Private Stock natural maduro (Davidoff 2nd)

[GrouchoM]

Name: Private Stock
Manufacturer: Davidoff/Avo
Filler: Dominican (mid)
Wrapper: Connecticut
Price: $2.99-3.49 (can't remember exact amount)

The initial smell was fainter and the bouquet was off for some reason to my nose. Later, I realized it was because this stick only had two flavor profiles, cocoa and coffee.
The draw was fine but initially pulled very little smoke into my mouth, but soon re-corrected (due to the foot taking longer to fully light the entire end. Best piece of advice I received about lighting a cigar was to make sure the foot was fully ashed by blowing on it before taking more draws. I'm a bit of a rusher, but I'm learning, no premature for me-ruins the smoking experience right out of the gate). What I noticed and why this review will be short (a first for me) there was a harshness that didn't disappear but changed into bitterness and remained through the remainder of the smoke.

The smoke itself fluctuated from dense steam mostly as I exhaled, but rarely to creamy billows of thick swirling cigar smoke bands (which I prefer). The stick burned a little unevenly, and the cherry appeared to smolder almost to the point of going out. I touched it up once to make sure. The ash was a little gnarly on visual inspection.

I had spoke to someone on the forum earlier who said he didn't care for Davidoffs due to them not packing a lot of punch. Which I agree. This may have been a hybrid 2nd, but it was a dog of a smoke and a bad experience trying to get value from a smoke someone else informs you “is the best tobacco in the discount section”. I think I will revisit this stick way down the road and take one members advice of giving it a lot of humi time (I smoked it a few hours right out of my former B&M crappy humidor).

The other most memorable part was the weird taste it left in my mouth, nay the sensation. I wound up with a severe case of dry mouth and was stuck with this bitterness aftertaste (which stayed with me 24 hours later).

Sadly, I don't think this was a case of bait and switch but an attempt at maximizing profits by trying to create a Frankenstein monster off of a sterling reputation and company. When I read the label on the bag I noticed it said “natural maduro”. I asked the B&M employee who agreed that was strange and google the answer. He said some companies will mix seeds to come out with a hybrid blend batch for sale to specific companies or markets. Apparently, this was such a hybrid. I mean noticeably it was smooth, but as my other member stated “where's the punch (pop) and flavor (it was extremely mild). All I know is that it left me with a horrid smoking experience. The kind I'm glad after numerous bad sticks in I can notice. I'd label it a dog rocket, but because of the pedigree I'll just say, maybe after some extreme humi time and a cool summer night there might be a connection, a spark, an attraction. Sadly, tonight Davidoff's 2nds were like 4ths, maybe even 5ths. Definitely a miss. Next!