Cigar Review: Sardell Originals American Eagle Robusto

Fellow cigar enthusiasts, never before have I smoked a cigar whose purpose I have never endorsed more: The American Eagle by Sardell Originals! A clever design that is the original camouflaged cigar--followed by Davidoff's Recon--created entirely by hand in the Dominican Republic by cigar maker Hendrik Kelner, Jr. Portion of the sales for American Eagle cigars goes to the Semper Fi Fund (semperfifund.org) which provides financial relief for injured or critically ill veterans of our Armed Forces.

Now, at first, this cigar may strike you as something of a novelty cigar and I can assure you, I thought something very similar. The reason being is because that clever design is that the cigar wrapper appears in Woodland camouflage. This was done by taking an Ecuadorian Connecticut Natural wrapper and taking hand-cut, hand-placed pieces of Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro and CA Candela over the Natural wrapper to create the camouflaged effect.

The rest of the cigar is crafted using a Dominican binder and Dominican long-filler. Along with the superbly striking wrapper, the cigar itself is constructed quite well providing an appropriate firmness with no discernible malformations. After using my Cigar Spike to create the perfect punch, I light my cigar and once it's sufficiently going, notice that the draw is damn near close to perfect, not too hard, not too airy. As I puff away, I notice that the ash has a pretty consistent bright white ash with only a little bit of mottling; however, the ash will only cling for about an inch or so and then drops.

Truth be told, flavor-wise, I was not expecting too much out of this cigar, but it was for a good cause so I figured "what the hell!" I was, however, pleasantly surprised. The aroma of the cigar's smoke gave off something of a cedar scent with a hint of chocolate. When it came to this unique wrapper, I wanted to know if it changed the flavor as it reached different parts of the wrapper. Throughout most of the cigar, it had a spiced cedar flavor with a subtle creamy finish. I did notice on occasion as the cigar burned nearer one of the Candela wrapper portions, it became a slight bit spicier, but only ever-so-slightly. The overall flavor profile of the cigar is not complex and varies only subtly as it burns. It is not too overpowering and remained consistent throughout the whole cigar.

Overall, I enjoyed this cigar quite a bit. It was the perfect balance of a medium, light woody, and creamy flavor with a very unique wrapper design that made this cigar fun. I could easily see myself smoking this cigar while taking time off from patrols or latrine duty. To all my friends still stationed overseas and to all our proud and brave service members fighting abroad: thank you for all of your service and doing what many cannot. Come home safe!

Don't punch it, Spike it! New Cigar Spike "punch"

Hey everyone, Cigar Czar here today to bring you a new product review. I was originally introduced to this product through an email I had received. In it was a link to a page for a new type of cigar punch called the Cigar Spike. I took a look and was intrigued. I found it was a triangular piece of plastic that was sharpened at one end. To use, you simply push the sharpened end into the capped end of the cigar, then viola, you’re ready to begin smoking.

A little history on the Cigar Spike, when I asked Bryan, the creator, how the Cigar Spike was developed, I was told, “I've been involved in music for years and been smoking better cigars in the last few. Initially started making the Cigar Spikes out of my guitar player buddy’s old guitar picks for myself...then started buying a few extra picks to make them for my friends. Everybody seemed to like how they worked...so Cigar Spike was born.”

In a recent press release, they state, ““Try the new “Cigar Spike™” and it is worth a try. Unlike cutting or punching the “Spike” pierces a hole in the end of cigars creating the perfect opening for a smooth draw. The “Cigar Spike™” has several advantages over customary methods including; preventing loose tobacco from entering the user’s mouth, compact size fits easily on key chains or in wallets, never dulls like cutter blades, serves as a gauge allowing use with any size cigar and the price is lower than any other existing tool. The “Cigar Spike™” is now available in black or blue and the maker has plans for future spikes in a variety of colors and materials including gold…Don’t be surprised to see other “Cigar Spike™” related merchandise including shirts, gaming tokens and golf accessories.”

Bryan sent me a few to try, and I was impressed with how sharp they actually were. So I decided to take one for a test spin using an H. Upmann Petite Corona, I took my Cigar Spike and gently pushed about a half inch in. It created a nice clean hole and there was no debris, true to its press release. I did experience a bit of a hard draw, but wasn’t sure if it was due to the Cigar Spike, or the roll of the cigar. After smoking about half way, the draw had not eased up, so to confirm if it was an issue with the Cigar Spike or the roll, I took my trusty cutter, and cut the cap clean off, took several puffs, and the draw had not changed, indicating a problem with the cigar, not the Cigar Spike. The only thing I had noticed after cutting was that the flavor of the cigar had ‘opened up’ a little more, seemed less harsh, but that simply comes down to a flavor preference.

Overall my experience with the Cigar Spike was enjoyable. Right now they are also offering an introductory price as 3 Spikes for $2.99. If you want to learn more and see for yourself, the Cigar Spike, you can look at their website www.CigarSpike.com. Or contact them through their mailing address:

Cigar Spike, LLC
6668 Orchard Lake Road
Suite 206
West Bloomfield, Michigan 48322