Artie 82 – This large toro has a wonderfully floral pre-lit aroma. The foot shows no stems and the filler is nicely bunched. The wrapper is a milk chocolate brown and heavily mottled. It has the rough feel of light sandpaper. This cigar lights easily and has a good draw. Initial flavors are strong tobacco, white pepper, clove, and wood. The ash is perfectly cylindrical and light grey in color. Approaching the mid way point, the cigar is starting to get boring, with a sour finish, although, the burn is perfect. At this point I don’t want to “blow out” my palate and am putting the cigar down. Very disappointing. No outstanding flavor profile, just a bad taste in my mouth. And the aroma is pretty foul. I scored the taste a 79, but the good construction pulled it up to 82.
Paul 79 – Mottled dark brown wrapper, partially closed foot with wrapper, minimal veins, one large soft spot, badly done wrapper patch at the head, light tobacco aroma, molasses and dark fruit on the cold draw. First 1/3: Medium amount of smoke coats the mouth, leather, oak, dryness in the mouth, harshness at the back of the throat, scalloped burn line begins to canoe, very flaky ash begins to flower, mild plus strength and body, short finish, flavors start to fade, slightly tannic. Second 1/3: Relight, same strength and body, burn self corrected, strong white pepper on the retrohale, relight again, flavors fade, another relight. Last 1/3: Strength ramp up to mild plus, body is light, little smoke, another relight, little flavor. Very poor construction with little flavor to offer.
Will 95 – Nice big toro, colorado wrapper, nice trip cap, very densely packed and very oily wrapper. Cold nose was fiery pepper and made me sneeze twice, a good sign? After clippage the cold draw was wide open, uh oh, leather, pepper and graham crackers. After ignition the initial flavors are red pepper with pencil lead and chocolate malt. Another cigar with tons of smoke. 5 minutes in and I am really digging the flavors. The flavors keep growing with hints of demitasse coffee with a caramel finish. I really enjoyed this cigar and it burned perfectly. Box worthy, hell yes. Wow factor of 1 because it is the best cigar of the last 15 or so I have smoked in our taste tests.
Rob 90 – The stick had a very oily mottled brown wrapper with very tight invisible seams. It was nicely double capped, and the veins were so small and few, that the stick had a uniform appearance; very very pretty stick. On light, the flavor was significantly vegetal, and provided plumbs of smoke. Almost could taste a green cactus flavor and aroma; may be good with a nice blanco tequila?? It did generate a wobbly burn after one inch, however, it self corrected in time. Yielded a unique ash: white in the center and grey around the perimeter. Obviously, different tobaccos blended and nicely wrapped into the body of the cigar. By the half way point, the vegetal background faded, and a slight white pepper was left of the tip of my tounge. Most of the flavor unfortunately ramped down at this point, although it now had a razor sharp burn and great smoke output. Commencing at the half way point, a nutty flavor took over, along with what I feel was a detectable nicotine volume. I definitely felt this cigar prior to its finish.
Jim 90 – This cigar looks nicely constructed and firm. At the initial light-up this cigar billowed smoke! Great draw! I’m definitely getting some strong pepper in the initial draw, balanced with some creaminess in the finish as flavors start to develop. Picking up some unsweetened cocoa and then kind of a slight caramel like flavor that lends to the smoothness. I do detect some cedar on the retrohale and an aftertaste of dried fruit (raisin) The spice has lessened but is still there for a nice balance. Burn has been uneven and has flamed out a bunch times. Despite that annoyance, it is really been an enjoyable cigar. It ranged in between a medium to full. I’d definitely smoke some more of these.
