Cigar Review: Ortega Wild Bunch 2013 Dandy McCoy "Empire State"

Ortega Wild Bunch 2013 - Dandy McCoy "Empire State"

The Ortega Wild Bunch 2013 Dandy McCoy "Empire State" marks the fifth installment in a monthly series of cigars being developed by Ortega Premium Cigars.  The Ortega Wild Bunch 2013 series is a unique limited production cigar concept that was introduced by Ortega Premium Cigars.  The concept behind the Ortega Wild Bunch is to dedicate a cigar to various cigar enthusiasts whom company president Eddie Ortega has personally met during his time in the cigar industry.  During 2013, each month a different cigar - in a different size and blend will be released as a tribute to these various people.  The Dandy McCoy "Empire State" marks the May 2013 release.  Each installment of the Ortega Wild Bunch has been very different cigar experience - and Dandy McCoy is no exception.  Overall, this is a solid release by Ortega Premium Cigars and one that should satisfy many cigar enthusiasts.

At press time, the following are the names confirmed for the first nine months of the Ortega Wild Bunch series.  Currently the series looks as follows:

January: Big Bad John "Jackhammer"
February: Iron Mike "I Beam"
March: Island Jim "WaHoo"
April: Tony The Boss "Enforcer"
May: Dandy McCoy "Empire State"
June: Honest Abe "Ringmaster"
July: Wild Bill
August Fast Eddie
September: Gearhead Gary

Word is the character of Dandy McCoy is based on a New York City cigar enthusiast named Ade McCoy - someone whom Ortega has encountered. The inner part of the box that houses this cigar reads as follows to describe the character of "Dandy McCoy":

They don't call him Dandy for nothing.  He is a sharp dressed man who enjoys the company of beautiful ladies who share his passion for cigars.

The Dandy is a proud native New Yorker, he enjoys the excitement of city life and frequent get togethers with his friends at favorite cigar shops around the city.

Let's take a closer look at the Dandy McCoy "Empire State" and see what this cigar brings to the table:

Blend Profile

Like the other cigars made by Ortega Premium Cigars, the Dandy McCoy is made at the My Father Cigars factory in Esteli, Nicaragua. The Dandy McCoy is the first of the Ortega Wild Bunch 2013 series to feature a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper.  The binder and filler have not been officially disclosed, but there have been reports of the filler having Nicaraguan, Mexican, and Honduran tobaccos.

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro
Binder: Not disclosed
Filler: Not disclosed

Vitolas Available

As mentioned above, each monthly release of the Wild Bunch is a unique blend in a different vitola.   This is the first box-pressed vitola of the series.  The vitola is named "Empire State" and measures 6 x 54.

Appearance

The Dandy McCoy "Empire State" featured a classic coffee bean colored Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper.  There was a little oil on this wrapper and it is somewhat coarse in texture.  There are a few visible wrapper seams and most of the veins are visible upon close examination.  The cigar has a well-packed box-press with no soft spots.

As with the other installments of the Ortega Wild Bunch 2013, the band of the Dandy McCoy is highlighted by an illustration of the "Dandy Mccoy" character done by Neal Wollenberg. Wollenberg also did the art work for the boxes.

The rest of the band is similar to the layout of the other bands in the Ortega Wild Bunch 2013 series.  To the left of the illustration is the text "TABACOS ORTEGA, HECHO A MANO" in white font on gold background. Below that is the text "Premium Ortega Cigars" in white font on a red background.  On a third row is the text "GRUPO SALAJE - THE WILD BUNCH" - also in white font on a gold background.   To the right of the illiustration is the text 5 of 12" in white font on a gold background.  Below that is a white "12" that is circled in white on a (darker) red background. Toward the bottom of the band it says "Dandy McCoy" in modern white font on a black background.

Preparation for the Cigar Experience

For my cigar experience of the Dandy McCoy "Empire State" I went with my usual selection of a straight cut to remove the cap.  Once the cap was clipped, I moved on to the pre-light draw.  The cold draw provided a mix of chicory and pepper.  The chicory notes actually worked quite well with this pre-light draw creating a satisfying experience.  At this point, I was ready to light up the Dandy McCoy and see what the overall cigar experience would bring to the table.

Flavor Profile

The start to the Dandy McCoy "Empire State" treated me to a classic Garcia family pepper blast. As the pepper blast settled, some additional flavors emerged - first chocolate and then some nut flavors.  Later in the first third, some background citrus and toast notes surfaced.  The chocolate and nut flavors eventually became the primary flavors.  The pepper, citrus, and toast were secondary flavors.  I found the citrus and toast melded together to create an almost "burnt" like sweetness that was very unique.

The second half saw the chocolate notes become more like the chicory I got on the pre-light draw.  The chicory and nut remained in the forefront while the citrus, toast, and pepper remained in the background.   The chicory never got overly bitter or harsh and was helped by the balancing of the other flavors.  The citrus and toast continued to meld very nicely together.

As the Dandy McCoy "Empire State" moved into the last third, the nut notes joined the other background notes and the chicory remained primary. Toward the very end, the pepper notes joined the chicory flavors in the forefront.  The end of the cigar was flavorful - although there was a touch of harshness. The resulting nub was soft to the touch and cool in temperature.

Burn and Draw

From a burn perspective, the burn line of the Dandy McCoy "Empire State" was a little jagged, but it did not have any canoe or tunneling problems.  The resulting ash was mostly white in color, but it was a little loose and at times was prone to flaking.  The burn rate and burn temperature were ideal.

As for the draw, I found it to be outstanding.  This made the Dandy McCoy a low maintenance cigar to puff on.

Strength and Body

Overall I found the Dandy McCoy "Empire State" to have a little more kick than one might think. In particular the strength of this cigar sneaks up on you. Overall, I assessed this cigar to be medium to full in strength.  As for the body, the flavors were deep and robust.  These flavors easily qualified to make the Dandy McCoy a full-bodied smoke.   When looking at strength vs. body, I definitely gave an edge to the body.

Final Thoughts

Back when I reviewed the previous installment of the Ortega Wild Bunch 2013 (the Tony the Boss "Enforcer"), I commented on what an amazing undertaking the Wild Bunch concept is.  It is not easy building a series with 12 distinct blends and 12 distinct sizes and taking it to market - especially given the fact that Ortega Premium Cigars is a small company.  At the same time, the products being released in the Wild Bunch are truly unique blends.  The Dandy McCoy "Empire State" follows this pattern - delivering a unique flavor profile (namely the citrus/toast combination in the background) for this Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro.  This would be a good cigar for a novice enthusiast looking for something a little stronger to try.  I do think both experienced and novice cigar enthusiasts will enjoy the unique flavors and complexity of this cigar.  As for myself, while the first three installments of the Wild Bunch stand at the top, this is a cigar I would definitely smoke again.

Summary

Burn: Good
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: High
Strength: Medium to Full
Body: Full
Finish: Good
Assessment: Nice to Have
Score: 90

Source: The cigars for this assessment were purchased from Tobacco World in Marietta, Georgia.

Cigar Preview: Duck Commander by Ted's Cigars

Ted's Cigars is launching a cigar based on A&E's reality series Duck Dynasty.  The cigar is being called the Duck Commander.

The name Duck Commander refers a  Louisiana-based company and a top selling duck call.  The Duck Dynasty show focuses on the Robertson family - who founded the Duck Commander company.  The company produces duck hunting related merchandise.   The cigar features banding and packaging from the Duck Commander company.

Ted's Cigars has been primarily known for its infused cigar line such as Grand Marnier, Hopz, Maker's Mark, and Forty Creek.  The company also has offered traditional cigars in a Connecticut Shade and Maduro offering under the "Ted's" name.  Last year, Ted's Cigars rebranded its Connecticut Shade Toro cigar as the Dale Earnhardt "88" cigar.

Here are the specifics of the Duck Commander cigar:

Blend Profile

The blend features tobaccos from three countries - Ecuador, the Dominican Republic, and the United States.

Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Dominican Piloto Cubano
Filler: United States Broadleaf, Dominican Piloto Cubano, Dominican Habano, and Dominican Criollo 98

Vitolas Available

The Duck Commander Cigar is available in a single size - a 6 x 50 toro.  Like many Ted's Cigars, the Duck Commander Cigar is packaged a humidity-locked glass tube.  The cigar is sold in packs of three as well as boxes of 10 and 20.

Cigar Preview: Nat Sherman 1930 Collection

The Nat Sherman 1930 Collection, a new line that has been rumored for several months will be launched this summer just prior to the 2013 IPCPR Trade Show in Las Vegas.  Full details around the specifications of this release was reported by Cigar Aficionado.

The Nat Sherman 1930 Collection gets its name from the year the Nat Sherman company and brand was founded.   The cigar will be produced by the MATASA factory in the Dominican Republic.

Here are the specifics of the 1930 Collection as reported by Cigar Aficionado.

Blend Profile

The 1930 Collection will feature mix of Dominican and Nicaraguan tobaccos.

Wrapper: Dominican
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican, Nicaraguan

Vitolas Available

The 1930 Collection will be launched in five sizes - and available in boxes of 24.

Corona: 5 1/2 x 42
Corona Grande: 6 x 46
Rothschild: 4 1/2 x 52
Gran Robusto: 5 1/4 x 54
Inmenso: 7 x 56

Cigar Review: Padrón 1964 Anniversary - Draper's 125 Anniversary Edition Natural

Padrón 1964 Anniversary -
Draper's 125 Anniversary Edition Natural

The Padrón 1964 Anniversary - Draper's 125 Anniversary Edition is a special limited edition cigar that was made available to Washington DC/Maryland based retailer W. Curtis Draper.  In 2012, W. Curtis Draper celebrated its 125th anniversary in business and commissioned four manufacturers to produce retail-exclusive limited edition cigars at different times during 2012.  For the Padrón Cigars release (which actually came out in early 2013), the company did something different - providing a round vitola of their famed (and box-pressed) Padrón 1964 Anniversary blend in both a natural and maduro option in a single size.  Recently I had an opportunity to smoke the Padrón 1964 Anniversary Draper's 125 Anniversary Edition in the natural blend.  Overall its a solid cigar - and does provide a different smoking experience in a famed cigar line.

The Draper's 125th Annivesarry Series has consisted of four releases:  The Tatuaje Cabaiguan WCD Redux (our highest scoring cigar to date on Cigar Coop which since has become a Draper's House Cigar); the La Aurora 100 Años 125th Anniversary,  the Drapers 125th Anniversary Cigar by Arturo Fuente, and the Padrón 1964 Anniversary - Draper's 125 Anniversary Edition Natural and Maduro.  This assessment will focus on the natural of the Padrón Draper's edition.

The Padrón 1964 Anniversary - Draper's 125 Anniversary Edition cigars are the first time a rounded cigar has been done in the 1964 Anniversary line (the rest of the line is box-press).  The size selected was a corona gorda for both the natural and maduro lines.   This cigar is one of two retail exclusive releases by Padrón Cigars in 2013 - joining the 6 x 60 Padrón TP40 (1926 Serie) that went to Tobacco Plaza in New York.

Without further adieu, let's take a closer look at the Padrón 1964 Anniversary - Draper's 125 Anniversary Edition Natural and see what this cigar brings to the table.

Blend Profile

The Padrón 1964 Anniversary line consists is a Nicaraguan puro.  This is true for both the Natural and Maduro lines.  The  Padrón 1964 Anniversary - Draper's 125 Anniversary Edition Natural shares a similar blend composition to the rest of the Padrón line. 

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan

Vitolas Available

There have been many vitolas in the Padrón 1964 Anniversary line.  Except for the Draper's release, all of these are box-press vitolas.  The Padrón 1964 Anniversary - Draper's 125 Anniversary Edition Natural is a rounded 6 x 46 corona gorda.  The line already does feature a box-press 6 x 46 corona gorda called the Monarca.

For historical reasons, we list the vitolas of the Padrón 1964 Anniversary line:

Draper's 125th Anniversary: 6 x 46 (Rounded - retail exclusive)
"A": 8 1/4 x 50
Diplomatico: 7 x 50
Piramade 6 7/8 x 42 x 52
Monarca: 6 1/2 x 46
Superior 6 1/2 x 42
Torpedo: 6 x 52
Imperial: 6 x 54
Corona: 6 x 42
Exclusivo: 5.5 x 50
Principe: 4 1/2 x 46
SI: 6 x 60 (Smoke Inn Exclusive)
No. 4: 6 x 60

There were 100 boxes each of the Padrón 1964 Anniversary - Draper's 125 Anniversary Edition Natural and Maduro made.

Appearance

The Padrón 1964 Anniversary - Draper's 125 Anniversary Edition Natural has a medium brown/brown bag color to it.   The wrapper is not very oily or very silky.  It has a slightly bumpy surface to it.  There are a couple of visible veins and the wrapper seams are visible upon close inspection.

There are two bands on the Padrón 1964 Anniversary - Draper's 125 Anniversary Edition for both the Natural and Maduro.  These bands are identical to what are found on the rest of the Padrón 1964 Anniversary series.  The first band has the circular maroon and gold Padrón 1964 logo surrounded by a ivory circle.  Gold and ivory horizontal stripes moving away from the circle create almost a "pseudo band on the band".  Sitting on the stripes to the left of the circle is the text "IMPORTED" in gold font.  To the right of the circle is the text "HAND MADE" also in gold and sitting on stripes. 

The second band has a white and grayish color scheme.  It rests just under the first band and serves as a band of authenticity for the Padrón cigars - which are often subject to counterfeiting.  It features the scripted Padron logo in gray and the text "AUTHENTICITY GUARANTEED BY JOSE O PADRÓN" in a gold(ish) font - all sitting on an ivory background.  Each Padrón 1964 Anniversary has a unique serial number located on that second band in black font.  My serial number was 252282.

Preparation for the Cigar Experience

For my smoke of the Padrón 1964 Natural Draper's edition, I went with my usual choice of a straight cut to remove the cap.  After the cap was successfully clipped, I commenced with the pre-light draw.  The dry draw notes were on the bolder side - especially for a pre-light draw.   These notes seemed bolder than the Padrón 1964.  The dry draw flavors were a combination of natural tobacco, floral, and pepper.  Overall this was a satisfactory pre-light draw.  At this point, I was ready to light up the  Padrón 1964 Natural Draper's edition and see what the overall smoking experience would deliver.

Flavor Profile

The start to the Padrón 1964 Anniversary - Draper's 125 Anniversary Edition Natural provided a shot of pepper to start.  As the pepper subsied, it was joined by natural tobacco, cedar, and citrus notes.    While the pepper subsided, the pepper would still be a prominent factor during the smoking experience.      The retro-hale was peppery, but also had some cedar notes mixed in. During the first half of the cigar experience the pepper and natural tobacco were the primary flavors while the citrus and cedar notes were secondary.

During the second half, the pepper seemed to increase. This wasn't a large increase, and it didn't turn the Padrón 1964 Anniversary - Draper's 125 Anniversary Edition Natural into a pepper bomb, however it did have a spicy kick to it.  The other flavors from the first half were still present right until the end.  Padrón 1964 Natural Draper's edition closed out with a nub that was firm to the touch and cool in temperature.

Burn and Draw

There might be a different shape to the Padrón 1964 Anniversary - Draper's 125 Anniversary Edition Natural compared to the rest of the 1964 line, but it still shares in the line's excellent construction.  This construction is reflected in both the burn and draw attributes of the cigar.  The burn line remained straight from start to finish - requiring minimal touch-ups.  The resulting ash was firm.   The ash was white in color with a little salt and pepper coloring mixed in.  The burn rate and burn temperature were both ideal.

The draw was excellent as well.  It had a touch of resistance on it - and this makes for an ideal draw in my book.  This made the Padrón 1964 Anniversary - Draper's 125 Anniversary Edition Natural a low maintenance cigar to puff on.

Strength and Body

From a strength perspective, I didn't find a huge difference between the Padrón 1964 Natural Draper's edition and the 1964 line as a whole.  I found the Padrón 1964 Draper's edition to be a medium to full strength cigar experience from start to finish.  As for the depth of the flavors, the Draper's cigar had some of the deepest flavors I've seen from this line.  I assessed the Padrón 1964 Draper's edition to be a full-bodied cigar.  When it came to looking at strength vs. body on the Padrón 1964 Anniversary - Draper's 125 Anniversary Edition Natural, the edge definitely went to the body attribute.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to the Padrón 1964 Anniversary line, I've always felt the maduro has the edge over the natural.  With the case of the Padrón 1964 Natural Draper's edition, this is a nice smoking experience.  The rounded version compared to the box-press provides a nice alternative and a nice change of pace.  While I still give the box-press vitolas an edge here, this still shows the blend can work in a rounded vitola.   I've never found the Padrón 1964 Natural to be an overly complex cigar and the Draper's edition didn't change this.  Still this is a cigar I'd encourage many to try this cigar.  This is a cigar I'd definitely recommend to experienced cigar enthusiasts and definitely Padrón cigar enthusiasts.   Novices may still find this cigar is a little too much for them, but I wouldn't discourage one from smoking it.  As for myself, change of pace is key here.  I wouldn't make this the first Padrón I'd reach for, but one I would smoke from time to time.

Summary

Burn: Excellent
Draw: Excellent
Complexity: Low
Strength: Medium to Full
Body: Full
Finish: Excellent
Assessment: Nice to Have
Score: 89

Source: These cigars are only available through W. Curtis Draper tobacconists.  The cigars for this assessment were gifted to me by a friend.

News: Espinosa Cigars to Launch Limited Edition Broadleaf 601 La Bomba

Erik Espinosa of Espinosa Cigars was a guest on the 5/18/13 edition of Kiss My Ash Radio and indicated he will be launching a Broadleaf Maduro wrapper version of the 601 La Bomba cigar. The cigar will be launched at the 2013 IPCPR Trade Show.

Espinosa indicated the Broadleaf version of the 601 La Bomba would be a limited production run of 2000 boxes due to availability of the tobacco being used for the wrapper.   The cigar will be launched in one size - a 6 1/2 x 54.  The cigar will also feature the trademark long pig-tail fuse that the core 601 La Bomba line has.

The 601 La Bomba line was originally part of the EO Brands portfolio  It was introduced back in 2011.  Last year, the EO Brands company was (amicably) dissolved. The principal partners Erik Espinosa and Eddie Ortega would go on to form their own companies.  Espinosa would form Espinosa Cigars and as a part of the split would inherit the 601 (as well as the Murcielago and Mi Barrio lines).  Espinosa would also go on to purchase his own factory, La Zona - and the 601 line would be made there.  

The core 601 La Bomba line is a Nicaraguan puro that features a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper.  Earlier this year, Espinosa Cigars added a fifth vitola - a 7 x 70 vitola called the F-Bomb.

News: Quesada Oktoberfest and Tres Reynas (3 Reynas) to Return in 2013 with Line Extensions

Quesada Oktoberfest 2011 

Terence Reilly of S.A.G. Imports was a guest on the 5/18 Edition of Kiss My Ash Radio and said that the Quesada Oktoberfest and the Tres Reynas will be returning in 2013.  Both cigars will be showcased at the 2013 IPCPR Trade Show.

The original Oktoberfest was launched at the  2011 IPCPR Trade Show.  The idea behind the Oktoberfest was to find a cigar that can be paired with malt liquor (aka beer). The Quesada Oktoberfest is a Dominican puro.  It is highlighted by a very thick and oily wrapper from the cibao valley in the Dominican Republic.  The Oktoberfest was launched in two sizes, and was expanded to five sizes in 2012.  Reilly said the Oktoberfest 2013 will now have a sixth size and that the five other sizes would be returning as well.  Reilly mentioned the cigar is a "smaller ring" and that details would be forthcoming.

Reilly also mentioned that Tres Reynas (3 Reynas) will be returning. The cigar's blend consists of a Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper over a Nicaraguan filler and binder.  The three sizes launched in 2012 will be returning with the addition of a corona vitola.  The Tres Reynas Cigar is a joint project between two of the iconic families in the cigar business - the Quesadas and the Garcias.  In particular it was the daughters of the family, Patricia and Raquel Quesada (S.A.G. Imports) and Janny Garcia of My Father Cigars that spearheaded the project.  The cigar is made at the Garcia's My Father Cigars factory and S.A.G. Imports handles the distribution.

Tres Reynas 2012

The Quesada Oktoberfest 2011 and Tres Reynas both scored a 91 on Cigar Coop.  Both of these cigars have been limited production run cigars.

Reilly also said to Kiss My Ash Radio host, Abe Dababneh. "Some other things you are aware of" are also coming.  Several months ago, Smoke Inn Cigars, the company that Dababneh is a proprietor of as well as Quesada Cigars indicated the seventh installment of Smoke Inn's exclusive MicroBlend series would be coming from MATASA (the factory that makes Quesada).