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webmost

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After I expressed my opinion that Don's cigar leaf is better than home grown, I thought it politic for me to spread some love. So I opened the humidor holding cigars received from FTT members and selected DIY Pete's Blend #2. I've burnt one of his number twos before, and I can tell you they are a real crackerjack item.

Here's what Pete says goes into his Blend 2:

Criollo '98 wrapper

Double Dominican Binder
1 Aleman Ligero
1/2 Paraguay Flojo Viso
1/2 Brazillian Mata Fina
2 Piloto Cubano Seco

All very flavorful stuff. It can be overwhelming if taken too fast. But if smoked slowly while binding uppowoc perfectos, then relaxing in front of football, this right here makes a dandy smoke.

southboundblend2.jpg


Clipped square as a die head and foot. This one was more consistent diameter than the first, and lacked the mold marks of his #1. The foot was softer and the head harder than the body. But the draw was impeccably easy and free.

I don't remember noticing that puppy on the band before. Usually, you think of south bound, you think of a horse; as in "He's as ugly as the north end of a south bound horse"; but here it's the port side of an east bound pup. What this pup or southbound have to do with do-it-yourself Pete, and why print out what appears to be a steaming pile behind him, this is a mystery which only Pete can clear up:
southboundpup.jpg


Entubado shows in the foot. It's a free draw unlit, with rich spice and dry chocolate. This one lit up easy as pie with one match, where the first one needed a blowtorch; so a couple months age have done wonders in that regard. Ample volume. Super smooth rich chocolate, sweet, but still with a marked ligero sting. And it bears repeating, this is a rich stick. Aromatic, floral and dry. Almost like an infused tobacco, but without the cloying burn which puts me off infused cigars. Retrohale was also floral, chocolate, and dry. The one flavor factor which seems to have toned way down with age was the woodiness. Very little wood after three months in the box. Rest after rolling seems to have done this blend well.

The burn was wavy and steady. Right in the middle, it went out, just as the first one had done. I lit it up promptly and enjoyed the rest. Here's an odd detail: The ash of it clinked in the tray when I knocked it off.

DIY's Blend # 2 is one helluva smoke.
 
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DIY Pete

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I've tried 3 or 4 different blends with the tobaccos in that cigar and "Blend 2" is the best to my taste buds. I'm glad you liked it.

I plan on rolling a bunch once the weather turns and my outsides projects end for the year. I can't wait till next spring when I can fire one up that has three or more months of rest on it.

The name "Southbound Cigars" and the picture of the pup refer to the fact that my cigars are ugly. Like they came out of the southbound end of a northbound dog.

Pete
 

Gdaddy

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I like that blend very much also. Sometimes leave out the Mata Fina. ( it appears that the Flojo is no longer available)
 

webmost

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My base blend is 2 or 2 1/2 leaves of criollo 98, bound in sumatra, wrapped in habano. Liked the dominican binder better; but at deluxe's suggection, I turned to sumatra to improve the burn, and it works. I've tried flavoring that with a touch of something stronger. Don't want to overpower it. Just flavor it. First, I rolled three or four dozen with half a leaf of piloto viso. Then I rolled about fifty with a leaf of mata fina. The mata fina is my fave so far. Now I am thinking about ordering some corojo. Sometimes I like a spicier hit.

Has anyone tried combining the criollo 98 with a touch of corojo? Did you use the seco or the viso? How'd it work out for you?
 

ArizonaDave

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My base blend is 2 or 2 1/2 leaves of criollo 98, bound in sumatra, wrapped in habano. Liked the dominican binder better; but at deluxe's suggection, I turned to sumatra to improve the burn, and it works. I've tried flavoring that with a touch of something stronger. Don't want to overpower it. Just flavor it. First, I rolled three or four dozen with half a leaf of piloto viso. Then I rolled about fifty with a leaf of mata fina. The mata fina is my fave so far. Now I am thinking about ordering some corojo. Sometimes I like a spicier hit.

Has anyone tried combining the criollo 98 with a touch of corojo? Did you use the seco or the viso? How'd it work out for you?

I've used the Corojo 99' Seco mixed with other blends with mixed results, but no home run with the Corojo......yet. I prefer the Criollo 98' in any way, shape or form, and seems to play well with others. Getting close to something real good here......
 

webmost

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LewZephyr

You know the best thing about Texas? It ain't Oklahoma.
Course, best thing about Oklahoma, it ain't Texas.

So much for college football.

One more good thing about Texas? LewZephyr's blend #6. He tells us it contains:

2 leaves Nic seco
2 leaves Nic viso
just a 1/4 leaf sliver of Mata Fina
bound with Aleman
wrapped with Habano 2000

I swapped four Uppowocs for four of LZ's sticks. I burnt one yesterday.

Each #6 is perfectly cylindrical. Lengths are various. Ends are cut square as a die. Heads are not capped; but pigtailed, with the pigtail coiled up on the end. The one I burnt was tight throughout except for the foot. The wrapper was stretched super tight, with a super fine texture. Look how nicely this wrapper is laid down. You can see just a hint of his mold mark. Otherwise, your best pro couldn't lay down a better wrap.

marc6wrap.jpg


LZ's coiled pigtail, instead of a cap, on the other hand -- that does not work on a flat end. Didn't want to lay down for him at all. And when I cut it off, the end was shaggy in my mouth. But LZ says his mold doesn't have a round end to it. Maybe a plain uncapped square ends is a better idea, then.


The unlit aroma of this stick hinted at the chocolate mata fina, even though that is such a trace. But it mostly smells of the Nicaraguan. It had a firm draw. One match toasted the foot. Smoke came in medium volume. One of my favorite premium cigars is the Ave Maria. I prefer the Crusader, about the same size and girth as this. LewZ's number six tastes very similar. Wood, light spice, a hint of sweetness, an earthy aroma. The only thing missing is the cedar, to round out the finish. A slow steady burn. Really rich experience.

Only two things are needed to perfect this cigar: One is just time. If you put this in a cedar box, so it can soak up some of that cedar zing, and let it set for several months, I think it would smell that much better. It needs a bit of maturity. Second, I agree with LZ that a Sumatra binder is in order. Midway through the cigar, the burn began to tunnel, then went out. The wrapper/binder did not burn as quickly as the filler. I had the same problem with my Uppowoc perfectos. I was rolling them with Dominican wrappers. Deluxe advised me to switch to more combustible Sumatra. That makes a difference. I don't think the Sumatra adds the rich flavor of the Aleman or Dominican. But the burn is better.

Number six in your blend charts, number one in your hearts. I still have three. They won't go two waste.
 

LewZephyr

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@webmost
Thanks for the review and feedback. Glad you enjoyed it.
I may go the route of no pigtails, but I have a mold with rounded head in route from Don. Think its suppose to arrive on Thursday.
Its a little larger (usually doing 48, and this one is 50), but I am sure it will all work out in the end.

Thanks again for the opportunity and the swap.
 

FmGrowit

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As a matter of habit, you guys really should put your user name in the special instructions area when ordering anything. Members who contribute are what make this site work. I'm more than happy to send consideration for your efforts here.
 

webmost

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As a matter of habit, you guys really should put your user name in the special instructions area when ordering anything. Members who contribute are what make this site work. I'm more than happy to send consideration for your efforts here.

uhhh... dunno if I want any "special consideration" from anyone with THAT avatar!
 

webmost

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Wow. Not really in shape to write a proper review of Cigar's little gem. Bearswatter went to the Amish butcher and asked for big thick pork chops. Gal brought out a pair of chops broke the back of the Percheron who brought them there. Bearswatter borrowed a front end loader to lift them on the stove. The house is now leaning toward the back yard. I am hanging out in the garage, door open, pot belly filling the garage door. My point is, I'm too stuporous full to write worth a damn. Let me only say that this corojo 99 filler is like a marriage between Criollo and Carajo. Dammmmm. Luck would have it, I just ordered me some today. Gonna love this stuff. I just know it now. It doesn't make the pepper that corojo wrapper does; but it sure is feisty spicy aromatic. Good stuff. Good stuff.

Scuse me now ... I gotta get back to the big wide chair and Monday Night Football. May have to hibernate when this is done.

Yum.
 

Ben Brand

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I read that Vuelta Abajo is a cross between corojo and something else?? My Vuelta leaves were tiny last season, has anybody used it as a wrapper??
It`s a very nice filler tobacco, smells nice, almost a sweet small.
Thanks
Ben
 

Jitterbugdude

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I usually smoke Vuelta Abajo (V.A.) as a puro. Sometimes though I will wrap it with a shade grown Florida Sumatra leaf. The leaves of V. A. are smaller than your "Average" cigar filler leaf.
 

webmost

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cigar6b.jpg



Monday Night Football. I'm in the garage fooling around. I had to try out another one of Cigar's cigars. About 5" long with a ring gauge of maybe 46 or 48. A super smooth wrapper. The color was marbled brown.It appeared seamless. Firm throughout -- no lumps and no soft spots. The only thing lacking in its construction was a cap. Instead, it had a twisted pigtail over a flat end, which created a loose head. Other than that, I would say that Cigar, who claims to be a newb, is something of a ringer.

His blend is written on a paper band: 2 Dominican Ligero, 2 Corojo Seco, 2 Nicaraguan Viso, bound with Sumatra, wrapped in Habano. This blend smelled rather neutral. It had a sweet unlit draw. The head hinted of sweet cherry.


Super easy to light. Gave out a rather generous volume considering its 46 ring gauge. It tasted mild and smooth and dry, tonight, compared to the feisty spice I tasted on the first one. I thought that might be the red grapefruit juice I was drinking, so I ditched that, and pulled out a Modelo Especial. Much cleaner.


Here's how super good it burned:
cigar6bburn.jpg



Straight as a steel ruler, sharp as a razor, with as perfect a cherry as I have ever seen on any home rolled. I could put this down for two, three minutes, and when I picked it up, the first hit was still just as full as when I set it to rest. A nearly white ash.


The retrohale was like dry retro paprika. There was still that hint of cherry near the lips, A zesty spice in the mouth. Cashews and something bitter in the finish. A dry tobacco aroma, something like a Pennsylvania tobacco tastes. I was about to vote this the best home made cigar I have seen to date. Washington Deadskins were eking out a three point lead, wrapped a new blend, good beer, good cigar. All's right with the world.

And then the Cowpunks scored. At which time, halfway through Cigar's cigar, the ash turned grey, the flavor turned to ashtray, and the damn thing went out. I tell you, it all happened abruptly, just like that. Like there was a bomb buried in it. I know the last one didn't do that. I stuck it in the nub jar. Couldn't feature re-lighting it. Musta been a nasty knot of who knows what, dead spider on a leaf, or who can tell, buried in there. Had to light up an ugly reject Uppowoc to get the taste out. I know I'll try another one and it won't have that.


I say again: Cigar claims to be a newb but he may be a ringer.
Good cigar, Cigar.
 
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