Info:
Over the year (almost) that I have been writing for SOTR, I have reviewed a few cigars made exclusively for Famous Smoke Shop. So far, they have all done pretty well. Today, we have The Judge Blind Justice (robusto), which is made for FSS by Jesus Fuego. It was released at the end of last year.
The Judge comes in 5 different vitolas and ranges from about $4.25-$7.00 a stick. While the wrapper info and country of origin (Honduras) was available, all I could find on the binder and filler is that it consists of tobacco from four nations.
Having smoked a few other J. Fuego cigars and liked them, I was looking forward to trying this one out. Thankfully, we got a sample from Famous so I could do just that. We are very grateful for the sample from Famous, but it as no bearing on the rating.
Looks:
The J. Fuego The Judge looks pretty rugged but also well crafted. It sports a dark chocolate wrapper that has slight variations in color over the surface. There are several veins but the seams are smooth. It does look well packed at the foot.
The band, in my opinion, does not really do the cigar any favors. I feel that it is a bit cheesy, with a guy smoking a cigar and pointing a revolver at you against a red background. Though the artwork matches the name and impression they are trying to make, it comes off as corny to me. I prefer something a little classier, but hey, bands are only truly important to the actual smoking of a cigar when they are hard to remove and damage the wrapper. This one was easy to remove so I was pleased with that.
Function:
The Judge feels like it looks, pretty smooth and silky but a little bumpy too. After squeezing it, I determine that it is well packed, almost a little stiff. I hope that this doesn’t present any issues with the draw.
Off the foot, I get some nice molasses and hay notes. The barrel gets even better with some cocoa and molasses.
After clipping the cap, I test the draw. The airflow is pretty good, but a little tight. I pick up some earth, hay, and molasses notes.
Smoking:
The Judge lights up easily and evenly. I don’t have to tend to it at all while smoking. That is always a good thing.
Like on the prelight, the draw is a bit tight, but not problematic. Fortunately, the draw opens up more by the halfway point, moving it into the “good draw” category. I think it was packed just a hair too much.
The ash is the only thing that presents any problems. It is flaky and has a big split in the middle of it. In spite of that, it holds on quite well. It held on for one inch, which was impressive considering how it looked.
Flavor:
I would say the J. Fuego The Judge has passed the other tests with decent to flying colors. Now it is time to deliver the ultimate verdict: how does it taste? I’m sorry for that; I’ll show myself out. The first third begins with some earth, cocoa, and tangy notes. There is a mild black pepper on the finish that is considerably stronger on the retrohale. Some molasses and wood come into play about the middle of this section and continue to build.
The next third presents more of the same but less tangy. The pepper is getting stronger on the retrohale. It is also getting sweeter, with molasses and caramel. In the final third, there is more wood than before. The cocoa has vanished, but the sweetness is still very present. The cigar finishes with mostly wood and sweetness.
The J. Fuego The Judge was medium-full in both flavor and strength. It wasn’t overly complex, but had very nice flavors that varied enough to be interesting. Total smoke time was right at 1 hour 30 minutes.
Would I Buy It Again?
Yes! It is a great cigar for the price.
Is It An Everyday Smoke?
Yes.
Would I Buy a Box?
Possibly. I would definitely get a 10 pack.
Conclusion
The J. Fuego The Judge is one of the cigars that can be found on Cigar Monster quite frequently for under $20 per 5-pack. I feel like that is a real bargain. This cigar is definitely high quality and worth more than they are charging for them. If you are a fan of cigars in the medium-full range that have a nice mix of earthy, spicy, and sweet flavors, you really should give this one a try.
