Every so often when you are a man of idle whim, like I so rarely am these days, you can find yourself sitting in a cigar lounge contemplating the greater issues of the day; like if Seinfeld was the greatest show ever, or where you should get lunch tomorrow and in walks a rep from one of the companies and he starts spreading around smokes. Most of the reps in my area know about my blog and I always remind them that if they give me a smoke and tell me to review it, that it might not go well for them. They always nod and appreciate my candor and tell me to do it anyway. Sometimes I wonder about them...
This cigar was given to me to try and review despite my long hatred for anything sixty ring, my long hatred for most things Altadis and in general my hatred for most everything. I am curmudgeonly at best, a lifestyle I don't recommend, but one that I excel at. I warned the rep that if I didn't like it that it could be crucified because I have been feeling particularly saucy these days. He just smiled and gave me one anyway. I pocketed it politely, made small talk for a bit and when he left fired up something non Altadis. I was saving this smoke for a time that seemed right to smoke a sixty ring, and I found that moment on the golf course.
The cigar presents like most sixty ringers do, it is a huge log. The construction seems to be ok, but when the bunch is so large it becomes difficult to detect any issues that may be hiding beneath. I notice right away that the wrapper is thin, gossamer thin to be exact, and this never adds up to a positive cigar experience in my mind. Thin wrappers don't smoke well, they crack, they run, they explode and they unravel. Other than that Mrs. Lincoln how was the play? The pre light aroma has some thin hints of cinnamon and an odd smell of cardboard. The pre light draw is way too loose and there are some hints of light coffee and dusty grass.
The cigar opens with a charred and bubbling wrapper, one of the first signs that the wrapper is too damn thin. I hate when normal lighting leads to charring because someone had to cheap out on wrapper leaf, can a BOTL get an MF'in extra couple of turns on the rolling table? The core profile is not too bad, but there is little complexity or depth. There are some flavors of light wood and light pepper, but they never develop into anything resembling a full profile and I am more than miffed. At the back of the palate there are some grassy notes and a touch of light coffee. The burn is ok, but still charring the thin wrapper beyond the border of the ash. The draw is too loose, and this is one of the prime reasons I hate big ring cigars, draws are supposed to have some slight resistance.
The first half of the smoke wallows in the putrid puddles of the shallow end of the cigar gene pool. The core profile never develops and thin flavors of pepper and light wood are charred and bittered by the poor wrapper presentation. I am not even sure why I have not chucked this log yet, other than I am playing a decent round and I am trying not to pay attention to the horrible cigar experience. The back of the palate is faring no better as fetid vegetation flavors take over. There is little value in this cigar at all. The burn is better, but still not great. The draw is still booming right along like pulling through a giant drink straw in a fishbowl margarita.
The final half of the cigar completely comes off the rails. The wrapper just blows up and begins to unravel, sadly I called this earlier in the smoke. The core profile is charred and ashy. At the back of the palate some real gut turning notes of acid and vegetation are showing their might. The burn is a disaster and the draw is almost as bad.
The finish was long and ugly, several fifths of scotch might not have been able to wipe this clean.
Appearance- 85 the best part of the smoke
Taste- 72 it can't get much worse
Construction- 70 it can't get worse
Strength- 85 not sure, medium I guess
Overall- 75.75 an early candidate for worst cigar of the year
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