"I have always said how a cigar look does not translate to how it performs. I have smoked some elegant-looking cigars that just didn't deliver. This one was definitely not a beauty queen, but it was a very good cigar. It kind of started to head in the direction of bitter in the middle, but recovered admirably in the final third, making for a cigar that transitioned and developed very well from start to finish. It was also a relatively slow burner. With the burn and draw on point and the strength never getting overwhelming, this is a cigar I would have zero issues handing to a new smoker, nor would I hesitate to hand one to a seasoned aficionado. Looking forward to finding out what this one is! " -Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
" Where I was unimpressed by the first third of this cigar, it won me over in the end. All the flavors came together to create a wonderful smoking experience. If you are a fan of dark, earthy flavors with hints of sweetness you should pick up a few of these to enjoy. " -Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)
"The experience was quite delightful with the complex notes of heavy cream, cayenne, salt, white pepper and more. The tasting notes danced around as I sat back and really enjoyed it. I do wish the burn didn't have an issue though." -Allison T. (The Yoga Ash)
"I think the burn issue at the start really dampened this cigar for me. As much as I tried to look past it, and by the time it settled down the flavors of this cigar were tainted from having to re light and burn the section to get it going. " -Jake P. (Jake P.)
"Just like you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover, you shouldn't judge this cigar by it's wrapper. Looking at this cigar and one might say words like ugly, rough looking, and poorly made but that is far from true. The burn, the favors, and performance of this cigar punch above it's weight class. The extra tobacco in the center of this cigar caused it to lose the intensity and body that I loved in the first third. While the weird mishmash of flavors, in the final third, had me conflicted but in the end the cigar made me go and grab my nub tool and smoke it till I was burning my lips. This is a cigar that I would reach for again and again. If it had an option for a smaller ring gauge size and it would be a box buy. Well done!" -Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)
"This to me was just a fantastic smoke. Super rich and chewy all the way to the end. The musty tobacco aroma played nice with the beginning flavors from the cigar. It just felt right in your hand. The roasted flavors mixed with the chocolate and molasses was amazing." -Jake P. (Jake P.)
"What started out as a phenomenal cigar faded quickly to bitter then harsh. There was such a great sweetness and fruit profile at the beginning I settled in to what I thought was going to be an epic cigar. Instead, the cigar turned dry and earthy with heavy ground coffee and wood notes on the finish. I will be curious to find out what this cigar is and determine if I just got the "one off" from the floor that was just not great, or if this is a common profile of the cigar." -Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
Hooten Young Cigars has hired our very own Allison Trainer as its Vice President of Sales Tobacco Division and Consulting. Allison has been a panelist at BMP for a few years now, we wish her congratulations!
"I feel the only downside to this cigar was the draw but because of how much flavor I got off cigar, it ended up not bothering me that much. I felt the second third was the best part of this cigar. Although it smoked fast, the flavor of slight pepper, salted pretzels and caramel was enjoyable. For a mild to medium cigar I though this was very flavorful. For me this would be a perfect cigar for a golf course." -Jake P. (Jake P.)
"So I must start off with this statement: I need to smoke this cigar again to get a true idea of what it is all about. That being said there are some high notes but that can not overcome the tight draw. This is the number one killer of any cigar for me. Disappointing..." -Estevan Z. (TheRealBanzi)