I have been a fan of this bargain offering from JR for years. The No.10 is an excellent size with the ring gauge of a lonsdale, but with the length of a toro. The cigar always has a rugged look to it, a bit lopsided and not the prettiest girl at the party, yet somehow still charming. The wrapper is a rich, chocolate brown that shows some tooth. The construction is solid, I only detect one soft spot that has me a bit concerned. The pre light aroma is of heavy cedar and light coffee and earth notes. The pre light draw has a hint of pepper and nice notes of dark wood and sweet earthy essence.
The cigar opens with a straightforward profile of cedar, tobacco and light earth. The complexity and depth are not there for me, but then this cigar has never exhibited either of those traits. At the back of the palate there are some sweet earth notes that offset the core flavor profile in an interesting way. The draw is excellent, and this cigar almost always draws well. The burn is a bit lopsided, but it is not really an issue.
The middle portion of the cigar continues to show notes of cedar and tobacco, it is a nice simple profile and has all the hallmarks of a great starter cigar for someone with an experienced palate as it would be too strong for a novice smoker. At the back of the palate there is a hint of dark wood and light earth that continues to lend sweetness to the smoke. The draw is still well above average and the burn evens out nicely.
The final third of the cigar continues to show the same core profile. There are some notes of cedar and tobacco at the front. At the back of the palate there continue to be notes of wood and light earth. The overall lack of depth and complexity prevent this from being any more that a good cigar, but it is still a good cigar and that is more than you can ask for sometimes. There is something to be said about a value cigar that is always good.
The finish is medium and shows notes of tobacco and cedar.
Appearance- 85 a very average looking cigar
Taste- 87 a nice medium profile that performs well
Construction- 92 an excellent example, some small burn flaws lead to subtractions
Strength- 90 a nice medium
Overall- 88.75 a great everyday choice that will not break the bank
This cigar is a long-time favorite of mine as well. As a self-described cigar snob, I often spend much more on cigars, but for the money this little creation of Lew Rothstein's cannot be beat. They would be a good cigar at twice the price. Interestingly, this cigar is rolled by Frank Llaneza's crew at his Villazon factory, where most General Cigar products are made (General makes Partagas, Punch, Hoyo and all the other non-cuban versions of these great names). The JR Ultimate is head and shoulders above most of General's cigars, so if you are going to smoke something from Villazon, you owe it to yourself to order a box of these from JRCigars and see for yourself. If you don't care for them, you can always give them to Matt and I!
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