When you think of Da Bears you naturally think of Da Coach. I have been a lifelong Bears fan and I cut my football teeth watching Ditka led Bears teams smack people in the mouth, as he used to say so often. I've met Da Coach many times and he is a gracious man so I can think of no person more deserving of a cigar tribute than he is. The man is a football legend. Game changing Tight End, helping make the position more vertical instead of just another Fullback split wide. Game changing coach, making defense the centerpiece of so many winning teams. The phrase defense wins championships was probably around before he was, but he really made it a reality when Da Bears won the Super Bowl in 86. He was almost a game changing politician as well, he was tapped to run for US Senate in 04 and he declined even though polls showed him winning in a landslide against his opponent. How is that game changing you might ask? His opponent would have been Barack Obama. I can say it would have been a much different world if that certain race had gone to Ditka... All of this is to say I was excited to smoke a cigar made in tribute to someone I grew up watching, love him or hate him he is a legend.
The cigar is very limited, only 5000 boxes of 10, or at least that is what the interwebs say. I am somewhat anxious about this because it is made by Camacho and I really dislike so many of their offerings, I assess and hope for the best. The cigar looks excellent, presented in it's own coffin and resplendent in a dark and chocolaty wrapper, while there are some prominent veins I don't find any other issues with the smoke as I give it the once over. The pre light aroma smacks of pepper and earth. The pre light draw has some signs of wood and spice, but there is a slight bitterness that is somewhat off putting.
The cigar opens with a profile that is all pepper, and pepper is the only dimension. This one dimensional approach immediately has me wary of what is to come. Cigars that show all strength up front seldom develop into anything other that what they show early and it leads to flat and mundane cigar experiences. The back of the palate is all pepper as well and I sigh and resign myself to what I feel will be a very pedestrian experience not befitting of Da Coach.and his many facets. The draw is fine, maybe a little tight for me, but I am not upset by it. The burn is also solid to this point.
The first half of the cigar retains its one dimensional aspect. The flavor is pepper and that is it, sadly there is some strange bitterness that comes in here and there as well, but I can't put my finger on what it might be. This one dimensional strength craze was supposed to be over, why do manufacturers keep doing this? It is beyond my comprehension. The back of the palate and through the nose is almost all pepper as well, there are some very subtle and fleeting hints of wood, but they are really nothing to mention. The draw is still a bit tight for me, but it is not causing any issues. The burn is still solid.
The final half of the cigar finally shows some development, but it is a regression and not a progression. The core profile is bitter and ranging into the foul spectrum. The main flavor is still pepper, but there are some sharp tobacco notes that show a bitter aftertaste. The back of the palate shows some earthy notes but they are more loamy than pleasant and I am almost completely turned off at this point. The draw and burn remain much the same throughout.
The finish was short and harsh with scorched wood and sharp pepper flavors that leave the palate tired and putrefied.
I am disappointed by this smoke and the fact that is has Da Coach's name attached to it. He deserves so much better...
Appearance- 92 really nice touch with the coffin and the cigar is wonderful to look at
Taste- 77 really very poor
Construction- 87 not bad, tight draw leads to some reduction
Strength- 82 all power and nothing else leads to one dimensional smokes
Overall- 83.75 very poor
No comments:
Post a Comment