DBall's Newb Blind Taste Test #5

[Nathan]

This has been a very cool thread to read

[smitty81]

bump

[DBall]

ApexAZ Cigar #8
*************


5/21/2012

I'll be pairing #8 with a Sunbru by the local Arizona brewer Four Peaks. The nights just keep getting warmer, so I'll probably continue to smoke at a slightly faster pace.



Pre-light
This cigar is about 5" long and has a ring guage around 42. The wrapper is light and smooth with only small veins. Slightly spongy, the overall construction feels good with a triple cap. The cigar looks and feels old to me. The smell of the tobacco is not much different from the others: a mix of manure and tobacco.

The pre-light draw is pretty good and I taste a mix of wood and cardboard. Nothing too exciting really.

1st Third
Ugh, it's freaking hot outside. The first few puffs don't have a lot of flavor, which has been pretty typical of all of these so far. A little bit of sweetness, but not much else. Some very faint sweet cream and leather come through for an over all very mild smoke. The burn is perfect and the ash drops after about 3/4".




2nd Third
20 minutes in and I hit the 2nd third of the cigar. The strength and body continue to be mild, although the flavor is starting to build slightly. The sweetness isn't as prevalent. It's more of a toasted nut and earthy type flavor. It's hard to describe really. The burn, draw and ash all continue to be flawless.



Final Third
I hit the final 3rd about 40 minutes in. The strength and body are both medium now and the cigar reminds me more of a Dominican in flavor, which I think is mainly due to the fact that it isn't as sweet as some of the others have been. So far it hasn't developed into what I would consider great, but not bad either. I taste an earthy leather more than anything. I don't really get any toasted nuts anymore. Burn was perfect all the way through!



Conclusion
BTT # 8 was decent. Not as exciting as some of the others before it, but still pretty good. I give it a 7/10. Thank you, Dan!



Score: 7/10

Total smoke time: 55 minutes

[DBall]

smitty81 Cigar #8
**************

Cigar # 8 will be enjoyed with a ginger ale on this fine summer night. Temp is in the low to mid 80's with a slight breeze. Thunderstorms to the south of us so some nice clouds to watch and the sunset is making everything look pinkish/orange. Beautiful night that has made me appreciate this fine cigar all that much more.



This cigar has a nice construction. Nice and firm but not hard. This cigar has no big veins in the wrapper and it looks like a good quality cigar that someone would be proud to put their cigar band on.



The first draw is always my favorite, it's like opening a present on Christmas morning.

The first draw was a strong green flavor. I actually enjoy the green flavor many of these cc's have. (see, I'm already guessing it's a cc)

This green flavor last up to about the beginning of the 2/3rd of the cigar.



The 2/3rd of this cigar has went from tasting green to tasting slightly creamy with a little bit of sweetness in the background. Nothing real strong here, just nice and relaxing like the night I had outside.

I did retro hale and for the first time ever, I finally got something out of it. I was able to pick up a different flavor. The flavor I picked up during the retro hale was VERY brief and it took me a few times to decide what I was smelling/tasting. I finally decided on grandma smell.

I'm not talking about moth ball grandma smell but rather the take a bath in your perfume kind of grandma. That smell when you go to church and walk past a group of old ladies. It was even a perfume I would expect a grandma to wear, very floral.



OK, the last third of this cigar has also taken a change in flavor. I am now getting that floral taste like I got with the retro hale earlier. This is the first cigar I have ever had that has had a floral taste to it and honestly, while it wasn't a bad flavor, it really isn't something that I would like to taste in a cigar. Maybe if it was a different kind of floral it wouldn't be as bad. Its almost as if someone took a very fragrant flower, stem and all and wrapped it up into a cigar. This cigar was so interesting to me.

While I may not have liked it, it was an awesome new experience for me. There were distinct flavor changes that I noticed, Some flavors that I enjoyed and a new flavor that I have never experienced with a cigar. This was a "fun" and interesting cigar to smoke.



A picture to cap off my very enjoyable night. I wasn't going to have a smoke tonight but I am so glad I did.

I am having a tough time grading this one. Based on flavors, I wouldn't rate it real high but it always kept changing in flavor and that was very interesting and enjoyable to me. Not to mention this cigar practically had a perfect burn.

I will say a 7.5/10

[DBall]

What they smoked:



2008 Pro Larranaga Petit Corona

ApexAZ score: 7

smitty81 score: 7.5

Glad you liked these... for the most part. While I haven't visited these in some time, I remember vividly thinking that they were no where near ready last time I did. I may have to try another one soon...

[44stampede]

I am about to pull the trigger on a cab of these. Based on the reviews I am a little gun shy. Someone tell me the 2011 is a good year to smoke them fresh!!

[Blak Smyth]

Originally Posted by 44stampede

I am about to pull the trigger on a cab of these. Based on the reviews I am a little gun shy. Someone tell me the 2011 is a good year to smoke them fresh!!

I am smoking through a cab now, do it

Good reviews guys, once again pretty similar reviews.
I love the complexity of CCs, they are unlike any NC I have ever experienced.

[CRIMPS]

Originally Posted by 44stampede

I am about to pull the trigger on a cab of these. Based on the reviews I am a little gun shy. Someone tell me the 2011 is a good year to smoke them fresh!!

I, too, am burning through a 2011 cab. 2011's are smoking really well.

Great reviews.

I guess I am not familiar with flavors "grandma" and "green". I will have to keep an eye out for these

[smitty81]

Originally Posted by CRIMPS

I, too, am burning through a 2011 cab. 2011's are smoking really well.

Great reviews.

I guess I am not familiar with flavors "grandma" and "green". I will have to keep an eye out for these

I am new and still trying to find my palate.

I was associating smells with taste. Better words to describe it would be a Strong floral smell and Grassy.

[DBall]

Bump.

[DBall]

What they smoked:



2002 Fonseca Cosaco

ApexAZ score: 8

smitty81 score: 8

9 done and none to go... I got 10 in, but I'm gonna stagger it a bit...

[Whipper Snapper]

Originally Posted by DBall

What they smoked:



2002 Fonseca Cosaco

ApexAZ score: 8

smitty81 score: 8

9 done and none to go... I got 10 in, but I'm gonna stagger it a bit...

We are quivering with anticipation Dan

[GTCanuk]

Bump to the finish

[DBall]

Originally Posted by GTCanuk

Bump to the finish

Geez... you are relentless.

I was in Toronto this weekend and at work now... I'll post the final one up tomorrow evening...

[ApexAZ]

Finished mine up over the 4th. What a great experience this was! I'm really looking forward to seeing the results from the last 2.

Dan, you are the man. Thanks so much. I don't know how to repay you!

[DBall]

Originally Posted by ApexAZ

Dan, you are the man. Thanks so much. I don't know how to repay you!

If you enjoyed the cigars and the experiment, you've repaid me plenty...

[GTCanuk]

Re-bump

[smitty81]

I will be finished up this weekend.

Thanks Dan.

[ApexAZ]

Let's go, Smitty! Do it up!

[jonumberone]

Bump Diggity!