I reviewed the natural version of this vitola a couple of weeks ago and found that cigar to be excellent, reminiscent of a Cuban Bolivar. This cigar is the darker cousin in the Maduro format, it is also darker in character, the Jekyll to the previous cigar's Hyde. The cigar is pleasant to look at with a flawless triple seam construction. The wrapper is dark and rich, with a toothy quality. The construction feels firm, but I detect no issues upon examination. The pre light aroma is a melange of tobacco and woody notes. The pre light draw hints of spice and is well laced with a preview of nicotine.
The cigar begins with notes of cocoa and rich tobacco flavors, these are direct flavors and I do not labor to detect them. The burn is sharp and firm and the smoke is lacing the tongue with a nicotine tingle. The first two inches progress well and the cigar's performance is rock solid.
At just before the halfway mark a profile shift is afoot. There are notes of coffee, rich tobacco and exotic spice on the palate. The power of this cigar is sneaky and I can feel it creeping up on me, almost as if it is trying to be unnoticed. The burn stays solid and the cigar continues to deserve performance accolades.
The final third of this cigar shows all the character of a late round puncher. The are jabs of coffee, earth and tobacco with the uppercuts of nicotine. The burn has stayed true and the cigar is showing all sorts of character and poise.
The finish is excellent and the palate is sated with nicotine, coffee and tobacco flavors.
Appearance- 92 an attractive cigar
Taste- 90 well balanced and maintained, but could use some more depth
Construction- 96 nearly flawless
Strength- 92 an excellent, sneaky full bodied offering that could benefit with less punch in the finish
Overall- 92.5 another Pepin home run
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