Dubai – Day 5 (Sun 19th Sept)

Another hot day and time for some more smokes. It reached 41 at one point…..

Villiger 1888 -Short Robusto

Rolled in : Dominican Republic
Wrapper : Ecuadorian (some say Conecticut??)
Binder : Dominican Republic
Filler : Dominican Republic
Size: 4″ x 50

Now I only found out Villiger made hand made cigars a few months ago and I had forgotten. Until I was in the smoking centre and there they where calling out to me. The prices where on the high end so I opted for the smaller model. Out of the 4 I brought the Villiger had to be first. So with a day out at the Atlantis water park, I was ready to go with the Villiger. After a few hours of fun in the rapids and on the various crazy slides, we headed for the beach. Not 10 mins of being in the water Scott found a jelly fish,with his forearm. I had no notepad with me so im writing this from memory, which if you know me isnt a good thing . I also had been swimming in the sea prior, so a little salt was on my lips and not amount of water could clear it. I dont think the cigar was a salty, but obviously I tried to ignore this aspect of the flavour. The added salt wasn’t a bad thing, it added a great edge to the cigar.

So with us opting to chill on the beach for a bit I dug out my cutter and this sexy little number. The cut wasnt very good, it cracked the wrapper a good ½ inch down. The cigar had a seamless perfectly smooth wrapper. The aroma was that of typical Dominican  with a hint of Sumatran sweetness. The pre light draw was easy and firm, with a sweet taste. The light was a little tricky as I only had a simple butane soft flame lighter. But once I got it going OH BABY. The initial draws produced a rich and creamy smoke, with a light almost sweet edge to it. The smooth smoke was very tasty. The flavours sat along similar lines for the first third.

As I entered the middle section the subtle sweetness grew, into an almost aromatic smoke. An added dimension of complexity developed also in this second third. Hints of sandy/dusty moments combined with a increasing biscutiy side, saw this cigar show its roots. The cigar began to take on the European(Dutch) style. The body increased into a more medium smoke. The final third saw the cigar become very rich and a little more sweet. I was half expecting the cigar to become hot and dry but alas, it didnt, The final run saw the body pick up again, a little above the medium point. This became one of those cigars you just cant put out. The smoke became increasingly sandy and even with the whopping crack in the wrapper it maintained a perfect burn.

The Villiger Petit Tubos is probably one of the tastiest little smokes I have had in years. The cigar remained complex and interesting throughout. The “Villiger” flavours in the final third showed that Villiger really can produce a vast array or Sumatran and Dominican cigars. I know the 2 go hand in hand, in both flavours and styles. But Villiger really do excel at this, I have no idea why they are not imported to the UK, there’s a market for the lighter, slightly sweeter cigars. My only issue with these was the way the wrapper cracked, I think the leaf was a little too thin and delicate. I wish I had brought a box of these at the Duty free now. I cant remember If I actually saw these there or not, probably better I don’t buy any more cigars as im heavily over the limit for me and Kim combined!

Construction .. 7/10
Burn .. 10/10
Flavour (1/3) .. 8/10
Flavour (2/3) .. 9/10
Flavour (3/3) .. 9/10

Overall .. 8.5/10

By the time we got back to the apartment I was somewhat knackard and had wrote up yesterdays notes. The weather today has been the hottest I have ever experienced, being a pussy from the UK im used to -5 too high 20′s and there the extremes! After a chill and some internet time It was time for another smoke. In my little pick up yesterday I brought a “Domican Estate – Corona”. Looking at the cigar and its aroma, it could swear its one of the (Carlos Torano) Dominicos. I am not expecting anything special from this, I dont usually go for the lighter wrapper Domincans, the Macanudo Petit Corona and the Avo Preludio are nice smokes, but other than that there generically the same. The darker Fuentes and Maduro wrappers give the grassy Dominican blends a little more personality. So So I wasn’t expect much from this cigar, the band was quiet interesting, printed on a multicoloured metallic paper(which is a plus…..i guess, everyone loves gimmicks). I had no idea prior to smoking what this cigar was!

Dominican Estates – Corona

Rolled in : Dominican Republic
Wrapper : Connecticut
Binder : Dominican Republic
Filler : Dominican Republic
Size: 5 1/2″ x 44

The cigar looks cheap, the wrapper filler and binder arn’t perfectly cylindrical, very bumpy and the wrapper wasnt prefect either. Very toothy wrapper, with an uneven cap of darker leaf. The filler looked a good deep brown, but packed well. The aroma was well lets say, tubed Nicaraguan! FISHFOOD and swetty feet! The cut was no issue, after the disaster of the Villiger I was thinking my new colibri cutter was at fault. The pre light draw was easy, BUT tasted like it smelt. The light was easy and I was in business. Initial draws where of sweet, grassy tobacco (DAVIDOFF??) The cigar seemed to burn really quickly to begin with, I have never smoked anything that  burns this fast. The gaps in the ash where a good 1/10” As the first third progressed the cigar took on a nasty acidic after taste, too young? or reject filler? A few other flavours developed, hints of Liquorice in the first part.

As I burnt my way into the 2/3 some hint of cream came into mix. The sweetness subsided, as the ash fell with no warning. The exposed cone, produced a slightly harsher but stronger smoke. By this point the bitter after taste became very overpowering, I dont think I have ever drunk soo much water with a cigar before. As I came towards the final third, the cigar took another twist. The creaminess had gone, but an aromatic edge had come into the mix. A little biscuit mixed with a bitter, almost citrus side. This chopping and changing, complexity continued to the end. Every draw produced a  different favour to the last. Hints of cream, herbs, grasses, lemon, sandy, dry & increased sweetness. This normally would be something I like in cigar, BUT these flavours increasingly had a sickly aftertaste, ruining the added complexity. Towards the end I began to fell a little sick, this doesnt happen with cigars often! By the final inch, a little spice had crept in. Along with it a very tarry head, so I let her go(violently, 40 mins of my life I wont get back)

The Dominican Estates can keep this cigar, I am still non the wiser who makes these yet. But im guessing its Davidoff creation or a rebranded reject. The shop sold a lot of Davidoff brands. The cigar was a typical cheap Dominican, grassy flavours with a sweet side. The complexity at the end, should have been nice. But I guess I like my Havanas too much to really appreciate the light Dominican blends. It ticked all the boxes as far as these cigars go, it was just the bitter/sickly aftertaste that put me off. I wouldn’t suggest these cigars to anyone, other than Davidoff and Casa Torano fans.

Construction .. 7/10
Burn .. 9/10
Flavour (1/3) .. 6/10
Flavour (2/3) .. 6/10
Flavour (3/3) .. 5/10

Overall .. 6.5/10

After reading up on these, i have found out that they are not made by Davidoff or Torano!