"I ended up enjoying this cigar quite a bit which somewhat surprised me after the first third. Once the pepper spice began to recede and the rather generic coffee note was the only prominent flavor remaining, I began to lose interest UNTIL things turned around for the better and some new notes quickly presented themselves. When you factor in those enjoyable flavors with the overall great construction, I would smoke this cigar again." -Matt Cade (CadeTNCC)
AllBlind Cigar ReviewsDrew EstateFeaturedJonathan DrewMaduroMexican San AndresNicaraguaToroWilly Herrera
·Any cigar that reminds me this much of my beloved Liga Privada No. 9 is going to score very well with yours truly. Rich bold flavors of coffee and hickory saddled up with a delightful retrohale that delivers both black pepper strength and warm mineral in equal doses… when you add in great construction and beautiful copious smoke pouring out of both the foot and head of the cigar constantly throughout the entire smoking experience, well we have a definite winner on our hands. Highly recommended!" -Matt Cade (CadeTNCC)
"This cigar was simply phenomenal. An incredibly unique flavor profile that maintained a perfect balance throughout and was supported by a flawlessly constructed cigar and perfect draw. The flavor transitions were massive in the first third and, although the evolution showed down the further it smoked, the flavors of honey, green apple, buttered toffee, and cream were bright, crisp, and balanced. I would absolutely seek this cigar to smoke again." -Vance T. (Vance)
"This is an overall very mild cigar featuring an initially spicy retrohale that downshifts quickly (too quickly) into a strictly mineral profile and the draw never delivers any flavors other than cedar and a very mild leather. I disliked the battle with the tight draw but once I, heroically some might say, conquered that obstacle the cigar performed ""just fine"" and delivered ""just fine"" faint flavors from start to finish. Would I smoke it again? Probably not on purpose but perhaps I just got a dud and, if I come across it again at a low price point, I'd almost certainly give it a second chance. Don’t we all deserve a second chance to make a first impression? I know I do and, I’ll admit it, fairly often…" -Matt Cade (CadeTNCC)
AllBlind Cigar ReviewsConnecticutCubariquenoErik EspinosaFeaturedHector Alfonso Sr.Mexican San AndresNicaragua
·"This was likely the most challenging overall rating I've had to give since joining the team. The middle third was simply one of the best 30 minutes of cigar I've smoked this year. The unique, potent, balanced flavors were playing in perfect harmony and every puff somehow seemed to improve upon its predecessor. Unfortunately the first and final third underwhelmed. They certainly weren't bad, just subtle to the point of unnoticeable. So, would I smoke this again? 100% yes. In fact I'm dying to know: was the middle third an anomaly? Was the burn line issue a one-off? If there's even the slimmest chance I could experience, for a full 90 minutes, what I experienced at the halfway transition mark, I'd dedicate an entire shelf in my cabinet to these beauties." -Vance T. (Vance)
"It was a great smoke without "a lot going on". There weren't any mind bending flavors or significant transitions but the cigar smoked beautifully and the butter cream note throughout was pleasant and well balanced with pepper and occasional tartness." -Vance T. (Vance)
"This was a very enjoyable cigar from start to finish. Surprising sweet at the start, almost to the level of it was intentional and not done naturally, though I know this is not a flavored or infused cigar. The finish was dark, earthy and a little spicy, which went well with the sweet beginning. The strength was well behaved all the way through as well, so this should not put anyone on edge with fears of "too strong of a cigar." The burn and draw performed very well from the pre-light on, better than many cigars I have smoked recently. This cigar would go great with a nice pour of bourbon or even an extra anejo tequila! Looking forward to adding these to the humi! " -Kevin A. (Kevin A.)
"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.)
"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.)
"The flavors in the cigar were very muted and hard to pull out. The strength was very well-mannered, but the cigar never really developed into anything stellar. It was an enjoyable experience, just not a memorable one. I wouldn't hesitate to hand this cigar to less experienced smokers, as there is nothing in it that would discourage it. It would hold up nicely with black coffee late in the morning or bourbon in the evening. Most beers would probably overrun it." -Kevin A. (Kevin A.)