Beer, Motorcycles and Cigars — Beer, Bikes and Butts

Man O’ War Ruination Torpedo (5.7 x 56)

I’m going to do a more detailed review of this cigar when I pair it with the Ruination IPA by Stone Brewing. Come on, it’s just too perfect. A Ruination cigar and a Ruination IPA. But, until that happens, here are my initial impressions.

I have a few of these in my humidor, but for some reason I’ve never tried one, perhaps because of the stupid name. (And yet I have no problem smoking and enjoying a My Uzi Weighs a Ton. Go figure.)

The Ruination is one of the Man O’ War line of cigars, created by AJ Fernandez. It consists of Cuban-seed Nicaraguan and Honduran long-leaf ligeros, with a Habano Ecuadorian ligero leaf wrapper. The construction was perfect, and the burn was good until near the end, when it got a little spoony. Not an issue though; a few seconds with the torch lighter straightened it right up.

The Ruination is a very flavorful and complex cigar. I liked it from the first draw, when I was met with tastes of coffee and nuts. I liked it even more as time passed, with it growing more complex and flavorful, all the while with a perfect ash and copious amounts of smoke. I have some faint recollection that I smoked another type of Man O’ War in the past, and I don’t recall being particularly impressed. If you have had a similar experience, set it aside and try the Ruination. This is an impressive cigar, earning it a 92 on The Morris Scale.

On a final note, I see other reviewers go on about the strength of this cigar. My strength meter must be broken because I did not find this to be a strong cigar at all; certainly not nearly as strong as the Nicaragua Antaño Dark Corojo Doble Fuerte I recently reviewed.

Here is how Cigar.com described the history of the Man O’ War Ruination:

“Yet another potent blend coming from Tabacalera Fernandez, Man O’ War Ruination pushes the envelope for full-bodied blends by perfectly matching strength, flavor, and body for a complex, yet balanced experience.

Man O’ War was developed by Abdel “AJ” Fernandez, a protégé of Don Alejandro Robaina, the man who is considered to be the “Godfather” of tobacco. After spending most of his life studying in Cuba under Don Alejandro, Abdel Fernandez moved to Nicaragua to begin producing his own cigars. After only 6 years, Abdel currently produces Rocky Patel’s Fusion, Indian Tabac 10th Anniversary, Padilla Habano, and Sol Cubano Cuban Cabinet.

Man O’ War Ruination features a hearty concoction of Cuban-seed Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos. Furthermore, these tobaccos are mostly ligero leaves, which add a ton of spice to the blend allowing for a bold, robust experience. The wrapper is an oily Habano Ecuadorian leaf, chosen for balance since it features nuances of black pepper with a sweet aftertaste. This blend is incredibly rich with flavors ranging from earth and leather to hints of oak. Ruination is an excellent addition to the Man O’ War line, and a must try for all fans of full-bodied, perfectly balanced blends.”

For a far more detailed review, see the excellent review by Tony Casas.

Posted on August 26th, 2012 by Aaron Morris
Filed under: Cigar Facts, Cigars, Reviews