Cigar Info
Radhames “Ram” Rodriguez, President of El Artista Cigars, announced eariler this year the first boxes of Big Papi by David Ortiz began shipping from Doral, FL. Big Papi by David Ortiz was blended by Ortiz under the supervision of El Artista, thus Mr. Ortiz’s public involvement in the brand is important to El Artista. The release of Big Papi was timed with the end of his commitment to the 2016 baseball season, “We wanted to ensure David Ortiz’s attendance at events across the country.” says Jonas Santana Marketing Manager for El Artista.
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.
Tabacalera El Artista S.R.L. started operations in Tamboril, Dominican Republic in 1956. Today TEA is one of the nation’s largest producers of premium cigars. TEA produces millions of cigars each year and distributes throughout Europe, Canada, United States, and Asia. Additionally, TEA manages farms in the Caribbean and South America where it grows premium tobacco leaf which it utilizes in its proprietary blends as well as sells to top cigar manufacturers in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Dominican Republic.
Vital Stats:
Vitola: Toro
Length: 6″
Ring Gauge: 54
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Claro
Binder: Dominican Criollo ’98
Filler: Dominican & Nicaraguan
Factory: Tabacalera El Artista
Blender: Juan Peña
Number of reviewers: 4 – Eric (smalls29) Matt C. (Big Matt) Jason H. (Jokey Smurf) Garret (L1vingStone)
Price: $11.00
Age: 6 Months
Release Date: July 2016
Contributed by: El Artista Cigars
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 90
“This is a cigar that immediately caught my eye due to the glistening wrapper leaf. It literally glows in my humidor! I see a few minor veins and a bit of a seam here and there, but overall this is a really nice looking cigar.” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
Aroma: 91
“The smell reminds me of the water front. Maybe the harbor or the beach near the harbor. I also detect a sweet barnyard smell. Either way my mouth is salivating already.” –Eric (smalls29)
First Third
Flavor: 93
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“Sample 549 starts off with a blast of cream and white pepper. Retro is wet cedar and stone fruit. Sweetness builds on the palate and right off the bat, I’m enjoying this premium cigar offering. The exhale is fun mix of flavors and the retro doesn’t disappoint. Ash is more salt.. less pepper and hold on firm, combustion line is sharp. Citrus is flirting with the profile but never formally introduces herself in the first third.” –Matt C. (Big Matt)
“Hello spice! Right away you are blasted with a pleasant spice and a finish of citrus. I kept waiting for the spice to fade… but after a few inches it’s still there. Its a good spice, covers your entire pallet and leaves you wanting more.” –Garret (L1vingStone)
Second Third
Flavor: 93
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
“As I move into the next third the flavors have grown bold. Very nice. The flavors of wood and nut are still very much present and the peppery flavor has grown to almost cause my mouth to go numb, kind of like sucking on a Sucrets’s throat lozenge. The aroma reminds me of all the smells of my local cigar lounge. A nice mixture of all the different cigars being enjoyed by a group of people. Most enjoyable are the wood and nut flavors. Nicely balanced and not outdoing the other.” –Eric (smalls29)
“The cigar remains medium strength, however with complexity increasing the body is in the medium-full range. Finish is clean. I taste Nicaraguan tobacco. Citrus is now on the exhale specifically orange with the stone fruit, cream and cedar. Retro is playful with cedar, cream, and citrus tingles the nostrils. There is a sweetness left on the palate that is very enjoyable. Burn isn’t perfect but the combustion line is sharp as all damn get out. Ash remains more salt less pepper, chunking off in friendly but firm 1 inch chunks. Several different aromatics are now presented in the aroma. This is a very good cigar.” –Matt C. (Big Matt)
Final Third
Flavor: 90
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
“This cigar has grown very bold. Definitely not for the faint of heart smoker. The wood and nut flavors have intensified and begun to go tart. This cigar definitely has personality. Unfortunately, as I approach the end it has become very bitter and sour. I am almost done otherwise I would probably stop here.” –Eric (smalls29)
“The final third has remained creamy and mild with a minor transition…there has been just a bit of an oaky note on the finish that has deepened the flavors just a bit while keeping the body mild and easy to smoke. It really is quite nice.” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 91
“Draw was a little firm but never hindered the experience to understand the blenders intent.” –Matt C. (Big Matt)
Burn: 95
“A nice burn and a very nice chimney formed. I was able to keep the ash to the half way point when it fell away.” –Eric (smalls29)
Construction: 94
“This cigar was heavy in the hand and very pleasant to look at. The draw was nice and the ash very firm and consistent. Quite well constructed.” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
Overall Strength: Medium-Strong
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
Experience Overall: 91
“If it wasn’t for the tart and sour flavors near the end I would have rated this as great to excellent. The wood and nut flavors were very enjoyable. They never tried to outdo each other and the aroma was very nice and a wonderful reminder of my favorite cigar lounge. The pepper flavor and tingle (almost mouth numbing) were added a nice balance to the experience.” –Eric (smalls29)
“Overall this was a very good cigar experience. I would recommend this cigar to the 20 year old cigar aficionado or 80 year old novice, it is that of an all around good cigar experience with flavors that excite the palate from start to finish. As for me, if this cigar is available in the robusto vitola, I will be grabbing 10 of them for my personal humidor.” –Matt C. (Big Matt)
“For a mild smoke, this was extremely enjoyable. I like a smoke that I can enjoy with anybody and this certainly fills the bill. The resting aroma was pleasant and the smoke ample and flavorful. I’d recommend this to any new smoker and would gladly smoke this on any morning. Well done.” –Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
“For a sort of one dimensional cigar it was very good, I loved the spice and citrus that wouldn’t stop.” –Garret (L1vingStone)
Smoking Time (in minutes): 85
|
Reviewer
|
Appearance
|
Aroma
|
1/3
|
2/3
|
3/3
|
Draw
|
Burn
|
Constr.
|
Overall
Experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eric | 90 | 92 | 92 | 92 | 90 | 88 | 95 | 95 | 90 |
| Matt C. | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 90 | 88 | 90 | 88 | 90 |
| Jason H. | 90 | 95 | 92 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 95 | 95 |
| Garret | 88 | 90 | 92 | 92 | 90 | 95 | 95 | 93 | 92 |
To view the complete scores and notes, click here.