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This review is of the Tobacos de la Cordillera - Cuban Zirconia. This is the third and last of three reviews.
Linkage: GrandToro Petaca 1x5 Cuban Zirconia - http://www.tabacordi...products_id=358
First and foremost, I'd like to thank the kind folks from Tobacos de la Cordillera for supplying the cigars for these reviews. Your participation is most appreciated.
I participated in the earlier reviews of these same cigars done by Wilkey in 2006. Here's a link to that thread for reference. I had asked what changes had been made in the blends since that review and was told (in thread) that "....Actually our belnds for Cumbres de Puriscal (Gold, Green and Silver), Purisco Azul and Purisco Rojo has been improved..". I was offered the chance to do a tasting test, which I accepted.
The reviewers for these cigars are faces well known to the forum members. Between us, we have decades of cigar smoking experience and have written many reviews of all kinds of cigars. These reviews were written with no knowledge of what the other reviewers had to say, so what you are getting here is the honest and independant impressions of the reviewers. These reviews as posted are the unedited comments of the folks that reviewed the cigars.
Reviewer - BrickHouse:
Prelight:
[SIZE=medium]It has been a great few days here and perfect for a relaxing cigar. Definitely the type of weather which provides the opportunity to give a well thought out review. I paired this stick with a glass of Dr. Pepper, one of my favorite pairings.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]The presentation on this cigar was good, as with the others. It was smooth, with a nice consistent color throughout, though I can’t say it had the delicious sheen to it that I like. Cap construction was good and there were really no blemishes or cracks to the cigar. It was well put together.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]I used my Palio to conduct a “lobotomy” of the cap, carefully slicing just the wrapper of the cap and then lifting it off. I like this method from time to time because the filler stays whole and prevents small shards from coming off. It worked well and I had a nice clean head to smoke from. Prelight draw was a tad firm, more so that I care to have and I was concerned I may have a plug to deal with. I lit the stick using my S.T. Dupont Mini, and it quickly grew a uniformed burn.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]1st Third:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]My initial worries on the draw were confirmed very early, as the pull was very hard. It made it difficult to pull in an adequate amount of smoke initially, which in turn didn’t provide much flavor to go off of. However, I did find the flavor profile to be heavy on the woodsy side. I had hoped for some leather in there, but it was not to be. The burn was even and did not require any touch ups.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]2nd Third:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]The draw has not eased up on this cigar yet. I don’t like to fight my cigars for smoke, I shouldn’t have to, yet that’s what I’m doing. I’m trying a few tricks, but nothing is loosening it up to the extent I can get a good amount of smoke. Flavor remains woodsy and with a familiar nuttiness to the other ones I reviewed. However, I consider both to be bland at this point. No issues with burn or construction at this point.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]Final Third:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]Is it possible to describe a cigar as “dry”? That’s what I want to do. This stick is drying my mouth out even with the Dr. Pepper pairing. I feel like the smoke is clinging to my mouth and causing me to drink often....and even a few spits here and there. Draw has loosened as expected with getting to the end of the cigar, but the reward of smoke isn’t there. Instead, the new found ability to pull comfortably has caused a tunneling effect , which in turn is making the cigar hot....which in turn is making the flavor even less desirable. There is more complexity to this cigar than the other two, but it’s barely worth mentioning. I’m done with it.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]Overall:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]I like the construction and appearance. I feel like good effort has been put into this aspect. The shortfall is the blend. It just isn’t appealing and has no complexity. It’s very straight forward, and unfortunately the overbearing flavor is that of dry woods. I found a lot of aftertaste with this cigar that wasn’t pleasant. I did have some draw issues which was frustrating and most likely adversely affected the review, but that’s what happens. A cigar needs to be solid all around, not just in appearance.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]As always, I find The easiest way I rate my cigars is by answering 2 questions.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium] 1. Would I buy any of these myself? No.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium] 2. Would I smoke one again? No.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium] In addition, here are the scores:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium] Overall Appearance and Presentation of Cigar: 17 (of 20)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium] Lighting and Burning Properties: 8 (of 15)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium] Construction: 15 (of 30)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium] Taste: 18 (of 35)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium] Total points: 58 (of 100)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]I would like to add that I truly appreciate the opportunity to review these cigars, and commend Cristi on being part of this. It takes a lot to put your product out there for review, good or bad, and it shows that the company is interested in growing. This is a promising characteristic that I have a lot of respect for. I am sorry that I did not enjoy these cigars more, but I have to be honest in my reviews. Everyone has different tastes, and I can appreciate some having a taste for these cigars, but they are not for me. I think a lot of effort has gone into the presentation of these cigars, and I hope more goes into the blending of the line. Thank you for putting yourself and your products out for constructive criticism. I wish you nothing but the best and hope that this product improves over time. [/SIZE]
Reviewer - Whylieineedacigar:
This cigar was kept at 65% humidity. It was then transferred to my dry box for 2 hours before smoking.
Cigar: Purisco Azul - Torpedo
Smoking date: 3-9-14 Smoking time: 1 hour 33 minutes
Country Where Made: Costa Rica
Pairing: Water
Cut: Xikar Xi1 - Guillotine
Construction:
This cigar was well packed with a smooth thick wrapper that has some small noticeable veins. It’s hard to the touch.
Taste: (I smoked this cigar in the morning with a clean palate)
Cold draw: Unpleasant cardboard like taste with some earthiness, a bit of saltiness on the lips. The draw was perfect, not too tight not too loose.
First draw: I get notes of bitter coffee with hints of grassiness. The cigar is giving away a fair amount of smoke with a woody aroma.
First Third: The glassiness seems to be taking over this first third and the coffee has now taken a back seat. The ash is holding up pretty well and it is solid and greyish looking, I knocked it off around the 2” mark. It is burning at a decent rate and evenly. The strength of this cigar is on the low medium side.
Second Third: The grassiness is predominant in this third and I’m also getting hints of red pepper that come and go. The strength is picking up a bit and the burn continues to be perfect.
Last Third: This last third was exactly as the second minus the red pepper.
Final Notes:
The unpleasant cardboard like taste remained throughout most of the cigar, I do not know if perhaps this flavor comes from the way they store their cigars, but I find it to be repulsive. I did enjoy the red pepper notes but wished it was present more often. I would not buy this cigar and wished this company putted as much effort into the blending process as they do into the construction which was nearly perfect.
[SIZE=12pt]Reviewer: IronPeddler[/SIZE]
Size / Vitola: Grand Toro
Box or Single: Single
Purchase Date: Manufacturer provided sample
Smoking Date: 3-9-2014
Packaging: 5-pack bundle
Price (Per Cigar / Per Box): Manufacturer provided sample
Where Purchased: Manufacturer provided sample
Country of Origin: Costa Rica
Meal / Beverage: Coffee to drink
Consistent Color within the Box: NA
Oily / Dry: Dry
Veiny / Smooth: Smooth
Cap Construction: Pigtail. Unfortunately, the cap tore when removing from the cello (stuck to the cello)…??
Packaging: In cello
Ease of Cutting: Fine
Construction: Very firm, hard
Even Burn (Initial): Overall burn rated 9/11
Even Burn (1/3):
Even Burn (2/3):
Even Burn (Final):
Resting Smoke (light, even, smoldering): smoldering nicely
Burn Rate (slow, perfect, fast): Perfect
Ash (solid, black, white, crumbly, etc.): Crumbly, almost like short filler?
Relighting Required: Once, due to letting the stick sit
Draw (1/3): Overall draw rated perfect – 27/27
Draw (2/3):
Draw (Final):
Wrapper Stays Intact: Other than the cap that was stuck to the cello, no problems
Bitter, Harsh, Smooth: Very smooth
Sweet / Salty: Neutral tastes
Bland, Vegetal, Spicy: Mild to bland, fresh hay
Comments – Pre Light:
Comments (1/3): Mild to medium smoke
Comments (2/3): More medium than mild by 2/3 point
Comments (Final): Almost identical to the profile at the 2/3 point
Describe any changes in the body or flavor: None really, went from mild to medium at the 2/3 point
Aroma – Pleasantly fragrant
Finish: Nothing to note
Buy Recommendation: Not for connoisseurs
Conclusion / Final Comments: By far the best of the three cigars reviewed. Having said that, much like the others, solid construction was marred by a less than desirable blend. Smokable, but not a ‘buy’ recommendation.
[SIZE=12pt]Reviewer: BlindedByScience[/SIZE]
Size / Vitola: Grand Toro
Box or Single: Single
Purchase Date: Manufacturer provided sample
Smoking Date: 3-9-2014
Packaging: 5-pack bundle
Price (Per Cigar / Per Box): Manufacturer provided sample
Where Purchased: Manufacturer provided sample
Country of Origin: Costa Rica
Meal / Beverage: Empty stomach / water
Consistent Color within the Box: NA
Oily / Dry: Dry
Veiny / Smooth: Slightly veiny
Cap Construction: Pigtail.
Packaging: In cello
Ease of Cutting: Snipped clean
Construction: Very firm, some flex when squeezed
Even Burn (Initial): Started good, very even
Even Burn (1/3): Nothing to note, burning fine
Even Burn (2/3): Problem – started to run to one side, corrected with my torch
Even Burn (Final): Nothing to note, burning fine after correction
Resting Smoke (light, even, smoldering): Very light
Burn Rate (slow, perfect, fast): Almost perfect
Ash (solid, black, white, crumbly, etc.): Grey and black mottled, crumbly, first fell at ~1”
Relighting Required: Other than a burn correction, no.
Draw (1/3): Very good, no issues. Almost perfect.
Draw (2/3): Very good, no issues. Almost perfect.
Draw (Final): Very good, no issues. Almost perfect.
Wrapper Stays Intact: No issues, this is clearly a very well constructed cigar.
Bitter, Harsh, Smooth: Smooth, bitter taste increased as cigar progressed.
Sweet / Salty: Clearly salty…increased as the cigar progressed
Bland, Vegetal, Spicy: Very mild, very similar mossy / organic tastes as the previous cigars
Comments – Pre Light: Construction is great, draw is open. Some nice cocoa, perhaps chocolate aromas and tastes. Very promising.
Comments (1/3): Where did those tastes go? Cigar is seriously mild, tastes are metallic / mineral in nature, mouth feel is thick and viscous.
Comments (2/3): Strength is picking up, but the taste profile is identical to the first third. It’s almost like the volume got turned up on the same tune.
Comments (Final): Same as comments on 2/3 point. Tastes intensified, but no change whatsoever in profile or makeup. Little to no complexity…what you see is what you get.
Describe any changes in the body or flavor: Flavors definitely intensified as the cigar progressed, but there was no change in the palate, no complexity to speak of.
Aroma – Almost non existent.
Finish: Coats the togune, not particularly pleasant, very viscous.
Buy Recommendation: No
Conclusion / Final Comments: Pre light tastes and aromas were on the money, giving great promise of a much better experience than the other two sticks. Unfortunately, the profile once burning was very disappointing, very one dimensional. It is clear that all these sticks were made with care, roll and construction very well done. It’s just the blend that is not appealing, not interesting enough to hold my attention or interest.
Linkage: GrandToro Petaca 1x5 Cuban Zirconia - http://www.tabacordi...products_id=358
First and foremost, I'd like to thank the kind folks from Tobacos de la Cordillera for supplying the cigars for these reviews. Your participation is most appreciated.
I participated in the earlier reviews of these same cigars done by Wilkey in 2006. Here's a link to that thread for reference. I had asked what changes had been made in the blends since that review and was told (in thread) that "....Actually our belnds for Cumbres de Puriscal (Gold, Green and Silver), Purisco Azul and Purisco Rojo has been improved..". I was offered the chance to do a tasting test, which I accepted.
The reviewers for these cigars are faces well known to the forum members. Between us, we have decades of cigar smoking experience and have written many reviews of all kinds of cigars. These reviews were written with no knowledge of what the other reviewers had to say, so what you are getting here is the honest and independant impressions of the reviewers. These reviews as posted are the unedited comments of the folks that reviewed the cigars.
Reviewer - BrickHouse:
Prelight:
[SIZE=medium]It has been a great few days here and perfect for a relaxing cigar. Definitely the type of weather which provides the opportunity to give a well thought out review. I paired this stick with a glass of Dr. Pepper, one of my favorite pairings.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]The presentation on this cigar was good, as with the others. It was smooth, with a nice consistent color throughout, though I can’t say it had the delicious sheen to it that I like. Cap construction was good and there were really no blemishes or cracks to the cigar. It was well put together.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]I used my Palio to conduct a “lobotomy” of the cap, carefully slicing just the wrapper of the cap and then lifting it off. I like this method from time to time because the filler stays whole and prevents small shards from coming off. It worked well and I had a nice clean head to smoke from. Prelight draw was a tad firm, more so that I care to have and I was concerned I may have a plug to deal with. I lit the stick using my S.T. Dupont Mini, and it quickly grew a uniformed burn.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]1st Third:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]My initial worries on the draw were confirmed very early, as the pull was very hard. It made it difficult to pull in an adequate amount of smoke initially, which in turn didn’t provide much flavor to go off of. However, I did find the flavor profile to be heavy on the woodsy side. I had hoped for some leather in there, but it was not to be. The burn was even and did not require any touch ups.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]2nd Third:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]The draw has not eased up on this cigar yet. I don’t like to fight my cigars for smoke, I shouldn’t have to, yet that’s what I’m doing. I’m trying a few tricks, but nothing is loosening it up to the extent I can get a good amount of smoke. Flavor remains woodsy and with a familiar nuttiness to the other ones I reviewed. However, I consider both to be bland at this point. No issues with burn or construction at this point.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]Final Third:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]Is it possible to describe a cigar as “dry”? That’s what I want to do. This stick is drying my mouth out even with the Dr. Pepper pairing. I feel like the smoke is clinging to my mouth and causing me to drink often....and even a few spits here and there. Draw has loosened as expected with getting to the end of the cigar, but the reward of smoke isn’t there. Instead, the new found ability to pull comfortably has caused a tunneling effect , which in turn is making the cigar hot....which in turn is making the flavor even less desirable. There is more complexity to this cigar than the other two, but it’s barely worth mentioning. I’m done with it.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]Overall:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]I like the construction and appearance. I feel like good effort has been put into this aspect. The shortfall is the blend. It just isn’t appealing and has no complexity. It’s very straight forward, and unfortunately the overbearing flavor is that of dry woods. I found a lot of aftertaste with this cigar that wasn’t pleasant. I did have some draw issues which was frustrating and most likely adversely affected the review, but that’s what happens. A cigar needs to be solid all around, not just in appearance.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]As always, I find The easiest way I rate my cigars is by answering 2 questions.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium] 1. Would I buy any of these myself? No.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium] 2. Would I smoke one again? No.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium] In addition, here are the scores:[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium] Overall Appearance and Presentation of Cigar: 17 (of 20)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium] Lighting and Burning Properties: 8 (of 15)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium] Construction: 15 (of 30)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium] Taste: 18 (of 35)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium] Total points: 58 (of 100)[/SIZE]
[SIZE=medium]I would like to add that I truly appreciate the opportunity to review these cigars, and commend Cristi on being part of this. It takes a lot to put your product out there for review, good or bad, and it shows that the company is interested in growing. This is a promising characteristic that I have a lot of respect for. I am sorry that I did not enjoy these cigars more, but I have to be honest in my reviews. Everyone has different tastes, and I can appreciate some having a taste for these cigars, but they are not for me. I think a lot of effort has gone into the presentation of these cigars, and I hope more goes into the blending of the line. Thank you for putting yourself and your products out for constructive criticism. I wish you nothing but the best and hope that this product improves over time. [/SIZE]
Reviewer - Whylieineedacigar:
This cigar was kept at 65% humidity. It was then transferred to my dry box for 2 hours before smoking.
Cigar: Purisco Azul - Torpedo
Smoking date: 3-9-14 Smoking time: 1 hour 33 minutes
Country Where Made: Costa Rica
Pairing: Water
Cut: Xikar Xi1 - Guillotine
Construction:
This cigar was well packed with a smooth thick wrapper that has some small noticeable veins. It’s hard to the touch.
Taste: (I smoked this cigar in the morning with a clean palate)
Cold draw: Unpleasant cardboard like taste with some earthiness, a bit of saltiness on the lips. The draw was perfect, not too tight not too loose.
First draw: I get notes of bitter coffee with hints of grassiness. The cigar is giving away a fair amount of smoke with a woody aroma.
First Third: The glassiness seems to be taking over this first third and the coffee has now taken a back seat. The ash is holding up pretty well and it is solid and greyish looking, I knocked it off around the 2” mark. It is burning at a decent rate and evenly. The strength of this cigar is on the low medium side.
Second Third: The grassiness is predominant in this third and I’m also getting hints of red pepper that come and go. The strength is picking up a bit and the burn continues to be perfect.
Last Third: This last third was exactly as the second minus the red pepper.
Final Notes:
The unpleasant cardboard like taste remained throughout most of the cigar, I do not know if perhaps this flavor comes from the way they store their cigars, but I find it to be repulsive. I did enjoy the red pepper notes but wished it was present more often. I would not buy this cigar and wished this company putted as much effort into the blending process as they do into the construction which was nearly perfect.
[SIZE=12pt]Reviewer: IronPeddler[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Cigar Rating Sheet[/SIZE]
Cigar Brand: Tabacos de la Cordillera – Cuban ZirconiaSize / Vitola: Grand Toro
Box or Single: Single
Purchase Date: Manufacturer provided sample
Smoking Date: 3-9-2014
Packaging: 5-pack bundle
Price (Per Cigar / Per Box): Manufacturer provided sample
Where Purchased: Manufacturer provided sample
Country of Origin: Costa Rica
Meal / Beverage: Coffee to drink
[SIZE=14pt]Overall Appearance and Presentation Of The Cigar[/SIZE]
Wrapper Color: Nice medium brownConsistent Color within the Box: NA
Oily / Dry: Dry
Veiny / Smooth: Smooth
Cap Construction: Pigtail. Unfortunately, the cap tore when removing from the cello (stuck to the cello)…??
Packaging: In cello
Ease of Cutting: Fine
Construction: Very firm, hard
[SIZE=14pt]Lighting and burning properties[/SIZE]
Even Initial Light: No issuesEven Burn (Initial): Overall burn rated 9/11
Even Burn (1/3):
Even Burn (2/3):
Even Burn (Final):
Resting Smoke (light, even, smoldering): smoldering nicely
Burn Rate (slow, perfect, fast): Perfect
Ash (solid, black, white, crumbly, etc.): Crumbly, almost like short filler?
Relighting Required: Once, due to letting the stick sit
[SIZE=14pt]Construction[/SIZE]
Draw (Initial): Very goodDraw (1/3): Overall draw rated perfect – 27/27
Draw (2/3):
Draw (Final):
Wrapper Stays Intact: Other than the cap that was stuck to the cello, no problems
[SIZE=14pt]Taste[/SIZE]
Light, Medium, Full: Light to mediumBitter, Harsh, Smooth: Very smooth
Sweet / Salty: Neutral tastes
Bland, Vegetal, Spicy: Mild to bland, fresh hay
Comments – Pre Light:
Comments (1/3): Mild to medium smoke
Comments (2/3): More medium than mild by 2/3 point
Comments (Final): Almost identical to the profile at the 2/3 point
Describe any changes in the body or flavor: None really, went from mild to medium at the 2/3 point
Aroma – Pleasantly fragrant
Finish: Nothing to note
Buy Recommendation: Not for connoisseurs
Conclusion / Final Comments: By far the best of the three cigars reviewed. Having said that, much like the others, solid construction was marred by a less than desirable blend. Smokable, but not a ‘buy’ recommendation.
[SIZE=12pt]Reviewer: BlindedByScience[/SIZE]
[SIZE=14pt]Cigar Rating Sheet[/SIZE]
Cigar Brand: Tabacos de la Cordillera – Cuban ZirconiaSize / Vitola: Grand Toro
Box or Single: Single
Purchase Date: Manufacturer provided sample
Smoking Date: 3-9-2014
Packaging: 5-pack bundle
Price (Per Cigar / Per Box): Manufacturer provided sample
Where Purchased: Manufacturer provided sample
Country of Origin: Costa Rica
Meal / Beverage: Empty stomach / water
[SIZE=14pt]Overall Appearance and Presentation Of The Cigar[/SIZE]
Wrapper Color: Very appealing medium brown colorConsistent Color within the Box: NA
Oily / Dry: Dry
Veiny / Smooth: Slightly veiny
Cap Construction: Pigtail.
Packaging: In cello
Ease of Cutting: Snipped clean
Construction: Very firm, some flex when squeezed
[SIZE=14pt]Lighting and burning properties[/SIZE]
Even Initial Light: No issuesEven Burn (Initial): Started good, very even
Even Burn (1/3): Nothing to note, burning fine
Even Burn (2/3): Problem – started to run to one side, corrected with my torch
Even Burn (Final): Nothing to note, burning fine after correction
Resting Smoke (light, even, smoldering): Very light
Burn Rate (slow, perfect, fast): Almost perfect
Ash (solid, black, white, crumbly, etc.): Grey and black mottled, crumbly, first fell at ~1”
Relighting Required: Other than a burn correction, no.
[SIZE=14pt]Construction[/SIZE]
Draw (Initial): Slightly more restrictive than the other two smokes, very goodDraw (1/3): Very good, no issues. Almost perfect.
Draw (2/3): Very good, no issues. Almost perfect.
Draw (Final): Very good, no issues. Almost perfect.
Wrapper Stays Intact: No issues, this is clearly a very well constructed cigar.
[SIZE=14pt]Taste[/SIZE]
Light, Medium, Full: Light to very light at first, strength increased just a bit by 1/3Bitter, Harsh, Smooth: Smooth, bitter taste increased as cigar progressed.
Sweet / Salty: Clearly salty…increased as the cigar progressed
Bland, Vegetal, Spicy: Very mild, very similar mossy / organic tastes as the previous cigars
Comments – Pre Light: Construction is great, draw is open. Some nice cocoa, perhaps chocolate aromas and tastes. Very promising.
Comments (1/3): Where did those tastes go? Cigar is seriously mild, tastes are metallic / mineral in nature, mouth feel is thick and viscous.
Comments (2/3): Strength is picking up, but the taste profile is identical to the first third. It’s almost like the volume got turned up on the same tune.
Comments (Final): Same as comments on 2/3 point. Tastes intensified, but no change whatsoever in profile or makeup. Little to no complexity…what you see is what you get.
Describe any changes in the body or flavor: Flavors definitely intensified as the cigar progressed, but there was no change in the palate, no complexity to speak of.
Aroma – Almost non existent.
Finish: Coats the togune, not particularly pleasant, very viscous.
Buy Recommendation: No
Conclusion / Final Comments: Pre light tastes and aromas were on the money, giving great promise of a much better experience than the other two sticks. Unfortunately, the profile once burning was very disappointing, very one dimensional. It is clear that all these sticks were made with care, roll and construction very well done. It’s just the blend that is not appealing, not interesting enough to hold my attention or interest.
