jimmyk26 Cigar #6
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Here is round #6...man this is awesome thank you so much for the opportunity to try such great cigars.
#6:
Initial impressions - This tasting flight has really changed my perception of cigars. When I saw this cigar in the bag I though it was a big cigar, maybe a Toro or Double Robusto. To my surprise, it measures 5.5" x 46 RG, a Corona Gorda! So for better or for worse, Dan you have officially altered my perception of cigar sizes. The dark, smooth, oily wrapper on this has almost no veins showing; it looks like a great leaf. Capped with a nicely applied triple cap, the cigar has no noticeable soft spots. The wrapper, however, does appear to be lifting slightly along the spiral edge. When I bring the cigar up to my nose, the wrapper smells of hay and leather while the foot offers up a sweet tobacco scent. The pre light draw is perfect and it leaves a taste of hay and unsweetened cereal on my palate.
Initial puffs - Right away there are rich earth and leather flavors that are backed with a strong spice especially noticeable through the nose. The smoke is thick and drawing well.
1/3 - The initial flavors of earth, leather, and spice have carried right on through this first third. They are also joined by a dark sweetness, like you get in dark, bitter chocolate. The burn is fantastic, the smoke is thick and plentiful, the is draw smooth, and the ash is developing a zebra like quality alternating between light and dark rings. The cigar has a dry finish. Through out this section the flavors have settled down a bit with only the spice retaining its strength. There has also developed a sharp grassiness that I am beginning to think is the "twang" everyone keeps talking about.
2/3 - Now this cigar is starting to show its strength, which is impressive because I am only in the first half of the cigar. The flavors are proving consistent and powerful. The grassiness has picked up a bit and now reminds me more of dry green tea. The rich leather and earth are ever present and the spice is still firing through the nose. The finish on the cigar is short for every thing except the green tea which lingers. The cigar continues to perform perfectly. I actually got lost in this section of the cigar only to be pulled back by the ash that fell into my lap before I could take a picture!
3/3 - Entering this final section, the cigar has taken on a slightly tannic characteristic, something I don't remember ever getting in a cigar before. I am even temped to even say this cigar is developing much like a glass of earthy red wine. I am now also tasting cinnamon and nutmeg. The burn line has wandered a bit, but it is still smoking beautifully. Nearing the middle of this third the earth and leather reclaim their dominance on my palate and the spice continues to present through the nose. It continues like this until I physically can't hold the cigar any more.
Final thoughts - This is a big, solid cigar (there, I said it, 46 RG is now "big" in my book) that delivers on its flavor, strength, and smoking characteristics. On top of all of this, it is a good looking cigar with the smooth dark wrapper and solid construction. Even though the burn did wander a bit, it never stopped smoking well. Although the flavors were very good, it didn't have the complexity that I found in other cigars in this tasting flight (not necessarily a bad thing). The straight forward flavors coupled with the tannic nature of the final third leads me to believe that this cigar has plenty of long term aging potential. Before I started this tasting series, I had a preference for strong cigars that had plenty of spice, earth, and richness. This cigar brings me back to that time by fitting my preferred flavor profile almost perfectly. I could see myself smoking lots of these cigars given the opportunity.
Rating: 9.3 - It is the type of cigar that I have always liked smoking, rich and strong with nice smoking characteristics.