This was gifted to me by the man affectionately known as the Chairman at our Cigar Club. I held onto it for a few weeks before giving it a go. The exterior packaging is impressive, complete with a gold paper wrap that adds some pop to the visual impression. The cigar itself is moderately attractive, but has some wrapper flaws that I take note of because they could be problematic. A quick examination of the cigar reveals that it is well made and I detect no areas of concern. The pre light aroma is of roasted nuts and light spice. The pre light draw is thin, but shows some floral essence.
The cigar opens with a profile that is replete with flavors of roasted nuts, I try to find any other characteristic of the profile, but nutty is the only descriptor to this point. At the back of the palate there are some more, deep flavors of roasted nuts. I can't recall ever smoking a cigar that had this intense type of roasted nut essence. The draw is excellent and the burn is solid. The only issue I encounter is some fraying at the head, but I am able to carefully remove the issue without ruining the cigar.
The first third of the cigar continues to show intense, nutty flavors. At the back of the palate there are some light notes of spice, but the depth of the roasted nut character continues to be main component. The draw is excellent to this point, producing satisfying clouds of smoke. The burn has started to canoe slightly, but I smoke on hoping that it will even out.
The middle third of the cigar shows an interesting profile shift. The core of the profile is now showing notes of white pepper and spice, there is still some remnant of roasted nut flavors but they have faded. At the back of the palate there are still notes of roasted nuts, but there is a slightly sour component that has come into the mix. The draw remains solid, but the burn has continued to canoe. I still avoid relighting because the profile is still pleasing.
The final third of the cigar shifts back to a profile of roasted nuts, this portion of the cigar is more intense that the first in terms of the nutty character. At the back of the palate there are some notes of light spice, but the sourness persists. The draw is still excellent, and the burn has evened out without a retouch.
The finish is long and smooth and holds a beautiful nutty character.
Appearance- 89 a nice looking smoke with some small flaws
Taste- 88 a nice profile that could have been more complex, sour notes hurt the score
Construction- 84 burn issues hurt the score
Strength- 87 a nice medium that compliments the profile
Overall- 86.75 a nice cigar that was hurt by sour notes and burn issues
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