Butera Vintage Mira Bella

[AD720]

Butera Vintage Mira Bella
Size: 6 3/4 x 38
Wrapper: Connecticut
Price: approx $8


This is a totally new cigar for me. My mom thought of me when she saw a cigar shop on an overnight trip last weekend. She likes to ask the B&M people for off the beaten path cigars and while some that she's been recommend have been pretty lame quite a few have been gems that I would otherwise not have picked out myself. She met my fiance for lunch today and gave her the cigar, in a plastic bag with a water pillow. I believe that this is an Altadis USA cigar. On the rare occasion I grab my pipe I do enjoy the Butera Pelican.

The hype:

Butera Cigars are made under the watchful eye of famed pipe maker and tobacco distributor Mike Butera. His pipes are rare and valuable and cigars are nothing less.

They are mild, creamy and smooth for any palate and are of the highest quality. Butera Royal Vintage are true-blended, premium cigars handmade in the Dominican Republic by 'first-row'cigar makers. Six distinctive whole-leaf tobaccos from three different countries are blended, including four specific types of long-filler leaves from the rarest Dominican crops. Every cigar is well-aged to maturity in cabinets of fine Spanish cedar and packaged in beautiful Mahogany chests. The Vintage Maduro line offers a smooth, medium to full bodied taste and comes in elegant boxes of 20. Handmade in Dominican with Dominican binder and filler.



Prelight -

Nicely rolled with a pig tail cap, overall smooth wrapper, good bunching.
The Prelight draw is slightly tight and I'm picking up a hint of pipe-tobacco like of sweetness.


1st Third:

Lit up nicely and is very mild in the first couple puffs with no harshness. The sweetness I barely tasted is evident on the finish. There is a nice, but very mild, spice on the nose. The draw is a little tight which is making the smoke a little hard to come by. Holding a nice grayish ash. So far not a ton going on the flavor department but it is a nice mild cigar. The burn is a little rough but no touch up were necessary though the first third.

2nd Third:

Things are picking up bit into the 2nd third. I'm picking up some nice creamy flavors and a little bit of nuttiness on the nose to go along with the very light spice. This is mild enough to nose ever puff but it is beginning to get fairly complex with the cream, nuttiness and spice. Not a harsh note to be found. My only complaint is the draw is still on the tight side for me so I gave it a little hit with the old drawl tool.

Last Third:

The creaminess that I was enjoying has subsided and this is moving into a very nutty cigar. Still not harsh at all which is great and the mild spice is still dancing around on the nose. Definitely moving into a more straight ahead tobacco taste and traditional cigar profile. I'm not much of a nubber so I let this one go at about an inch and a half.

Overall Impressions:

Overall this was a solid smoke and a nice change of pace. Certainly mild, definitely delicate but fairly interesting. This is a cigar that demands some attention, slow smoking and critical tasting. I was impressed by the construction and the burn but I was a bit disappointed in the draw - perhaps I should have let it sit for a while.

I'd rate this a 7 or 7.5 out of 10 overall. I would smoke it again but for the price I don't see myself smoking too many more of these.

[AD720]

Some pics:

[AD720]

[kelmac07]

Great review and pics!!!