I am always intrigued by cigars that I have never, ever heard of. This is just one such cigar. I was wandering in my favorite New Orleans B&M last month when I was approached by the owner, a good friend of mine, he had a big smile on his face and I know what that means, new cigars! He introduced me to 4 or 5 of the cigars on my Top 10 from 2011 and he has a hot hand in predicting what I will like. He led me over to these cigars that I had never heard of and laid on me that they were made by a relative of Alejandro Robaina, I can confirm that someone named Carlos Pereda Robaina is behind these smokes and that he is the grandson of the legend. I reluctantly bought some, I will get to why I was reluctant later. I smoked one right there and was impressed, but I was not in the frame of mind to consider that one for a review, so I bought some more.
The cigar presents very cheaply. The band work looks like something from a gas station brand and the tobacco, while supple, seems to be lower grade to me upon inspection. It just seems dry and inferior, not the stuff of Pepin, Padron or Fuente to be sure, or at least that is what I thought. An examination of the construction reveals a well made smoke with nary an issue or area of concern. The pre light aroma is bready and has light brushes of cinnamon. The pre light draw is lightly woody.
This cigar opens with a luxurious array of flavor and balance. The core profile is showing notes of white pepper, cinnamon, vanilla, spice and wheat. At the back of the palate there are some beautiful notes of light wood mingling with some great light tobacco flavors that are binding the whole experience together. The draw is absolute perfection in my world, there is some slight resistance, but the delivery of smoke and flavor is second to none. The burn is sharp and the ash is solid.
The first half of the smoke is eye opening, astonishing, flabbergasting or just damn great if you will. The profile has settled into a fantastic presentation of wheat and toasted marshmallow that is ever so subtly touched by occasional wisps of white pepper and cinnamon. At the back of the palate the light wood notes are balsa like and add a interesting sweetness to the profile, there are also still some beautiful light tobacco notes and some light touches of spice here. The draw continues to be excellent and I am super impressed with this performance, it's almost like this cigar was tailored to my draw specifications. The burn is a touch off here, but I don't think it will be an issue.
The final half of the cigar continues to impress me. I find myself at a loss for the appropriate metaphor at this point (I know you are all stunned), as the cigar exceeding my wildest expectations. The core profile has become a nuanced mix of cinnamon, roasted nuts, wheat and white pepper. It is so good I can hardly divine all that is going on here. The back of the palate has taken on a more cedary tone at this point, but it is ever so lightly touched by some tobacco and spice notes that remove any harshness from the cedary flavors. The draw and burn are solid throughout.
The finish is silky and long, leaving cinnamon and roasted nut flavors on the palate for several breathtaking moments. This is a cigar of legend! You never know what you might find.
Appearance- 85 I will give it an average score, all though it does appear to be cheap
Taste- 99 this was a nearly perfect experience, if I could change one thing I would have more core flavors for longer
Construction- 92 some burn issues in the middle, but the draw was superior
Strength- 94 a fantastic mild/low end medium that is so complementary to the palate
Overall- 93.5 an absolute must smoke!
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