First of all I would like to say this cigar totally surprised me. I got it in a $20 Brown Bag Sampler From Cigars International, bearing no band or any info as to what it was, so my expectations were really low. I didn't want to look it up before hand as I wanted to see how my review and the description compared. It was only after I smoked it and a quick search of the CI website that its identity was revealed. It's a cigar that I would have normally overlooked, as I usually stay away from anything that has the word Cuban in it, because in my experience with Cuban cigars has literally left a bad taste in my mouth. Even though this is not a real Cuban cigar, I generally have found that any cigar with it in its name has some of those tastes or characteristics of Cuban cigars. Cubans for me have a certain twanginess to the taste I just don't care for. Not the case in this cigar I am about to review.
Cigars International Describe this cigar as: 6"x52 in size with a shaggy foot and head. Each cigar is a blend of aged Honduran and Nicaraguan tobaccos, bound in a Honduran leaf, and then wrapped in a natural Ecuadorian leaf grown in Honduras, either a Maduro or in this case Natural wrapper. Earthy core and complimented by slight notes of wood and pure crisp tobacco flavor. Rustic and medium in body.
My review is as follows before I read the description on the CI website. The flavor profile I noticed was much more complex than the description given, but everyone's tastes are different.
First thing I notice is the very rustic look of the cigar, toothy Connecticut sun grown-looking wrapper with a shaggy foot and head. A dark binder leaf can be seen exposed at the foot of the cigar. The foot smells sweet with slightly sweet fragrance to the firm body. Pre-light draw is very good giving little resistance.
Upon light I am met with a blast of nuttiness. A bit of pepper through the nose, yet mild to the mouth. Fairly mild in the first inch, with a flaky dirty ash and a slightly uneven burn. First tap of the ash yields a very short pointy cone. Mild like a Dominican. Definite woody tones are coming through. Picking up in strength, a slight nicotine burn is starting in the back of my mouth. Plenty of smoke, yet not thick creamy smoke. I am starting to get a bit of chocolate tastes halfway through. Mild to medium, going back and forth in strength, is like a roller coaster ride. Medium strength building with each revolution, like Nicaraguan or Honduran tobacco. Creamy tastes start coming through. Mrs. Cigar Moose says it's like a Chocolate liqueur, with hints of vanilla. I agree with her after she identifies it. We agree on a cappuccino coffee like character to it. Had to correct the burn with my torch as it got way uneven. Eventually the burn stayed even and produces a sharp pointy cone. We both got hazelnut flavors on the end of the smoke. With the creaminess, it was like a hazelnut creamer you would add to your coffee.
Dammit! As I got down to the nub, I dropped it on my garage floor! Why the hell didn't I sweep the dirt off the floor? Quickly I pick it up dust it off and put it back in my mouth. And quickly I begin to spit out sand I missed dusting it off.
After a few times spitting sand and puffing, I decide it's the end of the smoke. It has a clean finish with a lingering coffee like taste.
Buzz rating for this one I give a 3.5 out of 5. At first I gave this one a 2.5, but as I moved around I started feeling more of the buzz. First time I ever got a delayed reaction from the buzz.
Overall I give this one an 8 out of 10. Like I said in the beginning, this cigar surprised me as I didn't expect much. It was very eventful to me with it's roller coaster ride in strength, and changing variety in flavors. Even Mrs. Cigar Moose like this cigar, a deviation from her usual flavored cigars. She says she wished they made it into a smaller cigar as she doesn't think she could handle such a large cigar.
But wait! Upon finding it's true identity on the CI website, I found out they do make this great cigar in the smaller size of 4.5"x40! So it looks like we might be adding this gem to our humidor for summer. The smaller size comes in boxes of 20 for $25. The one reviewed, 6"x52, can be had for $150 for 50. That sounds expensive, but do the math, it amounts to $3 each. But don't fret, you can also get a 5-pack to try yourself for $19.50. What i would suggest is if you like the 5-pack, go in halves with a buddy on a whole box. Or, you can just buy a box of the smaller size if you don't mind a shorter smoke. The larger size lasted about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Spitting sand grit out after you drop it lasts all day!
Till next post.........................Peace.
