As I perused the Top 25 Cigars of the Year from Cigar Aficionado I noticed all the usual suspects. The Padron's, the Fuente's, the Pepin's, the Altadis, the Oliva's and of course the Cubans were all represented in equal parts in your face arrogance and look who spent the most on advertising with us splendor. I have little respect for that list each year, but it is a fun read and a boondoggle for the B&M industry as they rush to put together the Top 25 sales shelf for We the Sheeple to peruse in homage to Marvin Shankme and his publishing empire. This year, however, there was a surprise waiting for me on the list. The above listed cigar being reviewed here made the list which led me to ponder what had happened. I had never heard of this cigar, it has never advertised in the pages of the self proclaimed good life bible. So what was it doing on the Top 25 list? My palate was in a quandary, do I try it? Or do I chalk it up to some sort of Aficionado usualness that could not possibly be any good? Alas, my devotion to my readers has won out and I am reviewing it.
The cigar presents with very simple bona fides. The wrapper is nice looking, with some nice sheen, but it is not the best I have ever lain eyes upon. The band work is simple and almost cheap looking. The construction seems well done, and I can't see or feel any areas that are of concern. The pre light aroma is lightly spicy and has some floral undertones. The pre light draw is peppery, but a touch thin.
The cigar opens with a profile that has sweet floral tones and some nice light cinnamon flavors. The sweetness is too much and it becomes cloying fairly early on. At the back of the palate there are some shots of white pepper and cedar, but there is some sharpness here that runs afoul of the sweetness in the front of the experience. The draw is acceptable, but it is a little tight for me, which may be a silent blessing with all the sweetness that is coming through here. The burn is solid right from the start.
The first half of the cigar continues to be sickeningly sweet. I'm not sure where this is coming from, and I struggle to identify the core flavor here. I think it is slightly fruity and mostly floral, but it is just too sweet to pick out any nuance. At the back of the palate the sharp cedar notes continue and the pepper becomes less of a factor. This combination continues to be off putting when put against the sweet front of the palate. The draw continues to be acceptable and the burn is still solid.
The final half of the cigar finally loses the overpowering sweetness and moves into a more balanced array of cinnamon, wheat and light pepper flavors. The depth is not what I would like, but at least I don't feel like I'm sucking on a sugar cube anymore. The back of the palate has been mulled as well and the sharp flavors have nearly vanished into the air. The profile here shows some nice cedar and pepper still, but they have smoothed out considerably. The draw and burn maintain acceptability throughout.
The finish shows lingering sweetness, but has some pepper essence as well.
I still question the methodology of the Top 25 from Shankme, and this cigar did nothing but confirm my long running skepticism.
Appearance- 86 very average looking, nice wrapper though
Taste- 84 just not very good until the last half, even then it was not enough
Construction- 88 above average, but nothing noteworthy
Strength- 85 medium I guess, but for some (me), it would be mild
Overall- 85.75 very middling in my opinion, I wouldn't do it again
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