Alec Bradley Tempus Cigar Rights of America Edition

This is another from the CRA sampler I received for joining the organization. It appears to be a standard Tempus toro that CRA slapped a CRA band on, but I am happy to give it a go anyway. The cigar presents well with a dark, rich wrapper that has plenty of tooth. There is one huge vein that I have some misgivings about before I get started. The rest of the cigar appears to be of acceptable construction. The pre light aroma has some notes of spice and orange zest. The pre light draw has some interesting vanilla qualities and some notes of dark wood.

The smoke opens with a core profile of very nice vanilla notes and some hints of dark wood. At the back of the palate there are some rich tobacco flavors, but the vanilla has permeated and diffuses some of the tobacco strength. The draw is nice, but could be a bit looser. The burn is off, almost like the cigar is too wet, which is not possible as it has been in my 65% environment for three months.

The first half of the smoke shows a complete drop off of the early vanilla notes. Instead the profile becomes a show of wood and tobacco flavors that have no real depth or complexity. At the back of the palate there are some ideas of dark wood, but they are charred and show some bitter qualities. I find myself vainly hoping for some return of earlier characteristics, but in the first half there are no signs of it. The draw is still a bit too tight for me and the burn is still off, but not causing any issues.

The second half of the smoke is unfortunately much like the first half. The flavors in the core are of tobacco and wood, but there is no discernible development to these flavors and they flatten out on the palate like a prisoner against a wall as the spotlight comes his way. At the back of the palate the charred notes persist and dominate the experience. I am very disappointed with this profile. The draw and burn remain much the same through the smoke, average.

The finish is short and has some bitter notes of charred wood.

Appearance- 87 the huge vein detracts from the overall impression
Taste- 81 a very sub par profile
Construction- 85 very average
Strength- 89 a nice medium/full
Overall- 84.75 a below average smoke

Punch-Cigar Rights of America Edition

I recently joined Cigar Rights of America and received several cigars in a sampler as my reward for joining the organization. I will say the cigars were a nice perk, but I would have joined anyway. The cigar appears to be a normal Punch in something like a toro size with an added CRA band at the foot. The wrapper is a medium brown that has a few flaws and some veining, but it also has some acceptable tooth to it. A quick inspection tells me that the cigar is well made, but perhaps a trifle firm. The pre light aroma is of tobacco and light earthy tones. The pre light draw shows notes of crisp tobacco and some light spice.

The cigar opens with a typical Punch profile of tobacco, earth and some light notes of spice. The profile is thin and lacks some depth, but the flavors are not terrible. At the back of the palate there is a heavy earthy note that has some nice undertones of roasted nuts. The draw is a little too tight for and there is some labor involved in getting an acceptable amount of smoke. The burn is slightly off, but it is not anything that is causing me concern at this point.

The first two thirds of the cigar hold the same profile. There are notes of tobacco, earth and some light spice. However, the cigar still lacks depth and complexity and instead is a straightforward presentation that I feel is lacking. At the back of the palate there continues to be a heavy note of earth, but the nutty flavors continue to show through providing some enjoyment. The draw is still too tight for me, but it is not causing any issues. The burn has leveled off and is performing nicely.

The final third of the cigar shows a profile shift. The core shows some nice notes of pepper and rich tobacco flavors. At the back of the palate there are some notes of earth and roasted nuts that are continuing to show through. The draw is still too tight and begins to impart some heat with about a quarter of the cigar left. The burn is uniform throughout.

The finish is a touch thin, but shows notes of pepper and tobacco.

Appearance- 85 an average looking cigar
Taste- 86 slightly above average profile that lacked depth and complexity
Construction- 83 the draw was too tight
Strength- 85 an unremarkable medium/full
Overall- 84.75 a slightly below average experience