Vital Stats:
Vitola: Lonsdale
Length: 6.5″
Ring Gauge: 42
Country of Origin: Cuba
Wrapper: Cuban
Binder: Cuban
Filler: Cuban
Factory: Habanos S.A.
Blender: Habanos S.A.
Number of reviewers: 4 —– Brian (B-daddy) Emmett (rhetorik) Aaron (aaron72) Craig (WyldKnyght)
Price: $9.00
Age: 13 Years (Box Date 2000)
Release Date: Pre-1960’s
Contributed by: Jason (bigslowrock)
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.
Editor’s Note
It broke my heart a little bit when I found out what this cigar was that I had just smoked, and even more when calculating the final score. Jason was very generous in contributing what should have been an outstanding well-aged Cuban cigar. Unfortunately, as is very common between the years of 1999 and 2001, these samples all suffered from quality control issues. All 4 of us had a tight draw verging on unsmokable. I’m sure there were good and bad samples from this box and box date, but sadly, these were not good ones. I would LOVE to try this cigar again minus the draw issues, I feel like it could be something really special.
Initial Impressions
Appearance: 88
“Wrapper is medium brown and little mottled. There are a couple chips and cracks in it. Seams are pretty obvious, small veins, and nice neat triple cap. Overall, ok. I like this size stick.” –Brian (B-daddy)
Aroma: 89
“Pretty faint but distinct scent of chocolate.” –Brian (B-daddy)
Construction: 89
“No softs spots and the rolling appears fairly well done in respect to the quality of the wrapper.” –Aaron (aaron72)
First Third
Flavor: 83
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Light-Medium
“Some very interesting spices hit me on the first draw, mild pepper and some baking spices with a tangyness. I can feel the tight draw fighting me, I feel like there’s some good flavors in there, but they are muted by the side effects of the tightness. Towards the end of the third, I start picking up a little woodiness and perhaps a little twang?” –Emmett (rhetorik)
“Very nice mellow and creamy nutty flavours to start. Very tight draw, taking away from the enjoyment of the cigar. Nice even burn. Tried messaging cigar and using a draw tool to unplug, with no luck. My jaw started to get sore.” –Craig (WyldKnyght)
Second Third
Flavor: 88
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Light-Medium
“The twang in this third is becoming more prominent with it’s pumpkin spice and salty finish. I’m still getting a background of wood, more oaky than anything, and a little bit of fresh bread. The draw is starting to open up a little, and so are the flavors. Everything is getting a little bit more pronounced and defined.” –Emmett (rhetorik)
“Draw has loosened up a bit in this third allowing for more smoke production. Wrapper has continued to split down the length into this third. I’m beginning to get hints of graham cracker on the retrohale. Burn went a little off, so I corrected it in hope of getting the burn to catch up with the wrapper split. The burn caught up to the split right at the end of the third.” –Aaron (aaron72)
Final Third
Flavor: 87
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium
“This third picks up the heat significantly, which is a warm welcome. Definite red and black pepper. The finish also turns spicy and longer. The wood flavors are still present but have become more cedary than oaky now, and a little earthy.” –Emmett (rhetorik)
“Strength picked up during the final third, draw a little better then first two 3rds, but still tight. Flavor faded away, a little more harsh.” –Craig (WyldKnyght)
Overall Impressions
Draw: 79
“The draw was terrible, I feel like this kept the cigar in the fair to good range, but could have been great. I had my drawpoker in there so much I felt like I was violating it.” –Emmett (rhetorik)
Burn: 88
“Went out once and the burn went off once.” –Aaron (aaron72)
Overall Strength: Medium
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium
Overall Experience: 85
“I feel like the draw really held this one back, because I could tell there were some good spices and well-aged tobacco in there, but they never really came out to play. The flavors were good, but muted. I would definitely smoke another to see if the experience was similar, or dramatically better.” –Emmett (rhetorik)
“I would have pitched it in the first third due to the bad draw and harsh flavors in the first third. I kept going and it improved a bit, but overall I was disappointed in the experience.” –Aaron (aaron72)
“Not sure about this cigar, I would have to try this one again, for the most part it was good, but the draw definitely took away the pleasure of this cigar.” –Craig (WyldKnyght)
Smoking Time (in minutes): 103
Total Score: 86 (Fair)
| Reviewer | Appea- rance |
Aroma | Constr. | 1/3 | 2/3 | 3/3 | Draw | Burn | Overall |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brian | 88 | 88 | 88 | 70 | 70 | 70 | 25 | 70 | 40 |
| Emmett | 88 | 90 | 84 | 87 | 89 | 90 | 74 | 89 | 88 |
| Aaron | 87 | 87 | 89 | 85 | 86 | 85 | 86 | 88 | 86 |
| Craig | 90 | 90 | 90 | 76 | 88 | 85 | 76 | 88 | 80 |
| Overall | 88 | 88 | 89 | 83 | 88 | 87 | 79 | 88 | 85 |
To view the complete scores and notes, click here.