When these cigars first came onto the market a couple of years ago I lined up to get them, you see they only made 24000 cigars for this release and I just had to have some. I bought three boxes without ever having tried them, a rarity for me as far as box purchases go because I never buy something I have not tried. I have since smoked only four of these rare beauties and it seems that every time I fire one up something better and new is going on.
Every cigar is placed in it's own coffin and wrapped in cello beneath a cedar overlay, the presentation lets you know that something special is about to take place. The box itself is numbered and the lacquer and visual presentation is stunning, again an indication that someone has taken a great deal of pride and care in these cigars. Each cigar is hand made by Don Pepin and his son Jaime, it is not often you can hold something made by a master. Like a Rembrandt in art or a Stradivarius violin, this cigar to me represents the pinnacle of the cigar world. I have smoked some bad Pepin's before, but they are so few and far between that I really consider him the master of the art form currently. The cigar itself is wonderful to look at. The quality is readily apparent, there are no flaws in the wrapper and the construction is supple and forgiving in all the right places. The cap is expertly applied and I can't find a single issue in the smoke at all to this point. The pre light aroma is full of texture, showing cedar, spice and dark fruit notes. The pre light draw has huge blasts of cocoa and pepper and evinces wistful memories of other Pepin blends like Cabaiguan and the Pepin Blue.
The cigar opens with a profile that is rich and lush and full of palate treats. The core profile is a sublime mix of white pepper, floral sweetness, some sharper cedar notes and some fine blasts of cocoa and coffee. Depth of this sort is not achieved in a cigar often so I am taking in every aspect of the performance. At the back of the palate there are some excellent earthy tones that are mixed with a bready finish that is hard to place and adds some sweetness to the mix. The draw is absolutely perfect, the mouth feel is incredible and the draw has just enough resistance but provides cloud after cloud of ample smoke. The burn is right on the money to this point as well.
The first half of the cigar loses some depth, but the complexity remains as the flavors that linger on continue to develop into a more full bodied experience. The core profile is now a presentation of cedar that has dulled nicely and shows an undertone of vanilla cream, this is coupled with a wonderful coffee note that tickles the back of the palate and makes it yearn for more. While simple, this combination of flavors is so subtle, yet deep, that the palate and brain need to sync up some in order for the flavors to register. The back of the palate shows some light floral sweetness and slight earthy tone is here as well. The sweetness could be tempered some by a show of pepper or spice, but I am not finding it distracting to this point. The draw continues to perform in an exceptional fashion, the effort is so little that I forget I am smoking for awhile as I quietly draw on the cigar. The burn is still very solid.
The final half of the cigar shows a level of refinement I have not experienced in some time. The core profile becomes more subtle still as it moves into more vanilla cream than cedar. While the coffee notes are still present I am I little put off by how sweet the cigar gets in the last half. I would like some pepper or spice to ramp up the flavor a little bit. The back of the palate is also sweet, and it is becoming cloyingly so. The earthy flavors have given way to a more plain note of wood, but there is a clover like flavor and sweetness coming through here. Again I am finding the cigar to be too sweet in the final stretch. The draw and burn are flawless.
The finish was long and smooth showing cedar and cocoa flavors as the predominant factors.
Appearance- 100 you won't see a cigar more beautiful
Taste- 92 some very sweet notes late in the cigar hurt the score
Construction- 100 I don't give this out very often, but this cigar performed exceptionally
Strength- 93 a nice medium/full
Overall- 96.25 a classic cigar
No comments:
Post a Comment