Blind Review Cigar #1

[RevSmoke]

Here is the great reveal with my review.

Cigar #1 was:
LaPalina Red Label Toro
6.25x52

1) Aesthetics: A double band is embracing this oily, red-brown, wrapper with slight veining. It is a very good-looking cigar.

2) Pre-light Construction: Firm construction, but with some bumps along the way.

3) Post-light Construction/How it smoked: With the touch of flame to cigar, copious amounts of smoke fill the mouth, bringing about an even burn, and a grey-white flaky ash.

4) Flavor and strength: White pepper and earthiness begin the excursion, and a sweet “breadiness” seems to come into the fore as it progress, while the white pepper facet to the background. Some floral notes and dried fruit came in and out of the experience.

5) Aftertaste/Finish: Hints of bread and oak linger for a moment on the tongue.

6) Aroma: Again there are hints of seet bread and spice.

7) General Comments: I truly enjoy this cigar as the sweet taste of roasting bread and the white pepper flow back and forth.

8) Recommendation: I would recommend this.

[RevSmoke]

Conch Republican's review:
1) Aesthetics: .Cigar #1: Normal looking cigar, wrapper is not very smooth, but not extremely toothy

2) Pre-light Construction: cigar seems very consistent in the roll - no abnormalities

3) Post-light Construction/How it smoked: Effortless draw, no real smell noted


4a) Flavor and strength – 1st 1/3: Lighting the cigar - it seems very mild, but that's just my lack of taste buds. about 1 inch in, finally getting woody/ammonia on the rethrohale. Burn is slightly uneven, but I use a Bic Volume of smoke is normal, slightly strong smell - but expected.
Still woody in flavor.

4b) Flavor and strength – 2nd 1/3:I am not expecting a change in flavor or strength until the end. So far the cigar is good, I like the size (about 48 RG and I forgot to measure...if it were cuban I would say abt the size of an Upmann Mag 50 or an RA Superiores, draw is almost too easy, milder than what I usually have but still good. This could be an every day cigar (as always, depending on price

4c) Flavor and strength – Last 1/3:Last 1/3 - ammonia more present now in flavor and retrohale. Just got some woody Still

5) Aftertaste/Finish: aftertaste is the sensation &/or flavor on you palate after each puff, not the taste left after you finish the cigar. Is it heavy - light? Spicy, cedary, fruity, bitter, hot, grassy? Mild - strong? Pleasant or not? Harsh?

Score for aftertaste:

6) Aroma:

7) General Comments:

Overall score for the cigar: Overall I would score this as a 7 or 8. Understand that these are my (what few are left) taste buds. Some may find the ammonia overpowering - but I do not.

With that - I recommend everyone try it :-)

[RevSmoke]

Dafu's review:

1) Aesthetics:
Nice silky smooth, medium brown wrapped toro sized cigar. Looks fine except the cap is off kilter a bit.
Score for aesthetics: 4

2) Pre-light Construction: A bit underfilled mostly but seems to be rolled OK.
Score for pre-light construction: 3.5

3) Post-light Construction/How it smoked: Lit up and smoked easily. Little touch-ups needed, produced a nice salt and pepper ash. Smoked a touch hot if not going slow and easy.
Score for post-light construction: 3.5

4a) Flavor and strength – 1st 1/3: Started out with earthy barnyard aromas permeated by a woody floral note. At about an inch a creaminess emerged and evolved with some sweet biscuit flavors. I'm thinking Cuban tobacco in here with a Honduran wrap maybe. Not bad for a light/medium profile stick. At about halfway a dank earthiness emerged and had to slow down to keep it from becoming too bitter. No real progression in the last half and wishing it had stayed the same as the first.
Score for flavor and strength: 3

5) Aftertaste/Finish: Started with an earthy finish evolving to creamy and floral, very pleasant till the last third when it became a little bitter.
Score for aftertaste: 3.5

6) Aroma: Aroma was mild, woodsy, floral and in no way overpowering. Pretty good.
Score for aroma: 4

7) General Comments: Smoked this while knocking around some golf balls on a nice afternoon. Was thinking it was a pretty good smoke with a Cubanesqe profile. Overall an average stick and one that ultimately reminded me of some Equadorian cigars I'd smoked many moon ago only a little better.
Overall score for the cigar: 3.5

8) Recommendation: I could recommend this to someone wanting a milder bodied smoke with a Cubanesque flavor. May improve a bit with some age.