Johnny O! Factory Direct Robusto Extra

[kingcohiba]

A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to stumble upon some cigars in the TSBC from Johnny O!. The cigars were "Factory Direct Robusto Extras" which were said to have a Trinidadish profile to them. I pm'd John and went back and forth with him for a few playing 20 questions with him (as I always do) about the cigars and was pleasantly surprised to find out that they wouldn't be going through the dreaded "sick stage" that lots of his other smokes do. So needless to say I ordered a bundle. Even if they would be going sick, I would have ordered them anyway. The whole bottom shelf of my humidor is nearly full of John's cigars waiting for their time to shine again. And for those of you who have not had the pleasure of having one of John's cigars with a bit of age on it, they get even better than they were when you smoke that first one out of the ziplock bag when your best friend the mail man delivers them to you!

The day they arrived I was at work, but my wife sent me a text saying I had a package from Florida! I knew it was them. I got home that evening, opened the well packaged box and found 25 very nice looking/smelling monsters weighing in at about 7 inches with a hearty 52 RG. They had a neatly applied pigtail and an unfinished foot. I'm a sucker for cigars that look like this! It was late so I had to wait until the next day to fire one up for a test drive. Wednesday came and I fired the first one up and it was indeed a great cigar. And halfway through I PM'd him and asked if he would try to get me another bundle.

This afternoon I decided to fire another up....had a couple of hours free and went outside to enjoy it. After clipping the head I found the perfect resistance and a taste of great quality tobacco. I toasted the unfinished foot and got her going a bit and got hints of dried fruit and rich tobacco. It was in between mild and medium for the first third with a nice straight burn and a medium grayish ash. The ash held on too for about an inch or so until I knocked it off.

The second third was very much like the first, except for the strength kicked up a notch. And now I was starting to get a bit of that Trinidad taste that John was telling me about. I also couldn't help but to think that it tasted very much like a Choix Supreme! Which is good news as I love the CS! I also was getting what tasted to me like that famous habanos twang. Quite often I don't detect that taste in custom rolled cigars, but I do with this one.

The final third was much like the second.... keeping the same flavors. Strength increased a little more bt didnt go beyond a good medium, and the trini/erdm flavors  remained. Burn was great throughout, no touch ups and it didn't go bitter or anything. I threw it out in the yard with about an inch left on it and came inside for some dinner!

If you see these, don't hesitate to pick some up! They're a great smoking experience and I for one am looking forward to picking up another couple of bundles at least. You get a lot of cigar for the price and I mean it when I say it was an outstanding cigar. Thanks again John!

[HabanoHam]

Excellent review brother! I might have to give these a try very soon. I smoked one of the factory direct Exquisitos last week and it was very good right out the ziploc bag also  :cool: Hopefully I can keep a few around to see how age treats them.

[perfectoman]

[b]Every extra dime I can save up I try to get as many of John's cigars as I can.  I wish I had bought more of the CE and RE pigtails in the colorado wrapper he had in the early spring of 2010.  I have only a few left.  I blew thru those pigtail shorts he also had like there was going to be a Dec 21 2012 next week! My mouth waters just thinking about them.  They seemed to be a little different blend than the stuff he has now.  Not sure if his B52's are the same blend as the shag foot RE's but those puppies are delicious also.  I picked up some of both this last spring (they certainly look the same and smell the same).  Both nice dark wraps oozing of oils.  Just a smoooooth medium style very flavorful cigar.  I haven't smoked many trini's so I wouldn't know the comparison but John's stuff puts little happy faces on my buds.

Nice review....glad you enjoyed it. :clap:

Anyone have any of those CE or RE pigtails from spring 2010 they'd like to trade for let me know and we'll see if we can't work something up.[/b] :bigup:

[LateApex]

Thanks for the review and info guys.  John makes some great stuff.

What does "factory direct" mean?

How is it that they won't have a sick period?

Thanks again,

[Knuck42]

Thx for a great review!  I've enjoyed many of John's cigars over the years.  Looking back it always seems to be the smaller RG stuff that I find blows my socks off.  One of the few examples of cinsistency in custom rolls I've ever encountered. 

[kingcohiba]

[quote author=perfectoman link=topic=9910.msg54550#msg54550 date=1308381027]
[b]Every extra dime I can save up I try to get as many of John's cigars as I can.  I wish I had bought more of the CE and RE pigtails in the colorado wrapper he had in the early spring of 2010.  I have only a few left.  I blew thru those pigtail shorts he also had like there was going to be a Dec 21 2012 next week! My mouth waters just thinking about them.   They seemed to be a little different blend than the stuff he has now.  Not sure if his B52's are the same blend as the shag foot RE's but those puppies are delicious also.  I picked up some of both this last spring (they certainly look the same and smell the same).  Both nice dark wraps oozing of oils.  Just a smoooooth medium style very flavorful cigar.  I haven't smoked many trini's so I wouldn't know the comparison but John's stuff puts little happy faces on my buds.

Nice review....glad you enjoyed it. :clap:

Anyone have any of those CE or RE pigtails from spring 2010 they'd like to trade for let me know and we'll see if we can't work something up.[/b] :bigup:
[/quote]

I too wish I had bought more of those RE pigtails from last spring. They are smokin really well right now. In fact, a buddy of mine had the pleasue of smoking one of the few I have left last night and loved it.

[kingcohiba]

[quote author=LateApex link=topic=9910.msg54558#msg54558 date=1308393741]
Thanks for the review and info guys.  John makes some great stuff.

What does "factory direct" mean?

How is it that they won't have a sick period?

Thanks again,
[/quote]

I'm not sure, maybe he had them rolled awhile back or something? But the bundle I got is quite different then what I'm used to getting from him. Not bad, just different. Almost like they have a little time on them?

As for the factory direct, I believe they were made in a factory somewhere? You would really have to ask him for specifics. I'm sure he would gladly answer your questions.

[Knuck42]

[quote]What does "factory direct" mean?[/quote]It means that if you order now you will also receive a deluxe set of Ginsu knives at no additional cost to you the valued customer!

[jimbobber]

[quote author=Knuck42 link=topic=9910.msg54641#msg54641 date=1308541499]
It means that if you order now you will also receive a deluxe set of Ginsu knives at no additional cost to you the valued customer!
[/quote]

But wait! If you pay now with a credit card, he will [i]double[/i] your order!

[perfectoman]

[quote author=kingcohiba link=topic=9910.msg54640#msg54640 date=1308541124]
I'm not sure, maybe he had them rolled awhile back or something? But the bundle I got is quite different then what I'm used to getting from him. Not bad, just different. Almost like they have a little time on them?

As for the factory direct, I believe they were made in a factory somewhere?
[/quote]

[b]A buddy of mine stopped over and we torched a couple B52's.....he never burns a cigar past a good inch and a half and he was asking me if I had a nubber! ;D
When I first got them, opened the bag and took that initial whiff I knew something was different right away.[/b]