Vital Stats:
This cigar was reviewed blind (no bands) by a panel of at least 4 reviewers. They did not know what they were smoking beforehand. The scores are an average of all the reviewers' scores with outliers removed. All of our cigars reviewed are shipped to the panelists with Boveda packs to ensure optimal smoking experience.
Vitola: Perfecto
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 50
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Factory: Tabacalera L&V
Blender: Fred Rewey
Number of reviewers: 4—– Gregg (McGreggor57) Jason H. (Jokey Smurf) Derek (StogieNinja) Milton (mjohnsoniii)
Price: $9.90
Age: 3 Months
Release Date: 2013
Contributed by: Nomad Cigar Company
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 91
“An interesting semi closed foot. Lots of veins crisscross this cigar, with noticeable seams that are a bit patchwork in appearance.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
Aroma: 87
“I’m getting a lot of leather and barnyard. There were also hints of nuts and grass.” –Milton (mjohnsoniii)
First Third
Flavor: 88
Strength: Mild-Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“This cigar starts off very mild…very mild. There is a very slight sweetness with a total lack of any pepper or spice. There is, however, a TON of creamy smoke. As the third progresses, a slight spice tingle can be detected on my tongue.” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
“Cold draw is nice and open, with very little flavor. After toasting the foot, I’m surprised by the first draw. I expected harsh, but instead I got a nice mild tobacco core, that’s a bit creamy, with leather, mild cocoa and hints of baking spices. A decent start. Nothing special, but better than I was expecting.” –Derek (StogieNinja)
Second Third
Flavor: 88
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“The second third of this cigar introduced a nutty creaminess which paired nicely with the slight sweetness. Overall, the cigar is very mild still. The smoke production has been remarkable, and the creaminess of the smoke maximizes the subtle flavors that are present.” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
“The second third showed hints of freshly ground coffee and oregano. Leather was present as well as baking spices, although very faint. The ash continued to hold strong until about halfway into the second third, then fell.” –Milton (mjohnsoniii)
Final Third
Flavor: 88
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“Cedar continues to be the dominant flavor with the return of the baking spices and floral. For the first time I get a nose full of spice on the retrohale. Thankfully, the flavors are more muted than before and a creaminess coats the palate.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
“The final third is by far the best part of the smoke, though that’s not saying much as it’s marginally better. The overall tone of the flavors has warmed up a bit, giving the illusion that the flavors have grown in complexity. It’s a baby step, but it’s a good one. No major changes to the flavor profile.” –Derek (StogieNinja)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 91
“The draw started out wide open, but once the flame was applied it firmed up to a nearly perfect resistance. Very nice!” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
Burn: 96
“This was one of the best burning cigars I’ve had. A tightly coiled ash at then end of a straight burn line.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
Construction: 94
“The construction of this cigar was great. I didn’t find any soft spots and with the exception of the small crack towards the foot, the wrapper was nearly flawless. The double cap was laid to perfection.” –Milton (mjohnsoniii)
Overall Strength: Medium
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium
Overall Experience: 88
“There were times when this cigar offered up some flavor potential. The constant cedar I picked up, however, was too overpowering for my tastes. I did enjoy the leather, toast and milder baking spices. Unfortunately those flavors were far and few between.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
“This is one of those cigars that rates higher overall than in any one portion. It was not overly complex, and didn’t even stand out in any one portion besides performance, but when it was done I was sad. I wanted to light another one immediately and continue the experience. That is not something that I say very often. I’m anxious to discover what it was that I smoked so I can get some more. I can’t imagine a better morning smoke, or cigar to introduce a new smoker to. Very enjoyable.” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
“The big positive for this (what I assume is a) budget stick is that it’s pleasant with no negatives. No sourness, no harshness, no bitterness. Just mildly enjoyable flavors. If you’re looking for a very mild yard gar, or something to hand out to newer smokers, this is the ticket.” –Derek (StogieNinja)
“This cigar definitely showed signs of being an excellent cigar. There were multiple flavors that came and went but didn’t really stick around long enough to really enjoy them. This was in no way a bad or even mediocre cigar. It was very good, but I think it could have used more rest to be great. I’d love to grab a couple (or few) to let rest for a few more months to see what would become of them. I’m almost sure that it would make a world of difference.” –Milton (mjohnsoniii)
Smoking Time (in minutes): 76
Total Score: 90 (Very Good)
| Reviewer | Appea-rance | Aroma | 1/3 | 2/3 | 3/3 | Draw | Burn | Constr. | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gregg | 90 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 90 | 90 | 97 | 95 | 88 |
| Jason H. | 92 | 85 | 88 | 90 | 92 | 97 | 97 | 95 | 95 |
| Derek | 85 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 93 | 88 | 88 |
| Milton | 90 | 95 | 90 | 88 | 88 | 92 | 88 | 93 | 90 |
| Overall | 91 | 87 | 88 | 88 | 88 | 91 | 96 | 94 | 88 |
To view the complete scores and notes, click here.