Construction and general appearance     21/25

The LX2 looks odd, like all other Lanceros. It basically looks like a giant cigarette. The Dark Nicaraguan wrapper is covered in small black veins, along with other indiscriminant black swirls here and there. The first band That states “CAO LX2” looks aesthetically pleasing with its golden lettering and crown, and the black and grey patterning complements it well. The second band states “Fortaleza Tres” or triple strength. However the band overlaps grossly on the back, and indicator that it’s a recycled band. The foot looks well packed, and the LX2 is topped with a pig-tail cap. The cap was cut off without resistance, and I embarked on my journey with the best of hopes. The ash left behind as this cigar smokes along is light grey and rippled. The ash holds on for around and inch or so, which I suppose is impressive for its gauge.

Flavor                                                  26/30

The LX2 opens with flavors of dry wood and leather. At times the aftertaste is of rich leather, and at others it tastes of peat. After 2 inches tastes of cedar enter the initial taste from time to time. In the second third the LX2 becomes somewhat sweet, tasting a little like crème brulee, but only for a fleeting moment. Also the aftersatste in the second third is more earthy than leathery, with undertones of moss.

Smoking behavior 15/20

The draw is a little stubborn, but that could chalked up to its vitola, I suppose. The smoke is also deficient, but again I would peg that to the vitola, and not the actual LX2. The burn on the LX2 was perfect at first, sporting a nice little volcano. Halfway through the LX2 began to tunnel a little, and I was forced to correct the burn. All in all the LX2 required three relights, and the fourth sentenced it to being put down.

Uniqueness 2/5

I feel that the LX2 is not particularly outstanding in the vast world of cigars.

Cigar as a whole 17/20

Supposedly the LX2 is supposed to be CAO’s best cigar. Personally for me it was decent I suppose, it was certainly better than some other CAO’s I have had recently. Good, but not great, sums up this cigar experience. The LX2 presented it self decently in all the categories, but never particularly excelled at any of them. That being said I was somewhat impressed by the flavor in such a thin vitola.

Overall rating                                       81 /100

The LX2 lost 3 points under construction and general appearance, because I had so many relights that I started to believe the construction of the cigar was to blame. It also lost 1 additional point for a slightly unattractive wrapper. 4 points were lost in the flavor department, because while the flavor was respectable, it wasn’t incredible. Under smoking behavior all 5 points were lost due to touch up issues. Uniqueness lost its 3 points for reasons stated above. For the cigar overall, a little bit of all the grading criteria contributed to the 3 points that were lost.

Value                                                           6/10

I feel this comes across as only a mediocre buy.

Construction and General Appearance: 20/25

It’s not often that I smoke a lancero, so this slim, full-bodied offering by CAO was a pleasant encounter. The lancero is a traditional vitola that is not particularly popular in the United States, and this cigar appears to be made quite well. The gold, black, and gray gothic bands compliment the brittle and rustic appearance of a slender cigar that is capped off with a small pigtail. The burn line was generally consistent but would occasionally tunnel. A flaky, unpredictable ash also docks a point in this category.

Flavor: 26/30

The opening flavor burst with spicy notes of pepper and leather, with an aftertaste of earth and dry wood. A robust spice settled on the back of the tongue and the throat, adding a scintillating nuance to this peppery cigar. Two inches into the cigar, notes of char-grilled meat and mushrooms transformed the flavor from primarily earth tones to rather culinary tones. The strength and spice mellowed out into the second third, and by the halfway mark, I detected no traces of spice as the temporary garnished meat flavor profile transformed into that of a typical Nicaraguan smoke:  coffee, earth, and moist wood. The final third was the smoothest of the cigar, leading to a surprisingly rich, dark coffee finish. I took a few points away from this category because of the inconsistency of this cigar’s flavor profile, which ranged from garden salsa to deep forests to red meat to coffee with occasional blandness. I would call the flavors inconsistent rather than complex, but overall they were enjoyable.

Smoke: 19/20

This cigar generally produced significant clouds of smoke, but once in a while left a bit to be desired.

Uniqueness: 4/5

The CAO LX2 is not too noteworthy among the crowd of bold, primarily Nicaraguan cigars; however, I will give it credit for the couple of inches that presented the gourmet steak flavors.

Big Picture: 18/20

I don’t have too much to say about the CAO LX2. It is a solid cigar with an unpredictable flavor and good construction.

Overall Rating: 87/100

Value: 7/10

Construction and general appearance     14/25

The Rocky Patel Olde World Reserve looks like your run of the mill maduro cigar. It has a dark chocolate colored wrapper. There are virtually no veins on the Olde World, and the seams are visible, yet clean. The cap is well attached, albeit a little wrinkled. The Beige colored band is nifty, but I have always disliked how similar it looks to the decade. Now on to the foot. The foot, looks in good order with the huge exception that there is this blatantly obvious stem folding over the foot. Before I smoked the Olde World, I had to remove it. The cap was removed cleanly and left a great pre-light draw in its wake. One really important thing to mention is that this Rocky Patel is covered in dye. Just rubbing the cap with a wet finger makes my finger brown. To no surprise it makes lips, thumbs, and basically everything else I touch it with brown. The ash is incredibly ugly. It’s a disgusting black and grey color, and just falls apart here and there.

Flavor                                                  20/30

The initial flavors offered by the Olde World are of espresso and tea. The aftertaste is reminiscent of chocolate. All together though, I agree with Hadrian; the taste is rather unrefined. At times the aftertaste is of leather, and at other times, stale cigarettes. Around halfway through, the Olde World becomes empty at times. Sometimes a pleasant nutty flavor can be found however.

Smoking behavior                                 13/20

The draw offered by this cigar is exceptional, producing an ample amount of smoke and little effort to draw. The burn-line is pathetic though; its just a series of dips and waves. After my first forced ash, I saw that the Olde World was canoeing terribly. As it progressed I could see the ember burning in it, but the wrapper was unscathed. The ember was literally tunneling its way down, and I was forced to seriously touch it up.

Uniqueness                                           0/5

Rocky Patel made this cigar like The Edge. It used to be a good cigar, but the new one is totally different.

Cigar as a whole                                   10/20

It should be mentioned that this is one of the ‘new’ Olde World Reserves. At times all the Olde World Reserve offered me was brown lips—This cigar disgusts me. The only thing the Olde World has for it is that it looks average, has a good draw, and sometimes tastes okay.

Overall rating                                        58/100

I won’t bother writing here. Just don’t buy it.

Value                                                   1/10

This cigar isn’t really worth any amount of money.

Construction and General Appearance: 15/25

The RP Olde World Reserve is a deceptively beautiful cigar, complete with elegant bands and a sleek, almost black wrapper; however, like most modern RP maduros, this Olde World has a painted wrapper. Some smokers don’t mind a painted cigar, but I find it to be extremely inauthentic and tacky. I remember the old days when Rocky Patel cigars were real treats to behold. To be fair, I will acknowledge that the cut, light, and burn of the cigar were all satisfactory—but only satisfactory. The ash was a chunky, flaky mess that frequently trashed my shirt.

Flavor: 15/30

The opening flavor was an unrefined blend of espresso, chocolate, and egg whites. Spice settled immediately on the center and sides of the tongue to brighten up what was otherwise a dark flavor profile. The aftertaste was an interesting but still unrefined combination of chocolate and pepper notes. An inch into the cigar, an uncomfortable heartburn-esque spice ravaged my throat, despite the daily Prilosec I’ve taken for the past week (It does work for chronic heartburn, by the way.). The aroma presented an extravagant scent of coffee and motor oil.  The second third introduced notes of cinnamon—a pleasant addition to the rough flavor profile. Once in a while, I was pleased with the Olde World’s flavor, but far more often it was repelling.

Smoke: 16/20

The Olde World’s draw is extremely open. As a buddy of mine would say, “I could run a marathon and breathe through this cigar.” When I wasn’t working through multiple re-lights and touch-ups, the Olde World produced voluminous smoke with a clean draw.

Uniqueness: 0/5

I taste little—if any—difference between this cigar and the modern Edge. I wish Rocky Patel would make quality cigars again.

Big Picture: 8/20

I can’t say enough how much I wish Rocky Patel would return to his old blends and superior construction. This Olde World was a waste of time and money. An unrefined flavor, an inconsistent burn, and a painted wrapper make this cigar an embarrassment to any connoisseur’s humidor.

Overall Rating: 54/100

Value: 0/10