I continue my recent tour of diminutive smokes with this newer edition of La Aroma made by Pepin for Ashton. I have said before, and I will continue to say, I love cigars in these sizes. They impart so much flavor and nuance over such a short time and they are just a joy to smoke. This particular cigar is adorned with a nice medium brown wrapper that is leathery and has few veins. I examine the smoke and find no areas of concern. The pre light aroma is spicy. The pre light draw is smooth and shows some nice tobacco and wood character.
The cigar begins with an intense array of flavors, there are notes of smooth cedar and other wood (notably hickory) along with sweet spice, cinnamon and some tobacco flavors. The balance is nearly perfect and the depth and complexity are noteworthy. At the back of the palate there are some shows of strength, as a nicotine tingle hits the back of the tongue and throat. There are also some nice salty notes here that I find interesting. The burn and draw are what I would expect from a Pepin product, nearly perfect.
The first half of the cigar settles in with a core profile of wood, again cedar and hickory, alongside some spice and rich tobacco character. At the back of the palate the nicotine tingle has lessened and the cinnamon notes detected earlier have settled into place as a nice backdrop to the main profile. The burn and draw remain exceptional to this point.
The final half of the cigar deteriorates slightly, however the profile is still interesting while less complex. The core of the profile has shifted into a presentation of roasted nuts, but there are some spice notes here that are out of place. At the back of the palate there are some sour presentations coming through, but an overall essence of cedar is still present. I catch a small run in the burn, but it evens out without issue. The draw stays smooth and easy throughout.
The finish is a touch short, there are some sour notes here as well that will hurt the overall impression. All in all I would say this is a winner and I will continue my relationship with Mr. Pepin as long as he continues to produce smokes like this one.
Appearance- 92 a nice little smoke, too much band artwork overwhelms the presentation
Taste- 91 I would like it to be higher, but sour notes hurt the score
Construction- 97 an excellent presentation of a small cigar, from the person I deem to be the master of small smokes
Strength- 90 a surprising full that compliments the cigar profile well
Overall- 93 a very solid experience, I will age some and see if the back end of the cigar improves
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