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Page 1 of 2  Tasting and grading two show-business brands!Los Angeles, September 8 – There’s no business like show business and cigars are not immune. Two companies – National Honey Almond and Today’s Trendz – have introduced new brands in the past couple of years which come straight from the movies . . . or are pretty close: We tried them both and were quite surprised. The Good, Bad & Ugly – Dark: [Nicaragua: available in 3 sizes] The Good Bad & Ugly series includes three different versions: a Habano style with a Nicaraguan wrapper; the Dark, featuring an Indonesian wrapper and the Valient, with an Ecuadorian-grown wrapper. All are value-priced cigars that are more than worth the price. The Dark is promoted as a mild-to-medium-bodied cigar, but it’s actually a bit of a mouth filler and could be classed in the medium-to-full category. It has a toasty and spicy aroma and burns evenly with an excellent draw. The flavor has notes of cream and sweetness, with very lightly spiced finish that’s quite pleasant. There’s also some depth to the blend, with an earthy undertone that can be somewhat rich. The taste stays consistent, but it isn’t especially bold and never overpowering. That makes it a good candidate for a daytime smoke and at retail prices of just $2.50 (not including local sales or tobacco taxes), it’s a spectacular value. All three sizes are offered in rustic-looking chests of 50 cigars each. Overall grade: A-: Excellent. The Good, Bad & Ugly – Valient: [Nicaragua: available in 3 sizes] The Valient is easy to identify thanks to a special band on the foot of each cigar. It’s full-bodied but also quite gentle, with a spicy aroma and a creamy, lightly caramelized taste. There’s a medium finish that’s also pleasant and sweet. This is a fun cigar to smoke, thanks to its excellent construction and even burn. It’s consistent and straightforward, and the cream and caramel highlights continue right through the end. There’s a pleasant note of spice that you’ll feel on the throat just near the end. |
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Did you know?
“Although introduced by Robert Levin of Holt's, Ashton cigars are named for British pipemaker William Ashton Taylor.
