Back by Popular Demand: Tobias' Po' Boy Masochist Extravaganza [Archive]

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:22 AM

This is from another site and another time, so ignore the dates and enjoy the content...

So I have a history of doing ridiculous things just for the sake of saying I’ve done them. I’ve run the Krispy Kreme challenge (a little under 5 miles and 1 dozen donuts in >60 minutes), I’ve done a non-stop hundred miler, I’ve drunk 6 pints of Guinness stout in 30 minutes, and now I have the fun idea of plowing through not one, BUT TWO Po’ Boy samplers from CI in one month. In this thread from last summer, a gentleman took on 15 of these discount beauties in 15 days. It is my intent to perform two-fold what he was able to accomplish!

The concept is simple. Here is a link to photos of all thirty sticks. They are from Po’ Boy number II and number III. The list for number II is as follows:

Duque Churchill (7” x 50)
La Differencia Cubana Churchill (7” x 50)
Piloto Cubano Churchill (7” x 50)
Don Rafael Churchill (7” x 50)
Joya Del Jefe Churchill (7” x 50)
Oro Cubano Churchill (7” x 50)
Fidalgo Negro Churchill (7” x 50)
Cuban Delights Natural Churchill (7” x 50)
Victor Sinclair Primeros Churchill (7” x 50)
Old Havana Churchill (7” x 50)
Don Smith Churchill (7” x 50)
Hesitant Pirate Churchill (7” x 50)
Raji’s Untimely Demise Churchill (7” x 50)
Ron Mexico Churchill (7” x 50)
Victor Sinclair Connecticut Churchill (7” x 50)

Number III doesn’t include a list because they are not sold individually, but it is described on the CI website as “Our version of the ‘bag o’ crap’. A who’s who of busted, failed, and oddball brands”.

Each day beginning on Monday, July 1st, I will smoke one and offer a short review following this format:
Name (as can best be determined by the band)
One or two sentences on flavor
One or two sentences regarding construction and burn
Single best part of the cigar
Single worst facet of the cigar
An overall rating on a scale of 1-10 with use of decimal (i.e. 8.3)

Since the month has 31 days, and I only have 30 cigars I will forgo the challenge and smoke something decent to celebrate Independence Day.
At the conclusion of the month I will scan all the bands on one sheet along with ratings and post here (for the next time you’re in the market to go slummin’)

Finally, for all those who look at this and think "Why? What a waste of time!"- relax, I'm not trying to legitimatize anything or have anyone take this thread seriously. It's just a way to have a little fun on the cheap and hopefully some people will get a few chuckles from it.

3 days and counting…in the words of my man Marvin “Let’s get it on!”

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:22 AM

Here we go...........

1. Havana Night Club Gold
This really wasn’t a horrible tasting cigar flavor-wise, but it was painfully uninteresting. It was very mild and consisted of two dimensions: A muted savory nut flavor, and a medium sweetness. Combined they made for something like yogurt covered peanuts. There is a reason you don’t often see yogurt covered peanuts There was no development as you went along, so what you got at the start was what you had to settle in to enjoy.
This was from the PBIII, so it was an 8” Churchill. You got 14% more dollar goodness out of this than the 7” variety in PBII (though the 7s claim to be all long filler). I’m confident this one was a short filled stick and it was excessively soft and slightly bent from packaging (maybe I should email CI for a replacement). The draw was loose but not terrible. The cap began coming apart (I punched) within 5 minutes of lighting. The burn was fairly decent with only 1 touch-up.

Single best part of the cigar: It was surprisingly not vomit inducing (yeah, that’s the best I’ve got)

Single worst facet of the cigar: Was obviously rolled by a drunk 3 year-old. Loose and the cap came off like it was a graduation.

An overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 6.4

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:23 AM

2. Oro Cubano Aniversario
This cigar’s band advertises “Hecho a Mano” or “Handmade”. It’s a good thing they clear this up, otherwise I might be compelled to call and suggest they have their rolling machine repaired. This was an ugly cigar to look at with quite a number of wrinkles in the wrapper and two nicks that cut through to the binder. It was however better packed than stick #1 . 7 inches long and firm [insert potty humor here], it had a decent draw and burned well through the first half with zero touch-ups. It wasn’t a razor sharp line, but it managed to correct itself. The second half was another story altogether.

This cigar started off with a “bright” grassy note which wasn’t half bad. It was accompanied by a slight sweetness and overall it had a mild profile. I thought going into this that I would find one or two really palatable cigars amongst the 30 and I began to think this was the first…WRONG. After a couple inches the flavor developed a somewhat chemical sweetness that made it taste like I had just licked a whole bunch of envelopes. The cap was getting pretty soggy (and I’m not a “wet” smoker), and the draw became weaker, though not from the cap issues. About halfway through the cigar began to tunnel and I knew something was wrong. It was as if it hit a knot of tobacco and moisture because the burn faded fast into a tunnel and the flavor became acrid like wet tobacco. The remainder of my time with the stick was bitter and unpleasant.

Single best part of the cigar: If like when I recall several ex-girlfriends, I can forget about the last half, then I can say confidently the first was pretty enjoyable.

Single worst part of the cigar: Whatever in the hell happened at the 4” mark (tunneling, horrible flavor, etc.)

An overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 5.3 (a good churchill to have quickly on a smoke break at work)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:24 AM

3. Raji’s Untimely Demise
This had the coolest band so far (an elephant flanked by two images of the Taj Mahal at sunset). This was a 7” churchhill that was rolled pretty tightly, but had a few knots along the length. There were several larger veins that looked as if they were about to crack and the cigar had indeed split a ½” up from the foot through both the wrapper and the binder. When examining the end I found a small unfilled pocket between the tobaccos in the foot. The crack ended up being irrelevant and the cigar burned evenly without touch-ups all the way down.

The Untimely Demise was interesting from the first puff. Early on I got a “tinny” taste like you get from beer or vegetable in a can. The metallic flavor didn’t sit well with me, but fortunately it only hung around for an inch or so. After that the stick took on grassy notes that transformed into something like buttered toast. It tasted like the aroma you get when you toast the foot of your cigar with a torch lighter, but then with oily/milky notes. I wasn’t the greatest thing in the world, nor was it as off-putting as it sounds. The profile of the cigar was mild from start to finish.

Single best part of the cigar: A tie between the bitchin’ band and the fact it actually progressed between three different flavors as I smoked it (regardless of whether they were good)

Single worst part of the cigar: The construction was very shoddy. While pretty firm, I was surprised it didn’t simply crumble in my hand while I smoked it.

An overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 6.2 (The fabrication kept it from being a 6.7)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:25 AM

4. Stogies

This was an 8” from the PB III. It had some wrinkles in the wrapper and a ½” long split a little bit above the foot. There were a couple large veins and over all it had a very spongy feeling, though there were a few solid spots. I punched it and it gave a very loose draw. The wrapper itself began to unfurl two minutes into the smoke. I unwrapped it completely, exposing the binder and then rerolled the wrapper leaf, sealing it with spit in order to make it serviceable. This worked for about 4” of the cigar but then it began to fall apart and I had no choice but to put it out. In spite of the issues with the wrapper, as long as it held together this cigar gave a sharp and perfectly straight burn. Go figure.

It was actually disappointing that the construction was so bad on this one. It had some interesting flavors, some less pleasant than others but not completely repugnant. The first thing that came out was a taste that reminded me of the charred crust you get on the outside of your marshmallow when roasting it on the campfire. This eventually went away and was replaced by a flavor like weak coffee with hazelnut creamer in it. At one point immediately before the whole thing self-destructed it turned very sweet and sugary, almost like a Kuba Kuba.

Single best part of the cigar: Was the scorched marshmallow flavor at the beginning of the stick.

Single worst part of the cigar: I have never seen a cigar that was so poorly made. Were it not the sake of trying to review this stick I would have tossed it in the trash can 5 or 6 puffs in when the wrapper came completely off.

An overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 1.0 (If it doesn’t stay together for you to smoke it, any positive qualities a cigar may have are rendered moot.)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:25 AM

5. Ron Mexico

I should preface by saying that I really wanted this one to be decent. For all the crap this cigar takes- being the butt of so many jokes, I hoped it would be a diamond in the rough. That said, I think I was still objective.

This was one of the 7” churchills from the Po Boy II. It was firmly packed and the foot appeared full. There were some wrinkles and veins in the wrapper but nothing too bad. There was a ¾” crack from the head down the length of the cigar which proved to be inconsequential. It smelled pretty tasty out of the drybox compared to some of the others I’ve smoked so far. I punched it and the cold draw was pretty tight but I didn’t taste anything repulsive. It burned true all the way down with zero touch-ups.

The cigar started off with just a basic mild tobacco flavor, nothing notable. There was zero sweetness and at some points the flavor actually bordered on astringent, but it was never so bad as to make me want to put it out. Toward the middle it developed a tangy (not twangy mind you) profile that at once tasted interesting and cheap. Like a bottle of Bud Light Lime. The cigar really began to fail taste wise when I got further down and it started to give hints of gasoline in the retrohale. This was just downright unpleasant.

Single best part of the cigar: Was the construction. I’ve had $5-6 dollar smokes that weren’t rolled this well.

Single worst part of the cigar: The petrol taste in the ending parts of the stick was simply gross.

An overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 7.0 (Yes, the last flavor profile was bad, but this stick was made much better than I expected any of the Po Boys to be.)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:25 AM

6. Fidalgo Negro

This is a 7” stick from Po Boy II. It had some very large veins and was generally pretty rough looking. There were not any cracks or splits in the wrapper (a first in this experiment). There were some soft spots in the filling, but the foot appeared consistent. Once punched the draw was fairly loose and had an underwhelming flavor.

It began with a decent pungent start. There wasn’t exactly much depth to the flavor, but it was consistent with that of tobacco and profile was mild-medium. As the stick progressed it assumed a wet hay taste that wasn’t all that bad. Next thing I know I look down and I’m halfway through a Churchill without saying anything negative. Gasp!... Of course I spoke too soon because within a couple minutes I had to correct a burn that had gone ½” astray. Nonetheless, the flavor remained decent, if unexciting through the nub of the cigar. I thought it might possibly venture into a completely medium profile (unlike the other bargain sticks so far), but alas it never quite made it there.

Single best part of the cigar: It never offered an unpleasant flavor. Unexciting, but never unpleasant.

Single worst part of the cigar: The burn went to hell after the first half and needed to be touched-up three times.

An overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 7.2 (The first stick where my tongue can’t cite a legitimate reason to trash it as a yard-gar.

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:26 AM

7. Don Rafael by Victor Sinclair

This was a 7” cigar from the Po Boy II selection that is allegedly all long filler. There were several veins in the wrapper leaf and it was “lifting up” in a couple spots. There were two separate ½” splits right against the cap on opposite sides of the cigar. This was a pretty firmly packed stick with a foot that appeared full. The draw was pretty tight but not overly so.

It began with a woody flavor that was ‘bright” tasting. Unfortunately the cigar had horrible burn from the get go. I touched it up several times and still at one point looked down to see the an ash silhouette of Florida burning down one side of the wrapper. The best flavors actually came out in the 2nd half of the stick. The smoke became more voluminous and took a slightly stronger profile (still mild-medium) while giving off a very faint hint of pepper. Toward the very end I got the taste of moist soil which rounded it off nicely.

The single best part of the cigar: Was the pseudo-dynamic flavor. It changed a couple times and held my interest.

The single worst part of the cigar: Was the construction. There were a couple issues with the wrapper as well as all the burn problems.

Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 6.9 (The flavors were good, but the burn was more than annoying. Another stick that had potential, but fell short of being decent across the board.)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:26 AM

8. Fields of Gold
This was an 8” stick from the Po Boy III sampler. It felt firmly packed but the foot appeared to be partially hollow in the center. There were not any cracks, nor splits in the wrapper, but the cap was pretty shoddily constructed. It was cut very small and barely made it over the curvature of the head. There was one large vein down almost the entire length of the cigar. I punched it and it actually had a very good draw. Some might have considered it to be a little too tight, but I always suggest erring on the side of too tight rather than too loose. The stick gave a faint toasted almond flavor with the cold draw.

Immediately after lighting the cigar I noticed two things. First, there was an acidic taste to the smoke like when a vitamin C tab starts to dissolve on your tongue. Second, the initial several puffs tasted kind of soapy/perfumed, as if the roller had sweat some knockoff gardenia toilette spray on the binder. About halfway through the cigar it began to tunnel briefly which was accompanied by a very rough and acrid taste. This was the only burn issue with the cigar and it managed to correct itself so I wrote it off as any overly moist section. The remainder of the smoke shifted to a medium profile and had a woody tanginess to it. Like putting out your campfire with Countrytime lemonade.

The single best part of the cigar: Was the way it managed to correct itself from a ½” tunnel without me having to help it along.

The single worst part of the cigar: Was the flavor. It wasn’t like vomit aftertaste or anything, but if I got a taste like that from a carnival kissing booth- I’d take my money back from that bearded lady.

Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 5.8 (ughhhh. The number speaks for itself.)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:26 AM

9. Don Smith Series Dee This was a 7” Churchill from the Po Boy II sampler. Slightly darker wrapper than most of the others in this set. It was firmly packed and the foot appeared completely filled. There were a couple thick, short veins and a the cap was questionable just like on the F.o.G. I smoked yesterday. It was cut unevenly and seemed to barely cover the head of the cigar. There was a ½” crack from the cap down the wrapper and a knick where a small piece of the wrapper was gone exposing the binder near the foot. The draw was very tight- almost to the stick’s detriment. On a side note- the band was amusingly long, wrapping almost completely around itself where it overlapped.

The stick began with an aged wood flavor. Sort of reminded me of an aging barrel used for alcohol. About a third of the way in I tasted pleather. That’s right, pleather. Plastic leather. Tasted like leather, but had nuances of “new plastic” to it, like when you open a cooler for the first time after buying it. Very strange, but only moderately repulsive. This went away at the halfway point and then the cigar was really quite boring the rest of the way. It did have a surprising creaminess to its passé mild tobacco flavor which made it more enjoyable.

The single best part of the cigar: The creaminess of the smoke in the second half of the cigar.
The single worst part of the cigar: Pleather. It was like having Freddy Mercury’s pants shoved in my mouth. Fortunately it was over quickly.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 6.5 (The burn was decent, the flavors didn’t make me sick, nor was it wasn’t squishy and under-filled.)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:26 AM

10. Victor Sinclair This was a 7” stick from the Po Boy II selection. The wrapper was much light than they have been coming lately so that was a little change of pace. Beyond the color it looked like Frankenstein’s cigar. The wrapper was wrinkled in several places with odd folds near the head. The cap looked as if it were torn from the leaf and gluesticked haphazardly on. It looked as if a first-timer rolled this one. It was soft with fill gaps that could be felt through the wrapper. I could easily use my thumb and forefinger to form it into a box-press shape.

When I punched the cigar the head split about ½” down the side. The draw was surprisingly tight and I discovered that was from a knot of tobacco under the band. The intial light was spicy and peppery. I was kind of surprised to get such a profile right off the bat. It settled down rather quickly into a kind of woody taste. The burn was horrible, sometimes going almost an inch astray before I would give in and correct it. The stick did have a nice earthiness that was void of the chemical overtones I have been picking up in other Po Boy cigars. Near the end of the stick the cap actually came off in my mouth and I said “to hell with it” and chucked it onto the interstate.

The single best part of the cigar: The flavor. It really wasn’t too bad and it was quite good at the very beginning.
The single worst part of the cigar: The burn. It was as queer as a football bat and never recovered on its own.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 5.8 (This was a book that I should have judged by its cover.)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:27 AM

11. Dalaly Diamonte

This cigar was very soft except near the head where it was firmly packed. The foot only appeared to be about ¾ filled. This was an 8” from the Po Boy III sampler and the only defect was a small 1/3” split coming up the body from aforementioned foot. The wrapper was not that unattractive, with only medium sized veins and the cap was done well for a change. I punched the cigar cleanly and it drew well. I think this was more from being filled properly near the cap than a sign of overall quality though.

Well, the old saying goes…”Even a blind squirrel gets a nut now and again.” This squirrel finally got his The cigar started off a little peppery like yesterday’s offering, but it only got better from there. It moved into a mild profile with a tasty toasted tobacco flavor, and then on to something I can only describe as reminding me of the scent associated with using a woodburner on a craft project. The second half of the stick also had a moderate sweetness to it. To really shock me, it burned perfectly even in spite of the perceived issues with fill consistency. Overall it was surprisingly good (bear in mind we’re talking about a .99 stick here).

The single best part of the cigar: The flavor. It had some, it was more than one dimensional, and it never had an awkward stage.
The single worst part of the cigar: Because this is in the Po Boy III sampler, I have to acknowledge that it IS NOT available for individual sale like all of the winners from the Po Boy II.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 7.9

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:27 AM

12. Contraband

This was an 8” from Po Boy III. It had an ugly wrapper (looked like it was water damaged with light and dark spots.) There were a couple large veins but the cap was affixed nicely. The wrapper was lifting up in one spot, but there weren’t any cracks in the cigar. It was filled pretty evenly and the foot looked decent. It had an awesome tie-dye colored band which made it look like a cigar you would find between the flip-flops and sea shells in a shop at Myrtle Beach. The punch was clean and the draw was solid with the faintest hint of cocoa.

Initially the cigar tasted stale. This was combined with a flavor or grass and cardboard. About 1/3 of the way into the cigar the cap disintegrated and ended up in my mouth. I spit that piece of the wrapper out and continued to smoke. About halfway through the smoke assumed a medium profile but became acrid at the same time. Shortly after this the cap was completely gone and the wrapper unfurled several inches down the length of the stick. St this point I chucked it out the window of my car as I was in no position to try and make repairs (not that I could have at this point). While it is named "contraband", I'm not sure anyone would even bother sneaking this one into a prison in their rectum- it's not worth the effort.

The single best part of the cigar: The cool tie-died hippy gay pride band. It made me feel all warm and fuzzy.
The single worst part of the cigar: The fact that I couldn’t smoke it past 4” because it self destructed.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 4.0 (It couldn’t even make it into the latter rounds, what am I supposed to do with that?)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:27 AM

13. Stogies Old Havana

This was a 7” stick from the Po Boy II Sampler that had a much darker wrapper than I have become accustomed to with this selection. The cigar felt as if it were filled pretty well. The foot was full and there was only minimal damage to the wrapper on that end. There were plenty of small veins that were slightly darker than the wrapper leaf and worked to make it a fairly attractive cigar. It had a “darker” scent to it than most of the Po Boy sticks and really gave a nice taste in the cold draw after I punched it.

The cigar was pleasantly more pungent from the start. It was the first stick in the sampler that began with what I would call a medium profile. It had a moderate espresso flavor that was clean and bitter (but not in an unpleasant way). Halfway through this settled down and was replaced with a strong woody flavor. The smoke stayed rich and absent of sweetness all the way to the nub. Unfortunately it did turn a bit harsh close to the end. A couple purges were unable to clear this up but I was not going to use a nubber on it so it really didn’t matter.

The single best part of the cigar: The deeper flavors that avoided falling into the common mild Po Boy profile.
The single worst part of the cigar: The flavor was burnt and caustic at the very end.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 7.9 (The flavors were decent, the burn was god except for a small section that self-corrected. This one might be a diamond in the rough for .99 if allowed to age a bit.)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:28 AM

14. Duque

This is what the website says about this fine 7” stick from the Po Boy II sampler…”Duque is mild in body and it sure beats a sharp stick in the eye. Pronounced ‘du-kay’.” For starters I’m glad they cleared up the pronunciation, though it is still too close to dookie for my comfort. Second, I don’t believe I’ve ever smoke a cigar that didn’t beat “a sharp stick in the eye”, so that doesn’t elicit much confidence from me either. The MSRP on these fine cigars is $200 for a bundle of 50, but you won’t pay that- no sir, you’ll only pay .99 per churchill for these beauties. Mine was inconsistently filled, soft down the length of the cigar with what appeared to be a filled foot. There was no visible damage to the wrapper and the cap stayed intact after punching it. The draw was pretty loose and tasted a little stale/bland.

This cigar gave off A LOT of smoke. I’m talking about LP smoke levels which I enjoyed very much. The flavors began as being woody and fairly mild. After a couple inches it shifted to something more like a toasted pita. Hardly a heavy profile, but actually pretty pleasant. The cigar eventually moved back to its woody beginnings, this time with a distinct taste of cedar. As has been the tendency with these .99 sticks, it unfortunately was unable to maintain its stellar performance all the way to the finish line. It morphed to something like an oily shop-rag which really was not doing it for me.

The single best part of the cigar: The amount of smoke it gave off was beautiful
The single worst part of the cigar: The final taste that it left in my mouth was disappointing and made me feel like the cigar had been carried around in my mechanics back pocket for several days.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 6.7 (good burn, lots of smoke, taste was so close…but no cigar )

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:28 AM

15. Don Brotto Seleccion Privada

This was from the Po Boy III selection and in turn was an 8” Churchill that is not available for individual purchase. The light wrapper had a couple small wrinkles and minimal veins. It was filled well and had a bountiful foot. There was no visible damage, but the cap did split some when I punch it. The cold draw was incredibly tight. Too tight to smoke, so I used a toothpick to improve the draw a little before lighting.

My first observation was the lack of smoke associated with this stick. It just didn’t produce much, and what it did offer was extremely mild. After an inch or so we got going and the flavors also became more interesting. The first was something similar to pine shavings (like you would put in a hamster’s cage). This began to give way to a more floral taste that wasn’t overwhelming and was pretty pleasant. Along the way I also noticed that the ash hung very tight to this cigar. Even sticking it out the window at 75mph wasn’t enough to knock it off until it was over an inch long. Close to halfway through the stick the smoke really began to pick up and the cigar ended quite nicely.

The single best part of the cigar: Was the flavor. It was pretty mild, but stayed interesting.
The single worst part of the cigar: The tight draw and how long it took to really get the smoke going.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 8/10 (If the fill had been less tight this could have gone as high as an 8.5)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:28 AM

16. Hesitant Pirate

This is a 7” from the Po Boy II selection and can be purchased in bundles of twenty for $19.99. This cigar got bonus points right of the bat for being one of the coolest bands in this .99 sideshow circus. It may be the best because when you remove the band under the overlap I found a red X which served to turn it into a freakin’ treasure map! The construction was solid with a good fill of tobacco. The wrapper was a lighter shade of brown with no visible damage and the foot was full. The cap did crack slightly when I punched it but this proved to be a non-issue. The cold draw was firm with a slight nuttiness.

I wanted to judge this cigar by its band but the flavors when I smoked it were a mixed bag. It is very mild and started off with a bit of sweetness. However, I noticed before too long that I was getting an aftertaste of ash and fabric softener. About halfway through I found a bit of tanginess sitting in the back of my throat. There was a bright sport where I thought I tasted some cedar in the retrohale, which proved to be the most interesting part of the cigar. In the end it began to simply taste like a watered down dirty ashtray. It’s a good thing I didn’t put any money of this horse for her looks because I would have ended up shooting her before she made it out of the 3rd turn.

The single best part of the cigar: Was the band! I would have this thing tattoo on me if I had some free space.
The single worst part of the cigar: Tasting like I put a cigar out in a pitcher of cheap bear and then drank it.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 5.8 (Like when the question and answer round of the Miss America Pageant teaches us…you can be pretty on the outside and yet still devoid of quality tastes.

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:28 AM

17. La Diferencia Cubana
This was a 7” churchill from the Po Boy II pack. It is available from CI in packs of 40 for $65, so this is not your bottom of the barrel .99 stick It had a light brown wrapper with some wrinkles down the length and on the side of the cap. There were two large veins but it was well filled with a solid foot and no soft-spots. The foot had an odor of tobacco and maple syrup. The punch exposed a tight draw with a slightly acidic tone as if it had been sprinkled with a bit of lemon juice.
I don’t have a whole lot to say about this cigar. It was quite unremarkable, both in regards to the good and the bad. The burn was fine, almost razor sharp through the first half when I began to slightly stray but it corrected itself. It had a very mild profile and tasted of tobacco and burning grass. Nothing spectacular, but void of anything to mock. It was on the mild side for my preference, but that is subjective. The flavors didn’t develop or morph along the way and you finished with the same reasonable and passé taste with which you began. If you smoke because you’re compelled to have something on fire hanging out your mouth and are satisfied by mild, uncomplicated flavors…let me introduce you to your dream cigar
The single best part of the cigar: There was nothing that rose notably above the rest
The single worst part of the cigar: There was nothing that stood out negatively against the other parts.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 7.5 (I almost fell asleep while smoking it, but it was pleasantly absent of some of the characteristics that have jarred me from my boredom while smoking these budget sticks.)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:29 AM

18. Outlaw Big Game Fishing
This stick might win the award for most amusing name (best still goes to Hesitant Pirate). It is 8” of mediocrity from the Po Boy III sampler. The wrapper was a lighter brown with a couple of flaws. Most notably it was flaking up around the middle of the cigar. There was one large vein and several wrinkles down the length of the stick. It felt soft in sections and the foot showed an uneven fill. Most interestingly, the foot had both light and dark brown filler. It punched cleanly and gave a pretty loose draw that tasted like plain toast.

This one started out rather brash and caught me off guard. I have to admit that I hacked for a minute before I continued on. The beginning was slightly acrid/bitter, but this improved while the stick maintained its medium profile. It started to take on a woody, flowery taste that was hard to nail down but not at all unpleasant. Around a 1/3 of the way in the cigar began tunneling severely and I had to relight it with my torch. I believe it hit one of the tight spots in between all the loose pockets in the fill. The second half of the cigar had a milder flavor with a taste like strong unsweetened black tea. Unfortunately the wrapper began unfurling with a few inches left when I went to ash it out my car window. I tore a small section off and was able to get a few more Puffs but it continued to come undone until it could no longer be smoked.

The single best part of the cigar: That woody/cedarish/floral taste in the first half was pretty good.
The single worst part of the cigar: The way I couldn’t even finish it because it unfurled.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 5.5 (It gets this score mainly for the flavors because construction and burn-wise, it left much to be desired.)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:29 AM

19. Sacuba Cigars
This was an 8” from sampler #3 . It had a darker brown wrapper without any obvious construction issues. No large veins, nicks, or wrinkles. It felt a little on the soft side but the foot was moderately full. The cigar smelled “old”. By this I mean like a stack of dusty hardcover books that have been sitting around for quite a while. The cap cracked slightly when it was punched, but the draw was fairly tight. There was a slight hint of sweetness but no real taste to speak of.

The cigar began with a pleasant medium bodied profile that was devoid of any pronounced flavor. After an inch or so I began to pick up a moderately strong wood flavor but alas it never garnered much traction and it disappeared fairly quickly. Similar to a few other sticks so far in this experiment, this cigar was basically a one trick pony through the long haul. Nothing really came alive taste wise to catch my attention down to the nub. It burned well, never requiring correction. This was a very milquetoast smoke that had me questioning whether I like some of the horrible cigars more if for no other reason than they entertained me when I smoked them. This lust laid there like an inflatable friend that can’t requite your interest.

The single best part of the cigar: The medium profile was a nice change of pace from some of the very mild cigars in the sampler.
The single worst part of the cigar: The way it never really tasted like much of anything (except for the 5 puffs where it tasted woody in the early going)
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 6.3 (I can’t complain about the way it smoked or the flavors (because it didn’t have any! This would be a good smoke if you ever lose your sense of taste with a cold.)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:29 AM

20. Bandolera Wanted
This was an interesting looking 8” stick from the Po Boy III set that had an angry looking Mexican gentleman, sombrero and all smoking a cigar on the band. It had a darker wrapper with quite a few small veins, but no construction issues. It was nicely rolled without any soft spots. The foot was completely full and the cap blended well into the body of the cigar. I punched it and it had a decent draw with a mellow profile like fresh baked bread.
This stick was surprisingly abrasive from the first couple puffs. It was definitely a medium profile stick, but without any finesse in how it delivered itself. The flavors were a bit acrid and unpleasant. I’m not opposed to peppery cigars, but I like the pepper flavor to be “clean” and defined. This vacillated between woody, peppery, and some other strong tastes that I had a hard time defining, but without marrying them together. It was like the crude brute force of a street brawl as opposed to the artistry of a well trained boxer in the ring. Both are examples of violence, but one is by far more palatable because it is orchestrated well. In the end, the entire cigar smoked like a nub (not the brand, but the portion of a stick). It seemed to be a jumbled collective that never hit on much of anything.

The single best part of the cigar: Construction. Nice looking, great burn.
The single worst part of the cigar: The horrible blending, though I would be somewhat interested to see what it tasted like with a year on it.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 5.9 (Words like crude, offensive, and unrefined come immediately to mind with I think of the flavors.

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:31 AM

21. Bonita Momma
An 8” Churchill from the Po Boy II collection, this one had a very amusing band. The was a woman wearing an Egyptian headdress with pyramids and monoliths in the background, and on the back it promised “One mother of a cigar” The wrapper was medium brown without any large veins. The cap was pretty shabby, and was flaking prior to being punched. The fill felt “hit or miss” with some areas soft, but others feeling like knots (particularly near the head). It had a very mild tobacco scent and after punching it I discovered a moderately strong cedar flavor. The draw was tight, which I think was a result of the “knots” near the cap.
The cigar started off with sweetness in the smoke, but a bitter taste coming from the wrapper (cap). The hints of cedar from the cold draw were perceptible early on. The draw remained hard for the duration of the smoke. It was tight enough to make it seem like work to keep it lit in a couple spots even though it burned evenly all the way down. At certain points the mild-medium profile was laced with an acidic taste. In the retrohale it was almost like the tobacco had been soaked in vinegar. When this passed however, it was replaced with a nice flavor that included hints of leather. Pretty much a mixed bag as it went along.

The single best part of the cigar: A tie between the hilarious band, and the amount of cedar you could pick up on. Very nice in a cheap stick.
The single worst part of the cigar: Feeling like I was trying to suck a golf ball through a straw because it was unevenly filled.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 6.0 (Kind of like Kenny Loggins’ career, it had its high notes, but they were intermingled with crap and ridiculousness)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:31 AM

22. Stogies (Gold Leaf Label)
This was another 8” from the Po Boy III and the second Stogies brand cigar in the smaplers (hence the label description). It was medium brown with a couple small, thin veins and a handful of wrinkles in the wrapper. I could feel a seriously soft spot an inch above the foot. The cap was horrible. It was lifting up in a couple areas when I took it out of the cellophane. All these sticks are made in the D.R., so I can’t help but wonder if these are the rollers who will eventually by making LPs for Drew Estates, or are these the ones who were recently fired from there? The foot had a mild scent of cocoa powder. I managed to punch it without destroying the cap and the draw was as tight as yesterday’s smoke. When I pulled on it like I was sucking cement through a Slurpee straw I picked up on something like freshly hewn lumber.
This one was a disaster from the word go. It began with a flavor similar to overcooked Brussels sprouts. You could pick up on a little sweetness in there, but it was overwhelmed by an unnecessary bitterness. This moved on to the highlight of the cigar flavorwise, a brief period of wet mowed grass that lasted all of 5 minutes. From there I went on a tour de force from doused campfire, to a taste like you would get eating licorice while sitting behind a truck that billowed diesel fumes into your car window. In the end this cigar was like a couch manufacture to CA flame retardant standards- it did nothing but smolder and put off noxious fumes.

The single best part of the cigar: The grassy puffs very early on.
The single worst part of the cigar: The way it made me feel shameful for smoking it.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 4.5 (These points are almost exclusively for the fact I never had to touch up the burn, which though sometimes ugly always managed to pick itself up by its bootstraps.)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:32 AM

23. Scorned Woman
NOTE- So I realized yesterday that in my inattention to detail I posted two #19s and two #22s , so today we are back on track with a legitimate #23 ! Only 7 more days to go

The name of this 8” Churchill amused me. Unfortunately it isn’t available to purchase outside the Po Boy III, otherwise it would be a great gift for a woman to buy her husband after he’s caught with his secretary. If it was anything like the Stogies Gold Leaf it would serve as punishment enough. The wrapper was light brown with numerous veins but no visible damage. There were a couple spots however where it was lifting up and the cap didn’t appear to be affixed very well. The fill felt pretty solid, even though the foot was not entirely full. It did have a wonderful tobacco scent. Mild, sweet, and with a faint hint of chocolate. The draw was reasonable with a pretty unimpressive flavor, especially after having enjoyed the foot odor
This one had a nice mild start that paired well with my morning coffee. All of the flavors in the stick seemed to come out within the first few inches. After that, while the flavor remained pleasant, it became very one dimensional and passé. One of the most notable tastes was something like a buttery chocolate chip cookie, but without the chocolate chips- just that mildly sweet, slightly oily dough taste. There was another section that was reminiscent of hazelnuts. The rest of the cigar was plain jane mild cheap stock. The burn was fairly good throughout. It went askew a few times but it fixed itself without my intervention.

The single best part of the cigar: The cookie taste was pretty cool.
The single worst part of the cigar: The way the cap flaked early and stuck out to annoy my lips for the rest of the smoke.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 7.4 (perhaps this is because I’m coming off a couple bad ones, but this cigar was a nice mild option)

DLtoker

02-25-2015, 10:32 AM

Haha. This is great!

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:32 AM

24. Victor Sinclair Connecticut

Still in an 8” state of mind I plucked this one out the cooler because of how unique the wrapper color was. It was ugly on several levels, but mostly the wrapper had an overly yellowish shade for a Connecticut, as if the tobacco leaf had developed cirrhosis of the liver. There were wrinkles, precarious veins, and the cap looked as if my son had attached it with a glue stick. The cigar did feel firm all the way down its length. The band looked more like a coat of arms, and the foot smelled like plain ol’ cigar tobacco. The draw was very close to perfect- neither too tight, nor too loose. It tasted of light tobacco with a slightly woody tone.
This was a very mild stick, but even early on I discovered it had enough spice to make the back of my throat tickle a little bit. There was very little in the way of discernible flavors through the first half of the stick. There were however a few issues with the burn. No real tunneling, but the burn went askew close to an inch at one point when I stepped in with a torch to correct it. When it was finally going even I began picking up on a taste like burning notebook paper that eventually became woodier. The worst was near the end when every exhalation of smoke left a shellac like aftertaste in my mouth.

The single best part of the cigar: Hmmm. I guess I’ll go with the way it was packed fully with tobacco. I definitely got my .99 worth here
The single worst part of the cigar: Where to begin? The taste, or the appearance, or the burn? Pick one.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 5.3 (I have smoke sticks that were worse in each area of evaluation, but this one managed to suck in a balanced, across the board way.)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:32 AM

25. Victory
This was an 8” from the Po Boy III basket. The band was pretty interesting; gold and black with an statuesque image that looked like something you would see over the archway leading into an Art Deco period municipal building or library. The wrapper was medium brown with lots of wrinkles near the foot. It was pretty soft throughout and appeared only moderately full on the end. The cap appeared to be applied pretty well compared to what I’ve seen lately. There was only one very hard vein on the backside of the smoke. The cap cracked slightly when it was punched and the cigar had an incredibly loose draw. The flavor was nutty and reminiscent of black tea.
This stick started off quite well. In fact I actually said the word “Wow!”, out loud to myself as I drove down the highway puffing on it. It was woody, with a mild to medium profile. Not that stout, but generally it had more oomph than most of the Po Boys. There was a little bit of spice that I wouldn’t categorize as “peppery”, but more “zesty” with a slightly acidic overtone. The most interesting part was about halfway through when I swore I picked up on a faint mint flavor. Very much like snapping off some fresh spearmint from the garden. There were a couple issues to cite however (of course)… The burn was generally good, but it tunneled when it hit the “knottier” parts of the stick. I think the rest was so loosely filled that it settled down to a lower Rh quicker. Secondly, the cracked cap began to shed into my mouth about a third of the way through.

The single best part of the cigar: The minty freshness. It was like rolling some Winterfresh gum into my cigar.
The single worst part of the cigar: The construction was the struggle with this stick, particularly the cap.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 7.2 (The flavor was good enough to boost the score. I think if I had cut, rather than punched this might have made it into the 8s)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:32 AM

26. Cuban Delight
This 7” stick has interested me since I first unpacked the Po Boy II sampler. Firstly, the band caught my eye because the shade of green in the center is reminiscent of the paint in my grandmother’s house when I was growing up, and I dig anything that reminds me of my grandmother. Secondly, it advertises itself as a “Premium Cigar”. Always be wary of a stick that feels the need to promote itself as “premium”. Finally, it clearly says on the band “Export of Cuba”, even though the CI site states it is made in the DR. While total bs, I found this amusing. It was a medium brown stick with some wrinkles in the wrapped and a handful of moderately sized veins. The cap was a little shoddy and the foot was slightly damaged. It did however feel pretty full and the draw was moderately tight with “darker” flavors- slightly bitter and more robust.
This one started off rather bold with a strong medium profile and a fair amount of kick. There was faint leather and an oily nuttiness that came through early on. The smoke then settled down into a mild-medium place with woody flavors and remained as such through the duration of the cigar. The burn was decent and the flavors weren’t bad, but they certainly were not stellar. I’ve smoked a very limited number of habanos in my life, but I assure you that this was so far removed from what I expect when I light a CC that it wasn’t even funny. I actually read the CI reviews for this stick and most people seem to buy a flavored version rather than the Churchill. In the end I think it would have been better simply by being able to produce more smoke. It didn’t reward you with much quantity or quality wise.

The single best part of the cigar: The name/band/claim of origin. Amusing to say the least.
The single worst part of the cigar: The lack of smoke. You didn’t get much and so the flavors had to stand on their own (which was unfortunate).
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 6.8 (Nothing fantastic, but it gets the job done. Definitely NOT an export of Cuba )

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:33 AM

27. Piloto Cubano
This was another 7” Churchill from the Po Boy II (which means it is available for box purchase folks!) It had a light Connecticut wrapper with just a couple small veins. It seemed to have solid construction with an even fill and a solid cap. I punched the cigar and it gave a pretty tight draw. It was slightly nutty and very mild. As a whole I thought it was pretty underwhelming.
This began with a slightly astringent taste that seemed sharp on my tongue. That settled don fairly quick and it became a rather passé mild profiled smoke. The burn was as close to perfect as any of these budget sticks had offered. At various points there was a “tanginess” that emerged from the cigar, but this was the most interesting aspect of the stick. In the end it was a solid smoke that would serve as a reliable yardgar, but my pants are still intact and I certainly was not memorably impressed.

The single best part of the cigar: The burn was as close to perfect as you can get.
The single worst part of the cigar: A one trick pony! It could be great, but it settles for good and uninteresting.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 7.4 (It tasted decent and the burn was spot on)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:33 AM

28. Joya del Jefe
Back with another 7” wonder from the Po Boy II. It had a light wrapper with small veins all the way down its length. It had an even fill and a pretty solid looking foot. The cap was great and it didn’t have any knicks or splits in it. I punched it and was really surprised to find out loose the draw was for a cigar that felt so firm. There weren’t any notable flavors on the cold draw, but it did have a faint sweetness about it. I don’t know if I’ve just become desensitized to crap, but this cigar looked pretty nice to me. {hangsheadinshameforsayingthatoutloud}

This one began with much promise and similar to my aspirations in life, spiraled downward until it reached the equivalent of “sad man writing online reviews of crappy cigars for free” It had a medium body and wisps of cedar came through early in the stick. The burn was good and it produced a very nice quantity of smoke (not like a Papa Fritas, but getting there.) There was a bit of spice in the retrohale but nothing overwhelming. Towards the second third of the stick I got the taste of black walnuts (particularly the mild bitterness), and then a fragrant taste like black walnuts in a 1-800-FLOWERS arrangement. Alas however, it had peaked. Before too long it tasted like nothing more than an old wet shoe and before I could get into the final third the wrapper began to unfurl and attempted to shed itself when I ashed out the car window. It tried so hard- close…but no cigar.

The single best part of the cigar: The amount of smoke was a pleasant chage as most Po Boys have been stingy in that regard.
The single worst part of the cigar: The flavor that seemed like someone dug up a pair of Voits that I was wearing back in the early 90s, dipped them in the tub and shoved them into my mouth.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 5.3 (Not only did the flavor turn on me like a lady of the night when she realizes you were going to try and pay with your debit card, but then the stick just feel apart in my hand)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:34 AM

29. Oxmoor Smoke Shoppe
This was an 8” Churchill with long filler and a downright ugly wrapper. It seemed as if the wrapper leaf actually changed colors as it went down the length of the cigar. Near the head it was a medium brown and this transformed to a light brown by the time you reached the foot. There were several large veins, wrinkles, and some lifting up in a couple areas, so the cracked foot almost went unnoticed The fill was moderately soft but not squishy. It smelled like a cheap cigar. By this I mean there was no distinct essence- just mild tobacco that screamed “Don’t be disappointed, I was only .99”. The draw was somewhat stiff and as devoid of flavor as the foot was absent of scent.

As a smoking experience, this one achieved something no other cigar had ever done for me. Not to make it sound like it was something mind-blowing, but it was novel nonetheless…This stick tasted exactly the same from the first puff to the last puff! Literally, from the first to the last. I’ve had cigars that were one dimensional and uninteresting (of which this is one), but never have I had on that didn’t “settle down” and change some after the initial light, or morph to some degree once I reached the nub. This stick was immutable. If the flavor had been wonderful than this could have been the greatest cigar in the history of rolled up leaf…But it wasn’t. It was a mixture of light grassy notes and faint woodiness. Generally, just a run of the mill mild smoke. The taste I will soon forget, but the feat of boredom inducement I shall carry with me all the days of my life.

The single best part of the cigar: Was its fantastic ability to do nothing as I smoked it.
The single worst part of the cigar: Was the way it looked like Frankenstein and the Bearded Lady’s lovechild.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 7.8 (It didn’t taste bad to start and it never turned bad, because it never turned anything. An even burn, tasty enough yard ‘gar.)

Tobias Lutz

02-25-2015, 10:34 AM

30. Victor Sinclair Primeros Tabacos
I saved what looked to be one of the highest quality smokes in the samplers for last. This is technically one of the “high dollar” ‘gars in the mix because it typically sells for a little over $3 per stick when purchased in a fiver. It was the final 7” stick from the Po Boy II selection and had a light to medium brown Connecticut wrapper. There were a few small veins, the cap looked good and the wrapper laid down well without any wrinkles or lifting up. It felt like a full stick- it was firm down the length and had a nicely packed foot. It smelled like toasted tobacco with almost a caramel overtone. It punched cleanly and the draw was firm with a slight nuttiness.

I was pretty disappointed at the start of the cigar because it had a salty/tangy nuance to the flavor that just seemed off. This only lasted for several puffs before disappearing, but it was not a good first impression. From there it moved on to a grassy, then lightly woody mild profile smoke. It held its own as far as burn throughout the stick, requiring no corrections and holding its ash rather stiffly. About two thirds of the way through it became a little acrid and started to resemble a dirty ashtray. I purged it twice and it recovered fine. The final section had a stronger sweetness and some spicy notes in the retrohale. It was a surprisingly fast smoke for a Churchill at only 90 minutes. Typically 2 hours of fun can be had with a 7” stick (at least that’s what she said.)

The single best part of the cigar: Nice looking, no construction flaws and a classy band
The single worst part of the cigar: The start was rough- close to being an ammonia experience.
Overall rating on a scale of 1-10: 7.4 (I wouldn’t pay $3 for one, but thrown in at .99, it did well for itself.)

And so it ends…
The experiment goes out quietly, rather than with a bang. I’ll be getting together to herf with a BOTL up the highway on Friday, and I’m sure we’ll smoke something decent to get the el cheapo taste out my mouth. I could probably scrub through a bar of soap in the shower till the water ran ice cold and still not be able to feel clean after doing this. I think I found a couple sticks that would suffice for the smoker who just wants something lit on fire hanging out their mouth while they fish/mow/work on the car. I also was able to mark a few land mines before anyone skipped ignorantly upon them.

“They who go feel not the pain of parting; it is they who stay behind that suffer.”
Henry Wadsworth Longfellow