Alec Bradley 'Sanctum' Gordo. 6x60. Excellent build with straight lines, smooth leaf ends, subdued veins. Medium brown wrap. Cut and lit very well. Medium draw pre- and post-light. 

First third tastes of leather, earthy spice, nutmeg, walnut, mild pepper. Creamy from the start. Round, spiced sustain with each puff. Second third continues from the first, with added roasted leaf, woods, dark herbal. Final third is smooth mild tobacco, balanced herb, some pepper, yet still creamy and rich.

Ash is clean and dense, well marbled with light gray shades. Holds two+ inches tight. Burn was even throughout with no issues and little maintenance on my part. Mouthfeel was creamy, soft smoke, rich.

This is an outstanding cigar, a great big smoke with expertly crafted balance throughout. The herbal spice is all over this stick but always underneath, supporting roasted leaf and smooth wood tones. The taste and feel is creamy and rich end to end, and the flavor profile is always pleasure as it changes. 

This is one of those cigars that does not have a "turning point." It was excellent every moment. I smoked it down to under two inches and it was a pleasure to the last puff. That's especially impressive considering the large size of the cigar. Strongly recommended.

Special thanks to CigarsCity.com for providing this cigar. They say you make a friend for life when you give someone a cigar, and you are indeed a friend to BrewSmokeBreak.com.

From the company:

"Our new introduction! The Costa Rican binder has great body, while the Colombian tobaccos add to the great aroma. Combine these tobaccos with those from select regions in Honduras and Nicaragua, and you’ll savor a four country blend that is as complex as it is unique."

[source: alecbradley.com]

"The Alec Bradley Sanctum series will delight cigar aficionados with an amazingly broad spectrum of flavors and a bold, yet balanced character. Built around a blend of luxurious tobaccos from four different nations, the Alec Bradley Sanctum Gordo is at once lively, satisfying and composed. Don't miss out on this tasty jewel! 

The Alec Bradley Sanctum Gordo is a thick 6.0" x 60 cigar that is loaded with plush filler tobaccos from Colombia, Honduras and Nicaragua. A hearty Costa Rican binder leaf and a tantalizing Honduran Corojo wrapper leaf complete the plump stick to deliver a velvety hour or so excursion. 

Once the Alec Bradley Sanctum Gordo flares to life, wood, earth and spice notes ease out of a beautifully formed draw. Bursts of pepper kick up the tempo, while hints of nuts, cream and dried fruit add complexity to the medium-to-full bodied experience that finishes with a memorably rich encore. 

The Alec Bradley Sanctum Gordo is as gratifying as they come and should be in the regular rotation for anyone who likes voluptuously delicious cigars that are neither harsh nor pretentious. Available in boxes of 20 big sticks, the Alec Bradley Sanctum Gordo will prove a scrumptiously ideal after dinner smoke."

[source: cigarscity.com]

Villiger 'Cuéllar Connecticut Krēmē  Toro Gordo. 6x54. Good build, smooth veins, straight lines. Light brown wrap. Good cut and light. Medium draw pre-light, easier post-light.

First half tastes of light toasted wood, earthy spice, medium mild leaf. Second half tastes of herbal leaf, slight pepper notes. Rich aroma, creamy taste, flat herbal expression. Dense pack to the band that never compromises the draw. Ash is well marbled, holding two inches. Burn is even from end to end.

This is a fine cigar, well crafted, with nice mild tobacco taste and light herbal notes. It prides itself on being creamy, and indeed it is once you are near the midpoint. For my taste, a creamy cigar starts as such rather than build to it. Still, this was a pleasurable hour session that I would try again. Recommended.

From the company:

“Named after Diego Velazquez de Cuellar, the Spanish conquistador who visited the new world with the crew of Christopher Columbus’s second voyage in 1493. Villiger Cigars North America has developed a luxurious brand Cuellar, the name is a tribute to the historic explorer. Cuellar combined the complex 1998 Cuban seed criollo from Jose ‘Jochi’ Blanco’s private farm in Jacagua Domician Republic. The cigar is blended with only the best Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper in order to make it a fabulously silky smooth to create a creamy smoking experience. Jochi Blano has inspired the creation of many top-notch premium cigars and has won impressive awards. He has created a stellar success with the creation of our new Cuellar cigar. This mellow smoke is absolutely exceptional and perfect for the everyday smoker. The flavors will invite you along on our voyage to taste perfection, discovery, and the creativity of our heritage and rich history with aged tobaccos.”
[source: promo]

Rocky Patel 'Edge Maduro B52' Gordo. 4.5x60. Good construction with mostly straight lines, subdued veins. Dark brown with charred spots. Wrap is heavily sweated and nicely oily. Cut well. Lighting took a couple of minutes of gentle roasting. Medium draw pre- and post-flame, becoming a touch easier mid way down.

First half tastes of black pepper, cocoa powder, cedar. The tobacco flavor is roasty, bitter on the back end. Second half tastes of leather, sweet woodsy spice, herbal notes, dark fruit. The tastes becomes creamy going down the stick, and the spice profile becomes more pronounced.

Burn was quite uneven at first, but was corrected by the second third. Ash was marbled with light and dark gray patches, not as clean as I prefer.  

This is an excellent cigar, but one not meant for beginners. It is aggressive on all fronts, including its taste, mouthfeel, length of smoke, immense draw, and sweaty charred maduro wrap. If you like bold cigars with strong tobacco and spice flavor, you will surely love this big cigar. Highly recommended.

Full Disclosure: I smoked this cigar with goblets of barleywine on a mostly empty stomach. This is a rookie move, particularly for someone that has been enjoying cigars and beer for decades. The evening did not end well for me, to put it mildly. Learn from my mistake! Have a fine full meal before lighting up the B52. You can thank me later.

From the company:

"Edge Maduro. The Edge remains the hottest and bestselling cigar in the country. Wonder why? Consistency! Consistency! Consistency! Rich flavor, complexity and value make this one of the greatest selling brands ever. Full-bodied and full-flavored is an understatement."

[source: rockypatel.com]

"According to the man himself, Rocky Patel Edge B52s were made to accommodate the man who wants that big taste but doesn’t have a whole lot of time. They’re short (4 ½ inches) and stout, but no less flavorful and intense than their full-height counterparts. It’s the Edge experience you know and love...miniaturized. Rocky Patel Edge B52s come with your choice of wrapper leaf: a dark, oily maduro or an ultra-robust Corojo. In both cases, the double binder duo hails from Nicaragua and Honduras, and the filler is top secret. One thing Rocky did reveal is that the filler mix includes a dose of Panama ligero, and the overall character is medium to full in body. Flavorful, impactful, and easily enjoyed in a hurry, this is just what you need for those harsh winter months ahead."
[source: cigarsinternational.com]