Time for some quick cigar reviews:

Cabaiguan Guapo
I've been hoping to try some of the Tatuaje cigars, some of the highest rated and hard to find cigars, for about a year now, so a recent visit to a local cigar shop was a gold mine. They didn't have Tatuaje - honestly, they're nearly impossible to find outside of a box purchase - but they did have the newest blend from the same company. It's called a "Cabaiguan", after a small city in Cuba. It's a gorgeous cigar with a great Connecticut wrapper that looks like a Cuban Cohiba. It's mostly well constructed, though mine may have been a bit dry. (Not sure how ... it was well taken care of and stored at just under 70% humidity. I saw some other reviews that complained of the same problem, so maybe it isn't just me.) As I was feeling how packed it was, the wrapper cracked a bit in the middle, exposing the binder. Didn't hurt the smoke, just ... you'd rather have it perfect, of course. The open was a bit woody with some spice/pepper. It's not as strong as some, like the Don Pepin Cuban Classic, which just kicks you in the teeth with pepper on the open. It mellows quickly and shifts to a more creamy taste. Despite the cracks and some heavy veins, the burn was great and by midway (just past the cracks) there was a coffee note that became the strongest flavor. It rolled through floral, coffee, bread, and back to creamy as it got to the end. The wrapper unfurled a bit at about an inch to inch and a half, which is annoying, and it got a bit grassy at that stage. I think much of the flavor is in the wrapper and with the construction issues, that could be a problem if it was much worse. I really liked this cigar, far more than I expected. It's still a bit expensive ($11) for what you're getting and I still want to try the Tatuajes. Ah, someday.

Cohiba Cameroon Robusto
The Cohiba was part of a sampler a reader sent me and not one I would have picked for myself. It's known for being exceptionally strong and I found that was very true. To me, it reminded me of baseball -- in high school, about everyone had a dip and I'll admit I did it too. You knew guys were serious (or addicted) when they shifted up to Copenhagen. The stuff was pure tobacco with no flavor and as strong as it comes. A Cohiba is like that. If you get to that stage where you just need the strong stuff, the Cohiba is a nice cigar. It's consistent, well constructed, but just too much for me to really enjoy.

Nub (Cameroon and Habana)
The idea is that a cigar has a sweet spot and that by making the cigar shorter and fatter, the whole cigar becomes the sweet spot. Ok, nice idea, but the gimmick is mostly just gimmick. It's not a quick smoke as I'd expected because the volume is similar. Unfortunately, the sweet spot for this was still about an inch in and once I got there, it was like a mid-level Oliva, not bad but far from my favorite. It was decent, but I don't think the gimmick is much more than that and will fade quickly. If handed one, I'd say thanks, but I don't think I'd buy one again.

Drew Estate (Kuba Kuba, Root, Java)
Here's the problem with Drew Estate -- they're just too much. With any of them, there seems to be one flavor note that they're going for. With the Kuba Kuba, a torpedo that's too big for me, it's the cloying sweetness of the sugared cap. The cigar never overcomes that pixie stick start. It smells good, but the experience is dominated by the candied taste. The Java (made with Rocky Patel, which I am yet to find one of his I like) is almost as if it's dipped in hot chocolate mix. There's a powdery feel even and the coffee notes never overcome this. Fine cigar, though I'm still trying to figure out why people like box pressed. (Anyone?) The Root was very clean with a nice floral smell and taste, It was the most consistent of the bunch, but nothing special. I tried to like these as a change of pace, but none of them are for me.

La Aurora Preferido
Another from the sampler, I had tried a couple La Auroras before, but never their high end Preferidos. It came in a tube and had a distinct cedar smell to it. It was a very tight draw, more than I'd like, and it never really loosened up. There were a couple points where I thought I'd have to relight. I don't like long ash, but maybe that would have helped it. After an inch or so, it got kind of nutty, maybe an almond taste, but by halfway, it was mostly wood and ended with a strong cedar, much like the aroma upon opening the tube. It's a very nice cigar that would go well with a big steak and a strong Cabernet.

Romeo Y Julieta 1875
RYJ is an old Cuban brand that's shifted to the Dominican. It's very "old school" in both look and taste. It starts off very strong with a great construction and the thickest smoke I've seen. It wasn't nearly as strong as Cohiba, but stronger than the La Aurora and stronger than I'd like. It got thicker and stronger as I got further down, which I think had something to do with the small ring (thickness) on it. The biggest downside for me was that from the first puff on down, it was the same flavor notes and feel. It never changed, didn't have much beyond the woodsy, syrupy taste to notice, and by the second half, I was bored.

Ted's Handmade
Marketing isn't a priority for Ted's. Its a dumb name with poor packaging, but if you're not after a name, the smoke is solid. I double-punched it and it had a great draw. It was recommended to me as similar to Graycliff and while it wasn't, it wasn't bad and did have some of the same flavor. It's a nice mid-range, not too expensive, but I'm not looking for an "everyday" cigar myself. I have this routine now where I sit on my patio while smoking a cigar and trying to learn Spanish. Maybe I'll get a Cuban or Nicaraguan accent.

Next on my list? Some Gurkhas, some Graycliffs, and a Cuvee Rouge.