NAME: C29 by Reinado Cigars 

DATE: 2-5-2023 

RATE: 92 

PRICE: $10.00 

STRENGTH: 1  2  (3)  4  5 

REVIEWER: Aaron M. Paoletta – www.lavegalounge.com 

To date, there is only 1 cigar by Reinado that has been put in my books and I believe it was in my last book. The Grand Apex Gordo 6X60. Now, the Grand Apex Gordo was sent to me by Reinado founder, Antonio Lam. The interesting part is, he reached out to me on Instagram in messenger and asked if I would review it. After I agreed, I actually told my wife that I thought it was a scam. Low and behold, a week later, 2 of them showed up at my door. 

After tasting the Apex and giving it a rating of 91, I went looking for more. Unfortunately though, at the time, Antonio did not have anything else released. Very recently though, I was strolling through Instagram and saw that he did in fact release a new cigar. This one however is a Connecticut wrapped cigar, which I really do not like and it’s called the C29. 

Normally, at this point, I try to give some background on the cigar. However, the only thing I could find is the wrapper. It has an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. The blend itself is a secret and is only known to Antonio Lam and his team. I can tell you that the tobacco in this cigar is aged at least 8 years and that the final blend was the 29th blend. Hence the name. 

Now to the cigar. The Aroma is very nice. It has nice subtle earth tones and a mild touch of coco. The wrapper itself is very, very smooth. There is not 1 vein and it looks like velvet. The dry draw is very nice and clear. It has notes of straw and cocoa, but as I light it up, I am hit with a very nice black pepper note along with some mild coco and dried figs. Half way through the 1st third the pepper dies down and a light touch of cinnamon comes in. The burn is clean and the draw is just fucking superb. As I get into the 2nd third, the cinnamon dies off, the pepper also goes on the back burner and some light bakers spice and coriander comes in to play. It is a very nice combo. And as I get to the final third, some dried berries come into the mix which rides out until the end. 

Anyone who knows me knows, I really do not like Connecticut wrapped cigars. However, I must now retract that statement. This cigar is a fucking BANGER! Such a fantastic cigar with awesome flavors and a wonderfully clear draw. I will defiantly be purchasing a box. The only thing that would make it better for me is if it was Box pressed.  

So, I went to another cigar function at The Grand Cigar lounge inside The Grand Resort in Warren, Ohio. Surprised? Ya, me neither. I do tend to travel quite extensively to every cigar event that I can get to. When you have a seriously deep passion for something, Distance is of no consequence. Anyway, This event however was different than all of the rest. Why you may ask? For one main reason! This time, My conversation was not with the Tobacconists or my guests, it was with the Blender himself. Mr. Alec Cuevas.

So, for 24 years old, this boy really has his shit together. His stories egregiously captured my attention but, I'll get to that more here in a few. Just as usual at a Grand Resort Cigar function, I parked my car, walked in past the bar, Spoke with the always courteous hostess and proceeded in to the lounge itself. After a quick chat with a few brothers of the leaf, I made my way over to Dylan and Jovan and had a quick chat with the, which is always a pleasure. After Dylan handed me a Casa Cuevas sampler pack for the night, he then mentioned to start with the Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva. Reason? It is the new blend from Alec Cuevas and the notes are very interesting but proceeded no further with any information. After that sparse conversation about the cigar, I was able to meet the Father and Son duo, Luis Cuevas Jr. and Alec Cuevas who by the way are 2 of the most personable people I've ever met.

After some quick introductions and deciduous conversation, I proceeded to my usual table and set up my cigar swag. After I was completely set up, I snipped the Casa Cuevas Sangre Nueva with my S.T Dupont duel cutter, V-cut, and took the first dry draw drag. WOW, say that 5 times fast lol, Anyway. The dry draw completely caught me off guard. I took 3 more dry drags only to taste what I thought was smoked beef jerky. By this time, Alec was walking by and I asked him if I was really tasting what I thought I was tasting. He then pulled up a seat and proceeded to have one of the most deeply mind stimulating conversations I have ever had. Topics in this conversation included: Blending process, number of blends used, Blend chosen, family history, fathers history, his history, my background and the list goes on and on. I was at this event for 3 and a half hours, 3 hours of the was spent talking with him.As for the cigar, very interesting notes. Smoked beef jerky in the dry draw, 1st third I captured notes of Smokey Oak, a mild taste of Leather, some Roasted Almonds. The 2nd third gave notes of toasted Taro Root, Pizzelles, old Figs, bakers Cocoa and a small hint of Blackberries. The final third kicked it up a notch with a blast of Red Pepper, Honey Due and a mild notation of Plantains. This was a very interesting smoke and I have never had anything like it. Just an outstanding smoke. Side note: Alec invited me down to their factory in the Dominican Republic and We will be featuring him on an Episode of my cigar show. Casa Cuevas, It was lovely to have met you, tasty fucking cigars, see you next time brothers. 

NAME: Reinado Grand Apex "Gordo"  

DATE: 8-21-2022  

RATE: 90  

PRICE: $12.50  

STRENGTH: 1  2  3  (4)  5  

REVIEWER: Aaron M. Paoletta – www.lavegalounge.com 

On July 9th, 2022, I saw a post on Instagram from Reinado Cigars. I decided to leave them a comment which said, "where can I get your cigars? I haven't had the chance to review it yet www.lavegalounge.com" Now, I leave comments like that on a lot of posts. Getting down to the point, I am a Cigar Journalist, I rate and review cigars of all brands. This is how I meet new people, Reaching out and creating a dialouge. Most of the time, 95% of the cigar companies that I leave comments to just hit the "LIKE" button and more than likely don't even read the comment. I get it, their busy and have tons of comments to sift through, however, on July 14th, 2022, as I opened my Instagram to post, I saw a message. When I opened the message tab, It was Mr Antonio Lam himself saying hello and said if I provided an address, he would send me a cigar for review as the Gordo was set to release. Feeling honored that he asked, I gave him my address and a short spell later, 2 of the Reinado Grand Apex Gordo's arrived. 

I have to say, I was tickled to pieces that he actually sent it to me. I will say, I don't reach out to these companies to get free cigars. I spend thousands of dollars annually on cigars because I love them and I enjoy tasting new cigars for review.

Anyway, I let the cigars adapt to my humidor. One I am reviewing as initial thoughts and the other will be on an episode of my cigar show. Matter of fact, August 26th, 2022 is film day for the other one. 

Today, August 21st, 2022, I sparked up the first one and holy shit, this cigar just punches you right in the teeth. Normally, the larger cigars are lacking in flavor. Not so much the flavor itself but the amount of flavor you are tasting. This cigar however, packed with flavor. 

I used a crown cut for this smoke just because its a big ring gauge. It has a Mexican San Andres wrapper along with a Nicaraguan binder and fillers. It is made at the Tabacos Valle de Jalapa S.A in Esteli Nicaragua. I have become more and more of a fan of the Mexican San Andres Wrappers and this cigar just keeps adding to the pleasure of that wrapper not to mention the nicaraguan fillers which I am a huge fan of.

The aroma of this cigar is very earthy. Some straw and dried berry's which is a wonderful scent. The dry draw is a velvety leather and Dried figs but once you light up, There is just an explosion of flavors. The 1st third produced notes of a hot mochaccino and fresh cedar chips. That held true until about half way through the first third when notes of chocolate covered raisins and a touch of fresh cracked black pepper comes into the mix.

When I got to the 2nd third, Some light espresso comes into the mix. All of these notes are just so enjoyable but part way through the second third, a smidge of nutmeg gets added. At this point, I'm just beyond impressed and my mouth continues to salivate. Once I hit the final third, The notes stayed pretty much the same with the black pepper dying off and the cigar just completely opening up to full flavor. 

I'm going to say now, This cigar has definite aging potential and I am excited to revisit it a year from now to see what flavors it has once it has had the chance to sit for a while. 

(Side Note) They donate a portion of sales to the Dementia Society of America, Which is just fantastic.

So, I attended a Cigar function at the Grand Resort in Warren, OH last night that was put on by the Oliva Cigar Company. The Oliva Cigar Rep was a gentleman named, Josh Malczak, who I had the pleasure of meeting a week prior.

He worked side by side with Jovan and dylan and the Grand Resort staff to make this night possible. So, with out further ado, Here is my professional assessment of the event.

Once you enter the Grand Resort, you head back to the lounge area and right outside, we lined up to gain entry. This event was a paid entry. The event cost was $60 plus gratuity which came out to a little over $72. Although, not the most expensive cigar event I have ever gone to, it certainly wasn't cheap. However, upon entry, all attendees received a Oliva Cigar sampler which included the Melanio V in the robusto size, the Oliva V in the churchill, the NUB Connecticut, the Master Blend in the robusto and a guillotine cutter with Oliva's name in gold. Now, I have a plethora of lighters and cutters but I love to keep receiving them as I now collect them more and more. These items are nice for the future because it reminds me of a wonderful time that I was able to share with others.

Right next to the Oliva Cigars was a local brewery from upper Ohio, The Superior Beverage Group and all though I do not drink any more, I did have a lengthy conversation with their reps about the beer and pairings with cigars. They had the Market Garden Brewery Pin High Pilsner, Shandy Lemon, Frosty Tangerine Lime Wit, Prosperity Wheat and the Hyper Haze IPA and even though I don't drink anymore, the lemon had me salivating. Now, believe it or not, it took me 45 minutes just to get in and get the chit chatting over with, (it was a wonderful 45 minutes). Once I got to my table, I lit up. I brought a well aged Oliva Melanio V. I knew they were giving us a sampler but to enjoy the night even more, I chose my own from my aging humidor. 

During the 2 hours it took me to smoke my cigar, I met the most incredible people. When I stopped and looked around the room, everyone was smoking and laughing. These are the kinds of things I look for when attending a event. I've noticed, the night is always a success when your attendees are smiling, laughing and just plain old having a great time. The cigars and beer are only a small portion of the night. The moral of the hosts is what can sway the night and in that regard, Josh, Jovan, dylan, the brewery reps and all staff of the Grand Resort absolutely killed it. When I looked around the room at all the smiling faces, It was in my professional opinion that this event was a complete success. What I enjoyed the most is Josh from Oliva and the reps from the brewery both took a few minutes at the end of the night to say their thank you's. They also discussed the products and gave some company insight. The only bad thing I could say is, next time, less sports on the TV and more Jazz music to tie it all together. (Just a personal opinion)

A job well done and I would gladly spend money to attend the next event. 

NAME: Arturo Fuente “Eye of the Shark” 

DATE: 4-29-2021 

RATE: 93 

PRICE: $23.00 

STRENGTH: 1  2  (3)  4  5 

REVIEWER: Aaron M. Paoletta – www.lavegalounge.com 

I have spent the last several years trying to track down all of the cigars that Cigar Aficionado Magazine named as their number 1. My goal is to try them all and see if I agree with their rating. Some of these sticks are extremely hard to track down and today’s stick is one of them. Brothers and Sisters of the Leaf, I present the Eye of the Shark by Arturo Fuente. 

Arturo Fuente, one of my go to cigars. Why? Its mostly due to their impeccable standards and the fact that they continuously produce fantastic quality cigars time after time. Now, this cigar is very hard to track down but, my cigar buddy, Mr. K, has a stock pile of them. Thankfully, he was willing to part ways with one. This cigar went number one in 2017 and I will say this, It is an odd cigar to have named number one. 

In typical Arturo Fuente style, the tobacco’s used in this cigar are a closely guarded secret but I can say its Dominican fillers and a Cameroon wrapper. The odd part about this cigar is not only is it box pressed, it is a square box pressed and also a torpedo. Its just an odd but interesting shape. On the box, “The man’s 80th” is printed in honor of Don Carlos. 

This cigar is a single profile flavor straight through the entire stick. It produced notes of sweet leather, a medium dark earth, a hint of nutmeg, a light splash of figs and an undertone of cedar. All in all, it was a tasty and enjoyable cigar. Not something I would have named number one but good none the less.

NAME: CAO Nicaraguan 

DATE: 5-1-2021 

RATE: 90 

PRICE: $6.50 

STRENGTH: 1  2  3  4  (5) 

REVIEWER: Aaron M. Paoletta – www.lavegalounge.com 

CAO, not a brand that I have in my book to often. Why? Well, plain and simple, I cant stand their cigars. Most of them are just “OK” and the rest are clogged, lacking in flavor…... I could go on and on, However, there was one cigar by CAO that was complete shit the first time I tried it. Then, a rep from CAO was in the local cigar shop I was in and asked me what I thought? After I answered, he gave me another. The Cigar was the Pilon and I’ll say this, it was defiantly better than the first one. After that experience, I decided to try all CAO cigars. Thank God I decided that, because I would have never had the chance to try the CAO Nicaraguan. Brothers and Sisters of the Leaf, here it is, The CAO Nicaraguan. 

Its hard to be a Cigar Journalist if you aren’t willing to test all cigars. The hard part is, you tend to start to develop a palate for certain sticks are brands. Its common. Being willing to put those feelings aside is easy to do when you get excited about cigars in general. That being said, The CAO Nicaraguan is pretty flawless from first sight and the price will not break the bank. 

Lets start with the band. Blue, basic and thin paper. Typical CAO cigar band, but what lies underneath will catch you off guard. It has a fantastic aroma with notes of earthy oak and a mild straw note. The dry draw yields the same notes and unlike most other CAO cigars, the draw itself was impeccably clear. 

So far the only thing that has me a little leery is the wrapper and that’s only because its Honduran. It has a wonderful collection of Nicaraguan fillers from Jalapa, Esteli and Condega. 

At first light, Im sold. This cigar started off fantastic, boasting notes of Roasted Almonds and a splash of wet leather. About halfway through the 1st third, there is a mild note of black pepper that comes in but this subsides as I roll into the 2nd third. Everything remains the same with the exception of the leather really does stand out and there is a hint of fresh oak. As I get through the final third, the leather is still at the for front and the cigar just reached its full strength. 

All in all, not a bad stick. I'm glad I tried it and I will say this, this would be a great golf cigar. Tasty enough to enjoy, cheap enough that if I damage it or lose it, I wont be pissed off.

NAME: Padron 1926 Maduro No. 9 

DATE: 4-22-2021 

RATE: 93 

PRICE: $21.00 

STRENGTH: 1  2  3  4  (5) 

REVIEWER: Aaron M. Paoletta – www.lavegalounge.com 

Well, it’s a cold ass Thursday night here in Western Pennsylvania and the Pittsburgh Penguins are gearing up to play the New Jersey Devils down in the Burgh. My hommie, Mr K has invited me down to see the game and this year, the Penguins have a definite chance at the cup. Obviously, I agreed to go to the game and what better way to enjoy the hour and a half drive down there, than to enjoy a Pre-Game Stogie. Well Mr. K was way ahead of me on this one. I had brought the #1 Cigar of the year, Alec Bradley Prensado but Mr. K thought ahead and brought a Padron. So, we decided to have the padron on the way down and the Prensado on the way back. Now, Brothers and Sisters of the Leaf, I present the Padron 1926 Maduro No. 9. 

Of all the Padron cigars that I have had the pleasure of having, the 50th Anniversary was the stick that truly stood out to me. However, the basic run 1926 and 1964’s are great sticks but, the 50th was something special. What I didn’t realize is I was about to be corrected. On December 3rd, 2020 I had the pleasure of smoking the Padron 50th serial num. 267528 and what a gem it was. I sighted such comments as, “The natural tobacco’s sweetness and cedar are at the for front”, “In the final third, the earthy notes dominated”, but what I didn’t realize is that both the 1926 and 1964 series have line extensions that will just blow your socks off. This stick is one of them. 

This is one beautiful looking cigar. Lets start with the wrapper, it is a deep, dark, oily and sweet smelling Nicaraguan maduro that encases a fine selection of Nicaraguan tobacco’s and binder. Remember, just like Arturo Fuente Co. there is absolutely no mention of what tobacco’s are in these cigars. Just that they are Nicaraguan. 

This stick was originally made in 2001 to celebrate Jose Padron’s 75th birthday and what a way to celebrate. The aroma is of stale straw, old cedar wood and dark earth tones. The dry draw was impeccably clear producing the same notes as of the aroma. Here is the odd part, In the 1st third, there are notes of fresh cedar chips. Why is this odd? Because the dry draw had notes of old cedar. There were also notes of star anise and a touch of baker’s spice. In the 2nd third, there is a dark oak note that joins in the mix. Amazingly, the cedar is still present as well as the star anise but as I roll into the final third, there is a overall bold sensation that permeates. You can just tell as you draw. There is an addition of a dark espresso and a slight sweet cream that enters half way through the final third. 

Overall, this is a fantastic stick and, in my opinion, tied with the pleasure I received from the 50th. What I have come to realize is, when you have a brand that produces great cigars, it doesn’t matter which line it is. You will find joy in all lines because they are expertly made.

NAME: Avalon Country Club at The Grand Resort 

DATE: 1-1-2022 

REVIEWER: Aaron M. Paoletta – www.lavegalounge.com 

First off, Happy New Year to everyone. Today is Jan 1st, 2022 and it is already starting off like shit. Not my cigar, but the weather. Warm and rainy which is giving me a headache.  Anyway, Due to the holiday, I have decided to go to a different location that is a part of the Avalon group of the Country Club that I am a member of. Why you may ask? Well first off, it is a fantastic Resort. 2, I wanted to write this review about it and 3, my club is closed for the holiday. So, without any further postponement, Brothers and Sisters of the Leaf, I present to you, Avalon Country Club at the Grand Resort in Warren, Ohio. I look forward to a nice quiet place to enjoy my daily cigar and sometimes that is hard to do. Especially in the winter months here in Pennsylvania. When I lived out in Las Vegas, NV, it was easy to escape and enjoy a fine cigar almost any day of the year but here on the East Coast, that proves to be a little difficult, and for that reason amongst many others is why I decided to join the country club. One of the perks of joining this particular group is as a member, one has access to all of the other clubs. That is a perk worth joining for. I’ll start off with this, the Lounge at the Grand Resort is just spectacular. From the moment you walk in the door, you are just engulfed with mid 1700s colonial elegance. The wood walls are a wonderful dark walnut color. A variety of different colored leather chairs. Some chairs have fabric designs on them. Some of the chairs are a plush, button back deep brown leather and a variety of antique table lamps. Dead center of the room on the south facing wall is the biggest damn TV I have ever seen in a Lounge. There is a variety of smaller TVs throughout the lounge for other viewing pleasure. On the shelves are quite a bit of duck sculptures as well as some brass cowboy and horse statuary. There is one shelf that has a decent display of cigar boxes, which is always a nice touch. In the 3 times I have been here, I have seen a core group of patrons that are some of the friendliest people I have had the pleasure of meeting. In the back of the lounge is a massive cabinet humidor that spans the entire length of the lounge. This humidor has a fantastic selection of cigars that would please cigar smokers from novice level up to the Aficionado. If you are like me, you bring your own coffee, however, the coffee menu is quite delectable. There is a bar and restaurant right outside of the lounge. The Lounge itself is attended by 2 of the most knowledgeable Tobacconists you could ever hope to run into. If you ever visit the Grand Resort, Dylan and Jovan can defiantly take care of you. All in all, If this lounge wasn’t 30 min away from my house, I would probably spend everyday here. The resort itself is lush and beautiful and the lounge is a special kind of relaxing. I highly recommend this lounge to everyone I know.

NAME: Avalon Country Club at Buhl Park 

DATE: 12-26-2021 

REVIEWER: Aaron M. Paoletta – www.lavegalounge.com 

So, something funny happened. I decided to join a Country Club. For years, I have looked down on Country Clubs and those who insist on joining them. And Yes, before you all call me a hypocrite, I understand the irony here. See, here is what happened. A good friend of mine talked me into it. I was down at his garage having my vehicle worked on and he made mention of it. He told me there was a special going on if I joined now. After chatting with him about it for a while, I consulted with my wife and decided to pull ahead with it. So, here it is. Brothers and Sisters of the Leaf, I present to you, Avalon Country club at Buhl Park in Sharon, Pennsylvania. Over the years, I have believed that country clubs were full of snobs and elitists. I was once a Chef at a country club when I lived in Las Vegas, NV and it had the most ignorant members I had ever met and the employees were bigger snobs than the members, if that tells you anything. Anyway, I came for a visit and was given a tour. Here is what I have come to realize. Country Clubs and its members are not all snobs, I just worked at a place that was like that and it gave me a bad perspective on it. 

The gentleman who showed me around could have been a little more knowledgeable but thankfully, my friend and his wife helped show me around. I’ll start with this… The grounds are beautiful. Old stone building and the grounds are kept immaculate. The interior has wonderful warm toned walls and floors. It houses a fantastic display of antiquities and old paintings. 

When you walk in the door you are instantly greeted by the host/hostess who looks like they actually enjoy their job and are not just there for a paycheck. I am specifically referring to a young lady by the name of Tori. Every question I have had since joining, she has went above and beyond to help me and get the answers. To the right of the desk is a fantastically comfortable lounge room that has a nice sized fireplace. This room connects to the Cigar lounge which is an obvious plus for me. The Cigar lounge itself is not the biggest or nicest lounge that I have ever been in, but it is warm and inviting and that is all I am looking for. It has a surprisingly good selection of Cigars that would suit any novice up to an Aficionado. 

Through the lounge you enter a restaurant where smoking is aloud considering its off of the Cigar Lounge. It is nicely spread oud with a wonderful bar and some of the most comfortable chairs I’ve ever sat in. Well, short of being in a fine dining restaurant. 

When you exit this restaurant, there is a Wine rack that rivals most restaurants that I’ve ever been in. In the wine area, there is a beautiful Piano that a piano artist plays during dinners and brunches. Past the wine area, there is a none smoking restaurant where they hold dinners and brunch and I have been to one brunch already, I love the black leather button back chairs and booths. Having been a Chef since 2001, I will state that the menu could be better. It was not bad, but lets face it, I was a Chef in 5 Diamond Resorts in Las Vegas. I know what good food is. Not to be snobby about it lol. 

When you exit the restaurant, there are banquet rooms that look wonderful and from what I could see, they can hold banquets of just about any size. Now, we head down stairs. This is where the Fitness Center is located as well as the Spa. Both of witch are great and I do intend on using both of them. Outside of this wonderful building is an 18-hole, top notch golf course and a massive park that is open to the public. Its all quite a bit to take in but after seeing it all, I can give this bit of input. People do not join this club to feel superior. They join because of the amenities and to have a place they can go to enjoy themselves where all members treat each other with respect and dignity. The staff is some of the friendliest people you could hope to meet and I would strongly recommend anyone in this area to come and join

NAME: AVO RITMO 30 years 

DATE: 4-19-2021 

RATE: 90 

PRICE: $9.75 

STRENGTH: 1  2  3  (4)  5 

REVIEWER: Aaron M. Paoletta – www.lavegalounge.com 

I have had a few sticks by AVO and the one thing that you can bet the farm on is, it’s going to be a good smoke. So far, out of all of them that I have tried, The AVO Syncro Nicaragua is perhaps my favorite. I am always searching for those good, everyday smokes and that stick goes a little farther than the “everyday smoke”. All of that being said, I will get to the Cigar of the day. Brothers and Sisters of the leaf, I give you, the AVO SYNCRO RITMO 30 year. 

Out of all of the cigars on the SYNCRO line, this cigar is just a little bit different. It has Tobaccos from 7 different countries which includes, Nicaraguan, Peruvian, Brazilian, Honduran and Dominican. The binder is Mexican and the wrapper is Ecuadorian. It is quite the cocktail of tobaccos. 

The banding on this stick is like the others in the SYNCRO line, only there are 2 on this one. No doubt to add the 30-year mark for this particular stick. Basic paper and some of the hardest glue on earth. They put so much glue on their bands, you have to damn near break the cigar to get it off. 

The aroma is just fantastic. Notes of Oak and mild Cocoa. The dry draw yields the same notes as the aroma and it is impeccably clear. I hate clogged cigars. It just ruins the whole experience. As I light this cigar, beautiful notes of charred oak hit me right off the bat. Soon after, a mild milk chocolate comes into play. As I hit the 2nd third, there is an abundance of roasted almonds that comes in to the picture. Followed by a sweetness that is just a wonderful addition. These notes stand strong all the way through the final third with the exception of a slight cedar note that appears halfway into the final third. 

All in all, this is a pretty good smoke. I’m not in love with it but I would defiantly smoke again when the time is right. As it stands, The SYNCRO Nicaraguan is still my favorite in the line.