Chinchalero Fuerte Picadillo in Maduro

I've smoked some of these before, and while they suffered the usual burn problems of a maduro they were good sticks. So I was looking forward to this, which made it all the more disappointing to find this one had such poor construction.

The draw would have been perfect if not for the fact I had to double, triple, even quadruple-puff at times to get a decent mouthful of smoke.

Flavours were good. I got a deep, woody taste with some dark chocolate notes. The finish was smooth, with a little pepper kick towards the end.

The only transition happened in the final third, when a sweet tobacco flavour came to the fore, sharpened by a cedar undertone. There was also a brief taste that I can only describe as medicinal. Thankfully this only stayed for a couple of puffs.

To conclude: In general these are good sticks. This time I just got a bad one. I will continue to buy these because the flavours are good and you don't normally get the construction issues I had this time.

7-20-4 Factory 57

Good cigar. It had a perfect draw with plenty of smoke. Construction was just about perfect, giving me a razor-sharp burn from start to finish.

The flavour profile was basic but good. I got the taste of sweet tobacco, ground coffee, with a hint of toasted nuts. There were no real transitions, with the flavour staying consistent throughout, which I don't think is a bad thing. If a taste is good then there is nothing wrong with it staying throughout the whole smoke. There are plenty of cigars out there with good flavours, with or without transitions. Anyway, this is certainly one to try. I don't think you'll be disappointed. However, be warned, it does have a sting in the tail, and when I got down to the final third I started to get a decent nicotine buzz.

Oliva Serie G in Toro (6x50)

What a great stick. A real dessert cigar. This is the kind of smoke I started the hobby for.

There was a woody, sweet tobacco taste on the sniff test. A real promise of what lay ahead. I couldn't wait to light it.

The draw was good, though a little snug, which is fine with me. Immediately I got a smooth, sweet tobacco taste with a short, creamy finish. Within minutes the flavour of milk chocolate began to make its presence felt. It rounded off the smoke perfectly. There was no real complexity, but this stick was strong enough not to need any.

After a while, I got hints of cedar, and a nice hint of mocha. Still the flavours were sweet, the coffee and chocolate becoming more prominent as time went on.

Then came a transition. Woody flavours started to come to the fore; the finish grew longer, with a hint of white pepper. The cedar undertone remained, and then a burst of ground coffee rounded off the taste.

The construction was good. The burn was razor-sharp from start to finish.

For the next twenty minutes or so, the flavours alternated between the sweet chocolate and coffee, and the cedar with a hint of spice. Then the chocolate fought its way back to the front.

What happened next was a revelation. I had a sweet drink, and then BAM. This cigar went to a whole other level. It was like smoking a bar of chocolate. Every puff filled my mouth with this delicious, rich chocolate flavour. It went from a good cigar to something genuinely special.

This heavenly chocolate taste continued to the end. I got two hours out of this smoke but I wanted it to go on longer so I could get more. I wished I had another in my humidor so I could light it right away and carry on this magnificent ride. I was like the Augustus Gloop character in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, wanting more and more of this sweet nectar.

I will now be ordering a box of these fine cigars. I don't expect it to last long.

Global Premium Cigars

Global Premium Cigars has become the first - and so far only - premium brand cigar manufacturer to file a lawsuit against the US FDA over their new regulations on cigars and tobacco. The company argues that the new rules violate their rights under the First and Fifth amendments of the US Constitution.

The company was founded by Enrique Sanchez Icaza and is one of the growing number of boutique cigar manufacturers. Their core brand, the 1502, has recently expanded into Europe and boasts 5 cigars with varying strength: The Nicaragua, the Ruby, Emerald, Black Gold, and this year's XO, a limited edition. All have consistently received good reviews from across the cigar-smoking spectrum.

Although their production is limited, it looks like this proudly Nicaraguan company is getting ready to step into the big arena, with Mr Sanchez describing the XO as his best blend ever.

Now at last month's IPCPR trade show the company has announced the 1502 Blue Sapphire, a single vitola stick in 6x52 Toro Gordo size. This will go into regular production soon, increasing their portfolio to five.

In my opinion, this is one of the brands to watch. Their 1502 Black Gold Maduro is one of my favourite cigars, and I will be looking to try the rest of their lines soon. I have no doubt I will be impressed.

I heartily recommend this brand to cigar smokers new and old. They have something for everyone and are constantly looking to evolve.

Alec Bradley Tempus Natural

A medium to full-bodied smoke with flavours that took me down memory lane.

I confess to having reservations about this cigar. However, I can't put my finger on why. I smoked an AB Prensado before and enjoyed it, although it was a little strong for a lightweight like me.

Right out of the wrapper, this stick had an alluring aroma that was at once mossy, musty, with a damp-woody undertone. It made me want to get into it right away.

Upon lighting, the draw was just on the loose side of perfect. It gave off plenty of aromatic smoke that was a pre-cursor to the pleasures that lay ahead.

Immediate flavours were woody, peppery with a hint of cocoa. The finish was mild and creamy, and the spice of the pepper lingered to the end. This quickly became more complex, with sweet tobacco and some burnt-woody notes creeping in.

As time went on, the flavours transitioned into espresso, with a hint of toasted nuts. The smoke output also increased so I got a mouthful of this creamy vapour. Then an earthy undertone began to make its presence felt.

The construction was very good. The burn was almost razor-sharp throughout.

About an hour in I became aware of the strength. As one without a great tolerance for nicotine this did create a slight anxiety. Was I going to be on the ceiling when I finished this cigar?

Around the same time, the next transition took place. I got a nice, aromatic cedar with a side of spice. The finish grew longer, tasting of cocoa, quickly followed by espresso and toasted nuts. Then came the lingering spice that took me through to the next draw.

The strength continued beating up on me, but it wasn't too bad. The flavours were getting stronger, with the final transition taking place. It brought a stronger tobacco taste, with a nice, minty tongue-tingling sensation. A sweetness followed, and something that almost brought a tear to my eye. It was a taste from my childhood; of the chips (fries, if you're American) my dad used to cook. He always slightly over-cooked them so they had a toasty, slightly nutty flavour that I loved.

I got an hour and a half out of this stick. It was the best way to spend an early afternoon that I can think of.

In conclusion, this is a fine cigar, well-made, with a flavour profile that I'm sure would appeal to most palettes. Smoke this, and enjoy a flavour trip you'll want to repeat over and over.

Chinchalero Reserva de Oro in Robusto

I guess I would have to suggest this is best for a newbie cigar smoker.

Sniffing the stick prior to lighting, you get a kind of barnyard/manure scent - which is not a bad thing.

Upon lighting, the draw was good though a bit tight.

Construction was excellent. This stick had an almost razor-sharp burn from start to finish.

Smoke was wispy and thin even when double-puffing.

This is a mild cigar. Initial flavours were mellow, with hints of cedar, tobacco and some slight leather notes. The finish was quick and a little sweet.

It stayed like this for almost an hour before faint peppery tones began to appear. The leather flavour grew slightly stronger, and there was a faint sweet tobacco taste.

Towards the end of the second third I got a sweet pepper flavour, along with a hint of hay. The finish grew a little longer and treated me to a hint of caramel as it faded in a sweet and creamy aftertaste.

By the final third the peppery notes grew a bit stronger and there was a little more smoke. A suggestion of sweet tobacco made its presence felt and left a nice tingling sensation on the tongue. By now it was somewhere between mild and medium.

I got about an hour and forty minutes from this stick. It was milder than I like, but I think that makes it ideal as a starter cigar for those just getting into the hobby. There was only a mild nicotine buzz but nothing to make you run for the sugar bowl.

In conclusion, this is not a bad smoke. It's light and mellow, and just right for the newbie, for whom I would recommend it whole-heartedly.

Global Premium Cigars

Global Premium Cigars, founded by Enrique Sanchez Icaza, is one of the growing number of boutique cigar manufacturers. Their core brand, the 1502, has recently expanded into Europe and boasts 5 cigars with varying strength: The Nicaragua, the Ruby, Emerald, Black Gold, and this year's XO. All have consistently received good reviews from across the cigar-smoking spectrum.

Although their production is limited, it looks like this proudly Nicaraguan company is getting ready to step into the big arena, with Mr Sanchez describing the XO as his best blend ever. Now at last month's IPCPR trade show the company has announced the 1502 Blue Sapphire, a single vitola stick in 6x52 Toro Gordo size which will go into regular production soon.

In my opinion, this is one of the brands to watch. Their Black Gold is one of my favourite cigars, and I will be looking to try the rest of their lines soon. I have no doubt I will be impressed.

I heartily recommend this brand to cigar smokers new and old. They have something for everyone and are constantly looking to evolve.