Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Trinidad Habana Reserve Short Churchill (4.5x54)

I should point out that I am seldom a fan of any Altadis offerings, but I have always liked Trinis so I looked forward to smoking this when I saw it at the local B&M recently.

The cigar is thick, but diminutive, and it is finished with a whimsical pigtail cap that gives this small cigar some charm. The wrapper is medium brown and leathery and has little veining. An inspection tells me that it is well constructed and I do not anticipate any issues. The pre light aroma has nice blasts of spice and dark fruit. The pre light draw shows a blast of cinnamon.

The cigar opens with a profile that is more complex than I expected. There are notes of cinnamon and rich wood in the opening moments that are deep and meaningful for so early in a smoke. At the back of the palate there are some great notes of earth and spice that underlay the main profile beautifully. The depth here is something and I find myself really settling in for this smoke. The draw is excellent, and provides just what I like from a cigar, just enough smoke. The burn is also sturdy and produces a dark gray ash that is a touch flaky.

The first half of the cigar proceeds much as it did in the opening moments. The core profile continues to develop more cinnamon and nutmeg qualities, while the wood tones continue to provide an excellent backdrop for the flavors. At the back of the palate there are still some excellent blasts of earth and spice. The draw is still excellent, and the burn continues to perform well.

The final half of the cigar shows some interesting turns. The core profile transitions into a presentation of pepper, wood and shows some maple flavors as well. At the back of the palate the early earthy tones transition into a more spicy presentation that plays with the maple on the front of the palate in an interesting way. There are some complex things happening here that would not be caught without proper attention. The draw and burn continue to perform extremely well.

The finish is a bit thin, but shows nice presentations of spice and pepper. This cigar is way above average experience and could be better with some more developed flavor presentations.

Appearance- 92 a very interesting and appealing smoke to look at
Taste- 93 great flavors with depth and character
Construction- 96 an excellent presentation
Strength- 88 a very nice medium, but more power would have complemented the palate in a more substantial way
Overall- 93 an excellent smoke, and for about $5 per cigar I would say a must buy

No comments:

Post a Comment