Notes:

Bought this from a cigar lounge, hence making this stick a 1st. Excellent construction and beautiful shape- I would expect no less from a fancy cigar lounge/wine bar, my favorite lounge due to no coincidence. Box-pressed, so fits well between your fingers and in your mouth (yea that’s what she said ha ha very funny). Torpedo, so you know it has some hard work rolled into it. Rich, dark colored wrapper. No veins or any visual blemishes whatsoever. Wrapper is not as oily as you would expect with such a dark oscuro stick. The texture is smooth in regards to bumps and veins, and feels like very fine grain sandpaper. At the same time, the cigar is not “toothy” either. The pre-light odor is rich, but not pungent.

First Third:

Cut just a little bit off the top, maybe about one-third of an inch. I personally like my draw a little tighter, as it paces me so that I don’t puff too fast and waste a nice cigar. After toasting the foot, we’re in business. The first puff is normally bitter in cheap cigars, and as expected, the first puff is excellent. The initial flavors are lighter than expected. Very slightly sweet tobacco taste. The miniscule sweetness, accompanied by a pleasant bitterness, creates almost a chocolatey taste, that of a very dark 86% cocoa bar. Sweetness is fleeting with every finish, but it is there in every puff. There is also a hint of coffee, I think. If not coffee, some kind of nice, savory roasted flavor. Delicious. The ash is not the firmest, but still holds on for a good inch or so. Perhaps it’s because it is box-pressed.

Second Third:

Right on the dot, just as I enter the second third, the pleasant bitterness becomes more pronounced. The sweetness is completely gone, but the smoke is still savory. I sense a little bit of pepper on my palate as well. An interesting change in flavor. Now the savory taste is receding as well, leaving behind the pleasant taste of well-aged tobacco. Notes of leather and wood are picking up, and the scent is surprisingly light and floral, not what one would expect of such a dark cigar. The lack of oil makes the cigar burn a little faster than originally anticipated, but that is alright with me. The burn is not as clean cut, but I have faith in the roller and the burn will hopefully correct itself.

I am now a little less than halfway through the second third. The burn still has not corrected itself, but it isn’t heinous enough for a touch up. The flavor is still that of straight tobacco and leather. The peppery spice is becoming more and more pronounced on the palate. The bitterness left on the lips is a different kind of bitterness compared to what I am used to tasting. I daresay it reminds me of a smooth brandy, which would without a doubt go well with this cigar.

The burn has slowed down considerably as well. The length of my paragraphs describing each third should be a good indicator of the speed of the burn in each respective third. Surprisingly, I can now sense the taste of cognac on my palate, the majority of it replacing the peppery spice- a pleasant invasion, I might add. Speaking of invasion, I’m also beginning to taste a savory, proteiny undertone, perhaps that of roasted nuts. The burn has corrected itself beautifully, though it did take a little longer than I expected. I am currently tasting a combination of leather, nuts, tobacco, and cognac- a very interesting myriad of flavors.

I have about…less than a quarter of an inch to go on this long second third. The heat is picking up a tiny bit now, and pepper also makes its return to my palate. Still no sweetness though.

Final Third:

Finally in the last third. The current flavors are tobacco, pepper, and leather- a paradoxically pleasant harshness. I’ve noticed that the transition of flavors alternates between acrid and pleasant, and though it’s probably a bad comparison, it feels like the “good cop, bad cop” treatment. It’s actually kind of funny, really. But by no means is the cigar distasteful.

The flavor of roasted nuts is back in the picture, replacing the pepper once again, though subtle. The cognac and leather are ever-present. The flavors and the bouquet are once again a little more floral, for the lack of a better term.

I’ve smoked this cigar down to about an inch and a half, and I am surprised by the relative coolness of the smoke. I imagined it would be unbearably hot at this point, but it is still very much palatable.  The exotic flavors are beginning to slowly die down though, and I am left once again mainly with the clean taste of tobacco (it occurs to me that a non-smoker would find this description outrageously nonsensical, and I am once again humorously reminded that this is definitely an acquired taste). The smell is still very much floral and light, a relatively clean finish.

Verdict:

I humbly admit that I am an amateur aficionado at best, but this cigar is definitely not a smart choice for an amateur. But any seasoned smoker would greatly appreciate the pleasant, savory, and floral notes, as well as the acrid, peppery, bitterness that alternates with them. As I have mentioned, I imagine this cigar would make a nice pair with a half-cup of cognac on the rocks (not so much whiskey though, as the burn of the alcohol would effectively mask the delicate flavors). Pricey, but nevertheless a great smoke.

Total Smoking Time: 1 hour and 9 minutes