Vitola:

Genesis: The Project. A small batch of super-premiums rolled in the Honduras. I have here with me a 6.5 x 50ish stick. It is very dark, definitely an oscuro wrapper. It is very smooth and shows no blemishes whatsoever. Hopefully this cigar is as oily as they say it is. It is packed a little on the tighter end, but we will see if the draw will be alright with a punch cut.

First Third:

A simple punch cut will do. The draw is good, so no need for a guillotine cut. The smoke output is fairly good. The smoke itself isn’t too thick, but it is heavy. It leaves me with a set of pleasantly scorched nostrils. As for the smell, it is fairly light and a little difficult to discern, but upon smoking a little longer I can tell that it’s the aroma of espresso beans. Hopefully, the flavor will become richer as we move on. There is a tiny bit of cream in the scent too, and it complements the coffee notes very well.

About an inch and a half into the stick I just got a huge whiff of coffee and cream. It is very pronounced and frankly I was a little surprised. The taste on the palate is very, very subtle — the simple bitterness and nutty taste of the aged tobacco.

The burn is a little uneven, but again, I think it may be my fault for not rolling the cigar onto its other side. However, this is a very oily, slow-burning wrapper and I will have some faith in the roller and allow the cigar a chance to correct itself. There is no sheen of the oil on the lip of the burning end, but it may be due to the cold. But the taste and burn speed of the cigar tell me that the wrapper is in fact very oily.

The burn is correcting itself nicely. The flavor profile has not changed much from the bold coffee notes, save for a fleeting savoriness that comes and goes.

Second Third:

The second third kicks off with a very distinct spike in creaminess. There is also a pronounced nuttiness in both the bouquet and on the palate.

The savoriness seems to have picked up, but so has the wind, unfortunately. It pains me to think that a warm, summer night would have given me the chance to enjoy the flavors at their peak. The coffee notes are very bold though, and luckily even the wind is having a hard time keeping it from me. Oh and I should also mention that the burn has corrected itself completely.

Final Third:

The final third starts off with a kick of spice and bitterness (and thankfully the wind is taking a break). The cream is pretty much gone at this point. The aromas and taste combine to form sort of a spiced coffee and dark chocolate feeling. Very nice. But I feel like there is a flavor profile I am not able to identify yet on my palate. It’s sort of a lingering nuttiness and bitterness that isn’t just a simple combination of the two. This must be the flavor profile of nutmeg, as the smoker is supposed to taste a whole lot of it. Also very nice. Though the taste is slightly bitter, it isn’t the sickening and lingering bitterness of cheap tobacco. It has a distinctive bite and smooth finish and it is definitely meant to be there.

The predominant aroma is a very interesting one. It is a mellow sweetness (from the dark tobacco) which kicks off with the bite of spice (probably nutmeg or cloves). The spice dies almost instantly and the sweetness finishes off with a distinctive bitterness on the palate which also in turn tapers off nicely, leaving me with a nuttiness on the palate. These are all flavors I have experienced before, but not in this particular combination and order. Quite a new thrill. It’s also a challenge for me to pick up the scents and flavors, and it’s a nice reminder of the long way I’ve come and the many cigars I’ve smoked to arrive at this level of experience.

At this point I’ve got about two and a half inches to smoke on this stick. The flavor has changed significantly as well. The smell is now predominantly of coffee and a very subtle saccharine breadiness (I think). My palate is overrun by a myriad of spices and the bitterness of coffee beans. From what I’ve experienced so far this is a very complex cigar. I am again pleasantly surprised. Also, though this may or may not have been intended, the mellow heat of the nub is giving me a very toasty finish as if I’ve literally had a sip of espresso. It adds very nicely to the nicotine rush. Excellent.

The smell of coffee and spice is very distinct now. The palate is still very pleasantly bitter. The smoke is still very rich and oily, full of flavor. I’m still smoking with an inch and a half left, but the heat is still not bothering me, thanks to the cold, I suppose.

Now the flavor is predominantly coffee, nuts, and spice. The bitterness has toned down. Seems like we’re coming in for a smooth landing.

Verdict:

Wow. Very nice cigar. Definitely super-premium. This is a degree of complexity I’ve never experienced before. I was typing almost nonstop about this session as you can see (save for the flavors lost in the second third due to the damn wind). Any experienced smoker would enjoy this stick immensely, as the flavor combinations are bold, complex, and very oily. I feel like the spice on the palate would really bring out the flavors in a nice glass of scotch. Excellent smoke. Whoever is reading this, do yourself a favor and grab a stick.

Total Smoking Time: 1 hour 6 minutes