Let me start with some ranting about the state of the cigar industry. I am tired of big, donkey wang, ring gauges. When will this 60+ ring bull sheim stop so we can get back to some traditional cigar making?!?!?! What I immediately loved about this cigar was the size. The closer you can get me to a corona the happier I am, I mean I'm not in prison so why should I insert anything into my oral cavity that will make me feel like I am there?
Anyway, this cigar presents well with a nice wrapper the color of lightly creamed coffee. The price is a bit stratospheric (is that a word?) at $12+, particularly for a cigar this size. There are some light veins along the surface of the smoke, but there is not anything to be particularly concerned about. I can't detect any problems with the construction and the cigar seems like it will perform well. The pre light aroma is grassy and has some light spice. The pre light draw is also very grassy, but has some vanilla qualities as well.
The cigar opens with a profile that is neither complex or containing any depth. The main flavors are of grass and light wheaty notes that don't insert themselves into the palate with any authority. At the back of the palate there are some nice hints of light wood, but the prevailing grassy flavors from the front of the palate are drying out the throat here. The draw is nice and delivers plenty of smoke. The burn is sharp and a solid medium gray ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar shows some signs of life. The main profile starts to show some nice vanilla notes laced with some light coffee flavors, but there are still some blasted tones of grass springing up here and there and they irritate me to no end. At the back of the palate there are some solid presentations of light wood and some floral essences, but grass, grass, grass MFing grass keeps popping into the experience. I hate this particular profile attribute, which is well documented in my review library. The draw continues to perform well and the burn is still solid.
The final half of the cigar dashes any hopes that I had. The profile becomes all grass and dry vegetation and the smoke becomes as dry as dry can be. I am reaching for ice water before this one is over, and that is rare for me as I hardly ever drink anything while reviewing a smoke. The back of the palate has also fallen fully under the spell of the grassy specter of doom and the flavor profile becomes flat and unpleasant. The burn and draw stay solid throughout.
The finish was, yep, you guessed it....GRASSY! For the price I expected much, much more, at least the size was enjoyable from two standpoints. It was a size I like to smoke and it was over all the more quickly, I can't imaging what level of cigar hell this could have reached in a 60 ring.
Appearance- 88 a nice looking smoke, nothing to write home about
Taste- 80 due to some nice elements in the first half, I'm feeling benevolent
Construction- 92 no complaints here
Strength- 85 a very pedestrian mild/medium
Overall- 86.25 on the basis of construction, otherwise don't waste the cash
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