Gran Habano 'Gran Reserva #5' 2010. 6x50. Nice build with straight lines and smoothed veins. Cedar wrapped. V-cut was flawless. Light took a minute but wasn't a issue. Medium draw pre- and post-flame. 

First third was oak, leather, roasted leaf. Second third adds earthy, herbal notes, almond, mild ground spice, with a creamy mouthfeel. Final third is smooth herbal, soft wood, round and nutty on the exhale. Ash is mostly marbled but with some dark spots. Burn was slightly uneven through the midpoint, requiring some touch-ups.

This was an excellent cigar, a well-aged, big smoke with a myriad of bold flavors. The construction was excellent, with a perfect cut and packed fill that needed more flame but was worth the extra attention for its dense draws of flavor. The complex taste roamed continually down the stick, with nice round, mild notes supporting a big earthy leaf expression. Not a perfect cigar, but its strengths more than make up for its shortcomings. Well recommended, if you can find it.

From the company:

"Gran Reserva is back - bigger and bolder than ever. Gran Habano Gran Reserva #5 2010 continues the tradition of the well-aged Gran Habano Gran Reserva line. This version was rolled three years ago - back in 2010 - using a rich blend of vintage tobaccos aged 7 to 8 years prior. But what's most different about this installment is the strength, a full-bodied handmade with plenty of power. Additionally, some chunky big-ring size options are present and relatively affordable considering the healthy amount of costly vintage tobaccos rolled within.

To craft this blend, an 8-year-aged Nicaraguan Corojo wrapper, a 7-year-aged Nicaraguan binder, and an 8-year-aged all Nicaraguan long-filler blend are used. This combination offers a rich and hearty blend that's chock-full of spices, earth, espresso, and wood. Mellowed slightly by time, but still safely in the fuller-bodied spectrum, Gran Habano Gran Reserva #5 displays an elegant smoothness backed by ample flavor."

[source: cigarsinternational.com]

Drew Estate 'Undercrown Shade' Gran Toro. 6x52. Medium brown wrap. Nice build, straight lines, smoothed veins. Cut and lit well. Medium-easy draw pre- and post-light. Burn was uneven at first but was easily corrected. First half taste of almond, light wood, mild herbal. Second half is walnut, oak, earthy spice. Mouthfeel is creamy. Ash is clean and marbled well, holding two inches with ease.

This is an excellent cigar, a well balanced smoke with plenty of wood and herb notes. The draw is mostly easy, gentle, with a smooth creamy taste across. The flavor is consistent down to the band.

Undercrown is a very popular series, very much in fashion at the moment, and there's a reason for the praise. It's a hip cigar that is actually deserving of its hype. Wonderful smoke. One of the best I've had in a long while. Strongly recommended.

From the company:

"Drew Estate will be launching a new line extension to their Undercrown line – 'Undercrown Shade,' a Connecticut Shade-wrapped cigar brand that will join the original San Andres-wrapped line. The final blend is medium-bodied, lush & ultra-smooth, flavors that only a shade grown wrapper can deliver. And so it is with great bravado that we share Undercrown Shade, and the continuing story from our factory floor... Undercrown Shade marks the first release blended by Drew Estate Master Blender Willy Herrera not to fall under the Herrera Estelí brand family. Herrera’s continued involvement in blending and brand development within Drew Estate is evident with this new blend, as Herrera worked extensively with the Undercrown roller team who blended the original Undercrown line to develop this new Connecticut blend... Featuring an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper, Sumatran binder, as well as Dominican Criollo 98 and Nicaraguan Criollo & Corojo fillers, the new Undercrown Shade line will be presented in six vitolas, mirroring the San Andres-wrapped Undercrown core line that you’ve come to love."

[source: drewestate.com]

Gran Habano 'V.I.P. Natural' by George Rico. 5x50. Robusto. Medium brown wrap. Very nice build. Straight lines, some veins. Good cut. Light took a minute of roasting, but was even and clean from that point on. Medium draw pre- and post-light. Taste of mild leaf and almond wood on the first half. Second half had faint herbal flavors, toasted walnut. Perfect burn throughout. Ash was nicely marbled, mostly clean, held well nearly three inches strong. Mild, pleasant, consistent taste down to the band.

This is an excellent, well crafted cigar with mild taste coupled with notes of nut, hard wood, and faint herb. Gran Habano is one of those companies that makes fine cigars at every price point and taste. I look forward to trying the rest of their V.I.P. line. Recommended.

From the company:

"The V.I.P. is an all-around solid cigar boasting exceptional construction and balanced flavors. Available in 3 different styles. Sweet Tip: a creamy smoke with added sweetness from the sugar tipped head. Natural: a nice balance of flavor and strength. Maduro: perfect everyday smoke with earthy flavors & spice for those looking for a little bit more."
[source: ghcigars.com]

The VIP Natural has one of the best footers I've ever had in terms of burn and ash.

Gran Habano Corojo #5. 6x54. Gran Robusto. Decent construction with pronounced veins and leaf edges. Dark brown shading on the wrap. Cut well. Lighting took some time, roasting the foot several times around. Even burn across. Ash was mostly dark, clinging an inch before an easy drop. Taste on the intake included strong tobacco, pepper, walnut. On the exhale, taste was more nutty, smooth, dark woods. Though the ash was a bit more burnt that I'd like, which may have been due to storage issues, this was a fine cigar that I would try again. Recommended.

From the company:

"Gran Habano Corojo #5 is the strongest blend in the Gran Habano profile. The filler consist of Costa Rican and Nicaraguan long leaf tobaccos with a Costa Rican binder all held together by a noticeably red, flawless Nicaraguan Corojo Wrapper. The combination produces rich, full-bodied flavors for a veteran cigar smoker."

J. Fuego Gran Reserva Corojo No. 1. Nice little cigarillo, a little bigger than most. Rich marbled shade on the wrap with some veins. A touch oily.  Perfect cut and light. Draw was a bit of a strain pre-light, which followed through the first third. After that point, the draw was excellent to the band. Taste was slightly sweet on the wrap, with a rich roasted leaf taste on the intake. Halfway down, the taste dips, but has faint notes of roasted coffee. Even firm ash that held at an inch. This is a decent cigar whose draw starts out a little difficult and whose flavor drops as it burns. Not the best, but definitely not a bad way to pass 30 minutes.

From the company:

"Grand Reserva Corojo No. 1. As rich and complex as they come, this is refined smoky with a full bodied and a lot of character. The Fuego family has been in the business of growing, blending, and rolling cigars for five generations (since 1876 when J.Fuego was founded as a leaf growing company) in "El Corojo" farm, Cuba. It was in 1995 when the family migrated to Central America. In 2006, after years growing, blending and making cigars for other companies, Jesus Fuego launched "Tabacos S.A." with the release of the "J. Fuego" brand with his Natural and Gran Reserva lines. This, as a celebration of 130 years of his family in the cigar industry. Since then Tabacos S.A. has introduced the J. Fuego Delirium, the 777 brand with Maduro, Corojo and Zero lines. The Origen brand was also introduced in 2010 with great acceptation from the consumers. We are proud to offer a wide variety of flavors and prices in our cigar selection, made with tobaccos grown exclusively for Tabacos S.A. Enjoy."