size cigars.

Either the Opus X Reserve de Chateau is a rare cigar, or many do not prefer this Churchill as I’m not able to find many online reviews, but you can read the two I did find:

• Cigar Aficionado (rating: 92, also listed as The Top 25 Best Cigars of the Year: 2009)
• Cigar Monkey
• Cigar Friendly

What is the appeal of the Cuban cigar? Most non-cigar smokers would say it’s because they’re forbidden fruit as you can’t legally buy any Cuban cigars because of the 1962 U.S. Trade Embargo against Cuba, but that aside, many cigar hobbyist (such as myself) and aficionados would agree it’s more than that. From the way the Cuban cigars are hand-rolled to the specific tobacco leaves used, they are a treat unlike any other cigars, except a few non-Cuban brands such as Fuente (most notably, the Opus X) and Padron.

My favorite brand is Cohiba (not to be confused with General Cigar’s Cohiba brand), long a favorite to Fidel Castro as he had a hand in the brand’s development, you can read the story here. Now unless your name is Michael Jordan or Arnold Schwarzenegger, Cohiba cigars aren’t really for daily smokes, but rather special occasions such as anniversaries, weddings, and the birth of a child, as they are bit costly; and in some ways, they are actually overrated. Don’t get me wrong, they are an incredible smoke, but overrated in price because of brand recognition: think Nike. Fortunately there are a number of other Cuban brands that are equally as good such as Ramon Allones and H.Upmann. My favorite daily smoke (I actually only smoke a cigar once a week or once every two weeks unlike my abnormal addiction to Diet Coke) happens to be the H.Upmann Magnum 46, a mild to medium flavored cigar. Please note that by no means am I an expect in cigars and this review is merely my thoughts and opinions.

H.Upmann Magnum 46

Appearance & Construction

The H.Upmann Magnum 46 is a beautiful constructed Habana Coronas Gordas cigar with very small and few leaf veins meaning a very high quality tobacco leaf. It’s a 46 ring gauge that is 5.6 inches (143mm) long making it a great cigar to smoke with friends or after dinner. For me, this isn’t quite a lunch time smoke because average smoking time is 50-100 minutes. The Magnum 46 is packed nicely with a lot of tobacco and rolled just tight enough so that the draw is effortless smooth.

It features the well known triple-cap that you would expect from an authentic Cuban with very little to no flaws in it’s construction. It has a nice, slightly natural oily wrapper (as good to great cigars should meaning that the cigar’s wrapper leaf isn’t dried out). The wrapper is a nice consistent shade of milk chocolate brown; I should note that with all Cuban cigars, the wrapper should be a consistent color all around, any discoloration can suggest a fake Cuban cigar.

Squeezing the cigar at various points, there is a nice solid, firm (but not too firm) feel. The Magnum 46 features a double band, one being the H.Upmman logo band, applied nicely and looks gorgeous. Underneath it is another band indicating that the cigar is a Magnum 46.

Flavor

I’ve always been more of a mild-flavor cigar smoker, but have started become more drawn to the mild-medium, medium, and even medium-full body flavor as of recent as they’re aren’t really any mild-body flavor Cubans. Most other cigar sites say that the Magnum 46 has a creamy, little spicy, coffee bean, with a hint of chocolate taste, to which I must concur. The taste is consistent until the last 1/3 of the cigar when it starts picking up a bit more taste. If you smoke the Magnum 46 until about the nub, be prepared for a slight nicotine buzz that gives you that nice relaxed and overall happy feeling.

Value

As Cuban cigars are illegal to purchase, I can’t really say much for price. But from what I’ve heard, it’s quite affordable for Cuban cigars. The price ranges I’ve heard are $10 USD for a single stick to about ~$7 USD per stick for a box of 25. That compared to a similar type Cohiba, the Siglo IV that cost ~$13.40 USD per stick or ~$11.40 USD per stick for a box of 25!

Conclusion

There really isn’t bad to say about the H.Upmann Magnum 46. As I mentioned, this is my daily smoke cigar whereas I reserve the Cohiba for special occasions. I haven’t met anyone or read anything negative about the Magnum 46. One thing I have noticed, and has been reported, there has been some issues with Cuban quality control. The box of 25 I was given had 2 cigars that were slightly “bent” because the ribbon was tied a bit too tight, but they smoked fine without any issues. Obviously if they were a Cohiba box of 25, I would certainly be much more irritated given the cost. Also, the Magnum 46 box of 25 comes in a SLB (slide lid box) that is very nicely constructed with all the Habana stickers of authenticity.

I have no qualms on recommending these to my friends or anyone who is legally able to purchase the H.Upmann Magnum 46.

You can also read these other reviews by cigar aficionados who are certainly more expert than me: Cigar Inspector, HumiBlog.com, and Friends of Habanos.

H.Upmann Magnum 46 Pictures