Top Hat Tobacco Blog

This cigar immediately presents itself as full-bodied and flavorful with some spicy overtones. Even with the firm draw, this cigar produces a ton of smoke. First ash around the 1″ mark, although the rest of it held on tight.

About an inch and a half in, I noticed a small split developing in the wrapper about a 1/4 inch above the burn line. Once I smoked to this point, the wrapper unfurled a bit, but nothing too bad. I got through this slight problem and noticed another split developing the same way the first one did. This continued off and on throughout the middle third of the cigar. While annoying, the only real problem it created is some flaky ash that I ended up wearing. The flavor continued to develop more complexity and I noticed an earthy, slightly woody flavor beginning to come through along with the merest hint of sweetness (a touch of caramel perhaps?)

In the final third, the wrapper problems disappeared and the flavor got much more robust. The smoke was thick and almost chewy with the woody overtones becoming much more pronounced. I smoked it all the way to the nub before finally putting it down.

Overall: A rich, complex cigar that is definitely geared toward the more experienced smoker as the strength and subtleties of the ligero would be lost on a newbie. I believe it would pair up well with a peaty single malt. This was a wonderful cigar and without the wrapper problems, it would easily rate a 9. With the problems however, I can only give it a 7. However, I am looking forward to trying another one again soon.

Written by Eric Cigar Reviews and Related Topics www.tophatcigar.com

So today the 3 Amigos sat down to try out the Hoyo Dark Sumatra line. I personally really enjoy this line of cigars, and was happy to have one after lunch. The 3 Amigos today consisted of myself, Shawn, and Josh, and we smoked the robusto (Noche) version of this cigar.

You can see my big black and white girlfriend, Nikki, in the picture. We recently determined that she is part “Karelian Bear Dog”, which I think is pretty cool.

The Dark Sumatra is one of the fullest flavored Hoyo de Monterrey blends, featuring an extra fermented dark wrapper.

Here’s the sales stuff from the company for Background Info:

It takes a great cigar master to spot the potential of a new tobacco–and an even greater one to turn it into an outstanding cigar. So it was with Estelo Padrón when he discovered an unusually dark Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper curing in his barn. One look at its deep color inspired him to create this singularly rich, robust Hoyo de Monterrey cigar that is as deeply satisfying as it is authentically Honduran.

A line extension from Hoyo de Monterrey, this extra-rich cigar called “Dark Sumatra”, is named after its wrapper tobaccos, which are hand-selected from the very darkest and richest Ecuadorian sun-grown, Sumatra seed leaves. These choice, extra-dark Sumatra leaves are then aged in “tercios”, wood-textured bales made of thick, dried palm leaves. This special selection and aging process guarantees that the Dark Sumatra is one of the best-tasting cigars ever to come out of Honduras. Dark Sumatra also has a rich textured Connecticut Broadleaf binder and a special robust blend of premium Honduran and Dominican filler tobaccos that all contribute to the extraordinary taste.

Pre-Smoke: This is a nice looking cigar, very firm with a dark rather oily looking wrapper, as advertised. The packaging is cool too, with a nice gold, white, and brown Hoyo band, and a neat spanish cedar wrapper on the bottom half of the cigar. They look really good in the humidor, and are cheap – only $4.50 each at Top Hat Tobacco in St. Louis, Missouri.

Burn and Taste: This cigar had a nice pretty even burn, producing a strong white ash. What I mean by that is the ash didn’t flake off or spit little bits of ash on me while I smoked it, it stayed together nicely until I decided to break it off in the ashtray. It actually produced a pretty decent amount of white smoke while burning. All of the 3 Amigos decided that we liked the flavor of the second-hand smoke. The cigar has an earthy, nutty taste that I would classify as a “medium” body cigar.

Overall: Superb smoke for the money, come on by to try them, or buy a box online from us here: Hoyo de Monterrey Dark Sumatra Noche Cigars.

Written by Eric Cigar Reviews and Related Topics www.tophatcigar.com

Last night the wife was off to a meeting, so I couldn’t resist the chance to review a smoke one of our reps brought by, the New Don Diego Playboy. I had heard from some of my buddies that this was a pretty good cigar, even some who didn’t think it would be.

Don Diego Playboy Cigars

Size: Toro, 6 inches long, 52 ring gauge
Country: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Conn Broadleaf
Filler: Dominican, Nicaruaguan, and Peruvian
Price: $17.00 for a 3-pack at Top Hat Tobacco.

Background: The new Playboy cigars are a richer, fuller version of the original Playboy by Don Diego. These stylish Dominican gems are handmade with a blend of the finest, aged Dominican, Nicaraguan, and Peruvian long filler tobaccos paired with very nice Ecuadorian Sumatra wrapper leaves.

Don Diego is one of those names that have become synonymous with “mild.” It’s a go-to brand for beginners – they know the name, it’s easy to say and you’ll find it in just about any cigar shop across the country at a reasonable price. But this new version has just a bit of kick in it, which was very welcome.

The New Playboy is a nice compliment and a positive change-up in the Don Diego line. It is a very smooth cigar, but more complex and flavorful than the long-running Don Diego tradition suggests. This cigar is a good one for any level of cigar smoker, beginner or not.

Context: A few years back, a respected cigar smoker told me that any cigar with the name Don in it was not very good. This stuck with me. Though this may have been a fair generalization, although a negative stereotype from years ago, I know for a fact that it is way out of date today. Arturo Fuente’s Don Pepin, Don Carlos, the Don Tomas Cameroon and now the New Playboy by Don Diego shattered this dated notion, yet another indication of an ever changing industry.

Pre-light: These are great looking cigars. After my usual double guillotine cut, I took a couple of draws (before lighting). I was surprised by the taste. It may sound a little funny, but it was reminiscent of the Fig Newtons that my mother used to pawn off on us kids while growing up. It’s a more welcome taste today than it was as a kid decades ago. I felt one or two “soft spots” in the construction, under the wrapper, which would be the only negative I saw.

Burn and Taste: The opening, through the first half of this cigar, provided a little stronger than mild, yet flavorful smoke. The cigar makes a nice white ash which was not very strong, so you have to make sure to knock it off eveery inch or so. This cigar epitomizes a term that aficionados throw around – creamy. Believe it or not, the taste is the same as taking the whipped cream can and spraying it in your mouth. I know I’m not the only guy out there who does this trick. As the cigar reaches the mid-point, the cream flavor gives way to a little more of a blend of earthiness and cream. The finish is notable, leaving just a little peppery spiciness to savor throughout the cigar. The draw, burn and aroma were all fine.

Overall: Not a bad smoke at all, come on by and try one!

Written by Eric Cigar Reviews and Related Topics www.tophatcigar.com

I finally got around to doing my review on the Hoyo Excalibur line. This cigar was picked for the group review a few weeks ago. I’m glad it was picked to review by the members or I don’t know when I would have got around to trying it. Chad, Mark, and I each tried it and our thoughts are below.

Hoyo De Monterrey Excalibur #1
Country: Honduras
Size: 7 1/2″ 54 ring gauge
Wrapper: Conn Shade
Binder: Ecuador
Filler: A blend of Honduran, Domincan, and Nicaraguan tobaccos
Price: $5.75 ea

Pre-light: The Excalibur #1 stands out mainly because it is BIG. Make sure you have plenty of time before starting in on one of these! The construction is very good with a pretty wrapper.

The Burn: The burn is as good as I have seen in a while only going off slightly. So no issue at all with the burn line. The ash is grey/black and holds on well. It dropped at about an inch and a half on my demand. I got two different draws on two different cigars. The first one I had was tight the other was good with both having a good amount of smoke. It never thought about going out on me. It seems out of the guys reviewing this line I’m the only one so far to run into a tight draw so I will not hold it against this stogie.

The Taste: This is where I got really surprised and puzzled why I have not had these yet. This is my kind of cigar, this is definitely a medium smoke with a great nutty flavor throughout. It never got bitter on me and it only got a little hot the last inch. Plus it goes good with a Bud Select. Chad thought it was a nice light smoke, but the taste was unimaginative. Mark thought the same about the taste, but did admire the nice straight edge on the burn.

Overall: Burn: good, Taste: good, Price: good. I like this cigar a lot, it makes a great smoke while drinking some beer that has a great flavor but something you don’t have to think about much. At $5.75 it is a good smoke. I recommend you giving this one a try, it makes a great beer drinking cigar.

This cigar is currently available at Top Hat Tobacco for $5.75 each, stop by and try one!

Written by Eric Cigar Reviews and Related Topics www.tophatcigar.com

A couple years ago my wife got me a copper firepit for having a fire outside on the porch. One of the best birthday presents ever! So above you can see it in use, while below you see me, by the light of the fire, sampling an Ashton VSG.

When the Ashton Virgin Sun Grown (VSG) line was released in 1999, it was instantly called a success. Cigar Insider even went so far as to say that “connoisseurs are seeking out the Ashton Virgin Sun Grown with a fervor not seen in the industry for years…”

This particular 5 1/2 inch by 50 ring gauge robusto puts the Ashton VSG’s rich flavors in a classic size. The cigar has a rustic, deep brown wrapper and a slight box press. The press – which isn’t as extreme as a Padrón 1926 (a cigar that the Ashton VSG is often compared to) – lets the cigar sit comfortably in your hand.

Prior to being lit, the cigar had rich roasted mocha notes with a fantastic aroma of vanilla flavors. The band’s classic white, black, and gold with a crown give it an almost royal appearance.

Fortunately, when lit, the flavors remained just as impressive. Almost immediately rich earth and mocha flavors were apparent. Over time that was complimented by deep roasted notes.

Overall, the Ashton VSG offers dark, luscious flavors without sacrificing its smooth balance, everything you would expect from a cigar developed for Ashton by Carlos Fuente.

The construction was also notable with a medium draw. And while initially the burn was a bit temperamental, it quickly evened out until it was straight by the midway point.

Earlier in the review I mentioned that the Ashton VSG line was often compared to the Padron Anniversary line. I must say that the comparison has merit, as both cigars are known for pairing full flavor with smoothness in a way that is uncommon, even for the best handmade cigars in the $8 and up price range.

This cigar is currently available at Top Hat Tobacco for $9.90 each, worth every penny.

Written by Eric Cigar Reviews and Related Topics www.tophatcigar.com

At 7 inches with a 54 ring guage, this box-pressed cigar has an impressive appearance. The retail price at Top Hat Tobacco was $5.05 each. The Escudero is a mild to medium bodied cigar with a dark maduro wrapper. It also has a dark maduro binder, and this is where the “double maduro” name comes from. The manufacturer says the wrapper and binder leaves are selected from the richest, full-sun-tops of Connecticut Broadleaf tobacco plants and then aged for four years before rolling. The filler is a flavorful mix of Cuban-seed Honduran, Nicaraguan and Dominican tobacco. It is crafted by Honduran cigar master Estelo Padrón at Honduras American Tabaco S. A., for Villazon & Co., a subsidiary of General Cigar Company.

While they are a good cigar fresh from the box, they improve remarkably by resting for several weeks to several months. Humidor storage is recommended before smoking, and after storage are not only a bargain but a best buy. This aging helps the wrapper look nice and oily, and also helps the cap of the cigar “settle” on. Right out of the box there is a tendency for the cap to come off the cigar after it’s cut.

One of my favorite aspects of this cigar is its large volumes of flavorful smoke. This Honduran cigar is a medium to full bodied, flavorful and spicy smoke that starts with a peppery note and then settles to become almost as mild as the Cuban Sancho Panza variety. From the half-way point on, there is a nice shift in flavor and fullness that leads into a very satisfying finish. The Sancho Panza Double Maduro Escudero is a very flavorful smoke and a true bargain at the price- and who doesn’t like a good bargain?

My sample cigar did have a somewhat uneven burn, but it was easily correctable and not a real problem. The ash is white and firm, and contrasts well with the dark wrapper. I also like the box press shape, which gives me a little something to play with while smoking one of these beauties.

Written by Eric Cigar Reviews and Related Topics www.tophatcigar.com

Have you smoked a new cigar recently? Do you have a favorite that you’d like to tout? What’s your favorite Humidor? Let us know, and we’ll post it for you. Here’s how:

Click here to send us an email. The email will contain a quick form that will show you what information we’ll need.

All submitted reviews are subject to approval. Links may or may not be allowed depending on content and quality.

Written by Chad Cigar Reviews and Related Topics www.tophatcigar.com

This cigar was a 50 ring guage, and 6 inches long. The retail price at Top Hat Tobacco was $10.60. The first thing I noticed when I took the cigar out of the cellophane was the gorgeous wrapper. It’s a Connecticut shade, and perfect. The construction of the stick is superb all the way around. I used a punch cutter which made a clean hole. The taste started and stayed very mild, with the classic taste of all Ashton cigars. It made a good volume of nice white smoke, not yellowed or blued. The burn was pretty smooth, if not quite perfectly even. It made a nice white ash, which fell off when it was around 2 inches long.

I smoked the Ashton Cabinet cigar in the cigar lounge at Top Hat Tobacco in St. Louis, Missouri. We had just had a large thunderstorm so it smelled like rain, which is a good thing since it has been so dry lately. Unfortunately this storm also knocked out my power at home, and it ended up being off for about a day. Maybe next time I get to sit down and enjoy one of these beauties the circumstances will be a little better!

Written by Eric Cigar Reviews and Related Topics www.tophatcigar.com