DBall's Newb Blind Taste Test #3

[DBall]

Brutus2600 Cigar #3
*****************

As soon as I received these cigars a few weeks ago, my eyes fixed on cigar #3. I've not had much experience with longer, smaller RG cigars and I was excited to try this one. Upon initial inspection the cigar has some significant veins, but still has a nice wrapper. Good construction and isn't too firm, but there aren't any soft spots. Looks to be about 6.5 x 34 (a panatela? Correct me if I'm wrong).



Initial light 11: 25 - Initial smell and predraw both carry a strong barnyard and hay aroma. Toasted the foot and lit the cigar, my first impression is that it's a fairly mild cigar. It produces a nice amount of smoke. The ash isn't very tight, and fell off right after the picture.



First third 11:35 - The flavors are developing from muted to a little more prominent and I'm starting to be able to pick them out. I taste hints of coffee and nuts, with just a few chocolate notes strewn in. I'm having trouble keeping it lit too. It's almost gone out a few times earlier, and just went out on me. I just smoked my first lancero cigar last week, and had similar problems with that. I'm not sure if that's just because of the small ring gauge? As stated, I don't have much experience with these size cigars.



Second Third 11:51 - Thought I was getting into a good rhythm and wasn't having issues with the light, but it just went out on me again. I'm afraid this is having adverse effects on the flavors developing. Still getting nutty notes though, with some leathery aroma mixed in as well. A retrohale of just 10% of the smoke from a draw left me coughing, so I didn't get much from that. The ash is a consistent grayish black, and has only holds on for about 3/4" before falling off. As stated before, this is a very mild cigar, but very enjoyable. It's been a great morning cigar paired with my coffee.



Final Third 12:08 - I've managed to keep the last half of the cigar lit without going out, and the final third has finally gotten a little stronger, but I suspect this is just the nicotine buildup. It's still mild though, and not bitter at all, which is nice. I haven't had the "a-ha" moment with this cigar where a single prominent flavor has stuck out to me, just a consistent nuttiness throughout.



Finish time 12: 24 - After what initially seemed to be me going through the cigar pretty quickly (trying to keep it lit) this cigar lasted right about an hour. An overall mild cigar, it's given me a pretty good kick from the nicotine even after just having eaten. Great cigar though, enjoyable to the last bit, and despite the burn issues which dropped it's score, I would definitely smoke another.

Appearance and construction: 1.25 out of 1.5
Smoke and ash: 1.25 out of 1.5
Burn: 2 out of 3
Overall flavor: 3.5 out of 4

Total: 8 out of 10

[DBall]

What they smoked:



2007 Hoyo du Gourmet

jimmyk26 score: 7.0
Brutus2600 score: 8.0

I'm surprised the scores were this low for this cigar... maybe I'm bias because I absolutely LOVE panatella/ninfa sized cigars.

By the way, you were both pretty much in agreement with the flavors again... this just rocks.

[Brutus2600]

Once again, I'm almost surprised by the results. Every cigar so far I've felt I've just...missed something, if only by a little bit. I think this one I felt that way the most. However it seems we were both pretty close in our review.

Just have to say again I'm having alot of fun and thanks for this

[longknocker]

Great Reviews, Guys! Keep Them Coming!

Keep in mind that small rg cigars are meant to be smoked very slow. Like sipping through a straw. Might have affected the results of this tasting.

[jimmyk26]

This cigar smoked beautifully for me. I was just surprised at how the flavors disappeared at the end of the cigar. 2007, I guess this has enough age on them for age not to be a problem. Dan, what do you like so much about these?

Also, good job Brian. It's pretty cool that we are pretty close with our reviews.

[DBall]

Originally Posted by Brutus2600

Once again, I'm almost surprised by the results. Every cigar so far I've felt I've just...missed something, if only by a little bit. I think this one I felt that way the most. However it seems we were both pretty close in our review.

Just have to say again I'm having alot of fun and thanks for this

I don't think you're missing anything... you guys are doing a great job!

Originally Posted by ChicagoWhiteSox

Keep in mind that small rg cigars are meant to be smoked very slow. Like sipping through a straw. Might have affected the results of this tasting.

Great point.

Originally Posted by jimmyk26

This cigar smoked beautifully for me. I was just surprised at how the flavors disappeared at the end of the cigar. 2007, I guess this has enough age on them for age not to be a problem. Dan, what do you like so much about these?

Also, good job Brian. It's pretty cool that we are pretty close with our reviews.

I like the size... I personally believe the wrapper imparts more flavor than anything else, so a greater wrapper to filler/binder ratio seems to make a better experience for me.

[Brutus2600]

Yeah, while I don't have much experience with these size cigars, I've read that they burn hotter, but are more flavorful than a larger RG cigar. So...I tried to smoke it slow, however I had the burn issues and trouble keeping it lit. I've been keeping them at 65% RH, but maybe that was too wet?

Anyway, I really did enjoy the cigar, I think the burn issues I had really were what dinged the score so bad.

So far I've always enjoyed reading Jimmy's reviews and seeing the results! Can't believe we're only 3 cigars in

[yourchoice]

Both reviewers are doing a great job! And another shout out to Dan!

[Brutus2600]

With a nice 3 day weekend and finally a day I didn't have anything to do (this weekend was too busy! ) I was able to get review number 4 in

[jimmyk26]

Sweet, I am looking forward to your thoughts on this.

[Brutus2600]

Same! I won't discuss the cigar until the reviews are posted, but I'm looking forward to what you thought as well

[DBall]

jimmyk26 Cigar #4
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Initial impressions - Like Brian, I have been looking forward to certain cigars in this sampler. This darker perfecto has been at the top of the list since the sampler arrived. This cigar is about 5 inches long with a ring gauge of roughly 44, it is topped with a nipple like cap and the foot narrows to a small opening. Along with the figurado characteristics, the cigar is nicely box pressed and I can find no soft spots or imperfections in the construction. Adorning the cigar is a silky smooth, dark wrapper, darker than any of the 3 previous cigars in this tasting. Despite a couple of folds in the wrapper near both the cap and foot, the leaf is well applied and shows very few veins. The aroma of the wrapper is a rich barnyard and leather that was quite strong right after I pulled the cigar out of the bag. From the small foot opening, I smell a bit of spice and sweet tobacco. The pre-light draw is good and it leaves tastes of earth and green tea on my palate.


Initial puffs - The cigar is drawing very poorly to start probably due to the small foot opening, from the little smoke I am getting I am tasting earth and cinnamon.

1/3 - After the initial tight draw the cigar opened up beautifully to a great draw and flavors of earth, cinnamon, bitter cocoa powder, nutmeg, and even a hint of marshmallow (no kidding). The smoke is flavor full, but doesn't have a thick palate coating character. After the initial onslaught of flavors, the cigar seems to have hit stride with earth and leather with a slight spice and wood through the nose.


2/3 - The spice has picked up a bit and the cigar has picked up a slight sharp grassy flavor. At this point the finish on the cigar is proving to be dry and a bit gritty, like after you have eaten a cocoa covered truffle and there is cocoa dust left in your mouth. The burn has been a bit ragged, but it stays pretty even and corrects itself as needed. So far the flavor profile has stayed pretty consistent and complex. This cigar is rich and earthy with spice and bitter chocolate, its smoke is not palate coating but it is definitely flavor delivering. The only thing of note here is that the ash is a bit flakey but it seems solid.


3/3 - Nearing the end the cigar has picked up in strength and it continues to delivery on the flavors. Now the cigar has picked up a bit leather and wood to complement the consistent earth and dry bitter cocoa. The burn line was at its worst in this final third although it did correct itself, it was pretty uneven as you can see in the picture. Nearing the every end of this cigar, the smoke is starting to remind me of a nice cup of Costa Rican coffee not only flavorful, but also very aromatic.


Final thoughts - This cigar just wouldn't quit. Instead of hitting a flavor profile staying put, the cigar constantly brought new twists and turns to the experience. That isn't to say that the cigar made major flavor changes, rather it was very complex and refined while offering up variations on the major theme of the cigar: earth and dry cocoa. Although it produced plenty of smoke and delivered lots of flavor, it wasn't palate coating smoke. This lighter bodied smoke allowed for a long, dry finish on the palate. I would definitely reach for another one of these when I have time to sit an enjoy the complexities that it offers.


Rating: 9.5 - This cigar offers a rich, complex flavor experience in a well constructed and great performing format. It was fantastic.

[DBall]

Brutus2600 Cigar #4
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Upon initial inspection, the wrapper is nice and soft, looks to be about 5 x 44, and there appears to be some light bloom on the cigar. Having said that, it has a very poor looking wrapper. It has significant veins, discolored, and looks to be ready unravel as soon as I light it.



Initial light 9:40 - Prelight draw leaves the taste of hay on my tongue. Initial light is a little difficult because I can barely draw this cigar. It's a very mild cigar, and along with that, mild flavors. I'm picking up some of the prelight hay taste, and a little leather. After a few more draws on the cigar I get a nutty taste as well. All of these fleeting, nothing lingering on my palate long.



First Third - The burn started a little uneven, but it looks like it might be correcting itself. I can never get the burn even to begin with on these shape cigars anyway. The draw is opening up a little, and so are the flavors. I'm getting some hints of spice along with the previous nut and hay aromas. The ash is a brownish gray, and while it looks precarious, it's holding firm even with a light tap.



Second Third 10:02 - After the picture I rolled the ash off not wanting to risk it falling on my laptop, corrected the burn just a little, purged, and took a puff. While the flavors have been consistent, the smoke is developing into a very thick, creamy smoke. What had been thin, weak smoke before the draw opened up is very enjoyable now. No matter how much touch up I do, this cigar will not burn evenly. No one part is getting away from the other, but it's just a jagged line across the burn area. The flavors have definitely changed in this last little bit, mostly tasting a woody/nutty aroma with some minor vanilla hints thrown in (which I haven't tasted before in a cigar).



Final Third 10: 22 - In this last little bit of the cigar, ironically enough, after my last ash and touch up the cigar's burn is finally even. The smoke is still nice and creamy, with the woody/nutty aroma sticking around. The vanilla was fleeting and might have even been my imagination, but it's not there anymore.



Finish time 10:36 - With my initial thoughts that the cigar would unravel, I was wrong about that. The burn however was quite uneven throughout most of the cigar, and draw was an issue the first third of it. Overall the flavor of the cigar was mild, with just hints at what different flavors I described. The smoke was delightfully thick, and probably my favorite part of the cigar. While I wouldn't seek this cigar out to purchase, I might smoke it again if I wanted a mild stick, although it would be in line behind a few other mild cigars I enjoy. So far, this has been the least favorite of my cigars in this blind taste test

Appearance and construction: .75 out of 1.5
Smoke and ash: 1.5 out of 1.5
Burn: 1.5 out of 3
Overall flavor: 3 out of 4

Total: 6.75 out of 10

[DBall]

What they smoked:



2000 Cabanas Perfect

jimmyk26 score: 9.5
Brutus2600 score: 6.75

Wow... what a difference anticipation makes... and what a disparity in reviews for this cigar. Very interesting!

[jimmyk26]

That is certainly a big difference in experiences! I was worried when I started the cigar that it would have draw problems, but after it opened up I really enjoyed it. 10 years, that's a lot of age. Thanks for sharing these.

[W.B.]

This thread rocks!!! I wish I could smoke all of the new cigars I try blind.

[Brutus2600]

I'm kind of surprised at this one. Maybe I was having an off day and just wasn't getting all the flavors James was, or something, because reading his review makes me want to smoke it again! Reading my review makes me want to forget I smoked it

Great review though James, very distinct flavors described

[stewshi]

This is a great read and some great reviews. Makes me very jealous and envious that someone has so many aged CC's to share. Your a good guy DBALL. Cant wait to read whats next.

[jimmyk26]

I just did some more research on these cigars and was surprised to learn that they were machine made! My first machine made CC.