Recently I hosted a dinner for two of the best Brothers of the Leaf that I know and one of them brought this cigar for us to smoke after the meal. I must confess this is a cigar that I often overlook due to price point, but one that I have always enjoyed each time I have smoked it. I am anticipating a little walk down memory lane here, as I have not smoked one of these in five plus years. I de cello the smoke and being my process that has become so familiar to me now, but is replete with steps that I would have never taken when I last smoked this cigar. I have some irrational fear that my walk through the past may be spoiled by all of my attention here, but I plunge onward.
The cigar is bold looking with a thick and oily maduro wrapper that cloaks the cigar and makes it very rich looking. There are few veins and the wrapper has some tooth. The cigar appears to be well made and I find no areas of concern. The pre light aroma smacks of dark fruit and spicy chocolate. The pre light draw is smooth and easy, showing more dark fruit and a nice maduro sweetness.
The cigar opens with a sweet profile that is full of orange peel and black cherry essence. I am struck by how much sweetness this cigar shows in the opening moments and I can't recall experiencing this profile before and I am worried about it becoming cloying. At the back of the palate there are some nice flavors of tobacco and spicy chocolate that are serving as a nice underlay for the fruit flavors in the early stages. The burn is slow and even, producing a crisp white ash. The draw is excellent, not too tight and not too loose. This is exactly how I like a cigar to draw, showing just the right amount of resistance to every puff, but not heating up or causing me any anxiety.
The first half of the cigar settles in and I begin to move into silent reverie about times long past and some instances when I smoked this very blend. I recall some fishing with my brothers and departed grandfather, I recall a baseball game when my team was getting killed but I did not care because I knew they were going to the playoffs that year. The profile continues to show notes of black cherry and some orange, but there are some blasts of rich tobacco that play an intriguing game of point/counterpoint across my palate. At the back of the palate there are some hints of dark wood, but the chocolate impressions continue to dominate the exchange. The burn has gone a bit lopsided, but I am loathe to touch it up at this point. The draw remains perfect for me.
The final half of the cigar rocks me out of my wistful remembrances when it shows me some things I seldom experience in a smoke. The profile becomes profoundly balanced and deep, showing dark wood, orange zest, tobacco and chocolate flavors in a tantalizing mix of palate satisfaction. At the back of the palate there are some excellent notes of spice with more tobacco notes as a sidekick. The burn deteriorates and requires a touch up, but that is the only issue I experience with this smoke.
The finish is long and spicy, with a satisfying chocolate reminder well into the night.
Appearance- 94 a very well appointed smoke
Taste- 97 a phenomenal taste experience, that was deep, complex and unique
Construction- 93 the burn issue takes away from near perfection
Strength- 96 a nearly perfect medium/full that complements the profile in a perfect way
Overall- 96.75 a classic smoke for me, I was as shocked as you are
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