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: Robusto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 50
Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wrapper: Honduras
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Factory: STG Esteli
Blender: Rick Rodriguez
Number of reviewers: 5—–Dave (mdwest) Gregg (McGreggor57) Robert (NavyPiper) Jason (bigslowrock) Emmett (rhetorik)
Price: $12.99
Age: 3 Months
Release Date: October 2014
Contributed by: General Cigar
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 93
“A very nice looking stick cloaked in a milk chocolate colored wrapper that has a nice oily sheen and an overall slick appearance with minimal tooth.” –Dave (mdwest)
Aroma: 89
“The wrapper has a distinct leather smell to it while the foot is not as strong. The pre-light draw is creamy and sweet.” –Emmett (rhetorik)
First Third
Flavor: 90
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“Starts off with a nice blast of sweet creaminess with this intense earthiness that I could almost describe as a smoky peat that you may find in a whiskey or intense Scottish ale. As I progress into the third, the strong earthiness backs down to some pepper. A very interesting flavor profile.” –Jason (bigslowrock)
“The first puffs are creamy and a little spicy. The spice builds as the third moves forward. Along the way I’m picking up hints of wood and leather, but nothing that lasts, mostly just the spice. The burn started out a little crooked but fixed itself about halfway through.” –Emmett (rhetorik)
Second Third
Flavor: 86
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“About half way through the stick a little bit of nuttiness comes into the flavor profile, but that’s about the only change from the first third. The smoke has lost a little of its harsh edge which is a very nice improvement and is making it much easier to enjoy the cigar, but flavors remain muddled and not well defined.” –Dave (mdwest)
“Just when I think the pepper is gone, it returns with a flourish. Allspice and muted clove add to the heat coating my palate. As the spice fades yet again, a mellow profile of assorted baking spices surfaces. This is an interesting smoke to this point.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
Final Third
Flavor: 88
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“Another round of pepper begins this third, although a little less intense. Coffee, with a hint of bakers chocolate mixes well with the spice.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
“In the last third, as in the last part of the second third, it was all spice. Pretty ‘zingy’ too. Flavor is pretty intense, but still enjoyable. Burn continued to stay squirrely and smoked it pretty much to the nub.” –Robert (NavyPiper)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 90
“An excellent draw that provides just enough resistance on each puff from start to finish.” –Dave (mdwest)
Burn: 84
“The burn was a constant challenge. Even with repeated touch ups, it was still really wonky and never evened out.” –Robert (NavyPiper)
Construction: 86
“The fill seemed a bit uneven to the squeeze. There were a couple lumps in the apperance. The burn just wasn’t there.” –Jason (bigslowrock)
Overall Strength: Medium
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium
Overall Experience: 88
“I think I’d be willing to try this one again and see if the flavors would become a little better defined and the harshness of the smoke might go away with either some rest or a few weeks storage at a lower RH. It wasn’t my favorite stick of the week, but certainly wasn’t bad by any stretch. I think under different conditions it has some potential to create a better overall experience.” –Dave (mdwest)
“I really enjoyed the peek-a-boo with the spiciness at the beginning of each third. The first and final thirds offered the best flavors while the middle section was a let down for me. Sadly, the wrapper coming apart near the end really hurt the overall experience.” –Gregg (McGreggor57)
“On the whole I liked it. Wouldn’t mind a few more. After the first third, the flavors faded out so it was just spice, which only changed in the intensity of the flavor. In the final third, it was so ‘zingy’ it started making my nose run after a few retrohales.” –Robert (NavyPiper)
“I really wish the flavors from the first third would have held on a bit longer in the smoke. I found them to be a pretty interesting combo. With the flavor profile of the latter half and the burn, I would probably not goout searching for these to buy. With that said, if offered another one, I wouldn’t hesitate to smoke it again.” –Jason (bigslowrock)
“This cigar started out with some good, if not basic flavor, but it just went downhill from there. The burn was trouble the whole time and didn’t help the bitterness. I think this cigar may have been young, and combine that with the poor construction, it did not make for a pleasant experience. I would try it again if the other panelists had a different experience, but I can’t recommend this one. I don’t think I will be seeking them out.” –Emmett (rhetorik)
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Smoking Time (in minutes): 62
| Reviewer | Appearance | Aroma | 1/3 | 2/3 | 3/3 | Draw | Burn | Constr. | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dave | 93 | 88 | 88 | 87 | 88 | 92 | 87 | 90 | 88 |
| Gregg | 88 | 90 | 90 | 87 | 90 | 92 | 90 | 85 | 88 |
| Robert | 88 | 88 | 90 | 90 | 88 | 88 | 83 | 87 | 88 |
| Jason | 93 | 90 | 90 | 85 | 88 | 97 | 85 | 85 | 88 |
| Emmett | 93 | 95 | 88 | 85 | 80 | 88 | 83 | 83 | 83 |
To view the complete scores and notes, click here.
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