After the first few draws of this cigar I had to take a step back; there was plenty of cigar left to smoke and I wanted to wait and see if the initial "WOW" persisted into the second and final thirds. Well, it did, and on construction, performance and flavor profile this cigar delivers.
The cigar has a very consistent medium to hard pack, a nicely rolled wrapper with almost invisible seams and an enticing oily sheen with tiny consistent toothiness. The wrapper also has a decent amount of color variation and plenty of veining. The cap is neatly applied and the foot shows some slightly uneven bunching on both samples with small voids in a couple of spots (these were just at the surface and did not impact the draw or burn). I cut the cigar with a guillotine cutter and that nicely applied cap preformed great with no displacement or cracking. The cut opened up what is an outstanding draw.
Never too sweet, peppery or savory; this blend is complex and nicely balanced with a slight lean toward a pepper forward profile. The second third was outstanding and while the apple notes were mellow, combined with the pie crust and bakers spices, this blend easily invokes thoughts of apple pie. My only wish is that the cinnamon would have stuck around a little bit longer. The sweet notes were bold, but the sweetness itself was not over the top or dominant; this isn't a dessert cigar, the balance and pepper stands out more than the sweetness.
The pairing for this one is apple pie. If it's your thing and the right time of the year, a Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew would hit the spot. If those are too wild...a high end dark rum all day long.
I posted about this cigar on IG that same day and am finding out what it is right along with you thanks to the blind review process!
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano / Binder: Nicaraguan / Filler: Nicaraguan
Vitola: Toro / Size: 6 x 52
Factory: Tabacalera Annex / Country of Origin: Nicaragua
Wheat bread, barnyard and cocoa.
Sourdough bread and molasses.
Hay and citrus.
Caramel, cinnamon, black pepper, cedar, leather and a mellow green apple. Leather, slight apple and black pepper on the retrohale. Razor sharp burn and no need to ash in this first third. The dimes were stacking.
Buttery flaky pie crust; specifically the sections of a pie crust that are sweetened by caramelized filing (best part of any pie crusty in my opinion), bourbon barrel charred oak, Brazil nuts, roasted apples, leather and anise. Cream, citrus and white pepper on the retrohale.
The ash fell off on its own toward the beginning of the second third and the burn continued to shine with an even burn.
A buttery white pepper and anise long finish developed.
Bourbon barrel charred oak, roasted apple, buttery Brazil nuts, leather, white pepper and anise. Clove and black pepper on the retrohale.
The reviewing process at Cigar Public ensures that each cigar is reviewed blindly. This cigar was sent without any bands and without any information about the cigar. Cigar Public does not attempt to influence or alter any scores given by any of our reviewers.
Bearded Moon
A couple of years ago I combined my passion for videography with cigars and jumped into posting reviews. In the process, I discovered a positive community and an intriguing industry rooted in a rich history. I also discovered that for relaxation, it's tough to beat a great cigar.