Artie 91 – This corona has a smooth elastic wrapper, milk chocolate in color with a smooth texture. It’s got a nice sheen to it. The cold aroma is rich and pungent. Looking at the foot reveals no stems, and good random bunching. The triple cap is flawless. This cigar lights easily as the draw is open with only slight resistance. The initial puffs reveal abundant smoke, with lots of black pepper spice. Notes of leather with a hint of marzipan sweetness present early. The open draw makes for a fast smoke, with a cylindrical ash that doesn’t want to fall off. Mid way the spice increases as does a charcoal smokiness. This is a strong cigar and it is a challenge to smoke without a break. Throughout the length of this stick, the heavy spice increases, and the flavor remains unchanged. Not much taste evolution here, but this is a solid cigar that delivers a ton of tobacco satisfaction.
Rob 82 – Perfect brown wrapper with a triple cap. It had completely invisible seams, could not see them at all. The stick had a nice draw, but had a noticeably soft fill. The stick did not change at all throughout the smoke, and yielded a cedar aroma and flavor, with little to offer on the retro-hale. Lots and lots of tobacco flavor. It did have a fairly slow burn, took about 90 minutes to smoke down to 1 inch, and did have a very good burn throughout the stick.
Will 89 – Nice looking dark tan toro, triple capped. Dry nose was cinnamon and red pepper. Dry draw was leathery red pepper and a bit tight. Once lit the draw opens and reveals more salty leather and roasted peanuts. Taste is pretty consistent for the first 30 minutes. Fuller side of medium in the body but pretty low on the power charts, good golf course cigar, tasty enough to keep you interested but won’t cause nico overload. At just under and hour this stick got very spongy and began to ooze tarnic (?) juice, laid it down. I know it was properly humidified because it was in my humi for over 3 weeks and dry boxed for 24 hours. Maybe I smoke too damn fast, not sure. Liked it until the spongy part.
Paul 79 – Medium brown wrapper with some color variation, medium veins, a little lumpy, mild tobacco aroma on wrapper and cold draw, very good draw. First 1/3: Small amount of spice and mild tobacco flavors, nasal burn on the retrohale, medium minus strength and body, short finish. Light grey ash drops at 1/4″ increments. Uneven burn. Spice tingles in the mouth but little flavor. Hints of oak. Second 1/3: No changes, little flavor. More smoke volume, some harshness in the back of the throat. Last 1/3: Some tannins, less nasal burn on the retrohale. remains medium minus strength with a short finish. Draw remains good. Little flavor and little interest.
Jim 91 – Medium brown and you can distinctly see the leaves of tobacco in this wrapper. Takes a few minutes to heat but before I start detecting some flavors. Initially some fresh leather and hickory. As it continue to heat up its shifting to more earthy and coffee flavors with a very slight white pepper finish. All these flavors are very well balanced. Strength was slightly above a medium. Burn was uneven but corrected itself. and ash is flaring a bit. Halfway though the spice on the finish dropped off and I was then actually getting some hints of whiskey (or my mind was wishing for a glass of whiskey!) This is a very nice cigar and very enjoyable! Well balanced and a nice transition of flavors.
