The roots of the Brick House go back to the original clear Havana blend launched by J.C. Newman made with Cuban tobacco before the Cuban embargo. The name comes from his childhood home which was the only house made out of bricks in their small, Hungarian village. People from all around with gather at that house to eat, drink, smoke and enjoy company, but the Great Depression brought that to an end.
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.
Fast-forward 80 years, and J.C. Newman’s grandsons Eric and Bobby Newman bring the brand back to life using Nicaraguan tobacco. The blend uses a Havana Subido™ wrapper with Nicaraguan binder and fillers. The Brick House Maduro uses the same binder and filler but replaces with wrapper with Brazilian Arapiraca wrapper. The finished product is described as spicier than the original and full-bodied with sweetness.
Vital Stats:
Vitola: Double Toro Length: 6 1/4″ Ring Gauge: 60 Country of Origin: Nicaragua Wrapper: Brazilian Arapiraca Maduro Binder: Nicaragua Filler: Nicaragua Factory: J.C. Newman PENSA Blender: undisclosed Number of reviewers: 4 – Allison T.(The Yoga Ash) Jeremey W. (Jeremey) Sean F.(fullermaine) Joseph S.(Bearded Bastard) Price: $9.59 Age: 4 Months Release Date: 2012 Contributed by: J.C. Newman
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 89
“A bit veiny, but overall looks like a quality cigar that I couldn’t wait to try.” –Sean F. (fullermaine)
Aroma: 92
“Aroma is strong barnyard with a faint hint of sweetness.” –Allison T. (The Yoga Ash)
First Third
Flavor: 92 Strength: Medium Body/Complexity: Medium
“Really loose draw. Notes of cedar and mineral. Ash is dark grey medium firmness. Have had to re-light it two times. I’m assuming because of it being loose rolled it goes out easier. Retrohale is slight pepper with turpentine. Slightly uneven burn.” –Jeremey W. (Jeremey)
“Great draw that lead to a tri-colored ash. The hint of oak upon lighting is still there. Oak note leads to a nice nutty taste.” –Sean F. (fullermaine)
Second Third
Flavor: 92 Strength: Medium-Strong Body/Complexity: Medium
“Very smooth, nice mouth feel with the continuation of the leather, wood and earthiness. ” –Joseph S. (Bearded Bastard)
“Flavors remain the same in the second third (earthiness and French Roast coffee) while the black pepper on the retrohale increases slightly.” –Allison T. (The Yoga Ash)
Final Third
Flavor: 90 Strength: Medium-Strong Body/Complexity: Medium
“Complex flavors towards the end. Cocoa notes lead to a sweet licorice taste then right back to cocoa. A slight tear doesn’t affect this cigar. No relight was needed to correct the tear. Still burns evenly to the end.” –Sean F. (fullermaine)
“Same notes as the 2nd third with hints of the spice peeking through” –Joseph S. (Bearded Bastard)
“Slightly wavy burn line that required occasional correction with my lighter throughout the smoking experience. ” –Allison T. (The Yoga Ash)
Construction: 92
“With it being a bit veiny, I thought it would cause problems. No such problems. Beautiful construction leads to a quality smoke.” –Sean F. (fullermaine)
Overall Strength: Medium-Strong Overall Body/Complexity: Medium Experience Overall: 91
“This is a big cigar that’s not big on flavors or complexity. With a ring gauge this large, if I’m going to spend over an hour and a half smoking a cigar I would ideally like to experience more flavors and transitions.” –Allison T. (The Yoga Ash)
“It’s a decent cigar one you can share with your buddies or gift. It’s a smoke if you got’em type of cigar.” –Jeremey W. (Jeremey)
“Great flavors of oak, cocoa, and licorice make this cigar unique. If you want to step out of your cigar comfort zone, this cigar is a must try.” –Sean F. (fullermaine)
“Overall I really enjoyed this cigar, it was a great flavor combo that paired well with the coffee I was having. A little pre-work zen time. A good solid medium to full strength, I’d definitely put these in my rotation.” –Joseph S. (Bearded Bastard)
To view the complete scores and notes, click here.
Blind Cigar Review: Brick House | Maduro Mighty Mighty
Overall Score – 91 – Very Good
Blind Cigar Review: Brick House | Maduro Mighty Mighty
Summary
"This is a big cigar that's not big on flavors or complexity. With a ring gauge this large, if I'm going to spend over an hour and a half smoking a cigar I would ideally like to experience more flavors and transitions." -Allison T. (The Yoga Ash)
