In 2011 the Pedro Martin Gold burst onto the scene in my cigar world and found it's place at #6 in my Top 10 cigars of the year. This is no small feat, as my Top 10 lists are heavily considered and each cigar is scrutinized thoroughly before being given top status. I ran into Maria Martin some weeks ago at an event in West Palm and she told to keep an eye out for the new Platinum Series, which is what this Royal is from. Maria also relayed a story to me about her father's long ties to Don Pepin and the mentor relationship her father had with a young Pepin many years ago. I won't go into all the details, but it was an excellent trip down memory lane for her and a fun story for me. If you ever meet her you should get her to regale you with the tale.
This cigar is fairly plain visually as the wrapper is nice looking, but somewhat dull. The band work is non-descript, but I learned long ago not to judge a book by it's cover. The wrapper has few veins and is very nicely applied and the construction of the remainder of the cigar is excellent as I detect no areas of concern. The pre light aroma is of light bread and wheat with a touch of cinnamon. The pre light draw is deliciously floral and has some ideas of cinnamon as well.
The cigar opens with a profile that is subtle, yet solidly flavorful. The core notes are of graham cracker and light wood, there are also wisps of cinnamon that are slipping some unexpected depth into the early moments of the smoke. At the back of the palate there are some very light notes of wood and some hints of a floral note that adds something to the base of this flavor experience. I always think of the back of the palate as the foundation upon which the other flavors rest, and in this case the foundation is strong. The draw is a little too tight for me, but it is acceptable. The burn is solid and a dirty gray ash is forming nicely.
The first half of the cigar really does not improve, which is disappointing because I like development, but at the same time it does not deteriorate either which is great because the opening notes were excellent, so I am not upset if they want to hang out for awhile. The core profile is still of graham cracker and light wood. The back of the palate continues to show light wood and floral essence. The draw stays acceptable and the burn is still solid.
The final half of the cigar really transforms for me. The core profile shows robust cinnamon and spice flavors with some nice white pepper undertones that really bring the flavors home with a nice shot of something unexpected. At the back of the palate light wood notes have moved into a crisp presentation of tobacco flavors that are excellent when considered against the shifts in the core profile. The draw stays the same throughout the experience, and the burn was solid to the end.
The finish was long and carried notes of cinnamon, tobacco and light pepper.
This is another winner from the Martin Family.
Appearance- 86 a nice looking smoke, but nothing spectacular
Taste- 93 this is really something taste wise, subtle and refreshing in a market that is dominated with power and one dimensional offerings
Construction- 88 the draw was a touch too tight for me, but it was not bad
Strength- 91 a very nice medium
Overall- 89.75 a very solid smoking experience
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