Big Al's Cigar Blog

Gurkha Symphony Toro cigar review 1/30/2023 Ive only smoked a few Gurkha's and none have impressed me to go out of my way to actually research how to buy them.    I always get a few in some sampler or freebie deal.    And I always find they are mediocre but priced like some kind of top notch smoke.    If they are really supposed to be priced so high, you have to ask, why are they giving these away? Anyway, this one is supposedly a mild Nicaraguan filler, Dominican binder, and Connecticut wrapper.  Smoke is pretty mild so far.    Pretty good taste and flavors of toasted graham crackers and marshmallow with a hint of spice and cedar.    It is a tad plugged, which probably keeps the profile mild.    Feels kind of spongy, but these have a couple month of age in my humidor, so they should burn well.    And I do have to touch up. Burning a bit too much on one side.   But, so far, not bad, but hasn't really done much except for the flavors at first.  Looks good after touching up and m

Kristoff Kristania Toro cigar review 1/28/23 Criollo Nicaraguan wrapper with Dominican binder and fillers. this one is cheaper than the regular blends, about $5 to $6 when you buy a box.    I bought a few Kristoff samplers and every one has been great.    I think this is the 2nd Kristoff that I've reviewed.    The Corojo I gave a 94 and was great, although priced a little higher.    I think the Corojo is no longer available, but I remember it was very sweet and smooth.  First few puffs are, so far, not that great.    Not plugged, but seems green, have to really pull to get some flavor.    But it's only the first few puffs.    Can taste some cedar and a little    sweetness, but not much going on.   No wind tonight.    Lucky for this cigar.    I've had some cigars that I couldnt tell was lite, as the wind blew away the smoke.    Let's hope this one strengthens.   The cigar feels kind of spongey and a little loose, but doesn't really smoke like it.    I can get some go

Esteban Carreras Chupacabra Hellcat Robusto Grand cigar review  1/27/2023 This will be the 4rth of these I've smoked out of my box and I just now realized I haven't done a review on this one.    I did a review on its bigger brother Toro Grand on 9/24/22.    It became my favorite cigar and it still has my highest score of 96. Reading some of my old review, the Toro was boxed March 2020.    This one was packed March 2022, so maybe not as refined, but plenty of time to mellow out.   First few puffs, taste lots of cedar and creaminess.    Full of smoke.    It's pretty medium.   It's box pressed, which I guess I'm impartial to.    I think was makes these great is the Mexican San Andres wrapper and Nicaraguan binder and fillers.    This combination just goes so well together.    Other smokes that have this combination are some of my favorites as well, like the AJ Fernandez Rosa De Guadalupe line.   I've burned an inch and about 15 minutes of it.    Developed a sweetne

Gran Habano #3 Habano Rothschild Cigar review 1/25/2023 Great looking wrapper on this one.    It's the perfect amount of oily and shiny in this Nicaraguan wrapper.    Filled with Costa Rican, Nicaraguan, and Mexican fillers.    Gran Habano's are made in Honduras.  It's a shorty, 4 and a half inches and a decent thickness.    Priced about 5 bucks. Well, it's a real shitty night for smoking.    44 degrees and 12mph wind with some 20+mph gusts.    Yeah, I choose the shortest cigar I have to smoke on the windiest night.    Fire doesn't even need help to get going.    The wind ignites it in every direction.    Maybe I'll get a pause in the wind.   Well, I wait a while to lite it up.    Wind swirling but not too strong now.    This cigar starts yo kind of medium to full, with a strong spice and cedar flavor.   I just bought a box of the #5 Churchill's, as I love that blend, and the #5 is said to be the strongest.    But, first few puffs, this one is stronger.    U

Aging Room Quattro Original Toro cigar review  1/23/2023 Ive had a few and these and I think this is my last one.    It's aged in my humidor for at least a year now.    To be honest, I was not impressed.    I think I had a 5 pack of different sizes.    This is a Toro version, which recently has become my favorite size.   Well, this one is a Dominican with Sumatra wrapper and the rest is all Dominican.    Dominican used to be my favorite smokes, so this one should be up my alley.    I do prefer Nicaraguan smokes now, but I still pull out some of my favorite Dominicans and remember why I like them.    Dominicans are usually creamy, milder, and more cedar flavors than others.  Starts off mild to medium with a nutty, cedar, and toasted fruit taste.    Has a slight bite to it, but still pretty smooth.   Right away it develops a strong, nutty flavor with some spice.    Lots of flavor at first.    It is smoking quick. Burn is perfect.    Although it has only burning 10 min.    For the &qu

Gran Habano Corojo #5 Churchill cigar review  1/20/2023 Smoked the Rothschild version 2 weeks ago and I gave it a 92.    Liked it enough, along with the price, that bought a whole box.    Not bad for $77 a box.   Rolled in Hondurus with no Honduran tobacco.    Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper, Nicaraguan Habano binder, and Nicaraguan and Costa Rican fillers.  Pretty good smoking weather for a Georgia winter, about 47 degrees and not much wind.    Definitely need a decent fire to keep warm.    It's Friday night, had to reward a long workweek with some Woodford Reserve bourbon.    Should go well with this one.   Starts off pretty medium, mostly woodsy flavors turning into a sweet creamy toasted marshmallow and Graham cracker flavor.    A little spice left on the tongue.    Burning first inch a little uneven, maybe didn't light it too good.    It's calm now, but was a godd 5mph wind blowing when I lite it.    Wind seems to be swirling tonight.  It's burning good now.    I receive

La Aurora Corojo Churchill cigar review  1/18/2023 First, this is, I guess, a review for me or the few that still has some of these or still remembers these fine and cheap smokes.    I think I paid about $2.50 a piece 10 to 25 years ago and I bought a lot, maybe 30 or 40 cigars.    I have about 10 left and I still enjoy them.   These are huge cigars, but mild and easy smoking. I think the Corojo was the strongest blend.    It's an equadorian Corojo with Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers.    Probably a Dominican binder as these were mainly Dominican cigars made in La Aurora's oldest factory.    The Corojo has become one of my favs recently, but was my least fav during this time.    I love the sweetness of today's Corojo, but the 15 year ago Corojo is totally different.    It was spicy, harsh, and bitter.    Let's see if 15 years can say I was wrong... First inch is pretty mild.    I can definitely taste the Corojo, just as I remember, a bitter spiciness that I can only de