From the now famous and familiar hands of Cuban Mastermind Don Jose 'Pepin' Garcia, this limited release from house Tatuaje is perhaps the greatest stunner released this year. The wrapper is sungrown Equadorian, whereas the normal line of Cabaiguan is shadegrown. Both binder and filler are Nicaraguan.

Tastes and aromas of raw nut and pepper lead-off the batting order. The pepperiness is less than that of say Pepin's Black Label, or the Blue Label, and certainly less than found in the Tatuaje Red or Brown labels. A certain pepperiness is perhaps a signature of Pepin ... as is the nut note. This is a meaty cigar which I find to be full-bodied, and medium to full in strength. The construction is superb, and the combustion is flawless. The presentation of the unlit cigar is delectably perfect, capped with Pepin's usual Cuban triple wrap, and finished with his less used pigtail twist.

Get these while we have them - stocks are somewhat limited; how limited is not sure at this time.

They come in one size, the Guapos, which is a large robusto, at 5 ⁵/8 x 54, at 20 sticks to the box.

I rate this gem in the low 90s, say 93 or 94.

So here we are, time for another cigar review, lets try something new. J Fuego, to give a little background, was Rocky Patel's master blender and right hand man.

It started off with a nice smooth creaminess. Then it turned more earthy and woody and smooth. Toward the end, the spice kicked up and really became rich and peppery and did I mention smooth. A very complex, well-balanced cigar.

Jesus Fuego is a 3rd generation Cuban tobacco grand master. With his blend of its Corojo wrapper with a secret blend made from twenty different ingredient tobaccos grown by Nestor Plasencia it is a wonderful and enjoyable smoke. Each cigar is fermented and aged with great length & care that duplicates the old Cuban style of cigar making. Most of you that come in the shop know I never have time to sit down and enjoy my smokes, this one made me take a break, sit back and enjoy. Thanks to J. Fuego!

Camacho has just revitalized their cigars with handsome new banding and boxes to match. The inside word has it that the blends are now back on track, following poor crops of a few years ago, and they are positioning themselves to take a more prominent stand in the world of strong cigars, from the affordable El Legendario to the upper-end 11/18s, Diplomas and the super-limited Liberty, released yearly, and occasionally containing pre-Embargo Cuban tobaccos from Camacho's aged stock.

Camacho for me is a bit of a hit-or-miss cigar. I love this Coyolar, and the Liberty, and I sell more El Legendarios than needed to bring Megatron to his knees. The Coyolar is on! It is a hit every time for me, and it is a sure-hit with the people I recommend try it.

Coyolar's construction is second only to the Liberty in finesse and refinement.

A semi-dark chocolate Natural wrapper, and the bitter chocolate Dark Natural (a rare find) are aswirl with oils and finely toothy. The coloration of the wrapper is quite unique - this cigar is almost impossible to blind test because it is so recognizable.

Smells and tastes of saddle leather, freshly chewed coffee bean, and cedar flood the senses.

Perhaps the best-drawing cigar in the shop, other than the Padron Anniversarios, Coyolar rewards the smoker with copious doses of tasty smoke. All sizes share this combustion, but the super-chimney among the vitolas is the little perfecto.

Midway through the cigar a desirable bitterness like with a good porter comes through, but stays settled just below the surface.

The spiciness of the Coyolar is hard to nail down. There is a floral note coming through with the spice, almost so earthy that it smells more like wild mushrooms - morel, perhaps. Allspice, nutmeg and coriander are there, and a whiff of fennel, but jalapeno oils carry the spice forward, all kind of packaged together, there for you to sort out as your palate tells you.

Coyolar's taste is fairly consistent throughout the last two thirds of the smoke, and finishes nice. The spiciness lingers, and finally leaves the mouth with a spicy, cedary sweetness and touch of burnt orange zest which linger for some time.

Here is how I rate the vitolas:

- Perfecto 93

- Titan 91

- Robusto 90

- Super Toro 90

- Figurado (Torpedo) 90

The Emerald is wrapped in a gorgeous, oily, milk-chocolaty, Ecuadorian Sun-Grown Sumatra leaf . The first puff was like a shot of espresso in flavor and aroma with also a strong note of aged wood. During the first inch or so, the cigar was full-bodied with a hint of spice.The cigar rounds out nicely yet remains robust with hints of pepper (you all know how I love a peppery cigar). The burn and draw are nice, even from the start through the narrowed foot. Overall, the cigar is bold, yet well balanced. I would definitely recommend this cigar to any cigar smoker who truly enjoys a stronger smoke.

This little firecracker took me right back to the great Rocky tastes and smells I remember from a few years ago. At just under seven bucks I get great black pepper spiciness and raisiny dried fruit depth. I hear people speak of the 1992 being stronger and the 1990 being a bit more subtle, but for me these are really just two great medium strength, full-flavored smokes. I prefer one today, but tomorrow I might choose the other. Come get yours!

Good spice, some pepper, medium-full strength; fabulous smoke.

This blend is offered in Ecuadorian Connecticut or Habano wrapper. The Connecticut wrapper has a white pepperiness, and great strength, while the Habano wrapper yields more depth of flavor and seems a little less strong.

The Emerald is wrapped in a gorgeous, oily, milk-chocolaty, Ecuadorian Sun-Grown Sumatra leaf . The first puff was like a shot of espresso in flavor and aroma with also a strong note of aged wood. During the first inch or so, the cigar was full-bodied with a hint of spice.The cigar rounds out nicely yet remains robust with hints of pepper (you all know how I love a peppery cigar). The burn and draw are nice, even from the start through the narrowed foot. Overall, the cigar is bold, yet well balanced. I would definitely recommend this cigar to any cigar smoker who truly enjoys a stronger smoke.

This little firecracker took me right back to the great Rocky tastes and smells I remember from a few years ago. At just under seven bucks I get great black pepper spiciness and raisiny dried fruit depth. I hear people speak of the 1992 being stronger and the 1990 being a bit more subtle, but for me these are really just two great medium strength, full-flavored smokes. I prefer one today, but tomorrow I might choose the other. Come get yours!

Good spice, some pepper, medium-full strength; fabulous smoke.

This blend is offered in Ecuadorian Connecticut or Habano wrapper. The Connecticut wrapper has a white pepperiness, and great strength, while the Habano wrapper yields more depth of flavor and seems a little less strong.