G.A.R. Opium Black Gran Robusto (6x52)

Every so often I run into a B&M that I am not interested in for any other reason than a spacious humidor full of treats that I may or may not have ever seen before.  There is one such place in Tampa, the sheer size of the selection of cigars in the store is mind boggling.  It seemingly has everything and you have to be willing to make a  floor to ceiling pursuit for the elusive singles that every humidor needs.  I call these my change of pace cigars, see I buy boxes of cigars all the time.  These boxes are my mainstays, my go to's, my favorites and my everyday smokers.  However, sometimes I get tired of my usual and I feel like I must breakout and try something foreign.  I often know nothing about these types of cigars, other than I found it somewhere and I had never smoked it, in some cases I have never heard of it.  This cigar checks all those boxes for me and I consider these cigars as always being risky, I mean it could really suck.

The cigar presents well.  The band work is a touch gaudy, what with foil like presentations and fancy script, I am thinking of it like a Hollywood starlet at this point and I am wondering what the glam is hiding.  The wrapper is nicely applied and seems to have some nice oils.  The bunch is seemingly a bit loose, but I can't find any other issues.  The pre light aroma smacks of spice and rich tobacco.  The pre light draw shows a light sweetness and a muddled coffee note that has some earthy tones.

The cigar opens with a very nice core profile that has some depth and complexity that sets a solid tone for the smoke.  The flavors have some nice cinnamon and tobacco notes, additionally there is some creamed coffee coming through here as well.  The back of the palate and the retrohale show some robust dark wood flavors and nice earthy tone that is very solid.  The draw is very solid right from the start and it delivers nice amounts of smoke with little effort.  The burn is also right on the money from the get go.

The first half of the cigar progresses nicely.  The core profile continues with a nice touch of cinnamon and a nice cereal notes comes in as well and lends some sweetness to the experience.  The back of the palate still shows dark wood and earth, but some pepper and tobacco flavors here round out the profile nicely.  The draw is now a bit loose and I am worried about heat as the smoke moves on.  The burn is still solid and shows no signs of any issue.

The final half of the cigar becomes something nightmare are made of.  The profile derails as the core profile transitions from cinnamon and cereal to something bitter and sour, like rusty bolts in vinegar.  I am not quite sure what happened but it becomes really nasty in the final half of the smoke.  The flavors I do pick out are vegetal and loamy and the cigar seems to just give up.  The wrapper splits and blows up horribly and I am left wondering what the hell happened to this cigar that I was enjoying.  The draw is now gone, it is way too loose and the heat is nearly unbearable.  The burn is also gone, as the cigar splits keeping it lit is nearly impossible.

The finish was me chucking this rocket with nearly a third left, it is unfortunate as the cigar started so well.

As I said these cigars are often a risk, and this one did not pay off.

Appearance- 87 a bit gaudy, but ok
Taste- 80 some points for the early performance, but no points for the later presentation
Construction- 70 when a cigar goes this wrong no higher score can be given
Strength- 85 a medium/full that may have been ok if I could have evaluated it over the entire cigar
Overall- 78.75 not all risks are good ones

Gran Habano G.A.R. Robusto Grande (5.5x52)

My singles journey marches on through the dark drawers of the oft forgotten nether regions of my cabinet and reveals this bulky smoke from the boys at Gran Habano.  In all fairness I have never cared for Gran Habano offerings as I often find them to be pedestrian and lacking in depth and complexity.  The cigar itself is simple looking, it has a small band at the foot and no other adornments.  The wrapper is toothy and rough looking, but the cigar appears to be well made.  The pre light aroma smacks of sharp cedar and spice.  The pre light draw is a touch bitter, but has some elemental qualities that border on being metallic.

The cigar opens in much the way I expect from Gran Habano.  The profile is not deep or flavorful in the early stages.  There are some hints of dark wood and spice, but they are neither tasty or complex.  At the back of the palate there is a torched coffee flavor that assaults the taste buds in a most foul way.  The draw is fluid and even, but might become too loose at some point in the smoke.  The burn is lopsided and produces a white ash that is a touch flaky.

The first half of the smoke improves slightly, but it is nothing worth clicking your heels over.  The profile takes on a more coffee like character, but maintains some nice flavors of dark wood.  At the back of the palate there are some spice flavors that are bordering on acidic, but staying in the acceptable lane for now.  There is no particular balance or depth, but it is not terrible.  The draw is becoming looser and some heat is coming into the smoke at the half way point.  The burn levels out, but the ash is still flaky.

The final half of the smoke really does nothing to thrill me.  The profile shows some wheaty notes that are quickly obscured by blasts of young tobacco and bitter vegetation flavors.  At the back of the palate the bitterness is creeping back in and threatens to become acidic.  The draw becomes too loose and the heat becomes a major problem.  The burn stays acceptable from the halfway point on.

The finish is short and bitter and I am thankful that this experience has ended and wish I had left this smoke wherever I found it.

Appearance- 86 very simple and plain
Taste- 82 not a lot of redeeming qualities here
Construction- 81 late loose draw hurts the cigar and the score
Strength- 80 a lackluster medium/full
Overall- 82 a very under achieving effort