Author velorok

velorok

Contributor

Velo=bicycle LoRoK=Hip hop DJ Back home in Chicago after exploring the West coast and southwestern United States for a few years. I'm a cigar-smoking, coffee-drinking, car-free bike dork father of the coolest kid in town, married to my dream girl, and I share a couch with the happiest, spazziest pit bull ever. Never met a kettlebell I didn't like, and I shave with a straight razor. Unsure whether the greatest day of my life was the birth of my son, or seeing the Cubs win the World Series.

La Barba One and Only (2018) cigar review

83%Swipe Left

La Barba One and Only Super Toro (2018)

velorok

March 26, 2019

Cigar Reviews, $10 to $15 Range, 2019

Lacking the conventional story/spin about how this cigar’s creator smokes said cigar as his personal blend; or how La Barba made this cigar to bring a specific to the market; or any of the other customary trop... Read More...

88%Pretty, pretty good

My Father La Opulencia Robusto

velorok

March 1, 2019

Cigar Reviews, $10 to $15 Range, 2019

While not making it into Cigar Dojo's top 10 list for 2018 (although the My Father La Gran Oferta was our No. 8), My Father La Opulencia—the company's 2017 offering—did take home the silver from Cigar Aficionad... Read More...

87%Slow Starter

Gran Habano S.T.K. Black Dahlia Robusto

velorok

February 12, 2019

Cigar Reviews, $8 to $10 Range, 2019

Gran Habano introduced the Black Dahlia in the spring of 2017 under the company's S.T.K. (Stay True Kid) collection. The series includes some of the brand's most popular releases in recent years, cultivating a ... Read More...

92%Gentleman’s Cigar

Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988

velorok

January 18, 2019

Cigar Reviews, $8 to $10 Range, 2019

Remember the doomsday scenario that everyone thought was coming with the whole FDA thing? How there would be no new cigars—ever? Well, Warped Cigars released three new cigars in 2018—two years after the FDA sca... Read More...

La Palina Number Series LP01 Robusto cigar review

78%Moochador

La Palina LP01 Robusto

velorok

January 15, 2019

Cigar Reviews, $8 to $10 Range, 2019

The La Palina Number Series cigars (01 & 02) were introduced at the 2017 IPCPR show. The notable factors here being that both cigars utilize Costa Rican tobacco. In the case of the 01, it’s Sumatra for the ... Read More...

87%Gallantry

Crux Epicure Maduro Toro (Pre-Release)

velorok

November 29, 2018

Cigar Reviews, $10 to $15 Range, 2018

At the 2018 IPCPR, Crux announced a new extension to the Epicure line that was to be called “Galant.” This name has since been changed to simply Epicure Maduro, due to some trademark or licensing concerns. This... Read More...

90%Blast Off!

Fratello Navetta Discovery

velorok

October 30, 2018

Cigar Reviews, $10 to $15 Range, 2018

There’s an old saying in the restaurant industry: "Want to make a million dollars opening a restaurant? Start with two million." This statement illustrates just how hard it is to translate vision into success. ... Read More...

88%Bronze Medal

La Palina Bronze Label Robusto

velorok

October 10, 2018

Cigar Reviews, $8 to $10 Range, 2018

La Palina, while being a fairly new-to-the-scene cigar brand, actually has a history that goes back to the late 1800s, when the original company founder, Sam Paley, left the Ukraine to find himself working in a... Read More...

83%No TAAnks

CAO Estelí TAA Exclusive 2018

velorok

September 28, 2018

Cigar Reviews, $8 to $10 Range, 2018

Estelí: What does that word mean to you? When it comes to the marketing people at General Cigar, it means… I'm not quite sure. The newest CAO limited release (a total of 15,000 cigars) is at least made at the S... Read More...

La Barba Primitivo corona gorda cigar review

89%Box-O-Wine

La Barba Ricochet (Primitivo) 5.75 x 46

velorok

September 17, 2018

Cigar Reviews, $8 to $10 Range, 2018

Two initial thoughts: first, does anyone else think of Hermes Conrad’s wife LaBarbara (à la Futurama) when the try to think/write/say La Barba? Second, it’s about time that, as a straight-razor shaver, I get to... Read More...

79%Reserva Blah-nc

Gilberto Oliva Reserva Blanc Corona

velorok

August 22, 2018

Cigar Reviews, $5 to $8 Range, 2018

Gilberto Oliva Reserva Blanc was announced with, and released a couple months after, the Oliva Gilberto Reserva (a sister blend wrapped in an Indonesian Sumatra wrapper). The latter cigar was reviewed back in M... Read More...

91%Velvet Hammer

Antaño Gran Reserva Presidente TAA 2018

velorok

July 24, 2018

Cigar Reviews, $10 to $15 Range, 2018

The original Joya de Nicaragua Antaño 1970 is something of an enigma. It is branded as "Antaño," meaning “yesteryear,” with the "1970" denoting the brand’s halcyon days—when Joya was the official cigar of choic... Read More...