What is Joe’s Gems?
Every now and then we come across a cigar that stands out above the rest. Like a gem of exquisite clarity and brightness, this cigar has qualities far above the “every day” smoke.
In this section, Joe will share with you some of his Gems and give an explanation as to why it was chosen. But what Joe finds to be a Gem, others may not see as such. So please take this section for what it is, one mans celebration of a particular cigar and not a declaration made by an “expert”.
Brand: El Centurion – Guerreros
Vitola: Robusto
Year purchased: 2009
Blender: Jose “Pepin” Garcia
Back story:
This cigar was given to me as part of a multi-cigar trade, with no prior knowledge as to its origin or history. Not knowing what I had, it ranked low on my smoking priority list and when its time came, I lit it with no expectations. I could immediately see it was beautifully constructed and noticed its thin, delicate wrapper and triple cap. It was clear that this stick was constructed to emulate a Cuban cigar. It lit easily, although the draw was a bit tight (again, emulating a Cohiba?), but the construction didn’t constrict the airflow and the cigar put out plenty of smoke.
The experience:
I could tell right away that this was going to be a good cigar. The initial puffs foreshadowed high complexity with a mildly spicy, sweet character. As I continued to smoke, the flavors built in intensity but the pepper component never became overwhelming. After leaving the smoking room and returning, I could appreciate the delicious aroma the cigar had left behind. Upon relighting, I was presented with a refreshed sense of smoking a truly great cigar. Elements of caramel, nuts, salt, and pepper, were all clustered in a tightly packed group with its favors in perfect harmony. At that moment I realized this cigar was special. Not just because of its complexity and smoothness, but also by the way the flavors were woven into a “texture”. The El Centurion is a great cigar in the conventional sense (i.e. burn, construction, flavor, complexity, etc.), but rises above other cigars by virtue of this texture. Like a great Cuban cigar, the flavor components were bound together into a tight bundle, in perfect harmony with one another. Many cigars have complexity but few non-Cuban cigars have this special cohesive quality that makes for such a special smoking experience.
Bottom line:
Upon finishing the El Centurion I was not surprised to discover that its creator was none other than Jose “Pepin” Garcia. The perfect construction, wonderful aroma, and spicy Esteli tobacco were all indicators of its authorship. Many Pepin cigars are strong and spicy, but the El Centurion takes that Pepin profile and balances it to perfection. With this cigar Pepin has hit a beautiful note and captured an elusive element of cigar blending…perfect harmony.
