Famous Smoke's Cattivo Nero

This maduro cigar, one of the house brands marketed by Famous Smoke, was purchased in the Winter of 2005 (Jan.) and came with a huge shipment that has taken me 2+ years to go through. Most cigar smokers run through an entire box without blinking an eye, but I like to do things the Cheap Cigar way, and that is savor each and every cheap cigar (and the occasional premium cigar) in my humidor. Unfortunately, I was unable to enjoy this maduro-wrapped corona cigar. The first couple cigars I pulled out of the box (28 to a box, slide top, retails at Famous Smoke for $29.95) were harsh and bitter, nothing like their wonderful natural wrapper cousins, the Cattivo Biondo. The Cattivo Biondo was one of the most mild yet flavorful cigars that I have enjoyed. I honestly think of it as the Poor Man's Macanudo, but for about 1/3 the price and 4/3 the consistency. But back to the Cattivo Nero. What flavors came out of this cigar? Straw, no maduro sweetness, just bitterness. I could have revived a roomful of fainted people with this cigar's flavor. "To the humidor!" I thought, and so it went.

After a few months of aging, I lit one up, and again, harsh and bitter. Hmmm, looks like my cheapness is getting the best of me. This isn't even a good yard gar. "To the humidor!" And so it went.

Okay, it's 2007, more than 2 years since I last smoked this cigar. I gave away a few to people who were sponging cigars off of me, and a few more went to people I knew that had no idea what cigars meant. Wow, as a Christian, I'm not being very nice. Mu ha ha! Actually I was just giving them away to whoever wanted them. Still had a couple left in the old 100-count humidor. Lit one up, and you know, I should have expected it. Blecch!

This one is a loser from Famous Smoke.