This was another gift from the finest Brother of the Leaf I know. I know him and his collection and I have no hesitation believing that this cigar has eight plus years of age. It is a beautiful cigar with a leathery looking wrapper that has ample oils and very few veins. The overall presentation of this cigar is one of the best you could ever hope to see, a cedar wrap, a stunning band and a fine looking cigar all add up to high expectations based on the visual presentations. An inspection shows not a single issue and I am getting excited about smoking an Opus with this kind of age. The pre light aroma is of leather, cedar and spice. The pre light draw shows leather and sharp spicy undertones that fire up the palate.
The cigar opens with a stunning profile that has notes of leather, very refined tobacco, cedar and spice. At the back of the palate there are some notes of orange peel and wood that add to the complexity of the smoke. The depth is incredible, and I can already tell that this is one of the finest Opus examples that I have ever smoked. The draw is slightly tight, but I am not having any issue other than it is not as loose as I usually prefer. The burn is sharp and produces a nice medium gray ash.
The first third of the cigar settles into a nice profile that shows complexity and depth that can only be a product of extensive aging. The core is full of leather and spice, with touches of crisp tobacco and sweet cedar notes. At the back of the palate there continues to be an essence of orange peel and nice solid woody flavors that mingle well for added complexity. The draw is opening up and I am impressed with the performance of this smoke. The burn is still sharp and the ash holds for two inches before I plop it into the tray.
The middle third of the cigar starts to show some profile shifts. The core shows leather flavors, but peppery notes start to come through. There are still some inferences of cedar and spice, but pepper is attacking the palate. At the back of the palate there are still notes of wood, but some tobacco flavors are now also showing through. The complexity continues to be impressive, but the depth is not what it was in the front of the smoke. The draw is more what I prefer at this point and the burn continues in fine fashion.
The final third of the cigar shows all of the traditional hallmarks of an Opus X. The profile becomes a powerhouse, showing a core profile of deep wood, leather and rich spicy flavors. At the back of the palate there is a satiny finish to the smoke as nicotine kicks the palate in the face, there are also some hints of wood noted here as well. The draw and burn stay relatively consistent to the end.
The finish is strong and long, there are flavors of pepper, wood and tobacco that show through.
Appearance- 98 a fine looking smoke
Taste- 97 a phenomenal profile that showed multiple shifts and complexity and depth abound
Construction- 93 some tightness in the draw early hurt the score
Strength- 94 a very full smoke that could use more power up front
Overall- 95.25 a classic smoke and a fine example of what aging can do for a cigar
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