"I don't normally smoke much in the way of "big" cigars. Anything that takes longer than about 90 minutes to smoke usually wont keep my attention. This cigar did a pretty good job of keeping me interested though and was nice to smoke. I don't know if its close enough to my normal "likes" for me to run out and make a purchase on, but I would certainly re-visit it down the road and give it another shot." -Dave (mdwest)
"This cigar started off slow and a little boring for me, but won me over in the end with some great transitions and balance of flavors. The profile was a very good woody and spicy balance. It wasn't too strong, but not so mild I would call it a morning cigar, right in the middle. I would definitely smoke this again and recommend a fiver to see how it ages." -Emmett (rhetorik)
"Surprisingly, the ash has held on up to this point. The strength has kicked it up a notch but is not overpowering. This is just the way I like it. Along with the raw leather, which is most prominent, I'm getting hints of smoked beef and cream. There is also some spiciness that is most noticeable on the retrohale. " -Milton (mjohnsoniii)
"With its mild strength and bold flavors, I would not be surprised if this is a La Aurora cigar. This is one of those cigars that can be enjoyed by anyone as it's not too strong for the beginner, but complex enough to satisfy the aficionado. The technical performance was outstanding with no burn or draw issues, in fact the ash held on almost two inches. I would describe the flavor profile as classic. This one was a winner." -Emmett (rhetorik)
"The initial pepper was nice, but faded away too quickly. The oak flavor was nice and the transition to some creaminess was enjoyable. The retrohale transitions were nice as well. This is something I could see smoking again, but not something I would chase after." -Aaron (aaron72)
"Nice flavor transitions throughout. Lots of smoke output and the cigar performed well. I would classify the strength as medium full, so I would say it's a good afternoon or evening cigar, something that might pair well with a stronger libation and could probably stand up to a beer along the lines of a stout or porter. I would be up for smoking another one of these." -Aaron (aaron72)
"This is what a medium body/strength cigar should be, in my opinion. Nice flavor, excellent performance and just a damn nice cigar to look at. This is something that I could smoke a lot of." -Jason H. (Jokey Smurf)
There's a new production of Puccini's famous La Bohéme, but it won't be playing in any opera house—it will be found in tobacconists. Boutique Blends president Rafael Nodal, has named his newest cigar brand in honor of his favorite opera.