Woweeeee. My head is spinning. What a cigar. I refrained from scoring this on purpose.
Appearance and construction The cigar was a hefty one with tapered ends but not a perfecto taper just a moderate slimming of the ring guage at the foot and the head. The middle was nice and plump and juicy. The construction is meaty and solid. There was not a hard or soft spot to be found. I V-clipped it and the draw was excellent. Prelight aroma and draw were uneventful. I like the fact that this cigar is unbanded. It holds up in the looks department on its own. In fact, this cigar is downright intimidating. It looks like it's going to be vicious but at the same time my mouth is watering just thinking about the smoke this thing is going to make. In fact, its very pavlovian in a way. I can't belive this is my first 11/18 because every time I see one I salivate. I guess the fact that my local shop has the balls to sell them for 13 bucks each is part of it. Thankfully this one was gifted to me. Props to Dbaranska for the chance to reveiw this baby. Back to the good stuff... The wrapper is smooth and suede-like as all camacho corojo cigars I have encoutered with miniscule veins. The wrapper has that dry appearance like its beginning to form hints of plume.
Flavor Doesn't get much better than this. The flavor was excellent. The smoke started off toasty and nutty with a creamy texture and as I hit the fat part it developed a slightly sweet slightly spiced aspect like gingerbread. It was earthy like its corojo-line couterparts but that is about where the similarities stop. Hints of leather, nutmeg, gingerbread, and cinnamon punctuate the rich luxurious tongue-coating smoke. The flavor was rich and balanced and there wasn't a trace of harshness or bitterness even down to the nub.
Smoking characteristics It lit perfect and quickly began to run. Then it tunneled a bit and by the end I had to relight 5 times. I wasn't about to put it down though. I relit it and kept on puffing. The flavor wasn't even phased by the poor burn. The smoke volume was ample. The balance of strength to flavor was perfection. This is a strong smoke but smooth. The strength doesn't hammer you. It creeps up kinda like a cuban. In fact if this was a cuban cigar I would rate its strength as medium but as it were the for an N/C this is stronger than much of what is out there now.
Overall I don't know if this is the norm for the 11/18. The main scoring is divided up into two sections. In one section this cigar hit the mark in every area and provided a flavor on par with some of the best cuban cigars I have had the pleasure of smoking. In the other section it provided one of the worst burns In recorded history. I am torn. I don't want to give this cigar a bum rap based on one review because it has SOOOO much potential. That would be like giving my last batch of BRC's a bum rap because some of the burned funny. So better yet, I will get another one and review for score based on the second one. I have to see if the phenomenal flavors exhibited in this stick are par for the course with this line. I really didn't care for camacho even as little as one month ago but they are quickly making a convert out of me. The last two I have smoked have been powerful and intoxicating. And, although I realize I got to the party kinda late I would still recommend them to any seasoned cigar smoker who hasn't tried them yet, particularly this one, the diploma and the monarca.
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Great review P...I've not tried any of the 11/18s yet, but I have enjoyed quite a few Camachos in the past, and they were terrific smokes.....I think. They usually kick my butt, and I need a nap afterword...kind of like good sex.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: rbihari,
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Nice....I send you a bad burning cigar...sorry about that...I think with these cigars (diploma line) they need about a year to settel...they are some ruff smokes....how are the other ones I sent?
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Posts: 249 | Location: Buffalo NY | Registered: July 09, 2004
I've had one in my humi for a few months. It does have a band though. I bought it as a single in the coffin box. It was pretty pricey, I think higher than the $13.00 you mentioned.
I had been putting off smoking it because I've never had a Camacho and it looks pretty gimmicky with the packaging and wierd shape. Glad to hear its got da power!
Good post as usual.
Peace.
Posts: 2085 | Location: Internet | Registered: October 08, 2004
El Prez, the regular 11/18's aren't banded (like the Diplomas), but the 11/18 Amendment and the 11/18 Liberty are banded with the Stars and Stripes Camacho band. You probably have one of those...
hey El President, if it's the Liberty, you will be in for a treat. I smoked one about a month ago and it was one of my favorite NCs yet.
Great review PMP. I had one of the normal 11/18s before, and I wasn't too impressed. Didn't compare with the Diploma. However, if they may have changed their blend a bit to the one you described, it sounds like it is a winner. I will definately have to try it again.
Eddie
Posts: 877 | Location: San Francisco, CA USA | Registered: October 15, 2003
I've only tried one of the 11/18's as well, and the experience was almost the total opposite of yours PMP. It burned well and was very nice looking, but it had ZERO flavor. It was like smoking Stoge's favorite, a Macanudo. I didn't feel like trying it again since it set me back 10 bucks. Maybe I'll have to now .
Damn Pmpimbura sounds like a doozy . Great review, sorry to hear about the burn issues cause it sounds like without them it would have been a "classic" cigar. I'd still like to give one a try.
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Posts: 2499 | Location: SoCal, USA | Registered: March 06, 2004
I have had two 11/18 recently. They were excellent. Full bodied and full of flavor. Burn was very good. They both had a band on them but not the colored band. Just a small strip that had 11/18 imprinted on it. Got them at a local shop that is very good. My cigar shop owner smokes these and recommened them to me. Wonderful treat if you have the time.
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Posts: 711 | Location: Williamsburg, Va | Registered: June 16, 2003
Oh, yeah I should have mentioned that. This cigar is a good 2 hour smoke. Even without the relights this cigar burns seriously slow. Ypu definitely get your moneys worth.
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quote:Originally posted by Idesign: I've only tried one of the 11/18's as well, and the experience was almost the total opposite of yours PMP. It burned well and was very nice looking, but it had ZERO flavor. It was like smoking Stoge's favorite, a Macanudo. I didn't feel like trying it again since it set me back 10 bucks. Maybe I'll have to now .
LMFAO!!! I just knew my homie would try to slam on me tonight.
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Posts: 4793 | Location: Texas | Registered: June 15, 2003
A liberty it is. I'm not up on th Camacho brand at all. I wanted to try one and since they went through all of the trouble packaging this thing, and since it was numbered I figured it would be a good first one to try.
It's gonna have to sit a while longer if it takes 2 hours to smoke. At least until baseball season.
Peace.
Posts: 2085 | Location: Internet | Registered: October 08, 2004
Presidente, you will enjoy this smoke. I have smoked a couple of them from different boxes and have yet to have a bad one. It is a good solid smoke, I would love to pick up 3 at this point. 1 to smoke, 1 to share and 1 to age.
Alan
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Posts: 770 | Location: Greater Boston Area | Registered: August 16, 2004
Oh, yeah I should have mentioned that. This cigar is a good 2 hour smoke. Even without the relights this cigar burns seriously slow. Ypu definitely get your moneys worth.
Damn, a 2 hr smoke . I'm not even sure I could sit still for that long .
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Posts: 2499 | Location: SoCal, USA | Registered: March 06, 2004
Allright so its not quite that long. I KNOW for a fact you smoke or smoked the Tornano 1916 Churchills Smokie. Those burn slow as hell too. If you can sit still long enough for one of those you can sit still for an 11/18. Its worth it.
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Yeah the Torano's burn loooong, had a grand corona the other day that burned twice as long as a toro from an LFD with almost double the girth. I usually only smoke Torano robustos tehy take so long.
Can anyone explain to me why they are called 11/18 and 07/05? I've never found the answer, not that I've searched that hard, but I've always wondered. I'm sure it's obvious.
. Great review, sorry to hear about the burn issues cause it sounds like without them it would have been a "classic" cigar. I'd still like to give one a try.
