Johnny-O Corona Gorda
 

Johnny-O Corona Gorda

http://i305.photobucket.com/albums/n...2/359f3db7.jpg

These have quite the story. There is minimal info on these but from what I can gather and what I have been told, there is a guy in Florida (probably goes by Johnny) that farms his own tobacco, rolls the cigars, and sells them locally. No bands, no boxes, just bundles of 25 and comes in various vitolas. Some call them Cubans made in America. Sort of an ugly wrapper. Had some spots on it, some veins, but looked OK overall.

I need to sample more (I have 11-12 left so no issue there) because I think these were slightly over-humidified. I felt it when I was cutting it and the draw was slightly tight. I thought about dry boxing it for a few hours outside, but i'm far too impatient.

The flavors remind me of an opus. These pack a punch. I can taste a deep earthy flavor with a bit of clove mixed in. There are some spices in here that i can't identify yet. Something that sweetens it up, but I can't put my finger on it. The flavors really don't change too much. I'm not sure how old they are or what, but I'm sure they will age very nicely over time. I think with time, the flavors will mellow out and not be as in your face strong.

The burn was great all the way through, no issues there. The ask is white and thick as can be and each puff provided a ton of smoke.

I will sit on them to rest in my humidor for a couple months before I sample again, but these are definitely worth trying to find.

Re: Johnny-O Corona Gorda
 

Cubans made in America. I have never heard of that term. What makes them Cuban? Is John Cuban? Does he get the tobacco in Cuba and roll them here? I love hearing stories about J-O!

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I have smoked a handful of Johnny-Os now and I have to say, these might be the most inconsistent "cc" if you wanna call it that, I have ever had. They are not terrible, but not good either. Would I buy more? No, I rather buy JLPs.

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In my experience, J-O!s smoke the best when they are fresh. After 6 months, put them away from a year or so. I just did an experiment and I have found these to be out of this world with 2+ years on them. Not so good with a little less than a year or a little more than that.

Smoke these fresh!!!!

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Been reading a lot about these...all with mixed reviews. :confused:

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Custom rolls are from what I hear very hit or miss. I've enjoyed the ones I had in my possession.
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:tpd:

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The custom rolled I have and have smoked have always been better when the were on the moist side of things. I keep mine wrapped while in storage and they seem to smoke great. Perhaps these are in the same category ;)

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Not a big fan. :2

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Johnny O's are at the low end of the spectrum of "custom rolls" As with any of the customs out there the key is the tobacco available to the roller. These cannot be compared with premium custom rolls like La China's, Taboada's, Cueto's or any of the LCDH rollers. But I think they compare with many of the customs you see rolled for other shops outside Cuba. :2

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Johnny O's are just okay IMO, nothing spectacular. :2

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Had my first, a MAG47, and thought it was a tasty treat. I am not great at pulling out flavors, but it was spicy and sweet, great draw and burn. If I had space and the same sticks were available, I'd buy a bundle in a heartbeat.

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Would love to know how these are Cubans.
I understand they are rolled in Miami, the capital of purported Cuban cigars found on many corners, brought by a friend of a friend screwing a friend of the manager of the factory.
Home of the $150 box of supposed Cohibas.
That said, if rolled in Miami, how many believe bundles of Cuban tobacco are just conveniently being dropped on Collins Ave., along with the Cuban exiles?
How does one suppose that prized tobacco gets here?
I think they are about as Cuban as Al Pacino playing Tony Montana.

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The smokers from Cuba have a strong preference for fresh cigars, so I can understand how a Cuban cigar roller/producer in Miami would make cigars to be smoked immediately.

I love them fresh and bitey, but when smoking them, they are more casual smoke. A fresh cigar is not the event, but rather a compliment to it.

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Could not care less if they are Cuban..... I don't enjoy a smoke more or less related to where someone said it came from....

That said, as far as how bundles of Cuban tobacco gets to Collins Ave, I would guess the same way cigars get into BOTL's mailboxes.... If there is a will, chances are that the way is not that hard....

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Well, I would personally care to know if Cuban or not as that is what they are purported to be and that is the product I am expecting. Would you buy boxes of Cubans, risk shipment to your home, and not care what was in it? If they were supposed to be "who cares", that would be different.

As it relates to how they get to Collins v. cigars in your mailbox, two vastly different concepts here that can't be related.
One involves a box or two of cigars in a discrete package.
Have you ever seen a bundle of tobacco? Like to see how that will fit in a mailbox and just how dumb one expects our Homeland department to be.

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Carlos, I have had a number of JO's and none of them made me think Cuban. Frankly, I don't think they are and can't be convinced unless I travel with the baccy from Cuba to the states to the roller to my hand. And that won't happen so JO's are off my radar entirely as I think they are total waste of money. It seems they are shrouded in mystery as nobody seems to know the real story on these and that bothers me. I have heard more than a couple of stories. Too many red flags.

They make me think Dominican. And not a good Dominican.

:2

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Chu want to go to war, Mang? Chu better watch it, cockaroach.


:r

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Not to hijack....but

Point #1-
There is no risk in shipment, so you are really just talking taste....correct? As far as I know, these are legal cigars rolled in the United States with tobacco leafs from who knows where. I had a tasty cigar....if it is actually Cuban tobacco, great....if not, great.... Again, could not care less....as I am very satisfied with the product and would buy again. I honestly didn't come in with the thought that I need to be buying Cuban tobacco or I am going to be fired up. I did not expect them to arrive with a Habanos stamp or whatever.

I had the opportunity to pick up some US rolled cigars that could be tasty, at a nice price and I pulled the trigger. In the end, I don't have some hang up that if I am smoking anything other than Cuban tobacco, I am smoking inferior product. I buy cigars to try and if I like them, I try to buy more... I don't care where the leaf was grown.

I guess, in conclusion on this point... Someone could tell me that they were going to give me an unlimited amount of unbanded Cuban leaf cigars that were 100% authentic, but rolled in the United States. When I smoked said cigars, I thought they were great and was pleased. I don't want testing on the leaf to confirm the soil it came from...I smoke it for what it is....rolled up leafs that we call a cigar. People can call it whatever the Hell they want....I'll call it a nice cigar.

If someone likes a cigar, but changes their mind after finding out where it was grown, or they think a cigar is average and the it becomes better, after finding out where it was grown.....well....:sh

Point #2 -
Bundles of tobacco leave Cuba correct? Bundles of tobacco come into the USA correct? So making those bundles appear to be something other than a bundle from Cuba seem almost easy to me... I assume the leaf doesn't have small pics of Fidel that show up under black light or something....;)

I don't know....I don't deal in trade of tobacco leaf or know anything about the business. But it seems that if other shops outside of Cuba are getting leaf to do custom rolls, it would not be hard to forward that to the US for a price and do them here....as we are talking about limited numbers.

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Nope. Not legally anyway.

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I did not know that. I assumed when shops had individuals come in and roll customs at their shops, the tobacco was not smuggled out....but purchased for that purpose.

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If I am not mistaken, those, very few, rollers get to choose what tobacco they want and are limited to how much they can get. Somebody please correct me, if I am wrong.

Cuba is very protective of their tobacco because other than sugar, that is their major money maker.

Think about it, if anyone could purchase bales of Cuban tobacco we should see all kinds of brands other than the official ones being produced.

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Point #2 has been addressed for me.

Point #1, while lengthy, can be summarized as follows:
I will sell you a diamond comparable to the cost of a few boxes of cigars.
It will be presented as a flawless, high quality diamond.
You will love it, I assure you. Friends will compliment you.
It will be brilliant.
Turns out it is really a cheap, well made Cubic Zirconia.

Care to make that deal?
PM me your addy in exchange for the cigars.;)

Re: Johnny-O Corona Gorda
 

Bingo!
Reason for the first major flag on these cigars.

While lots of tobacco gets stolen and rolled in the streets, generally, very, very poor quality.

Don't see how this guy gets these.

To E.J.'s point, who cares but one really does if that is what is being purported to you.
If all followed the logic of who cares where they are from, heck, I can send you tons of boxes of fake Cuban cigars to be found in Miami, for less than $150 a box. Why buy the real thing and risk confiscation when you can buy good fakes right here at home.

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With your analogy, Cuban cigars are diamonds and non-Cubans are CZ's....just not worth as much.... Just a cheap(often costing more) replica of superior product? That is an interesting way to look at it.

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I think we are more likely to see kilos cocaine leaving before bundles of tobacco in Cuba.

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Some European cigar manufacturer get Cuban tobacco but have been for many years and most European brand cigars are short filler so they not buying the best looking leaf from the get go.

In general, very little tobacco leaves Cuba and some of that is under the Altadis umbrella.

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Frankly, I find it shocking that is what you interpreted from my analogy.

You were alluding to not caring what was in the product, as long as you liked it. You alluded to not caring if you bought Cuban and really wasn't, as long as you liked it.
I am alluding to selling you a Cubic Zirconia in lieu of a real diamond, and guarantee you will be as happy. See the similarity?
Has nothing to do with what you have translated to and that was never inferred by me in the least of ways.
You clearly don't know that I am a Padron Anniversary whore and prefer them over any Cuban on Earth.

Amazing how the English language can be construed.

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I guess I don't agree with the analogy as there is an actual financial worth to a diamond vs a CZ...

I would not care of my diamond came from Africa or Australia...placing more worth on one than the other, assuming they graded the same. If you sold me an Australian diamond and said it was from Africa, I would not feel cheated....

...and I did know you loved Padron's...:tu

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I've smoked 3-4 O's. In my opinion, they are cuban. You know that distinct smell you get when you open a box of habanos? These have the same smell in my opinion and I don't know of anything that provides the same smell.

Aside from that, you have to be willing to understand that you feel like it's a good cigar at the price you paid. You do that whether it's from Cuba, Nicaragua, the DR, etc, so I'm sure those who've enjoyed them don't reall care where they come from. Well, at least aside from those who smoke something from Cuba just to say they're smoking a Cuban. Carrying on about whether the cigar is of lesser value just because it's not Cuban is dumb IMO.

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Where does one find some? My googling is turning up no results.

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I am not sure that is what Carlos is saying. I take it that he is wondering why they are being represented as Cuban cigars when nobody can verify it and you hear more bad things than good about them.

It doesn't matter to me if somebody likes them or not but don't try to represent them as one thing and not be able to back it up. That would like a vendor trying to sell me an unbanded box-pressed cigar and telling me it's a Padron, don't worry about it.

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I recently smoked a "fresh" cazadores of his and it was one of the best cigars this year, hands down. It had more Cuban esque style to it than many of the mass produced cigars coming out of Cuba currently. I am not a fan of all of his but the cazadores rocked.

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No, it would be like a vendor telling you their house rolls were Nicaraguan tobacco, but with no evidence that it isn't really Dominican.....;)

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Some high profile Cuban rollers are given permission to leave Cuba with raw leaf.

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I'm more of the belief that if they are indeed 100% cuban tobacco, if the Johnny-O! himself ever truly revealed the exact means of how this is done, doesn't it put him at risk of having his operation at risk? Would you jeopardize letting the means used to bring the tobacco here getting into the wrong hands?

I really don't think he's rolling enough cigars to be living the high life by any means. :2

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Who says these are rolled in Miami? That's what I want to know.

It is my understanding they are rolled in Cuba. Some of the more recent batches (certain sizes) are reportedly rolled by Santos, as advertised by Johnny-O himself. He said they were rolled my a 'world famous roller' and I inquired, and he said they were rolled by Santos.

Now that may or may not be true, no idea.

All I know is that I tried a bundle of the 'shorts' reportedly rolled by Santos. Delivered they were $3.60 a piece and are PC/Mareva size, and probably the best $3.60 (and only ;):r) cigar I have had. Nice and strong, some complexity, and they change flavors from start to finish. I smoke them when washing my car or when doing something were I don't want/need to think about the cigar, or whatever.

I have had some of his cigars before, and some were very good and some were very ordinary and not enjoyable.

I am personally in the camp that does not care where they come from, some of them are good cigars at a good price, and worthy of the risk every so often.
Oh, and Carlos, I'll bring a couple for you to try for yourself next we meet (soon I hope). :tu

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just finished one of his Corona Gorda's and it was fantastic, still wet but flavors were very good, draw and burn was perfect. reminded me of a ramped up JL#1

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Seth, we shared one of the two you gave me in a PPP right after you left.
I think I can speak for Dave, Steve, Alex, my son in law, and I believe Erick was still there, that it did not taste Cuban, was tight as heck and frankly, half went to waste. Will give the other one a light over the weekend.

Re: Johnny-O Corona Gorda
 

Well, they're no Bespokes, that's for sure. :tu I have noticed some of them have tight draws, cut a bit more off next time and it might help (they have a large cap for whatever reason so you can cut them lower). I have a tough time defining "Cuban taste" regarding custom rolls, most certainly don't taste much like any of the marcas to me, but I can 'nose smoke' these whereas most fresh NC's I cannot, and they have a complexity to the flavor that I like (but are definitely rough/rustic). But I certainly can't say for 100% that they're Cuban, I enjoy them occasionally for what they are; a cheap yardgar that I enjoy from time to time, mostly while washing my wife's car. :2

:D I'll bring you something I know you'll like to celebrate your new granddaughter on Sunday.

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Better not be a Johnny O.:r

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Clear Havana!

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Here's one ...

http://www.startrip.tv/images/2007/0...vie_awards.jpg

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Now that's how you bump a thread! New users take notice :tu

Now if those Johnny-Os were made moist by Eva Mendes........

:dr

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Oh, lawd!! :xxx