Esteban Carreras '13 Years Habano' Maduro Robusto. 5x52. Excellent build with straight edges, some subdued veins. Dark roasted oily wrap with a nutty, dark herbal aroma. Cut and lit well. Pre-light draw was a little tough. Post-light draw soon became slightly easier, settling on a medium draw.

First half tastes of earth, cured light wood, cocoa powder, bitter leaf on the exhale. Second half tastes of almond wood, ground coffee, walnut, black pepper notes on the sustain. Ash was clean, light gray, holding over an inch with ease. Burn was fairly even across with little maintenance.

This is a rich, solid cigar, a maduro with a deep, roasty, earthy filler complemented by a round, balanced wrapper taste, something surely earned from its 13 years of aging. A full-bodied smoke that starts strong, but gradually evens out on the palate with a flavor profile that has several shifts in expression. Woods, dank spices, earth, coffee, raw chocolate. A wonderful afternoon smoke. Well recommended.


From the company:

"Premium Esteban Carreras Habano cigars are bold and delicious Nicaraguan puros highlighted by a seamless, 13-year old vintage Habano wrapper that’s gleaming with oil. One of the strongest blends in the popular Esteban Carreras portfolio, these powerhouse cigars, featured in five popular sizes, all boast immaculate construction, a crisp even burn, and an effortless draw. After lighting, the cigar aficionado will experience a feast of fabulous full-bodied flavors that include coffee, nuts, cinnamon, dried fruit, earth, and cocoa."

[source: jrcigars.com]

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]

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."