Artie 84 – Man, this is the biggest, fattest, box pressed cigar I’ve ever seen. It has a beautiful unlit aroma of rose pedals, a leathery, chocolate-brown, wrapper, and a stem-free foot. The firm cap cuts easily with a guillotine. With its wide open draw, the cigar lights easily and has voluminous smoke output. My initial impression is that this is a super creamy cigar, with a sweetened condensed milk finish. This cigar has a very familiar taste, but I can’t recall which cigar this is reminiscent of. About halfway, the wrapper started to expand and split. Taste-wise, the cigar has lost its sweetness and taken on a more bitter chocolate tone. I’m starting to get a bit bored with this stick, but I’ll keep at it for the sake of the review. To keep my taste buds engaged, I brewed a cup of coffee and added some sugar. Even with the help of a sweet beverage, the flavor of this cigar has reached the point of diminishing returns. I’m done.
Paul 86 – Deep milk chocolate color wrapper with some mottling, no soft spots, medium veins, toasted tobacco aroma, loose draw, some dark fruit. First 1/3: Malt and toasted tobacco, medium amount of smoke, very flaky ash, scalloped burn, white pepper, draw tightens, medium strength, body and finish, slight citrus note. Second 1/3: The cigar begins to expand, wrapper splits about 1”, mild retrohale, multiple relights, cocoa, toasted tobacco. Last 1/3: Dryness, cocoa, pepper on the lips, large canoe. Construction issues throughout.
Will 78 – Very large 6.5 x 60 box pressed sticky. The wrapper on this stick was torn in 4 spots when I received it, repaired as best I could and let it rest for 3 weeks. The cold nose was very spicy and earthy, a 3 sneezer. Cold draw was dark chocolate Raisinetes. Said a prayer for this stick because I really wanted to like it as it was beautiful to look at. But nooooooooooooooo, within 3 minutes of ignition and a very nice sweet coffee with leather flavor the entire wrapper peeled off faster then my Levi’s the first time I got laid. I felt like I was at the tabacalera smoking a potential new blend sans wrapper. I smoked it this way for a few minutes and it was actually tasty. Very disappointing.
Jim 91 – This big beast appears to be a 60 ring box pressed and at least 6-1/2 inches long. Medium brown wrapper with very distinct veins. The cap looks a little sloppy in execution. After lighting, the initial smoke is very creamy and has slight notes of coffee. very smooth with no appearance of spice. Something I have experienced in the past, a 60 ring that is box pressed always burns uneven. This one is burning very uneven. I had to do a major level out. As I proceed and the cigar heats up and begins to develop. It is still very creamy but I am also getting some deeper flavors of coffee, almonds and slight leathery spice finish. Although this is a big ring cigar, the strength is a perfect medium that’s needed to not overpower with the additional draw of smoke. I am fighting to keep this cigar burning level. Although the burn been annoying, I am recalling enjoying the flavors as well as the balance of this cigar.
Rob 88 – This is a fairly large box press cigar. Not sure I’ve ever smoked a box press this large previously. Light up is easy, with this medium brown smooth wrapped cigar, with minimum veins, and tight invisible seams. I am getting a vegetive leathery flavor and mouth feel. the smoke output is not excessive, but adequate. I am finding the stick is a bit difficult to keep lit, but easily relights. At the half way point, a nuttiness enters the equation, with the smoke output maintaining an average level along with a medium body. The final third ramped up a bit with some slight spiciness, and the burn maintained a reasonably straight line even with the repeated re-lighting.
