It is no secret that I am a huge fan of the cigars presented by this manufacturer. One needn't look any further than my Top 10 list from last year which featured two offerings from this company. EPC has really hit the ground running with his new endeavor and the quality of the cigars since the EPC Inaugural in 2009 has been very, very good. Couple this with the fact that he has included his children in the business and it becomes a real feel good story of success. I know what you are all thinking! When did the Czar become so sappy? Well, I do have a heart folks, I know it's hard to believe. I have been to the Emerald City and the Wizard reluctantly gave me one, as long as I promised not to use it too often.
This cigar comes forth with a ton of fanfare amongst the cognoscenti that I associate with, but I have a healthy amount of skepticism based on my dislike of the New Wave Connecticut. This cigar is cut from the New Wave cloth and that makes me a little nervous. Alas, I make the promise to smoke all new cigars and write contrite errr...concise reviews...
The cigar presents a little roughly. It has a rustic appearance to it as there are some prominent lumps and bumps beneath a wrapper that looks a little sloppy to me. The wrapper has some nice tooth to it, but it seems a little bit dry to me as I feel my around it. The construction seems to be very good, I can't detect any areas that may be any cause for concern and that is right in line with EPC offerings from the past. The pre light aroma is bready and has some citrus zest to it. The pre light draw is peppery, but also has some nice sweet bread and wheat notes.
The cigar opens with a profile that is intense for a Connecticut offering. There is a robust blast of white pepper up front that has unexpected power from the start. There are some nice wheat flavors here, but the pepper is the star of the show in the early moments. The flavors have nice depth, but some extra complexity would be nice. At the back of the palate there are some light wood notes showing through, but there is a dry spice note that is sapping moisture from the palate, an unwelcome development. The draw is exceptional, free and easy is the order of the day and plenty of smoke is produced with little effort. The burn is very solid and a nice ash is forming.
The first half of the cigar is a laundry list of flavors that border on being erratic, making an identity for this cigar difficult to pin down. The core profile still shows white pepper notes: but light wood, sugar cane, cinnamon and some clove notes are showing through here as well. This eclectic mix of flavors gives the cigar a schizophrenic disposition and instead of complexity lends to muddled flavors that don't really deliver. The back of the palate is a more subdued presentation of crisp tobacco and some light caramel flavors that are interesting. The draw continues to be excellent. The burn is sharp and no issues are showing at all.
The final half of the cigar settles in beautifully. The core profile finds an identity as bread and wheat combine with a nice pepper tone to provide a robust and complex flavor experience. This array of flavors gives the cigar a late presence as something that could be very special if not for the haphazard first half of the smoke. The back of the palate continues to be a solid backdrop of crisp tobacco flavors with some nice caramel sweetness to provide balance. The draw stays solid right through to the end. The burn is more than acceptable all the way through.
The finish was crisp and showed nice tobacco and bread flavors.
This was not one of my favorite offerings, but the cigar was saved in the last half.
Appearance- 86 not much to look at, but there were no huge deficiencies
Taste- 87 some nice flavors late, but the erratic early half takes away points
Construction- 94 the real hero here, the cigar performs beautifully
Strength- 88 a surprising medium/full that complements the profile wonderfully
Overall- 89.25 well above average particularly in terms of construction
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