Mike 87 – A solid stick that lit up well with a great draw throughout the whole smoke. Gave off some big smoke and had the same flavor throughout. It had a triple cap which punched well and was properly rolled. This stick lasted about 75 minutes.
Will 85 – Good looking cigar with a nice 3 seam cap and rosado wrapper. I am not a fan of foot bands on cigars as they are usually difficult to remove without taking a bit of wrapper with it. Very dense and firm with a heavy barnyard meets black pepper aroma, however the dry draw was almost all leather. Leather and wood upon ignition, lots of thick smoke. I am very surprised because this cigar had lots of spice on the pre-light but all I am getting is leather and wood. In the 2nd 3rd I am getting black cherry and still lots of leather. The burn is a bit erratic and has required several touch ups but there is a slight breeze blowing here in my yard. Halfway through and this cigar has not had much progression, steady leather and fruit. Got bored 40 minutes in and let it go.
Rob 88 – Nice looking stick; mottled brown with almost invisible tight seams. Fairly firm with a little give. Pre-light is mild. Burn throughout the stick was razor sharp, but did go out occasionally. Smoke output was medium, with a vegetated aroma. Flavor; rather strong, but nice. Couldn’t put my finger on it, then bammo – nuts! Like a mouth full of mixed nuts. Quite pleasant.
Paul 83 – Wrapper color not uniform, large veins that look like they were sutured, messy triple cap, very firm feel, light barnyard aroma, no oil on the wrapper, overall rough appearance. First 1/3: medium amount of smoke, creamy with dark fruit and rich tobacco, very flaky ash, dryness in the mouth, low medium strength, some pepper on the retrohale. Second 1/3: less dark fruit, less creamy, more dryness, occasional pepper, short finish, burn goes wonky with only one side burning. Last 1/3: burn self corrects, most of the flavor is gone as is the smoke, this one is done. Not objectionable, but nothing exceptional here.
Artie 94 – This cigar has a classic robusto shape, with a tightly wound cap. Very little pre-lit aroma, but the wrapper is smooth and supple. With an easy draw, lighting the foot was easy and the burn starts out even. It’s a light cigar in weight, with a rapid burn. As I smoke, the stick is burning a bit hot, and I would have preferred a more tightly packed filler. The flavor of the first third is mellow and sweet. with a nutty character…so far I’m enjoying this cigar. It reminds me of the new, fatter, Cuban Upmann cigars, but with more depth. Midway, the flavor picks up with a distinctive flavor I can’t quite identify. But it’s unique, almost menthol in character. The burn continues to be spot-on and the cigar has cooled nicely. This is a classy stick with tons of traditional cigar flavor. It doesn’t hit you over the head with intensity, but it’s satisfying. Towards the nub, the spice starts to build, as does an earthiness. Here, it starts to pick up strength as well. At the nub, everything comes together..it’s still sweet with some earth, and nice herbal tones. This would make a great everyday cigar. Utterly enjoyable.
Jim 88 – Constructions looks good, some veins showing but a smooth wrapper. It takes about a half an inch of burn and heating up until I really start to dial in some of the distinct flavors. I am picking up some cedar, some slight mellow spice, and a little bit of citrus. Burn has been even to wavy and then back to even. About and inch in and the ash crown is firm and compact. I would consider this a solid medium strength smoke. Halfway through and the flavors have mellowed a lot and has more of an earthy profile. I’m also getting a slightly bitter finish. This was a good cigar but I enjoyed the first half more than the second half. It was just more favorable in the first half. The bitter finish in the second half made me lose some interest. If I had a box of these, I’d probably would let them sit a few months and age before smoking them.
