Artie 92 – This substantial belicoso is packed with tobacco and heavy in the hand. Its wrapper is milk chocolate brown with a rough, toothy texture. Un-lit, the stick has a tart barnyard smell that is appealing to a cigar smoker. The cold draw is tight, but not objectionable. No discernible spice prior to lighting. The first few puffs are mild, with flavors of leather and cedar. The cigar burns evenly, showing a nice, albeit flakey, cylindrical ash that holds firm. As anticipated, there is little spice or pepper coming through. Approaching the mid point, a sweeter, floral character starts to emerge. A strong lavender aroma fills the sinuses. Approaching the nub, the burn stays perfect, and the flavors get more pronounced. This is a solid, well-made cigar with a traditional flavor profile. It also has a creamy quality the increases as you smoke. Flavor transitions are pronounced and enjoyable. Really nice cigar.
Will 86 – Nice looking belicoso, 5.5 x 54 or 56? Milk chocolate colored wrapper with a few prominent veins, kind of mottled with one very shiny spot that did not wipe off. Very densely packed. Dry nose was hay with a bit of pepper, the dry draw was wide open and left a bit of orange peel on my tongue. Once lit, very lush draw with lots of smoke. Initial flavor was graham crackers with pencil lead and a long citrus finish. Burn is uneven at this point but within 3 minutes it has corrected itself and remains razor sharp for the duration. About 5 minutes in I am getting more of a dark roast coffee on the finish. At the 15 minute mark it has settled in to a mild and creamy blend with only a hint of pepper on the retro hale. At the half hour, not much has changed flavor wise except the pencil lead is back in a big way, smoke is very thick and chewy. This is a very well made cigar that smoked well but really had no wow factors. Good morning stick or golf course cigar. At just under an hour it became very bitter so I let it go.
Rob 70 – Stick has a beautiful chocolate brown wrapper. It is velvet smooth, and has invisible seams. The cigar has a very firm pack, however, the draw is just fine. At first light, the cigar delivers a very creamy smoke with tons of black pepper; it has a very long finish. At the end of the 1st third, the black pepper has almost completely receded, and the creamy smoke has very little flavor other than just ‘tobacco.’ The 2nd third yields significant amounts of smoke, with a tobacco and slight black pepper flavor, now with a much shorter finish. The stick is medium to full body with medium strength. Burn stayed very straight and did not require any relights or touch ups throughout the smoke. This ended up being a very nice smoke, creamy not harsh; however, the lack of flavor in the smoke was disappointing.
Jim 84 – This appears to be a tightly rolled torpedo, medium in color and you can see and feel the distinct veins in the leaves. Looking into the foot it appears one side of this cigar is more compressed than the other. It will be interesting to see if this effects the burn. First initial draws are very smooth with only a very slight hint of spice. As this heats up the strength is somewhere between mild to medium. Initially I am picking up a flavor of coffee and unsweetened cocoa with some slight floral notes on the finish. The burn is a bit wavy and slightly uneven as I suspected would happen. I’m a good inch in and now I’m picking up more of a cedar flavor on the finish and some baking spice. It is also increased to a more medium strength. Halfway in and the unsweetened cocoa and coffee flavors are very strong, predominate and lingering too strong in the after taste. I’m finding certain nuisances of this cigar interesting and I want to like it more but it is missing something in the balance of flavors.
Paul 92 – Smooth milk chocolate wrapper. Minimal veining and a well made cap. A few glue spots on the body. Little tobacco aroma on the foot, no aroma off the wrapper, some tooth. Cold draw excellent with minimal tobacco flavor. First 1/3: Slow starter with minimal tobacco flavor and some cocoa, good amount of smoke, mild strength, white ash, some sweetness and floral notes develop, even burn, a little bite on the retrohale. Second 1/3: Strength medium minus, pepper and some spice on the retrohale, floral notes disappear, short finish, medium body, good amount of smoke. Last 1/3:all the flavors ramp up, tingle on the lips, some tartness, medium plus strength. Wished the entire cigar was as good as the last third.
