So I continue my off the beaten path journey with this cigar, another one that I can't find all that much information on. I found it at a great B&M in Tampa that always has every cigar you can think of. I can't even find a fellow BOTL that has heard of this smoke, much less one that has tried it. After smoking it I can see why there is little buzz.
The cigar itself seems thinner that the 52 ring gauge that has been assigned to it, but the wrapper is hearty looking and oily. There are some prominent veins, but the rest of the construction appears to be solid. There are three separate bands on this smoke, which I find a bit excessive, and labor intensive (at some point someone will have to explain the purpose of the band at the foot). The pre light aroma is a strange mix of weak coffee and floral notes. The pre light draw is showing some sour earth flavors and not much else.
The cigar opens with a profile unlike anything I have ever experienced in 22 years of cigar smoking. The core has some floral flavors, but there is a foul perfume like undertone that is sickly sweet and taking away from anything else that may be trying to poke through. At the back of the palate the perfumy taste in overwhelming and I am in the early stages of preparing myself to launch this rocket before it fouls my palate for the rest of the evening. Alas, I am a trooper and make the decision to march on like so many lambs to the slaughter. The draw is not particularly remarkable, I would say very middling at best. The burn is a touch wonky, but I don't think it will be any trouble as the smoke progresses.
The first half of the smoke could only be described as bad and weird. The floral notes continue, but the sweetness of the smoke it so syrupy that it takes away from the rest of the experience. I would liken this to too much frosting on a cake, at some point it is all just too much sugar. This cigar is just too much flora and sweetness for me. At the back of the palate the perfume flavors are still assaulting my mouth and again I find myself in the process of getting mentally ready to chuck this piece of cigarbage. Yet again though I persevere, I have a duty to the readers of this blog to continue the struggle, in the hopes that none of you make the mistakes I have. The draw opens up slightly and there is some heat that creeps in. In an effort to keep that particular demon out of my way I slow down the smoking, which only prolongs my agony. The burn has leveled out with no issues.
The final half of the cigar lacks in redemptive qualities. The profile continues to be floral and sweet, but now there is the added hindrance of some weird tartness on the palate that I can only liken to very strong citrus with hints of pepper. At the back of the palate there are now some sour notes of vegetation that continue to send this cigar into the lower depths of my personal cigar hell. The draw and burn both deteriorate here as well. The cigar become hot and a runner in the end puts the final nail in the coffin for this less than stellar smoke.
The finish is sweet, tart and acidic with citrus essences.
This journey to the nether parts of the cigar making world is so far disappointing, but I continue on, hoping always to find the next great smoke.
Appearance- 87 busy band work and prominent veining detract from the impact of this smoke
Taste- 73 very, very poor
Construction- 81 some heat and late deterioration preclude a score any higher
Strength- 85 a very middling medium
Overall- 80 another cigar misses the mark
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