H. Upmann Coronas Major Tubo

I still remember my first Upmann. I just bought a whole box ( my first box that I bought actually), and remembering they werent that great. They were definetely not bad, but something in the taste just doesn't appeal to me.

So when I bought this Coronas Major Tubo, I was quite convinced the same flavor would fill my mouth and nose. And it did.
But, wait, first, let me give you some info about this tubo:

It is not expensive, ranged as the Romeo tubos. About the same size and diameter.They smoke great, good draw, but tend to burn uneven. They are spicy ( and that's what I dont like about them), even when you just taste the cigar before liting it. Other flavors that come to mind are toast and dirt. They produce a full flavor, and give a good consistent ash.

So, it definitely is not a bad cigar, but they just dont do it for me. The taste is not my style.

Cuesta-Rey Centenario Pyramid No.9

When I visited the cigar shop Tabaco in Hasselt ( a great website, a big shop, one of the biggest humidors I have ever seen and very friendly host!), I inmediately saw a couple of large boxes with Cuesta-Rey cigars. As they are one of the oldest cigar brands, I never smoked one. So I picked up both a Pyramid No.9 and the maduro version.

So when I got home, I lighted it up quite fast, with a lot of hopes to watch "The war of the world" on tv. Beautiful, grand cigar, with the impressive torpedo, it just looked great in my hand.
Upon lighting it up, it got smoking really fast, leaving me enjoying it right away. Puff after puff, it burned evenly, and all the signs of a great cigarmaker were there.

For the taste, I was somehow dissapointed. Not a powerhouse, but for this expensive big cigar it lacked complexity. While the taste was consistend during the 2hours the cigar lasted, it was too light, leaving notes of earth and wood.
To my opinion, I think it would grow to a heavenly cigar when I would leave it aging in my humidor for some time. Too bad I didn't pick up another one ;)

So, conclusion: A really big torpedo shaped cigar, beautiful to behold, soft to hold, great to draw, but too light on the taste. In a few weeks I will light the maduro, of which I expect a great deal!

Arturo Fuente Gran Reserva Churchill

On New Year's eve I was looking for a grand smoke. So I was aiming for a churchill size or Toro size cigar, and while browsing through my humidor ( reminds me I need to create a good cigar database for maintaining my humi) the Arturo Fuente came up. It had a green velvet band around it, and it was just looking pretty.
One smell on the cigar, and I had made up my mind!

I clipped the top off (I dont use my bullet anymore, no specific reason) and lit it...Wauw..
While not a powerhouse on taste (like the Gurkha), it surely did pack some punch. Nutty flavors, and a hint of leather enriched the buttery aroma, while the solid burn made a lot of smoke that created a dark layer of mist on my ceiling.

Definitely a great cigar, though a little too big for my taste. I didn't get bored with it, the taste was consistent through the whole cigar, but I am just not that 2 hour cigar man..A definite must for each humidor!