Blogs by Category: IPCPR Watch

Hey everyone,

Hasn't been many reviews lately, chalk it up to general craziness and business around the offices here at Atlantic Cigar.

Lots of new releases have been rolling in recently... always make sure to check the What's New section of the website.

The Carlos Torano Vault Humidor / Corona Gorda Combo -

The Carlos Torano Vault was released a little while back, we tried it and found it to be a great cigar. One of the best from Torano in a long long time! We finally got these beautiful Vault Humidors that come preloaded with a limited Corona Gorda size Torano Vault Humidor.

Curivari Seleccion Privada Maduro -

Curivari Seleccion Privada Maduro Cigars are the latest release from the 2011 IPCPR trade show. The Curivari Cigar Company produces outstanding ultra boutique cigars with Cuban like flavor profiles while using all Nicaragua tobacco. The Curivari Seleccion Privada Maduro blend is a rich Spicy full bodied cigar with loads of flavor. These had a major buzz at the show.. we're all a huge fan of the regular Seleccion Privada, to top it off with a Nicaraguan Habano Maduro wrapper just might bring this cigar to the next level.

New Cigars From Gurkha!

Gurkha Cellar Reserve Cigars

The Gurkha Cellar Reserve Cigars were first released at the 2011 IPCPR trade show as a brick and mortar only cigar. The blend is comprised of the finest quality 15 year-old aged tobacco, finished with an oily Nicaraguan Criollo 1998 wrapper, that combines an aged Dominican, Olor binder holding together 15 year old Nicaraguan Criollo filler. The Gurkha Cellar Reserve cigars are a medium to full bodied smoke with complex rounded flavors that pick up in strength as it smokes down.

Gurkha Royal Challenge Cigars

The Gurkha Royal Challenge is another cigar released at the 2011 IPCPR, which just recently landed in stock. This medium bodied cigar boosts a golden silky Ecuadorian Connecticut shade grown wrapper. The blend is comprised of both Dominican and Nicaraguan fillers bounded together with an Honduran Habano wrapper. The result is an ultra smooth cigar with a nice complex flavor profile.

Currently rated 0 by 0 people

Tags: new cigars, carlos torano vault humidor, torano vault corona gorda, curivari seleccion privada maduro, gurkha cellar reserve, gurkha royal challenge

Categories: What's New, IPCPR Watch

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Carlos Torano Vault Toro Review
By GC
11/4/2011 11:25:00 AM

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Background:

The Carlos Torano Family Cigar Company released the new Torano Vault Cigar at the 2011 IPCPR Tradeshow in Las Vegas. The story behind this new blend is that it is actually an old concept, recorded in by Carlos Torano Sr. in the family's special "blend book," which captured every blend that the family has created. Making this book priceless for the Torano’s which they store under lock and key. The book outlines blends that are current as well as a whole list of yet to be produced blends, hence the name “Vault.” To produce the Vault, Charlie Torano scoured this same book and found a blend they developed in 2000; blend A-008. This particular blend impressed Charlie as it had great potential but was missing an important ingredient and was never released. After revisiting this blend, Charlie Torano realized the missing ingredient was Ometepe tobacco, which is grown on the rich fertile soil of the volcanic island of Ometepe, in Lake Nicaragua. Using complex Nicaraguan long filler tobaccos in conjunction with this Ometepe leaf as a ligero binder the blend produced a spicy full bodied aromatic cigar with solid rich earthy flavors. The cigar is finished with a Colorado Shade-grown Habano wrapper.

Construction / Appearance:

The Torano Vault Toro sports a very attractive colorado reddish brown colored wrapper that's smooth to the touch with a nice oily finish. The packaging and cigar ring is very nicely done, black and silver without too much flash. The Vault also has a foot band identifying the long lost blend as A-008. The cigar is well packed, with no soft spots I can identify. The aroma coming off the cigar itself and through the cold draw is very barnyard, with a promise of some spicy, sweet tobacco flavors.

First Third:

The Vault took to flame like a champ and lit right up. Despite the heavy packing of tobacco, the draw is a tiny bit on the loose side, which I don't mind considering the blast of flavors coming from the initial few pulls. The cigar is putting out lots of chewy smoke. The profile is solid medium right off the bat, the flavor is very rich, complex and balanced with an earthy base, some sweetness and a bit of spice through the nose. This is not a hard cigar to like, I'm thoroughly enjoying the mix of earth leathery notes with an underlying spice and a long creamy finish. The burn line is almost perfect, the ash is a bright white falling off at half inch to inch intervals.

Second Third:

The second third has the body ramping up to medium-full, I have a feeling this one is on it's way to full body by the time I snuff it. The nutty creamy finish has some spice in the mouthfeel that blends excellently with everything else going on here. This is definitely one of the best Torano cigars I've smoked in a long time. The Torano Vault absolutely satisfies a wide range of the palate, but it doesn't over do it in any one area.. As the second third winds down the cigar has hit a very comfortable stretch… relaxing, smooth and absolutely full of dynamic flavor.

Last Third:

The last third is proving to be definitely fuller bodied, with a salty meat character. The sweetness has left for the most part, leaving a rich earthy smoke. The draw is a bit loose, which is causing the cigar to burn a little hot, but the flavor keeps me coming back. The nuttiness that was a major component of the cigar throughout has also come to the forefront.. reminds me of those roasted nut vendors you see (and smell) on the sidewalks of city streets. I decided to put the Vault down when it started to burn my fingers a bit. The cigars burn stayed razor right till the end.

Overall:

I think many cigar smokers are going to be very happy that the Torano family opened up the Vault book to create this blend and put it out on the market. An absolute exercise in balance and complexity, again I think this is one of the best efforts out of the Torano camp in a long time. They hit this one out of the park. Whether you get into the back story or not, bar none, this is a phenomenal cigar. For medium to medium-full bodied smokers who are looking for a great complex cigar that hits all areas of the palate , this is absolutely worth a try. Check out what's in stock on our Carlos Torano Vault Brand Page.

Thanks for reading..

Keep on Smokin-

~GC

Currently rated 5 by 1 person

Tags: Carlos Torano, Torano Vault, Torano Vault Toro, blend book, Carlos Torano Sr., Ometepe, Nicaragua, ligero, shade grown Habano Wrapper

Categories: Product Reviews, What's New, IPCPR Watch

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Casa Magna Domus Magnus Primus Review
By GC
9/27/2011 11:20:00 AM

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Appearance / Pre-light:

A new limited edition blend from SAG/Matasa is the Casa Magna Domus Magnus. The cigar is a Nicaraguan Puro with a sun-grown wrapper from the Jalapa Valley and was blended by Manuel Quesada and Nestor Plasencia. Packed as 10 counts in a sturdy built hinged box, the presentation is wonderful. The larger of the two sizes that I am sampling is called the Primus (6 3/8 x 55), the smaller being the Optimus which is (5 7/8 x 52). Both are extremely box pressed, basically square really and finished off with a pigtail cap. The band is similar to the original Casa Magna, with different colors identifying the Domus Magnus Blend. The cigar is finished off with a foot band also identifying the namesake.

The wrapper is toothy yet smooth, with a rich brown color. The cigar feels well packed with ample heft , yet at the same time has a bit of softness to it when you give it a pinch. There is a sweet scent coming from the foot of sugar, sweet tobacco and some fruit notes. The cold draw has a really fruity taste, think Juicyfruit gum.. It's really an intense flavor hopefully it will be balanced with some nice spicy body.

First Third:

The cigar takes to flame very well and starts off with some great flavors. Right off the bat I'm tasting the fruitiness mentioned above with some peppery spice, overall very enjoyable. The draw is a bit loose and the cigar puts out a good amount of smoke. The square shape of the cigar is very comfortable in the mouth. The fruitiness has died down a bit leaving rich tobacco flavors with a nice creamy spice through the nose. The burn line is wavering, but nothing that cannot be touched up easily. The initial ash hung on for well over an inch before I dumped it. As the first third ends the cigar's fruitiness has come back on the forefront. It seems like areas of my palate that don't normally get stimulated while smoking a cigar are coming alive. The tip of my tongue is alive with a tanginess that is rare for me while smoking a cigar.

Second Third:

Although Nicaraguan, this cigar is starting out as a medium body smoke. The second third is much like the first, with more body and more pronounced flavor. I'm not sure if I'm able to truly identify the complexity of the sweet fruit-like flavors. If I were going to try it would be something like blackberry or a dark raspberry. I am pairing with coffee, so it may be amplifying this flavor, but it seems like a dark roast coffee or dark chocolate is in the mix here as well. The finish is all sweetness though, fairly long and very sweet. There are also some hints of leather or earth in the background that I'm picking up. The burn and draw are perfect at this point and the ash hangs on like a champ. Towards the end of the second third the Domus Magnus builds to something more along the medium-full in body with a full, complex flavor. There's a lot going on here!

Last Third:

The last third has the Domus Magnus becoming a very rich smoke. Because the cigar is so intent on delivering such a variety of sweet flavors, I would have to say this is almost like a "dessert" cigar. Everything has come together in the final act of this cigar perfectly offering amazing balance and complimentary flavors. It very much reminds me of my morning cup of very strong french press coffee, but towards the end, where the unmixed sugar is left behind. This cigar is like the last sip of that strong, sweet coffee. I think the final third of this cigar is my favorite, the flavors are awesome, the body is just right and it's just a very enjoyable, unique smoke at this point.

Overall:

This cigar is very enjoyable. Definitely a change of pace from the fuller body, peppery spicy Nicaraguan's. There were some flavors in the Casa Magna Domus Magnus that I honestly have never tasted before in a cigar. I would qualify it as a dessert cigar, very rich a sweet. A perfect closer for a big meal. This cigar is very unique and I think the complexity of flavor and balance are really second to none. With only 5000 boxes being made, if your interested, pull the trigger soon, these won't be around much longer. Check out the brand page for the Casa Magna Domus Magnus to see what's in stock.

Keep on Smokin!
~GC

Currently rated 0 by 0 people

Tags: Casa Magna Domus Magnus, Matasa, SAG Imports, IPCPR 2011, cigar reviews, optimus, primus, nicaraguan puro, fruit, coffee, complex, richness, medium - full

Categories: Product Reviews, What's New, IPCPR Watch

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CAO OSA Sol Lot 54 Review
By GC
9/15/2011 11:53:00 AM

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Background

CAO OSA Sol is the first brand released since CAO International was purchased and placed under the massive umbrella of General Cigars. The cigar was released at the IPCPR in 2011 and landed on our shelves quite quickly after that. The OSA in the name refers to the Olancho and San Augustin Valley in Honduras, where the tobacco for this blend was grown. Overall the blend is an "OSA" wrapper, Connecticut Broadleaf binder and a blend of Honduran and Nicaraguan fillers. Available in three sizes, the Lot 50 (5 x 50), the Lot 54 (6 x 54) and the Lot 58 (6 1/2 x 58). The cigar is considered by CAO to be medium to full bodied in strength.

Appearance / Pre-light

Wrapper has a nice oily sheen to it, just a bit mottled, overall a nice milky chocolate color. The CAO Sol Lot 54 is well packed and has some nice heft to it. I'm not sure if I'm a fan of the artwork, the contrast of the green and black is a little bit strong. It definitely grabs your attention, which may have been the idea, being cigar shelves these days are getting pretty crowded. The pre-light draw has some sweet tobacco flavors along with a bit of earth and woodiness. The draw is a bit tight, hopefully the smoke output will still be adequate. Here goes nothing..

First Third

Upon clipping and lighting the first flavors I'm getting right away are very mild and sweet. The draw has just a bit of resistance which isn't a bad thing.. I actually kind of enjoy a bit of stoppage as it causes the cigar to smoke a bit slower which translates to cooler. The finish is very smooth and enjoyable, very similar to the aroma. I think smoking this cigar in a relatively accepting crowd would be accepted. The aroma is sweet earth with a woody character. I'm having a little bit of difficulty keeping the burn line straight.. I touch it up with surgical precision with my Blazer PB-207 Pocket Torch. As the first third comes to an end, the ash finally drops after hanging on for well over an inch. As far as complexity, the cigar basically stayed very similar throughout the first third with a sweet earthy profile. Not bad at all mind you, so far similar flavors throughout.

Second Third

So far this cigar has not gotten much stronger than medium in body, while flavor-wise it's definitely in the medium to full range. I made short work of the draw problem by giving it one small poke down the middle with a draw tool. It opened up like a charm and is now smoking perfectly. The flavors have started to make a bit of a transformation into a cocoa or coffee in the foreground with the earthy, woodiness still there, but taking a back seat. The body has also started to build a bit, I'd say its tipping the scale of the medium range into more of a medium-full. At this rate, the cigar will probably continue to progress body wise right up until I nub it. There's a very small bit of spice on the finish, but it's very minor. Hopefully that will pick up, spice would be a welcome addition to this cigar's blend, especially if done in a balanced way. I just picked up a bit of a clove taste, or possibly an anisette flavor. The second third is surprising me with all the different flavor changes it's showing off. Because of the straight-forwardness of the first third I thought the cigar would be fairly simple and non-changing throughout.. The cigar has kept its composure as well and stayed balanced so far through the complexity.

Last Third

The spice gods have answered my call.. The cigar has become spicy and medium-full in it's last act. I am interested to try the Robusto "Lot 50" to see how the ratio of the OSA wrapper changes the flavor. I am enjoying the end of this cigar more so than the earlier stages. I may even venture to say that the final third of this cigar may be as full body as a CAO cigar has ventured. I really want to start comparing the OSA Sol with CAO's superstar La Traviata but I really haven't smoked enough of these OSA's to make an honest and accurate statement. As far as a one off statement, which could be a fluke, I'm enjoying this cigar more than the Traviata right now. Back to the cigar itself, while burning a little bit hot, the complexity of flavors is really enjoyable. There is the underlying earthiness, a sweet anise, spicy flavor upfront with a leathery finish that leaves the mouth without a bitter taste.

Overall

I really enjoyed this cigar! Big toro's are not a favorite size of mine, but the complexity of flavor and all the different changes the cigar made throughout the smoke really kept me interested. I usually smoke a fuller bodied cigar then most of CAO's brands but I could see smoking this on a the regular. Again the Robusto Lot 50 size may be even more interesting due to the wrapper flavor being more upfront, but this Lot 54 was a really enjoyable cigar. I foresee these selling really well.. As an inaugural cigar for the "newly merged" CAO, I think they did a really good job with the OSA Sol. Click here to check out our current stock of CAO OSA Sol Cigars.

Currently rated 2.7 by 3 people

Tags: CAO OSA Sol, cigar review, General Cigar, Lot 54, CAO International, IPCPR 2011, New CAO Cigars, Atlantic Cigar Reviews

Categories: Product Reviews, What's New, IPCPR Watch

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Carlos Torano Loyal Robusto Review
By admin
8/24/2011 11:16:00 AM

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Background:

The Carlos Torano Loyal was just released at the 2011 IPCPR and is now in stock and ready for sale. The Torano family named the brand after Carlos Sr.'s Loyalty to the philosophy that anyone should be able to smoke a well made, flavorful Torano cigar at an affordable price. The blend features Nicaraguan and Dominican Fillers, a Nicaraguan binder and a dark oily Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper.

Appearance and Construction:

This is definitely one hefty Robusto weighing in at 5 x 56. The Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper is smooth as silk despite a bit of tooth, with even coloring that isn't too dark or too light. The Torano Loyal Robusto is well packed, firm to the touch with no soft spots to speak of. The artwork on the band has a retro feel, but not to overdone, I like the simplicity of it all.

Prelight:

A good whiff of the foot gives off that classic sweet barnyard smell. My Palio takes off the well applied cap with ease. The pre-light cold draw gives off flavors that are identical to what the foot promised.. Earthy, sweet flavors.

1st Third:

It takes me a little bit to get this beefy stick all lit up, and we're off to the races. I was worried about draw due to the resistance I got before lighting, but my fears are unwarranted, the draw is perfect. The Loyal starts out great with big tasty plumes of chewy smoke, a lot of sweetness up front and some of the Nicaraguan tobacco showing through with a small amount of spice. I would say right off the bat the cigar is medium body. The burn line is wavering a bit, partly my fault, I'm smoking this thing way too fast. I can't help it the cigar is actually fun to smoke, if that makes any sense? Big ring, lots of mellow tasty smoke, so far very enjoyable.

2nd Third:

The second third continues on a lot like the first, with some hints of leather, and the body steadily building a bit. The spice has pretty much gone away, it's still a medium body smoke in my book and it seems like its on par to stay that way. This is a very approachable cigar for both smokers just starting out and accomplished pallets alike. I have to say I'm extremely impressed by the balance of flavors in the Torano Loyal. Everything just blends together so well, its a totally effortless smoke. The ash holds on for close to an inch, I find myself pushing it a bit, I'm probably going to end up wearing it on this one. As an "experienced" smoker I find myself constantly retro-haling cigars these days. For those who don't know it's the simply the practice of exhaling smoke through the nasal passages to pick up on some more flavors and aroma using your nose. I've been sorry on more than one occasion, stronger cigars, loaded with pepper can sometimes be a eye watering experience. This cigar however is a great retro-hale stick. The chewy medium body smoke flows through the nose with ease, doesn't burn and adds a deeper dimension of the balanced flavors.

Last Third:

The sweetness that was dominating up until now has taken a backseat to the earthy tobacco flavors of the last third. Another positive aspect of this cigar, although the smoke has been super thick and tasty all the way through, it has not left any coating or taste on my tongue or mouth. The finish is very clean and goes perfect with the balanced flavors. The cigar got a bit hot toward the end, but I slowed my pace and the heat went away. The flavor was again consistent throughout the last third, with an earthy, tobacco flavor with a sweetness on the finish.

Overall:

This is a very enjoyable smoke. Again, very approachable, easy to smoke with lots of good flavor. The Torano Family has attempted to blend a consistent, well made cigar for a great price, $4.95 - $5.50 MSRP. Lots of companies try this and some fail miserably. I feel like the Loyal delivered on all fronts and will be a great go-to daily smoke for many cigar smokers. This cigar has since come into stock here at Atlantic and is available here: Carlos Torano Loyal Brand Page.

Keep on Smokin!

~G

Currently rated 4 by 1 person

Tags: carlos torano loyal, new ipcpr releases, cigar reviews, loyal robusto

Categories: Product Reviews, What's New, IPCPR Watch

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Gurkha Cellar Reserve Salomon Review
By Mr. Penny
8/8/2011 2:42:00 PM

Comments(1)

This well packed Salomon from Gurkha is part of their new cellar reserve line up which uses a 98 Criollo wrapper, a Dominican Olor binder, and a 15 year old Criollo, Nicaraguan filler.

(Sorry about the washed-out pic, did not know I had the flash on)

This large Salomon looks like one hell of a smoke right off the bat. It’s got a nice pigtail cap and a shiny cocoa colored wrapper, with some medium sized veins running through it. The cigar has a solid feel with a bit of give when squeezed. The wrapper gives of a pleasant smell of baking spices and a bit of hot chocolate. The prelit draw is very tight but has some earthy hints with a nice note of cinnamon.

The first third of the cigar starts off, like many other Salomons, with a very uneven burn and a tight draw. I am getting some decent smoke volume though so I’m not concerned. The flavors consist of toasted oats and earth with a tangy citric acidity on the finish. The smoke has been at about a medium body and has been relatively smooth from the first puff. The aroma is a very pleasant bittersweet chocolate and towards the very end of the first third some wood notes are coming into play.

The draw opens up nicely coming into the second third and provides ample amount of smoke. The burn still requires a lot of touch ups but with a lighter at hand it’s really not a problem. Notes of oak have joined the main profile in this third as well as some mild spices, including vanilla and cinnamon, which play nicely off of the oak notes. The finish is a bit drier in this third but is still very much a citrus acidity. Some elements of spice join the finish but it’s still a mostly smooth medium bodied smoke with a dark gray ash that only holds about an inch at a time.

In the last third the oak notes take the main stage as well as the notes of cinnamon and vanilla. This smoke has reached the lower end of full bodied and at this point I am getting tons smoke with each puff.

All in all this stick had a great flavor progression, a very slow burn, a mouth watering finish, and great aroma. While the burn may have been a bit ugly it was nothing that I couldn’t keep under control. Gurkha is definitely adding a strong new line, which is sure to please any cigar smoker.

Cheers-

Mr. Penny

Currently rated 4.5 by 2 people

Tags: Gurkha, Cellar Reserve, IPCPR review, Nicaraguan puro, salomon cigars, new Gurkha cigars

Categories: Product Reviews, What's New, IPCPR Watch

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New Releases from IPCPR - Part 2 - In Stock and On Sale
By admin
8/3/2011 10:31:00 AM

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Here we go with round two! This stuff is coming in faster than we can get it on the shelves! Here's what's online and ready for customers:

Alec Bradley Family Blend GS57 (6 x 60)

E.P. Carrillo Core Line Maduro!!

J. Fuego Sangre de Toro Originals!

J. Fuego Sangre de Toro Gran Toro Gordo

Kristoff GC Signature Series

Kristoff Kristania

Joya De Nicaragua Cabinetta Series No.13 Lancero

Rustico Habano

Rustico Habano Maduro

This is nowhere near everything.. Like we said earlier, not only new product but new sizes, and a lot of new stock on backordered items are being loaded into inventory daily!
Keep checking back to the blog and also to your e-mails for more information on new stuff!

Currently rated 3.3 by 6 people

Tags: new products, IPCPR, kristoff kristiana,

Categories: What's New, IPCPR Watch

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New Releases from IPCPR - Part I - In Stock and On Sale
By admin
8/1/2011 9:49:00 AM

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The first wave of new product has started to hit the shelves over here. We've got some really great stuff in already, and this week is only the beginning! Here's the IPCPR Part I List:

Camacho Liberty 2011

Kristoff Corojo Limitada

Paul Garmirian Artisans Passion

Perdomo Exhibicion Connecticut

Perdomo Exhibicion Maduro

Perdomo Exhibicion Sun Grown
Perdomo Limited Cameroon Edition

Perdomo Reserve Champagne Noir

Tatuaje Black Label

Tatuaje Fausto Avion

Tatuaje Fausto

Tatuaje La Casita Criolla

Keep checking back with the blog to make sure your updated for all the new products coming in. Also besides new releases, many products that you've been waiting for are coming back in stock and also there are some new line extensions or sizes for some of your favorite brands, so poke around a bit.

Also keep an eye out for our e-mails in the next few weeks for great deals and all updates on the new products coming in.

Currently rated 5 by 1 person

Tags: new products, IPCPR, tatuaje, kristoff, paul garmirian, camacho liberty, fausto, avion, la casita criolla, artisan's passion, corojo limitada, perdomo cameroon, perdomo exhibicion

Categories: What's New, IPCPR Watch

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