The Perfect Draw » Cigar Review

AFGL: WARNING!, Sosa, LFD Factory Press & Trout

Travis Lindsay — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:41:20 +0000

A Few Good Links this week covers anti-smoking nuttery in Nicole Kidman’s homeland, reviews of the Sosa Underground Delphic and the La Flor Dominicana Factory Press IV as well as a little baseball stuff about why somebody thinks my Angels have the best prospect in baseball.

1. Like a colony of ants after being sprayed by water the anti-smoking fascists are all over the place frantically trying to right all that they see as wrong. In America they are working to affect tax increases on cigars and have the FDA regulate the industry far more than it ever has before. All in the name of health!

It turns out that even in the most rugged of the English speaking countries, Australia, the land of Kidman, Wolverine and kangaroos, they have their own frantic as wet ant fascists meddling in the lives of others. As noted by aussiecigars, the Aussie-fascists want to require graphic health warnings on all tobacco products. I’m guessing they’re talking about holes in throats, Swiss cheese lungs and pictures of this. Like our cigar smoking Aussie friend (whose name is Mark but you have to pronounce it with the cool Aussie accent) points out, that sort of packaging – except for the possible exception of the last example, which I linked to – doesn’t work.

But even if it did work is that the right thing to do? Is it moral? Everybody knows that there is a certain amount of risk associated with using tobacco products… and eating fried foods… and doing extreme sports… and having a swimming pool in the backyard… and just nearly everything else. What’s next? Should we put pictures of drowning polar bears on cars because cars cause global warming?

2. Ben over at Nice Tight Ash reviewed the Sosa Underground Delphic. He liked it a lot. Here’s a sample from his review:

Using a Habano wrapper from Nicaragua with a binder and filler also from Nicaragua, the cigar did have a nice spice note. That wasn’t all. The cigar show a nice balance of woodiness, nuttiness (is that a word?) with a nice sweetness through out the cigar. The cigar also had a nice buttery mouth feel with the smoke as well make the cigar a joy to smoke. You really can’t beat this cigar for the price.

3. Dave over at the Tiki Bar reviews the La Flor Dominicana Factory Press IV. Dave really liked this cigar making note of flavors like earth, cocoa and coffee. Sounds like a really good cigar.

4. ESPN’s Keith Law has put Mike Trout at the top of his Prospect List for the second year in a row. Maybe the Angels will keep Trout in the Majors for the whole year. Maybe I shouldn’t hold my breath.

San Lotano Oval Cigar Review

Travis Lindsay — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 21:41:31 +0000

Disclaimer: I received some of these as samples from the manufacturer many months ago. All reviews are my own.

I have smoked the maduro and the habano varieties of San Lotano and even though I do not have a review up for the habano wrapped variety I have to say that I do like it quite a bit. The maduro is a good cigar – just not something that really got me going. What about the Oval?

Due to its name the first thing you are going to think about is its unique shape. It’s oval and I do think that aides in the comfort level of this cigar. One of my favorite cigars of all time is the La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Chisel Maduro and while the shapes aren’t exactly the same they are similar. In both cases the top and the bottom of the cigar are flat and that helps create a better seal with your lips. Does this actually improve the cigar though?

The chocolate brown habano wrapper for the Oval is nearly flawless. There are some very thin veins but they are few in number. Oily to the touch, the cigar does give a little when squeezed on the flat sides but not so much when I squeezed the rounded sides. How do A.J. Fernandez’s torcedores roll this cigar?

Cigar Stats
Vitola: Robusto
Length: 5 ½″
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: Habano 2000
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua, Honduras & Redacted
Price: $156.00/Box of 20

Chuck Torch!

By “redacted” I mean it’s a secret. Not my secret but Mr. Fernandez’s secret. And since it is a secret it can be from anywhere your imagination can take you. Maybe you are thinking that this unnamed filler tobacco could be from someplace where it is illegal for Americans to buy cigars from. Could it be?

The initial flavors are good. Nuts, buttery pound cake and some spice that lingers on the outskirts of the retrohale. It’s different and the flavors are more than capable of keeping your attention. There’s also this toasted flavor that permeates every last inch of the flavor profile; not a disagreeable flavor characteristic in this setting. While I’m at it, there’s also a sweet, creamy flavor going around as well. Anything else?

Slowly but surely the flavors migrate towards buttery toast, which is more a combining of the flavors than a transformation. Spice is mostly gone but the nutty flavors are sticking around. Is the shape making a difference?

I don’t know. It feels better, that’s a plus. And the cigar is very enjoyable. Plus, the final third does evolve somewhat. Singed wheat and oatmeal make a pretty good mix. How good?

It’s a medium bodied cigar with a good draw and burn. The flavors do have some evolution, especially at the end. While it isn’t exactly the type of cigar I normally go for I thought it was still a very good cigar. So, how good?

90 points

Illusione f9 Short Cigar Review

Travis Lindsay — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 21:41:05 +0000

0/3: This one is known as the f9 Finesse, which can lead to some lame joke making like “this cigar looks like it was made with a lot of finesse” or “there’s a real finesse to these flavors.” But you’ll get none of that here!

The cigar looks adroitly made by someone with a skillful hand. It’s oily, dark brown wrapper conceals filler and binder tobacco that is less densely packed than most cigars. A webwork of veins crisscrosses the wrapper.

And a big thanks to JJ for gifting me this cigar.

1/3: Yes, there is a reason why most other cigar smokers like these cigars. Salty leather, cherry and graham cracker. It’s a medium-full bodied cigar with very forceful flavors.

2/3: With flavors much like the first half the second half is continuing on in its goodness.

3/3: More of the same during this third. The only difference is a faint sweetness on the retrohale but it isn’t much.

4/3: I liked this cigar because of the leather and graham cracker flavors. The burn was pretty even but the draw at times just disappeared because it was too loose. That probably hurt this cigar more than I realized at the time. When it was going well it is definitely a very good cigar.

4 points

Punch Cigar Rights of America Cigar Review

Travis Lindsay — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 21:41:30 +0000

This one has been in the humidor a while; just sitting on its tray minding its own business… until now! Being part of a CRA sampler I got a long time ago it’s slightly oily, wonderfully constructed, maybe too tightly packed but it does look like a great cigar. Plus, it is a Punch, so I’m sure it will be, at the minimum, a solid cigar. This is in a toro size.

Spartacus Flame!

Definitely more than a “solid” cigar, this one is. Forthright spice, fleeting cherry and a few woody notes make up the flavors in the beginning of this cigar. I’m going to go ahead a peg it as a full bodied cigar, but just barely.

There is this smoky flavor that creeps its way into every nook and cranny of my taste buds. It is a nice extra dimension of flavor; it complements the other flavors well.

While the flavors are above average what I like the most about this cigar is that there is an edge to it. I like it when a cigar has a little edge to it.

In the beginning it was a full bodied cigar but after the first inch it dialed the strength down to the medium-full bodied range. After the halfway point I noticed a certain amount of earthiness creep its way through. This cigar has a good draw and a good burn.

As is the case with all the other cigars from the Cigar Rights of America sampler I will abstain from giving it a score. It suffices to say that this was a great cigar and well worth the price that I paid for it. If you haven’t already done so I would like to urge you to join CRA and help them stem the tide against those anti-smoking zealots that are becoming ever more brazen.

Ave Maria Short Cigar Review

Travis Lindsay — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 21:41:30 +0000

Full Disclosure: I received this as a sample from Cigars Direct. All reviews are my own.

0/3: It comes in a coffin. The fact that some cigars come in “coffins” has always been a little disconcerting for me. Who wants to smoke something out of a coffin? But it’s a cool coffin because when you lift the lid there is this little piece of wood attached to top that raises the cigar from its slumber so that you can easily pick it up.

The cigar itself looks really nice. Very dark brown wrapper, almost mahogany. Looks well made and is very oily to the touch. There are some veins but what you will probably notice first about this cigar is its ostentatious band. It’s a mishmash of heraldic symbols from the Crusades. I wonder if this has gone over well with many of the brick and mortar cigar stores that are owned by people of Arab descent?

1/3: Very refined flavors hit my palette immediately. Slight black pepper on the retrohale that sticks around for a while, dry oak and a general warmness of flavors. It’s quite good.

2/3: During the second third a smoky woodiness starts to come through. The black pepper starts to fade into nothingness and there is a mild sweetness bordering on floral lurking in the background like a stalker (a fun one, if there is such a thing).

3/3: There really isn’t much of a change from the second to the final third. It’s still tastes very good.

4/3: Medium bodied with an excellent draw and a fairly even burn; this cigar is very good. Standing in your way is the fact that this is a fairly expensive cigar. The matter of value I leave up to you as I review only the cigar and not my perceived value of the cigar. All I can say is that I absolutely enjoyed it and thought it was a very worthy cigar.

4 points

Tatuaje Avion 11 Cigar Review

Travis Lindsay — Wed, 18 Jan 2012 21:41:49 +0000

The Tatuaje Avion 11 is a perfecto shaped cigar, which means it’s tapered on both ends. Chances are if you are looking for the Tatuaje Avion 11 in a search and happened upon this review you already know that, but I just wanted to make sure.

As the special edition Tatuaje Fausto for 2011, this cigar is a looker. And it tastes really good too, even better than the normal Fausto line, which still managed to place very well in my recently (and tardily) published Top 10 Cigars 2011 list.

Solidly and evenly packed. It does look like it got a little smashed (don’t look at me, Tatuaje did this on purpose since it is a box pressed cigar after all) but no bother, it’s not like it’s smashed like a pancake. The wrapper is a dark mahogany brown color webbed with insignificant veins. While it’s oily to the touch what really gets to me is the smell. It’s one of those cigar smells that is the equivalent to that Dirty Harry (paraphrased) line: “Do you feel lucky, punk?” Just the smell of it is aggressive.

Cigar Stats
Length: 6 ¾″
Ring Gauge: 48/52
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano Maduro
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Price: $45.00/Box of 5 | $180.00/Box of 20

Game of Thrones Flame!

I’ve smoked a number of these so far and the only reason I have yet to do a review for one is because I just enjoy smoking them too much. This one is no different.

Sure, it’s a very strong cigar; definitely in the upper echelon of strong cigars. But that isn’t what I’m getting from it. To me, the Avion 11 is this full throttle study in spice, leather, oak, mesquite and very old tobacco flavors. It’s like a flamethrower of flavor enveloping my tongue’s taste buds. The retrohale is also very enjoyable.

During the second third the flavor profile transitions into being more of an oak and dry earth mix. Sure, spice and leather are still strong flavors but, with this cigar, they are relegated to being merely excellent backup flavors.

Besides the flavors being truly amazing this cigar’s smoking characteristics are exceptional. Every one of these I’ve smoked (this one is the seventh) has had an absolutely perfect draw and the burn line progress at a steady and even pace.

A couple of days ago I was watching Clubhouse Confidential, which is a baseball show that focuses on statistical analysis, and a question was posed. The gist of this question was, “What if there’s a player who was near the top for statistical ratings for eight or so years but since he played for twenty years his average statistics weren’t all that brilliant, should this player merit consideration for the Hall of Fame?” This question popped into my head again as I was progressing through the final third of the Avion 11.

It’s not as if the final third is bad. No, it’s much better than that, but it just is not quite as good as the first two thirds. The flavors have turned towards singed hay, earth and spice, which has come on exceptionally strong during this third.

From my point of view, the final third doesn’t mitigate my enjoyment of this cigar. I don’t think, in this situation at least, that what is a truly exceptional cigar should receive any demerits for lasting too long. What is the alternative? If they had made this cigar shorter the flavors during the first two thirds would be different and probably not for the better. It’s just that by itself the final third would not be Hall of Fame worthy. However, taken in its totality, this cigar is definitely Hall of Fame worthy. If anything, the final third should be considered as a highly deserved victory lap for an excellent cigar.

So, what am I to do? This cigar is not perfect and since I have been lauding this cigar from the beginning you would be right to surmise that I think this cigar is one of the best that I have ever had the pleasure of smoking. At the risk of being overly enthusiastic about this cigar I cannot do anything other than give this cigar an extremely high, and well deserved, rating.

98 points

PS: I feel I need to elaborate a little on why I did not weigh the final third as much as I did the first two thirds. If I had stopped smoking this cigar after the first two thirds, to be honest, it was a little bit into the final third when I noticed the differences in the flavors most fully, this cigar would have earned 99 points. It’s not a perfect cigar in my mind, the strength is a bit too much, even during the first two thirds, and can have the effect of lessening the impact of the flavors if you aren’t completely concentrating on the cigar.

During the throes of the final third the strength overpowers the flavors a little bit more. In my opinion, if the final third were to be segregated and given its own rating, that would make this a 94-95 point cigar. Still excellent but just not as excellent as the whole cigar is.

The reason why I am treating this cigar differently than other cigars is because the first two thirds were so extraordinarily good and it is those first two thirds (probably more like three quarters or four fifths) that has lead me to downplay the ending. It may sound trivial but I think there is a world of difference between a 98 point cigar and a 97 point cigar, which is what I’d given this cigar if I simply averaged the scores out.

Well, that’s enough babbling on for me. If you want a more sober review of this cigar head on over to Tiki Bar’s excellent review.

PPS: The picture on the band is a flying cigar.

Top 10 Cigars 2011

Travis Lindsay — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:41:58 +0000

I tend to do these things a little bit later on than everybody else (see my lists for 2010 and 2009 to see what I mean). Now, glossing over the fact that we’re closer to February than 2011, here is my Top 10 Cigars 2011 List.

10. Padron 1964 Anniversary SI-15 Maduro

When I smoked this cigar it didn’t come as a shock that I liked it seeing as I have liked every Padron 1964 Anniversary I have smoked before. The maduro, however, is just a little better than the natural for these Smoke Inn specials. Get some while you still can (although, they appear to be out of stock right now, which is a bummer).

9. Joya de Nicaragua Antano Dark Corojo

The only reason why this highly rated cigar is so low on the list is because it had the benefit of resting in my humidor for quite a bit longer than most of the other cigars listed here. That helped it out a great deal and I’m sure would help out all the cigars ranked higher. Still, amazing cigar.

8. La Flor Dominicana Double Ligero Chisel Natural

I prefer the maduro version but this one is definitely not a slouch. While it definitely is a strong cigar strength-wise it is also a strong cigar flavor-wise with flavors ranging from the spicy spectrum to the savory. Can’t go wrong with this one.

7. CroMagnon

A dash of leather, a hint of sweetness and some spice round out this addition to my Top 10 List from a little cigar company out of Texas. It’s a really nice cigar that I’m sure would age well. It’s strong, especially the first one of these I smoked, but there’s a load of flavor working its magic in the background to make it a must try.

6. Undercrown

Personally, I tend to go for the more full bodied cigars but this cigar has rekindled some of my passion for medium bodied cigars. With a good deal of complexity and flavors ranging from earthy to chocolate this is a must try cigar.

5. Tatuaje Fausto

The first one of these I smoked didn’t leave a lasting impression on me. But I smoked another and a couple more after that and I realized that this cigar is something special. Loads of spice and strength, for sure, but there were a number of other flavors that joined the party. (Spoiler Alert: I like the Tatuaje Avion more; review to come shortly.)

4. Oliva Serie V

The Oliva Serie V is one of my all-time favorite brands and I find myself going for the bigger vitolas more and more, which is counter to my normal operating pattern. With amazing chocolate, earth, leather and bitter spice flavors filling the flavor profile it’s no wonder I like the bigger vitolas – who would want this cigar to end?

3. Liga Privada T52

Not just another full bodied cigar, the Liga Privada T52 is an amazing example of restrained intensity. The Liga Privada No. 9 is a great cigar and all but I prefer this offering from Drew Estate more.

2. La Sirena

Like this list, I was late to the La Sirena party as well. This, my friends, is an awesome cigar. Meaty and earthy with some spice and sweetness. It was like a kaleidascope of flavors that just would never end. Two drawbacks: sparkly crap on the wrapper and the band is a bit ridiculous.

1. Padilla Miami Salomon

I don’t know what it is about perfectos but some of my favorite cigars come in this vitola. This Padilla Miami is the best specimen from the line because all those creamy and nutty and spicy flavors are enhanced to their full extent. This was, barely, my favorite cigar of 2011.

There were a few great cigars that were left off of this list but, overall, I am happy with it. Hopefully you are able to get some ideas from this list for your next purchases.

La Aurora 107 Short Cigar Review

Travis Lindsay — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 23:38:31 +0000

This sample comes from Miami Cigar & Co. All reviews are my own.

0/3: This is the La Aurora 107 corona, a cigar that I have smoked a number of times but only feel like doing a short review for right now. I have reviewed the La Aurora 107 before and I liked it. They are good cigars and I can honestly tell you that I have not heard anyone say anything truly negative about these cigars.

This cigar feels a little soft to the touch. A little veiny but not too pronounced. The wrapper is a little oily to the touch and it is pretty obvious that these cigars are well made.

1/3: One of the things that I like about smaller cigars is that it seems, to me at least, that the flavors are more concentrated and that is what I am getting with this cigar. While I liked the other vitolas that I tried the corona seems to be the best fit for me. Spice, buttered toast and some woody notes make up the bulk of the flavors for me.

2/3: This cigar seems to be a little stronger than the other vitolas as well. While not full bodied I would peg it in the medium-full bodied range. The flavors are still very strong during this third and it is a very enjoyable cigar.

3/3: While the final third stays pretty much the same as the previous two thirds I am not disappointed because the flavors were very enjoyable. Add to the mix the fact that this cigar has a good draw and burn there is nothing negative that can be said about it.

4/3: Very solid cigar, definitely my favorite size of the La Aurora 107s. And they smoke quickly too. So, if you find yourself with a lot of 30 minute to hour long gaps of time fill it up with one of these cigars.

4.5 points

Undercrown Cigar Review

Travis Lindsay — Wed, 07 Dec 2011 21:41:47 +0000

What the heck is an “Undercrown” anyways? As far as I can tell, before Drew Estate got it’s hands on the name the only other time in the history of mankind this term was used was for the creation of a clothing company that is “The brand for champions.” Alright, that is kind of disappointing. I was hoping that the term Undercrown had some sort of medieval history about it; maybe the Undercrown could have been an English king in exile. Even though there is no link for this name to anything historical I think it still makes sense.

According to the Drew Estate legend this cigar is the product of the creativity of their torcedores who were told they could no longer smoke as many Liga Privada cigars as they wanted. So, they did what any other enterprising employee would do and used the same tobacco to make a different cigar: the Undercrown. My only problem with this story is that just because the torcedores put the tobacco in a different cigar doesn’t mean they are smoking any less of that tobacco. I wonder what new cigars the torcedores will come up with once the bosses over at Drew Estate cut the torcedores’ personal supply of Undercrowns.

They’re solid cigars. The first one I smoked was at a cigar lounge in Fullerton and even though the air was more smoke than oxygen the cigar was pretty amazing. And it makes sense that it would taste so good when you look at it: perfect shape, the wrapper is smooth to the touch, it’s oily, evenly packed and no raised veins. Another reason why it isn’t a shocker I liked this cigar is because those industrious torcedores over at Drew Estate were Wile E. Coyote enough to put some of that delicious T52 Connecticut River Valley Stalk Cut tobacco into it. And I loved the T52.

Cigar Stats
Length: 5″
Ring Gauge: 54
Wrapper: Otapan Negro Último Corte
Binder: T52 Connecticut River Valley Stalk Cut & Cured Habano
Filler: Brazilian Mata Fina and Nicaraguan Cuban Seed
Price:$167.00/Box of 25 | $35.50/Pack of 5

Coronal Mass Ejection Torch!

Isn’t all tobacco that is used to make a cigar cured? Don’t know why that was put in there but, hey, I just report in Cigar Stats.

When a cigar produces a tactile experience akin to smoking a pixy stick I love it. It’s almost like the flavor molecules have granulated and you can pick out each individual flavor granule. This is one of those cigars and some of the flavor granules I am picking up include: somewhat sweet spice, meat, yeasty sweetness as well and some cherry.

Pretty much the same during the second third but with some chocolate added into the mix. And that is fine. The flavors are still very good and the Undercrown is one of those easy going smokes that provides a lot of flavor.

As you near the end of this cigar the spice retreats into the background and leaves an earthy tableau in its place. Chocolate, meat and some sweetness for character. Each puff reveals some nuances to the flavor profile that puts a nice spin on the flavors I mentioned. Sometimes the flavors are more chocolaty and then at other times they are more meaty. I hate to say that the granulated effect has worn off now and in its place is creamy smoke, which is better than fine.

Ironically, this was the cigar that my friend found too strong when he first started smoking it. Personally, I think this is right in the middle of the medium bodied range. Keith, over at Tiki Bar Online, pegs this as a full-medium bodied smoke, which I think gives more credence to the thesis that strength is subjective. The draw was good and the burn was good as well, requiring a couple of minor touch ups at the end. Drew Estate’s Undercrown is a complex cigar with good smoking characteristics and enough variability in the flavor profile to keep even the most jaded cigar smoker interested for a couple of hours.

92 points

Tatuaje Fausto Cigar Review

Travis Lindsay — Tue, 29 Nov 2011 21:41:57 +0000

When I first heard about this cigar I was psyched because I never got to try the Tatuaje T110, which the Tatuaje Fausto is based off of. Or maybe it’s not the exact same blend, I’m not sure. But that doesn’t matter. What does matter is that if you like strength in your cigars then this cigar is something that you have to try.

But what about that name? Evidently, it means “fortunate” or “good luck” and is used as a name for males. Alright, that’s somewhat interesting and makes sense as a name for a cigar. But then I thought back to my childhood education and a dog named Wishbone. Faust was the character, played by a wonderfully gifted Jack Russel Terrier with more acting chops than most actors today, who even though he was brilliant and had lots of good things in life was still not content with his lot in life and made a deal with the Devil. In exchange for his soul the Devil was suppose to give him whatever he wanted in life.

The version that the Wishbone producers deemed suitable for us children to see has the girl whom Faust corrupted in his 24 year long hedonistic streak winning Faust’s soul over to the side of the Angels and saving the man, who destroyed her life, from eternal damnation. Touching, for sure. But as is the case with many stories that get revised (can’t you imagine the story of the Three Little Pigs being butchered so horribly that the ending is changed so that the pigs and the Big Bad Wolf go into the construction business together?) it gets revised in such a way that there’s a happy ending. The original Faust stories have that bastard Fausto serving out eternity as the Devil’s servant.

I think it was the original story that this cigar is suppose to represent. Without giving too much of my review away this cigar is very full bodied and makes you wonder if you had asked for too much of a good thing with it. Shouldn’t it be enough to smoke a cigar that just tastes amazing? Why do we have to always yearn for something more? Because, as was the case with the sinful yearnings of Faust, it’s better to walk on the dark side than to be dissatisfied with our current lots, even if they are enviable.

Honestly, I’m not sure that any of that prelude to a review matters but it makes the cigar more interesting… to me at least. By itself, this cigar looks very well made with its dark brown wrapper that has a dull, oily sheen that makes you think this cigar might actually play nice. The wrapper is rather veiny but none of the veins are very pronounced. Evenly packed the cigar gives a little to the touch. Beyond all the other characteristics of this cigar the first thing you will notice is that it smells aggressive. Fiery tobacco smells make a preemptive assault in your nose before you even get the chance to cut the cigar. It’s an experience, that’s for sure.

Cigar Stats
Length: 5 ½″
Ring Gauge: 52
Wrapper: Habano Ecuador
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Price:$185.00/Box of 25 | $39.00/Pack of 5

Mephistopheles takes you to the Flames!

When I first smoked some of these cigars I liked them but I wasn’t overly impressed with them. They were impressive, for sure but as some time passed they got better. The one that I am smoking now has been resting in my humidor for five or six months now. It’s well worth the wait.

The flavors are just so strong and evocative. This is like the Booker’s of the cigar world: wildly strong but with flavor. There’s spice and wheat and oak. But it’s hard to get past the fire hose intensity of this cigar. Part of me absolutely loves this cigar right now. Another part of me realizes that this cigar is meant for a very specific niche of the cigar smoking market.

During the second half this cherry flavor starts to come through on occasion. Burnt cashew is another flavor I am able to pick up. Mainly, the flavors still revolve around those flavors I mentioned during the first third except for the spice, it has slacked off.

What I like the most about this cigar is that the flavors are dry and alive. In the final third bread comes through. It’s a nice way to end the cigar actually. While it is still a legitimately full bodied cigar the flavors have been complex and there has been a good deal of evolution in the flavor profile as well. Even if the flavors had remained constant from the first third to its conclusion this would have been a great cigar. With all the changes in the flavors and the fact that it had a decent burn, requiring only a couple of minor touch ups, and an excellent draw this cigar is a keeper.

93 points