Artie 93 – Man, this stick is toothier than a T-Rex! It feels like coarse grain sandpaper to the touch. Dark brown (oscuro) in color and box pressed, this cigar has a rough and tumble look about it. The cold nose is pleasant, and the foot shows nice bunching. The cap is firm and took a hole punch with ease. With a perfect draw, lighting was easy and smoke volume is abundant. As the stick heats up, I get tons of earthy sweetness, with notes of walnut. Halfway, the earthiness gives way to a spicier flavor with leather overtones. At the nub, this cigar stays smooth without bitterness, and the flavors are still pleasant. Nice cigar.
Rob 85 – Nice chocolate brown box press toro cigar. Tight invisible seams with a dull, oily and toothy wrapper. Very large double cap on this cigar. Opened the stick up with a Drew Estate Perfect Cutter but still had a snug draw from the fairly light but firmly packed cigar. On light up I get a woody note. Smoke output is good, but a long finish of dried wood stayed in the back of my throat. A quarter of the way in now and it is heating up and starting to get more interesting. A bit of dried grass/hay on the palate. With time the dry flavor is shifting to a faint vegetal essence. Half way now and the burn is good as is the smoke output. Unfortunately, the burning 1/2 inch of the stick is cracking and starting to peel. The second third retained the vegetal flavor and remained with a dryness on the palate.
Paul 91 – Maduro color wrapper, medium veins, toothy wrapper, lots of small light spots on the wrapper, soft spots throughout, light tobacco aroma, box press, excellent cold draw, tobacco and light hay. First 1/3: malt, lots of smoke, oak, dryness in mouth, light gray ash, medium strength, body and finish, some harshness, scalloped burn line, slight pepper on the retrohale. Second 1/3: Coffee and cream, retrohale smooth, oak, hint of cinnamon, pepper on lips, lots of smoke, floral note on retrohale, leather, no longer drying. Last 1/3: Slight pepper, coffee and cream, medium strength, body and finish.
Jim 93 – This cigar has a nice deep dark brown wrapper and seems to be rolled very meticulously in a near perfect box shape. I definitely picked up some barnyard aroma as I inspected the cigar. After the initial light, I immediately picked up some deep dark chocolate and espresso flavors. As it heats up, it is picking up strength and a very rich fullness in flavor. And I mean FULL! The dark chocolate flavor is getting more rich and the espresso is getting stronger! There is a slight black peppery finish that is just right and fits perfectly with the profile of flavors. Draw and burn are nearly flawless. Passing the cigar’s halfway point the flavors have stayed pretty consistent but the strength continues to increase. The strength of this cigar required some purging along the way which helped keep the flavors in balance. I really enjoyed this experience of this cigar. Although the flavor stayed consistent, the balance of flavors was right on par. An excellent cigar!
Will 86 – Large robusto with a slight box press, double capped dark drown wrapper, very oily. This stick was a 2 sneezer on the cold nose, white pepper, earth and barnyard. The cold draw was pepper and toasty tobacco and a third sneeze. Upon ignition I got an uneven burn line but it quickly self corrected. The initial flavor is toasty spicy tobacco with a long chewy finish with an Earl Gray tea flavor with bitter orange. Flavor progresses with added nuttiness (cashew) about 10 minutes in. This is a good cigar but very little of the pepper that made me sneeze pre-light. I am enjoying it but something is missing for me and I can’t pinpoint it. At the half hour mark I get a black cherry char that creeps in and the finish is salty. Smokes well, burns well but it is barely holding my interest. I want to like it more than I do. I open a Black Butte porter and that really pairs well with this stick. I am going to continue smoking it. No wow factor, woulkd like to smoke another. Solid medium body in flavor and strength.
