I continue my recent tour of this little boutique brand that nobody seems to know anything about. I have found some the smokes so far to be excellent and I had no reason to believe this would be any different after discussing it with the boys at my favorite New Orleans B&M. These guys are a real collection of scallywags, scoundrels and shoe clerks, but they do know a good cigar (usually). Unless they are trying to hoodwink me, after all I am new to the scene. They could be involved in some clandestine effort to foul my palate with sub par smokes in the hopes that I might stop smoking and lay my poison pen to rest, forever leaving their favorite cigars unassailed with my venomous words. Ok, ok I exaggerate I guess, plus you are all sans foil hats I'm sure, so I will spare you further conspiratorial musings, besides I am not that important or paranoid (everyone is out to get me though).
The cigar presents well, it seems chunkier than a 52 ring gauge but a quick measurement with my ring gauge app on my I-Phone (yes there is such a thing) shows that it is a 52. The wrapper is dark and has some nice sheen, there are some prominent veins that add some character to the visual experience but, have me concerned about combustion. An inspection reveals some information that leads me to believe that the bunch might be too loose, this has me even more concerned about potential combustion issues. The pre light aroma is all dark fruit. The pre light draw is full of dark cherry flavors with touches of a floral spice.
The bar I have chosen to partake of this particular smoke in has some shady looking characters and more appealing, some adult entertainment. I choose a seat with my back to a corner that has a view of the front door, not paranoid, just cautious. I make sure no one is really paying any attention to me and I cut and light. The cigar opens with a profile that has some serious flavor considerations. There are blasts of black cherry and spice that are the highlight, but there are some very nice earth and wood tones laced throughout here as well. The depth is not particularly noteworthy, but the balance and complexity are nice. At the back of the palate there are some very interesting salty and sweet notes that I equate to honey roasted peanuts. The draw is fine at this point and it delivers acceptably. The burn is a touch slow and is starting to go a touch wonky about an inch in.
I am getting some faces from some of the danc...errrr, entertainers as I negotiate my way through the first half of the cigar. My senses are on high alert now as the cigar continues to progress in a most pleasing way. The profile has developed into a wonderful mix of toasty, sweet flavors that maintain some hints of cherry and spice. At the back of the palate nice wood flavors have taken over and provide a nice balance when played off the front of the profile. The draw is becoming a bit sluggish as I approach some of the softer areas of the bunch. The burn is ok, but I am sensing there might be some trouble coming as I approach areas of concern.
The final half of the smoke has split personality. The profile is still showing me some nice leg, or that might be the entertainer, but it is still impressive (the profile, not the leg). There are some solid cocoa notes here and some more excellent blasts of black cherry, the sweetness has really ramped up in this last half of the smoke and it takes away some of the strength I thought might be here. At the back of the palate some earthy flavors have really taken over, it is almost loamy. The draw is still sluggish, but it delivers acceptable amounts of smoke to the end. The burn is a mess at this point, but strangely does not cause any problems in the smoke.
The finish is sweet and lingering with some floral notes that carry me out the door, after making sure I am being followed by nothing but cigar memories.....
Appearance- 88 a nice looking smoke
Taste- 93 some excellent profile flavors
Construction- 82 sadly this will kill a nice smoke
Strength- 87 surprisingly mild
Overall- 87.5 if it performed better from a construction standpoint this cigar would be excellent
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