Blind Cigar Review: Total Flame | Premium Perfecto (Prerelease)

This review is the fifth in a series of collaboration reviews that we will be doing. We have invited cigar reviewers from other cigar review sites, podcasts, blogs, etc. to join the Blind Man’s Puff staff in doing some blind reviews using our format. If this initial series goes well, then we may reach out to even more sites to make these collaboration reviews a semi regular event. This fifth collaboration review is with Matt and Josh from Cigar Memoir, Kip from Half Ashed, and Logan from Cigar Federation.

Cigar Info

This cigar was introduced at the 2014 IPCPR trade show. The Total Flame Perfecto is being made by the La Aurora Cigars factory.  Each cigar is packaged in a perfecto-shaped tube – reminiscent of the La Aurora preferido shape.  Total Flame Cigars was given permission by La Aurora Cigars to use the Preferido shapes and tubes, under the La Aurora License. Total Flame says the blend features some of the best tobacco they have to offer. Total Flame Cigars was founded by Vladimir Roshchin and Maxim Privezentsev. The duo met at a cigar event in Moscow, Russia and learned they had a common passion for both cigars and motorcycles. They soon collaborated to launch a cigar company and in 2011 they also set forth on a well documented tour of the globe riding their motorcycles.

Vital Stats:

Vitola: Perfecto
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 54
Country of Origin: Dominican Republic
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Sumatra
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic and Nicaragua
Factory: La Aurora
Blender: Undisclosed
Number of reviewers: 5 —– Kip (Half Ashed) Josh (Cigar Memoir) Matt (Cigar Memoir) Emmett (rhetorik) Logan (Cigar Federation)
Price: Undisclosed
Age: 3 Months
Release Date: November 2014
Contributed by: Total Flame Cigars

Initial Impressions

Appearance: 88

“The dark marbled wrapper is criss-crossed with tiny veins across its textured surface. I have always enjoyed perfectos because they remind me of days gone by where the vitola was once the favored shape of the masses. Otherwise there are a few blemishes and the cap is a tad sloppy but it only adds to the rustic quality it exhibits.” –Josh (Cigar Memoir)

Aroma: 88

“The wrapper and foot give off a fresh tobacco and chocolate aroma. The pre-light draw is pretty sweet and enticing.” –Emmett (rhetorik)

First Third

Flavor: 84
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium-Full

“Wow! Immediate initial spice on the retrohale. This spice fades within the first 1/2″, and is replaced by some toasted almond flavors. I *thought* I had some idea what this cigar was based on its dimensions and shape, but that’s out the window now. I was not expecting the intensity of flavor or spice. The first third is rounded out with some sweetening, with the nuttiness moving toward leather.” –Kip (Half Ashed)

“At the onset, this perfecto was modest. Some cayenne pepper on the nose and palate along with flavors of earth and almond comprise the first half-inch. Going past this all of these flavors amplified into a solid medium body along with a new bitter herbal tone. The finish was very short, only a modest amount of pepper and earth.” –Matt (Cigar Memoir)

Second Third

Flavor: 88
Strength: Medium
Body/Complexity: Medium

“Continuing on into the second third, cedar had become a key player. The cayenne pepper was still there but mostly on the palate at this point. The earth and almond stuck around but didn’t move up in terms of body/strength. Still medium body all-around. Finish was almost the same, short and comprised of pepper, earth and cedar.” –Matt (Cigar Memoir)

“In this third, the cedar flavor is becoming very prominent. It is mixing well with the cinnamon and clove that I’m picking up. The burn is dead even. A little further in, I start picking up an almond flavor which works well. This third was very good.” –Emmett (rhetorik)

Final Third

Flavor: 89
Strength: Medium-Strong
Body/Complexity: Medium

“In the final third, the strength makes a small rise upward. The cigar really hasn’t changed much at all which is somewhat to be expected because of its small stature. It’s a very monotone cigar. The bitterness settles onto the palate and isn’t offset by much sweetness. Most of the flavor for me at this point comes from the retro-hale where I get the creamy textured smoke and intonations of mild pepper, wood, tobacco and dark coffee. In the last inch, a bit of leather arrives but it’s inconsistent.” –Josh (Cigar Memoir)

“The final third added some notes of sweetness. Otherwise, there wasn’t much change in the flavor profile.” –Logan (Cigar Federation)

Overall Impressions

Draw: 89

“Little snug for my tastes, but for a perfecto, I’m not complaining.” –Matt (Cigar Memoir)

Burn: 91

“The burn got pretty wild a few times. I was able to touch it up with my lighter but without my lighter it wouldn’t have self corrected.” –Logan (Cigar Federation)

Construction: 91

“Besides the draw, the construction was great, evenly packed and technically performed well.” –Emmett (rhetorik)

Overall Strength: Medium-Strong
Overall Body/Complexity: Medium-Full
Overall Experience: 86

“Well made cigar with pleasant flavors centered around peppery spice and a woodsy core. Some leather and nuttiness as well.” –Kip (Half Ashed)

“My experience with this cigar was rather ho-hum. There was a pervasive bitterness to this cigar that I wished was offset by some sweetness. To top it off, the profile was rather monotonous with very little in terms of complexity or balance. It’s hard to say from a solo cigar, but I wouldn’t smoke it again unless it was given to me. In full disclosure, my palate might have been off when I smoked this as I smoked a cigar later that day and it exhibited many of the same bitter qualities.” –Josh (Cigar Memoir)

“Wouldn’t seek out this one again, but a good cigar all-around. Decent flavors, good construction and unique size. Very “middle of the road” in nearly every aspect, but that’s not a bad thing.” –Matt (Cigar Memoir)

“This cigar was great, my only complaint is that it wasn’t longer. It has everything I look for in a cigar, complexity, balance, construction. I would definitely buy more of these, but maybe in a longer vitola if they are as good. Highly recommend.” –Emmett (rhetorik)

“This wasn’t my favorite cigar I have smoked. The flavor profile was pretty one-dimensional and wasn’t what I would normally gravitate towards. It was an easy cigar to enjoy but not one that kept me on the edge of my seat. The sour note up front really started the experience off on a bad foot and it was difficult for me to mentally recover. In all my reviews, I have taken a stab at which cigar I smoked. I had a really hard time pinning down the tobacco used in the cigar. I feel it had a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro and used a majority of DR fillers. Just taking a blind shot in the dark I would guess this was the La Aurora Preferidos Maduro.” –Logan (Cigar Federation)

Smoking Time (in minutes): 84

 

Edit

Reviewer	Appearance	Aroma	1/3	2/3	3/3	Draw	Burn	Constr.	Overall
Kip	90	90	95	90	92	95	90	92	95
Josh	88	88	85	83	80	88	88	88	83
Matt	88	85	85	88	88	95	95	92	87
Emmett	85	95	95	95	92	90	100	92	95
Logan	88	88	83	88	85	85	85	85	85

To view the complete scores and notes, click here.
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Blind Cigar Review: Total Flame | Premium Perfecto (Prerelease)