9/18/2010
Subject:
You have the best !!!
Message:
I was introduced to your cigars during the summer of 2010 by my cousin. He had one of your samplers. I have to tell you that I fell in love with your cigars. Notably, your Panacea Red Maduro / Habano. I like the black but the red is my cigar. It is arguably the best cigar I have ever smoked. I also like your factory seconds. I live in Arlington, VA, although I am from Philadelphia, and unfortunately I am unable to buy your cigars in N. Virginia. I either buy them when I am in Philly from Monster Cigars or my cousin brings them when he visits.
I just wanted you to know that I look forward to every Panacea cigar I get the chance to smoke. I will be ordering your new green label. I am very excited to try this cigar as well.
Thank you for a wonderful product!!!
Bruce F.
Arlington, VA.
1/15/2010
Fumee World's (Heather Haddad) top Dozen Cigars of 2009:
1. Panacea RED 560- A relatively unknown cigar, I could smoke this day in and day out. That’s saying a lot because I have my choice of cigars to smoke.
2. Alec Bradley Tempus Magistrai- an oldie, but a goodie. I can’t stop loving you Tempus.
3. Torano 50th anniversary torpedo- holy cow, I love this stick. I can’t stop smoking them. It’s so much fuller than anything else Torano has done, and they did it well. Plus, a $7 price point for an anniversary cigar? Sold.
4. Los Blancos NINE Double Corona- I think I keep smoking this because I can’t quite put my finger on it. Is it strong? Medium? Chocolately? Spicy? All I know is that it’s smooth and well balanced, and I like it. Slight burn issues can be a problem on this guy, but nothing major.
5. Padron 45th- If I didn’t take price into consideration, this would be a weekly smoke for me. But I do (can’t smoke all the profits, you know), so it’s a rare treat. Not as spicy as an original Padron, but still yummy-licious.
6. 601 Green La Trabuca- another older cigar, but it’s still one of my favorites. I love to smoke this with espresso. The pairing in unimaginable.
7. Illusione Mj12 – a nice, classic Nicaraguan profile, and it comes wrapped up like a shiny, Chipotle burrito to boot. What’s not to like?
8. Tobaco Baez SF- What, a short filler? This is on my list because it’s $3. THREE DOLLARS. It’s a great cigar for the price, with a nice punch of spice during the first third. Just don’t guillotine it unless you want to snack on short filler for lunch.
9. Esteban Carreras Habano Maduro- This cigar is one of the stronger things I have smoked, and I smoke chisels for breakfast. I’ve been told I have the palate of a billy goat. Yet, this cigar can still get to me. That’s impressive. I love the spice, the larger ring gauge, and the rich flavor. But, make sure to eat first.
10. Cain Habano robusto- yeah, I like the Cain. I think the spice is nice, the price is right, and it’s aesthetically pleasing.
11. Panacea Black 560- the milder brother to the Red, this cigar has a wonderful earthiness to it, while maintaining a great draw, solid ash, and a medium flavor. A great afternoon smoke.
12. San Cristobal Seleccion del Sol- I’ve loved the flavor and spice on this guy every time I’ve had it. Unfortunately, I had serious burn problems every time I’ve smoked it. That’s why it’s last on my list. I keep hoping I’ll get one that burns right and then we’ve got something here.
tags: 2009, cigar aficionado, heather, top 12 cigars, top 25 cigars
posted in Uncategorized by Heather | 2 Comments
Cigar Inspector 5/11/09:PANACEA Red, Perfecto: read
Dog Watch Cigar radio 5/1/09:
Interview with Paul Bush: listen
Cigar Command 5/5/09:
PANACEA Black Brazilian Maduro, Torpedo
Okay, let’s kick this week off right with a cigar review. These cigars were sent to me by Paul Bush who’s just recently created his own cigar line: Panacea. Wanting to take what he calls an “old school” approach, Paul says his focus is on getting the best tobacco. Instead of focusing on pretty packaging, he wants to get back to the basics of cigar making. Let’s see how he does. The torpedo is 6×52 and the blend is made up of a Brazilian wrapper with Cuban seed ligero and seco.
Appearance: This is a good looking torpedo. It has a sharp point at its cap, and the cap is well done. The chocolate wrapper has no tooth and some slight veins with a few prominent ones. The wrap itself is visible. Overall, this looks like a good torpedo. I’m not a big fan of the band itself. It looks a little cheap to me, but I’ve said many times you can’t judge a cigar by its band. Also, band design and production can get expensive. If you’re putting all your money into the tobacco itself, it makes sense that the band isn’t the focus here.
Taste: This is a pretty straight forward stick. A mild-medium strength of a floral wood is consistent from beginning to end. While not complex, it’s pleasant. The strength starts out on the medium side, then mellows a bit, and picks back up toward the end.
Aroma: Holding the foot to my schnoz, I got a little floral cinnamon in there. The wrapper itself is a mild tobacco.
Construction: Squeezing this stick, it’s a stout one. After clipping, the draw was fantastic. While the burn wasn’t razor sharp, this stick was perfectly made. The ash was firm and held tight for a long time. I flicked the ash off the first time after I’d smoked half the cigar. I didn’t have to flick again until I put the cigar down. That’s a helluva well-made cigar if you ask me.
Overall Impression: I’m impressed. The construction of this cigar is flawless. It burns well and the ash holds well. I’d like a little more complexity, but I can pick out many sticks I smoke on a regular basis that aren’t complex. At around $6 for this stick, I think it’s a great buy.
Cigar Rating: 
Cigar Pass Administrator 4/27/09:
PANACEA Red Label Maduro (5x50)
This weekend I had the pleasure of smoking a brand new boutique cigar, called Panacea. It's made in the Dominican Republic by the Flatbed Cigar Co, who's owner is Paul Bush. I was pleasantly surprised by this cigar...
(IMG:http://www.cigarpass.com/forums/uploads/1240163091/gallery_2_478_14925.gif)
The overall construction of the cigar was excellent. There were no bumps in the tobacco, rolled nicely, cap was perfect. I snipped the end and tested the draw - it drew perfectly. Not too tight, not too loose. Pre-light flavor was primarily pure tobacco and a hint of raisin.
Proceeded to light the cigar, and again I was pleased with how easy it was to light. A quick sweep across the foot with the Blazer, and in just seconds I had a nicely glowing cherry.
(IMG:http://www.cigarpass.com/forums/uploads/1240163091/gallery_2_478_45.gif)
Some of the flavors I noticed during the first 1/3 of the cigar were slight sweetness, caramel, raisin and a hint of cocoa. More into the cigar I picked up some nutmeg/cinnamon. There were aboslutely no harsh flavors whatsoever. This is described as a "full body" cigar on Panacea's websites, however I consider it more of a medium bodied cigar, simply because I've smoked other cigars which were significantly stronger than this one. Don't take that the wrong way, that's a good thing... When someone can blend a cigar that is clean and enjoyable to smoke with nice flavor, that's what I prefer. Some of the more fuller bodied cigars I've smoked are overwhelming, and seem to have more kick than anything else. The bouquet of inticing nuances the Panacea Red Label provided will keep me going back for more.
One more thing I was impressed with was the fact that once I initially lit the cigar, I did not have to touch it up at all throughout the smoke! Almost every cigar I smoke I have to touch up, simply because it burns unevenly. The Panacea had a firm ash all the way through, and I couldn't have asked for a better burn. Not to mention it was pretty breezy outside, and the cigar still smoked remarkably well. The smoking characteristic of this cigar reminded me much of a Padron. Padrons are one of the only other cigars I can smoke without having to touch up the burn.
Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this cigar. If you haven't tried one yet, give it a try! Paul did a great job with this cigar, and it rivals many of the other well known cigar mfgr's out there. Once I make some room, I'll be buying a box (or two) of these.
(IMG:http://www.cigarpass.com/forums/uploads/1240163091/gallery_2_478_22952.gif)
To learn more about Panacea, visit their website at www.flatbedcigarcompany.com
ART is a Customer who emailed us this review:
4/27/09
PANACEA Black / Connecticut Natural
I’m always on the hunt for the ultimate Dominican filler – Connecticut wrapper cigar at a very good price. I’ve tried pricey cigars at $8 to $12, cigars seconds that boast they’re “made in the same factory as the famous name brands”, and the private label cigars that claim to be “as good as” …
I found flatbedcigars.com almost by accident. I read the cigar reviews with skepticism because you cannot believe everything you read on the web. Especially favorable reviews posted on a vendor’s site.
Still, I decided to give them a try.
I ordered the Natural Sampler, to become acquainted with the shapes & sizes, and the Toro Seconds, to compare with the Sampler “firsts”.
The cigars arrived promptly. I customarily place new cigars in my humidor for about two weeks, but I was anxious to taste my new find. I chose one of the Toro (Seconds). Rolling the cigar in my fingers, it felt very well constructed. The fill was even and the wrapper was silky. The cigar “gave and bounce back” under pressure which told me it had held its moisture even after traveling in the mail. Clearly, the cigar had been stored well. The foot was cut cleanly and the head was wrapped smoothly. The only difference between this Second and the Sampler “Firsts” was a very minor discoloration spot and a slight flare at the foot. Both wrappers were smooth & silky with a few slim leaf veins.
Getting down to business, I lit the cigar. Mellow is the first word that came to mind. The smoke was blue-grey. No harshness, no acid, no bite. Is my quest for the ultimate cigar now over? Too early to tell, I told myself.
I smoked on.
The light grey ash grew to over an inch and one half before I tapped it into the ashtray. Frankly, I was surprised it held against the high winds we were experiencing that afternoon. The cigar continued to produce ample smoke and a satisfying taste. I know nothing about identifying the subtle “woods”, the “spices”, the “flavors”; but this cigar has an intriguing taste and aroma. Speaking of which, I noticed my wife was not moving away or trying to divert the smoke as she’s done with other cigars.
I continued to smoke and the ash continued to grow without breaking off. This is a very well constructed “second”!
From start until getting to the last inch and one half took about 90 minutes. The cigar is slow burning. The taste and smoke were consistent throughout. There were no stems or veins in the filler. Quality throughout.
The next day I chose a “First” cigar from the Sampler. Nothing new or different from the “Factory Second”. Silky, smooth, mellow, and very satisfying.
I have the habit of removing the cigar band shortly after lighting the cigar. As final testimony to the expert manufacturing, the band was glued only to itself and did not adhere to the wrapper.
I’m looking forward to getting more of those Naturals and will likely try the Maduro, too.
By the way, you CAN believe some things on web. You can believe this review.
Art
Palm Beach Garden, FL
Habano Cigar Forum Review 2/27/09:
Location: Boston
Posts: 591
Panacea cigars
If you haven"t tried the Panacea cigars, I recommend that you give them a shot. It"s my opinion that Paul Bush and Flatbed Cigar Co. are putting out some excellent, affordable cigars. They carry natural and maduro lines in robusto, torpedo, toro, and perfecto vitolas. To date, I have only tried the maduro torpedo and the natural perfecto. While I normally only notice bad construction in a cigar, I must say that the perfecto that I tried recently had the best construction of any cigar that I"ve ever smoked. It was that noticeable. I"ve found them to be slightly on the mild side of medium, offer a nice flavor, and are very smooth and creamy. I did not pick up any "Domican metalic aftertaste" which can really ruin an otherwise good cigar. I didn"t find them to be overly complex, but if proper amount of rest in my humidor draws out more complexity, I will be very happy.
And yes, I did say affordable. If you go to their website ( www.flatbedcigarcompany.com ), you can check out their product & prices. If you use the coupon code "Stimulus25" at checkout, you"ll get 25% off, and shipping is free on box purchases. You can pick up a sampler of four torpedos for $20, including shipping.
Keep up the good work,
Dan
Stogie Fresh: PANACEA Perfecto review #2 1/15/2009
Score: 89.8 (100scale)
The Panacea Maduro is blended with Cuban seed seco, ligero, Olor Dominicano, and Nicaraguan tobacco, while the binder is Dominican. The wrapper is a Brazilian leaf.
The cigars are medium in price at $142 per box of 20 ($7.10 ea).
Today I pulled out yet another Panacea Maduro Perfecto. I was eager to see how these cigars are progressing, now that they have a hair over 4 and a half months of aging in my humidor. The Brazilian wrapper leaf is thick and rustic-looking. There are some bulges and bumps in the wrapper leaf as stems from the filler try to push their way to the surface.
After lighting, I am greeted with nice earthy flavors of wood, pepper spice and a sweet tang. While the flavors on the palate are sweet and almost creamy, retrohaling produces white pepper and smoked wood.
The cigar displays medium body and medium to full flavor. As a result of not being overly strong, and yet with full earthy flavors, this cigar pairs well with a dark roast coffee at any time of day. As proof, I had a Panacea yesterday with coffee and it was a great matchup. I'm enjoying today's stick with only water as refreshment.
The burn on today's stick has been exceptional. The cigar cast a firm and markedly striated ash that held on until I tapped it off at the 2-inch mark. Most of these Panacea's that I've smoked to date have had exceptional construction and burn. I will say that my stick from yesterday had a bit of a ragged burn, but overall still smoked pretty decent.
The second half of the smoke exhibited more smoky, woody and tangy flavors. With just enough spice on the retrohale to let you know it's there. I really like these stogies. A no-brainer with a good cup of coffee and an any time of the day smoke. I recommend this cigar to a wide range of taste preferences.
I'll check back on this stogie with another review in about 3 months.
~Doc
Stogie Fresh: PANACEA Perfecto review 9/24/2008.
Score: 89.4 (100 scale)
click here
Stogie Review: PANACEA Robusto Maduro, 11/21/2008
click here
Cigar Pass: PANACEA Maduro Robusto review 8/2/2008.
Score: 8.97 (10 scale)
click here
Her Humidor: Panacea Review 10/4/2008.
Robusto Natural, and Maduro Perfecto
click here
Panacea Natural is Awesome! - 09-26-2008
Today I had my first Panacea Natural and must say I loved it! I'm not normally one to have Connecticut shade wrapper by choice but I can't even tell. It is fuller bodied (med-full) and smooth with lots of flavors of spices and pepper and a hint of sweetness/vanilla. A really rounded out cigar. I highly recommend it to all that can get their hands on Panacea. For those that haven't heard of Panacea check out their site.
An American Front Porch 09-03-2008
Paul Bush has a fantastic operation with Panacea. We spoke with him this week as well (Bob and Dale turned me on the them too). Fabulous cigars! We need to do all we can in the greater cigar community to get the word out about such a great cigar.
Listen to the Flatbed Cigar Company interview:
click here
Panacea Cigars (Maduro) - 09-03-2008
From Cigar Live:
http://www.cigarlive.com/forum/showt...621#post377621
Cigar: Panacea Maduro Robusto
Wrapper: Brazilian Maduro
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Cuban seed Seco, Ligero, Olor Dominicano, and Nicaraguan Beverage: Dihydrogen monoxide (yummy)
Review Date: 8/31/2008 (based on 4 cigars)
Reviewer: AlanF
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Physical Attributes (30/35)
Look and appearance (8/10)
Dark brown, some veins, somewhat rustic, nice construction
(I happen to prefer rustic looking cigars over nice smooth wrappers. If you don’t shave a few points off.)
Scent of unlit cigar wrapper/foot (8/10)
Slightly sweet with a bit of grassy hay, very pleasant
Flavors upon first draw (5/5)
Before lighting the flavors were best described as cool and refreshing (sorry I couldn’t pick out all the tastes). Upon lighting there was a nice burst of spice and coffee.
Description of Ash (4/5)
Firm ash, light grey
Other/Misc (5/5)
Very nice aroma with a good amount of smoke.
-----------------------------------------
Smoking Experience (58/65)
Draw (10/10)
Perfect.
Burn (10/10)
Straight burn, nice dark oily band following the burn line, no relights or touch-ups needed
Flavors (30/35)
The cigar started off with some spicy and coffee flavors with a hint of cocoa. About a ½ way in I picked up a bit of molasses as the spicy flavors diminished the cocoa flavors increased. During the last 3rd the strength picked up a bit with a type of bitterness that is in a good cup of coffee or bittersweet cocoa. Throughout the cigar the body was very creamy and enjoyable.
This is definitely a medium bodied cigar.
Other/Misc (8/10)
This is a good afternoon cigar – not overpowering but not a mindless smoke either. It won’t stand up to a heavy meal but it would be a wonderful cigar to enjoy after a light lunch or sitting out on the patio contemplating life, the universe and everything. I would like to try the natural next. Highly recommended.
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FINAL SCORE: 88
Panacea Cigars - Mini Review - 07-12-2008
I recently listened to a broadcast of the DogWatch (I know, I'm behind) that carried an interview about Panacea Cigars and was impressed with what I heard. So I headed over to the Flatbed Cigar Company web site (http://flatbedcigars.com/) to see where I could purchase some. Lo and behold Fullers Pullers had them. I ordered a 5-pack of the robusto maduros.
The cigar is a beauty as is the band (see pic). It has a nice dark brown, slightly rustic wrapper with a wonderful grassy smell. I think the site description of the cigar is right on: slighty sweet with some spice and a rich creamy smoke. It was around medium in strength and not overpowering. The burn was straight and the ash hung on well. Even though it was windy out I had no burn problems and didn't have to relight. The cigar was an enjoyable smoke down to about the 1/2 inch mark where it turned slightly bitter. I think this one will age well. While the cigar won't stand up to a heavy meal, it's a great afternoon cigar to relax with out on the deck.
After I smoke a couple more, I'll write a more formal review.
I want to thank Bob and Dale for telling me about this cigar. If you like Brazilian wrapped maduros, I think you will like this one.
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