Some ten years ago I came across an oddly banded cigar in a B&M outside Chicago, I say oddly banded because it was green and cigar makers largely avoided green bands, that cigar was a Puros Indios. I bought several, more out of idol curiosity than anything else, and a several year love affair began. I smoke Puros Indios for several years after that and I always enjoyed the flavorful smoke at an affordable price. Then the dark days began, Puros Indios changed, my prized everyday favorite became a target of my loathing. I was not the only one, something went horribly wrong for followers of this cigar and several years passed before I picked one up again.
Just the other day I walked into my favorite B&M in New Orleans and my good friend Armando, the owner, suggested the new Puros Indios. After several minutes of questions and making him view some Rorschach Inkblots I determined that he was not insane, he even offered to give me my money back if I didn't like it, ok so maybe he was a touch off his rocker. I didn't even know that Puros was doing anything new at all, and I am pretty strong follower of the industry. To say I had low expectations would be a drastic understatement, I was prepping for the worst cigar of the year.
The cigar is crisply box pressed, strike one for me, I have never been a fan of this effect. The wrapper is silky smooth and there are very few light veins dancing across the field of view. I have often found box pressing vexing because it will make flaws in the bunch more pronounced in my opinion, but this does not appear to have any areas that seem out of sorts to me. The pre light aroma is an intoxicating mix of coffee and light earth. The pre light draw is full of earthy goodness.
The cigar opens with a profile that is unique and full of flavor and miles of depth. There are notes of toasted marshmallow and coconut right off the bat. This sweetness marries with an undertone of pepper and light earth that is a tantalizing combination of excellent flavors. At the back of the palate there is a very complementary flavor of dark wood and some light spice that is providing a phenomenal base for the front part of the profile. I am seldom, if ever, taken with a cigar in these early stages but this one has me yearning for more. The draw is a touch on the tight side, but I expect that early on in a box pressed smoke. The burn is a touch off as well, but I can see it will even out without issues.
The first half of the cigar loses some pizazz, but it is still a very high quality experience. The sweetness has morphed into a more cocoa like presentation with a hint of coffee flavors in the mix. There are also some fleeting notes of pepper in the front part of the palate, but they are teasing rather than substantial. At the back of the palate, the solid backdrop of wood and spice continues. The draw has opened up nicely here and is delivering the flavorful smoke without much effort. The burn is now sharp and showing signs of staying strong.
The final half of the cigar is not what I would have expected. The profile becomes less intense and the subtlety presented is actually a little disappointing. The core flavors are pepper and coffee notes, but they are not showing the depth that earlier flavors were showing. At the back of the palate, which I now believe has been the star of the show, the solid dark wood presentation continues to chug along and it provides a substantial amount of the entire experience. The draw is still flowing smoothly and the burn holds solid until the end.
The finish is long and sweet with lingering coffee and cocoa impressions.
Appearance- 87 nice, but I don't care for box pressing
Taste- 93 an excellent profile that could have been classic with more oomph in the final half
Construction- 90 some early tightness in the draw hurt the experience
Strength- 94 a beautiful medium that complements the palate in an exceptional way
Overall- 91.25 this is a must smoke in my book, and I am excited that Puros Indios is back
No comments:
Post a Comment