~cg:4~ White Horse Madruo - Illusione Cigars
Wrapper: San Andreas Maduro
Vitola: Corona Extra 5/8 x 46
Time in Humi: 1 week
Blender: Dion Giolito
As you saw from my impressions of the Epernay '09 Le Ferme, I am becoming a fan of the Illusione line. I saw Brett's review of the 888 Maduro, so I went to my local spot looking for a maddy for myself. I've been smoking a lot of Coronas lately, so I went with the cg:4 maddy.
Prelight: This is a nice looking cigar. Nothing fancy, but nice. Thin burgundy band with gold text. The color gets lost in the dark brown of the wrapper, but whatever. There is a light pepper note from the wrapper, but nothing to get too excited about. The cap offered little to indicate what I was in store for. I used the 007 Punch and found the draw to be slightly tight, but given the small ring gauge, it wasn't a huge deal. The prelight draw offered some sweet spice notes (cinnamon stick).
Beginning: I fired this baby up with a single torch and it started off producing a lot of smoke. The initial draw was nice. There was a pepper that I didn't expect. Even stranger, the peeper notes didn't last. It was there for the first few puffs, then it went away never to return. The smoke was thick and creamy. after about 10 minutes I found myself thinking, "this is one of the smoothest smokes I've ever had."
Middle: DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK CHOCOLATE! That's what showed up in the middle of this party. The wrapper really took over. I imagine the vitola had something to do with this, given the wrapper to filler ratio. Dark Chocolate mocha with a fair amount of cinnamon is what I was tasting. It was really nice. The flavor profile was more on the full side, but the strength was medium all the way. I was glad I was drinking water. I ended up going through almost twice as much as usual.
End: More of the same. Nothing really changed after the first few inches. This was a good and bad thing. It was good because the flavors were nice. It was bad because I was hoping for a little more. I wanted a little more subtlety. It ended up being a little more "in your face" than I wanted. Still a very solid smoke just not as balanced as I would gave hoped.
Construction: Not bad. The draw was a little tight, but everything else was spot on. The smoke was nice and thick too. Always a plus.
Final Thoughts: I liked it. Was it my favorite? No, but it was a real solid madruo. To be fair, I have smoked some REALLY good maduros lately (Camacho Triple Maddy, La Aurora Preferido, etc.) so this guy had some stiff competition. With all that being said, it was a nice smoke. Will I buy it again? Maybe, but I won't be stocking up.
Scores:
Smoke Time: ~70 minutes
Price point: 8: It's a little pricey when you consider what you can get for less.
Appearance: 8.5 - The wrapper was nice, but the band was a little washed out. Kinda blah.
Construction: 9 - Draw was a little tight.
Flavor: 8.5 - A little more than I anticipated and was hoping for. I wanted more subtlety.
Overall: 8.75 - It was nice. Not great, not terrible. Solid smoke all around.
I still love the Illusione line. The Epernay was hard to compare with, but this stick held it's own. You're paying for the name though.
I always look forward to your reviews..thanks for posting them!
Thanks Bro! If you're on facebook or twitter you can check some stuff out there too(see my signature below... and i'll have http://robbyrasreviews.blogspot.com/ up and running soon too...
Not much of a review here, but I fired one up today for the first time in about 5 months... I really love this stick... It's so tough... I was working in the house and smoking outside, so I was not babying it AT ALL... and it NEVER went out on me... there was one point where i went about 5 minutes in between puffs and no issues... no news flash here, it's a freakin winner!
Wrapper: Honduras - Maduro
Binder: Honduras - Maduro
Filler: Honduras - Maduro
Vitola: Robusto 4.5 x 50
Time in Humi: 6 months
The Ccom description of the Triple Maduro says, "The Camacho Triple Maduro is the first cigar in history to utilize 100% maduro tobaccos in its blend." I had no idea that this was the case. In truth, I never really thought about it, but an interesting factoid nonetheless.
Prelight: The wrapper on this baby is almost black and smells strongly of pepper. I used my Xi 009 punch on this one and the perfect draw revealed more pepper accompanied by a slight bitter sweetness.
Beginning: This was one of the more difficult sticks to light in my limited experience. I'm sure the borderline stormy conditions didn't help. But I finally got it going with a single flame torch. The first draw was sublime. Big, chewy maduro sweetness combined with strong pepper and slight espresso/cappuccino notes. It was a warning. "Strap in, it's gonna be a fun ride." The pepper notes were big in the beginning. The chewy maduro sweetness was present (duh!) throughout.
Middle: So the pepper gave way about an inch or so in. This is were it got REALLY interesting. Smores. Yep, marshmallow, semi-sweet chocolate and graham cracker. There was also a nutty note in there, almost like walnut, but more savory. This was one of the more enjoyable 1.5 - 2 inches of cigar I have ever smoked.
End: Another note presented itself and once I pinpointed it, I realized it had been lingering in the background the whole time. It was a very subtle anise (black licorice) flavor. It was never the focus, but always floating around in the background. Like the guy who always shows up to ESPN College Gameday with the Washington State flag (what's his deal?). The smoke stayed cool all the way to the very end. A clean coffee bitterness was my signal to put this baby down, though I really didn't want to.
Construction: Pretty close to perfect. The wrapper is coal black and oily, as one would expect. The burn never got straight and required 2-3 touch ups. One thing I noticed and enjoyed was the smoke production. When resting, the cigar itself produced very little smoke, but when I puffed I was greeted with luxurious thick smoke.
Final Thoughts: I'm not a Camacho fan. The brand seems to be very popular here on the boards and obliviously they are doing very well. But for some reason, this is the only blend I truly enjoy. And I really really really enjoy it. Now this is not an everyday smoke, as least not for me. The price point and the flavor ( full body and full strength, although the strength didn't blow me over) dictate that for me, but it is prefect to sit down by the fire pit and BS with a few buddies. If you want a big fat maduro smoke to warm you up on a cold Autumn afternoon, fire one of these up. An added benefit is the robusto is only 4.5 inches and smokes in about 65 minutes!
Scores:
Smoke Time: Just about 70 minutes (I kinda babied the second half)
Price Point: 9 - They are listed here for $11, but they show up on deals all the time. I got this as part of a $25 five pack. At $5, the price point is a complete 10!
Appearance: 9 - The cigar itself is nothing special to look at, but the band is easily one of my favorites. Throw in the foot band and you have a very sophisticated look.
Construction: 9 - The burn never got straight for me, but it never went out.
Draw: 9.5 - Close to perfect.
Flavor: 9.7 - I rank this just below the Anejo and just above the La Aurora Preferido. Borderline brilliant.
If you've had this stick, then you know what I'm talking about. If you haven't, do yourself a favor and grab a fiver the next time you see a deal. You won't be disappointed and if you are, you will have NO problem trading them off for something you like. I know I'd take them.
And, as always, thanks for reading. I look forward to your feedback.
Rob had one of these bad boys this afternoon and I agree on all points. I didnt get the marshmallows but the coffee, chcolate, and spice were fantastic.I picked a couple up last weekend and this was a treat. The first camacho I truly enjoyed. Now on to find one of those five pack deals for 25 bucks!
Great write up on the triple. One of my favorite cigars.. I have several boxes of different sizes. They do take a bit of lighting to start but I rarely have any burn issues. My only complaint is I wish they were a bit cheaper. I love the 60's. This and the ruination are my favorite cigars to smoke on a regular basis.
I have been completely buried in work lately, which explains my lack of reviews lately... well that and getting mt site up and running...
I have an upcoming Review Face-Off with The Irishman that should be fun... Thanks to MTuccelli for the idea and volunteering the smokes as well... What a guy!
along with that I'll be reviewing some sticks of my choosing as well and here is a peek at what is coming up! I'm all over the map with these but it should be fun!
La Palina El Diario
Factory: Fabrica de Tobacos Raices Cubanas
Wrapper: Honduran Corojo ’99 Rosado
Binder: Honduran Criollo ’98 (x2)
Filler: Nicaraguan Corojo ’99 and Criollo ’98
Vitola: Torpedo 6.125 x 52
Time in Humi: 1 week
This is my first La Palina experience. They are marketed as a high end line with on par with Diamond Crown and Davidoff. Given all that, my expectations were very high. The El Diario is their "everyday" line though it is priced in the $10-12 range. To me, that is a bit pricey for an everyday smoke, so I tried to be objective with my review and leave price point out of it. I will give this stick an overall rating with and without price consideration.
Prelight: As you can see, it's a good looking stick. The Rosado wrapper has a nice coloring to it. I found it to be rather unique in appearance. Th wrapper gives off lots of crisp white pepper and some cedar notes. I clipped it with my Xi cutter and found a clean draw with lots of sweet tobacco notes and some pepper. I'm really looking forward to this smoke.
Beginning: A single flame torch got us started rather easily and the first puff offered a lot of pepper on the tongue and through the nose. I was expecting pepper, but it seemed to dominate the first half inch. The ash has a strange crack running through it as well. No idea what that means, if anything, but I happened to notice it. The pepper relaxed as we went on and some subtle sweet and leather notes came into the fold. i couldn't pinpoint the sweetness. It wasn't a true cocoa flavor. It was almost like a sweetened coffee sweetness without the coffee. Whatever that means. Regardless of all that, it was nice. Everything seemed to come together at the 1 inch point.
Middle: This is an elegant cigar. It's subtle without being boring or weak. The flavors really seem to wrap around each other. I know that sounds lame, but I can't think of another way to describe it. Pepper, sweetness, so leather and wood notes round out the menu and really compliment each other well. I'm enjoying this smoke for sure and I'm trying not to think about the price tag.
End: More of the same. Solid medium body and medium strength. I've seen some other reviews that say it picks up in strength toward the end, but I did not experience that. The word elegant sticks in my head. It's really the perfect description of this cigar. Some of it could be me falling victim to the marketing, but who cares. I began to wish I was smoking this in a lounge in a suit instead of on my deck in a hoodie. I nubbed this baby out after almost 2 hours of enjoyment.
Construction: Solid. The torpedo felt substantial in my hand, the wrapper was pristine, the draw was flawless. The only issue I seemed to have was the burn got funky and went out on me once. Other than that it's very well constructed.
Final Thoughts: I wish I could say this cigar snuck up on me, but it didn't. When you check out their website and advertising, you really kind of expect something high end and this stick delivered. Here's my issue, it really is an everyday smoke at a premium+ price. I really wish I could take price out of the equation, but I can't. It's a really good smoke and I would like to have 5-10 of them resting in my humi, but he price point won't really allow that.
Scores:
Smoke Time: 110 minutes
Price point: 6: I loved this stick, but I can't stomach paying $12 for it. If it were $8 then I'd be singing a different tune.
Appearance: 9.5 - Clean. Precise. Elegant.
Construction: 9 - Spot on for the most part. The burn was a little troublesome.
Draw: 10 - Perfect.
Flavor: 9 - Subtle flavors that really melded well together. A different take on the everyday smoke for sure.
Overall without price consideration: 9 - This stick forces you to pay attention.
Overall with price consideration: 8.25 - Cut a few bucks off and we're in business.
I enjoyed my first dance with La Palina. She's not a cheap date and may price herself out of some budgets. I know she's on the high end for me. If I can talk her in to going to Apple-bee's every once in a while, then we may be able to carve out a relationship.
San Cristobal Elegancia - Don Pepin Garcia & Ashton Cigars
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Vitola: Pyramid 6 1/8 x 52
Time in Humi: 1 week
Accompanying Beverage: Water
Like most of you guy (and gals) I am a sucker for anything new. I gotta have it. Whether it's a new stick or a new line or even something that I was just not aware of before. So when San Cristobal released the Elegancia, I was on the prowl.
Prelight: The wrapper has the claro color (look at me, expanding my vocab!) common to most Connecticut wrappers. It offers the spicy smell which I have come to expect from Don Pepin Garcia. It's a flawless looking wrapper with no visible veins and is smooth and light to the touch. There is one slight imperfection in the wrapper, but it looks to have happened in transit (aka, it's my fault). The cap is clean and offers little taste before clipping.
Beginning: My expectation level for this cigar is growing. It's a nice outside, the wrapper is giving me indications that this isn't going to be too mild in the flavor department and I'm done working for the day. My Xi Cutter clips the cap cleanly and I find an even draw waiting for me. Toast the foot and fire it up with a single flame torch pretty simply. The first draw offers up some spice, but not the pepper I was expecting. There is a light floral note in there as well. The blend has a very unique flavor to me. It's much bolder than I had anticipated. Definitely a medium body.
Middle: Things get creamy. The flavors have mellowed a bit. Less of the spice is present and it seemingly has been replaced by a light leather and earthy flavor. The leather notes are more luxurious than overpowering. The smoke feels thicker in the middle and has a much smoother creamier texture. It's really settled in nicely. Still medium bodied for sure, but it's on the mild side as far as strength is concerned. So far, it's a really nice early afternoon smoke.
End: So the pepper returns a little at in the end. I say pepper, but it's more of a spicy note. Not sure what to call it really. It's not your normal pepper flavor, it's more muted. Anyway, it's a nice compliment to the existing flavors. There is little change the rest of the way out.
Construction: Spot on. The size and shape were nice and allowed the flavors to mesh nicely. I'd be curious to try this in a smaller ring gauge. No burn or draw issues. The triple cap was well constructed as well. It has a nice, classic cigar look. And I dig the band design as well.
Final Thoughts: Pretty flingin' flangin' good. I had high hopes and was not disappointed. The flavors were unique and they played off each other well. The floral note in particular was pleasant. I picked it up right off the bat, but it took me some time to put my finger on it. Even now I'm not too sure what to call it. "Floral" is a bit of a vague description. Think of it this way, it's like smelling a bouquet of flowers without the flowers. Make sense? It's something between cut grass and dry leaves with a slight citrus note. Whatever it is, I liked it. It gave the flavors a clean crispness that I found refreshing.
Scores:
Smoke Time: 97 minutes
Price point: 9 - I think I payed $6.50 which is just about perfect.
Appearance: 9.5 - I really like how the green and gold of the band plays off the claro of the wrapper.
Construction: 9 - Spot on.
Draw: 10 - It was so good that I actually took note of it. Usually you only notice the draw when it's bad.
Flavor: 9 - Unique flavors. It's like a Connecticut Wrapper remix.
Overall: 9 - I really enjoyed it. I had high hopes and they were met. Well done.
So, I'll admit it. I was WAAAAY too quick to write off DPG. I still don't like the Cuban Classic that everyone loves. But man, I am coming around on him big time. Thanks for reading!
Very nice review. I have one of these in my humi resting. May have to give it a shot soon.
Thanks Bro! Like I said, it lived up to my expectations... It's nothing like the rest of the San Cristobal line though... In fact, it doesn't really remind me of any smoke I've had before...
Very nice review. I have one of these in my humi resting. May have to give it a shot soon.
Thanks Bro! Like I said, it lived up to my expectations... It's nothing like the rest of the San Cristobal line though... In fact, it doesn't really remind me of any smoke I've had before...
Thanks for the review Robby!, Its one of the smokes I recenty picked up while on vacation.. One of the perks about going into a B&M, theres lots of reminders on display of what sticks Ive been wanting to try, but forgot about.. Looking even more forward to this now!
Very nice review. I have one of these in my humi resting. May have to give it a shot soon.
Thanks Bro! Like I said, it lived up to my expectations... It's nothing like the rest of the San Cristobal line though... In fact, it doesn't really remind me of any smoke I've had before...
Great review Rob, seems like you and I are in sync to the end lol, has this exact stick less than two weeks ago and remember it vividly, and your review nailed it. Leather, cream, spice, and oak. That spicy peppery-ness that you touched on at the end was right on, I'd call it spice with white pepper because the pepper taste is there but without the bitter bite, hence white pepper BTW PM to you brother
Had one of the San Cristobal Elegancia's a couple months back - was NOT a good experience! Fired it up immediately after exiting the B&M it was purchased at, and had immediate burn issues that continued and intensified to the point that the only flavor I remember from this stick is EXTREME FRUSTRATION! LOL Seems as though I may have just gotten a dud, so I will purchase some from a different source and give it another whirl due to the stellar review it received from The RobbyRas. Excellent review sir!
If I dont like the next time I try it you owe me $6.50. ;-)
I enjoy reading your reviews..You put a lot of time and effort in your work...Nice Job.
Thanks Bro! It's currently my form of therapy... but don't tell anyone!
MonteWhite:
robbyrasreviews.com????? Consider it bookmarked!
NICE! you might be my first bookmarker! feel free to check the site 10-15 times per day... and if you do, i'll know... the level of info you can get from Google Analytics is pretty amazing
Comments
Wrapper: San Andreas Maduro
Vitola: Corona Extra 5/8 x 46
Time in Humi: 1 week
Blender: Dion Giolito
As you saw from my impressions of the Epernay '09 Le Ferme, I am becoming a fan of the Illusione line. I saw Brett's review of the 888 Maduro, so I went to my local spot looking for a maddy for myself. I've been smoking a lot of Coronas lately, so I went with the cg:4 maddy.
Prelight: This is a nice looking cigar. Nothing fancy, but nice. Thin burgundy band with gold text. The color gets lost in the dark brown of the wrapper, but whatever. There is a light pepper note from the wrapper, but nothing to get too excited about. The cap offered little to indicate what I was in store for. I used the 007 Punch and found the draw to be slightly tight, but given the small ring gauge, it wasn't a huge deal. The prelight draw offered some sweet spice notes (cinnamon stick).
Beginning: I fired this baby up with a single torch and it started off producing a lot of smoke. The initial draw was nice. There was a pepper that I didn't expect. Even stranger, the peeper notes didn't last. It was there for the first few puffs, then it went away never to return. The smoke was thick and creamy. after about 10 minutes I found myself thinking, "this is one of the smoothest smokes I've ever had."
Middle: DAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAARK CHOCOLATE! That's what showed up in the middle of this party. The wrapper really took over. I imagine the vitola had something to do with this, given the wrapper to filler ratio. Dark Chocolate mocha with a fair amount of cinnamon is what I was tasting. It was really nice. The flavor profile was more on the full side, but the strength was medium all the way. I was glad I was drinking water. I ended up going through almost twice as much as usual.
End: More of the same. Nothing really changed after the first few inches. This was a good and bad thing. It was good because the flavors were nice. It was bad because I was hoping for a little more. I wanted a little more subtlety. It ended up being a little more "in your face" than I wanted. Still a very solid smoke just not as balanced as I would gave hoped.
Construction: Not bad. The draw was a little tight, but everything else was spot on. The smoke was nice and thick too. Always a plus.
Final Thoughts: I liked it. Was it my favorite? No, but it was a real solid madruo. To be fair, I have smoked some REALLY good maduros lately (Camacho Triple Maddy, La Aurora Preferido, etc.) so this guy had some stiff competition. With all that being said, it was a nice smoke. Will I buy it again? Maybe, but I won't be stocking up.
Scores:
Smoke Time: ~70 minutes
Price point: 8: It's a little pricey when you consider what you can get for less.
Appearance: 8.5 - The wrapper was nice, but the band was a little washed out. Kinda blah.
Construction: 9 - Draw was a little tight.
Flavor: 8.5 - A little more than I anticipated and was hoping for. I wanted more subtlety.
Overall: 8.75 - It was nice. Not great, not terrible. Solid smoke all around.
I still love the Illusione line. The Epernay was hard to compare with, but this stick held it's own. You're paying for the name though.
yeah, it was good for me.lol
Rob had one of these bad boys this afternoon and I agree on all points. I didnt get the marshmallows but the coffee, chcolate, and spice were fantastic.I picked a couple up last weekend and this was a treat. The first camacho I truly enjoyed. Now on to find one of those five pack deals for 25 bucks!
unfortunately i've only seen that 5 for 25 deal once... i wish i would have bought more...
I have an upcoming Review Face-Off with The Irishman that should be fun... Thanks to MTuccelli for the idea and volunteering the smokes as well... What a guy!
along with that I'll be reviewing some sticks of my choosing as well and here is a peek at what is coming up! I'm all over the map with these but it should be fun!
Factory: Fabrica de Tobacos Raices Cubanas
Wrapper: Honduran Corojo ’99 Rosado
Binder: Honduran Criollo ’98 (x2)
Filler: Nicaraguan Corojo ’99 and Criollo ’98
Vitola: Torpedo 6.125 x 52
Time in Humi: 1 week
This is my first La Palina experience. They are marketed as a high end line with on par with Diamond Crown and Davidoff. Given all that, my expectations were very high. The El Diario is their "everyday" line though it is priced in the $10-12 range. To me, that is a bit pricey for an everyday smoke, so I tried to be objective with my review and leave price point out of it. I will give this stick an overall rating with and without price consideration.
Prelight: As you can see, it's a good looking stick. The Rosado wrapper has a nice coloring to it. I found it to be rather unique in appearance. Th wrapper gives off lots of crisp white pepper and some cedar notes. I clipped it with my Xi cutter and found a clean draw with lots of sweet tobacco notes and some pepper. I'm really looking forward to this smoke.
Beginning: A single flame torch got us started rather easily and the first puff offered a lot of pepper on the tongue and through the nose. I was expecting pepper, but it seemed to dominate the first half inch. The ash has a strange crack running through it as well. No idea what that means, if anything, but I happened to notice it. The pepper relaxed as we went on and some subtle sweet and leather notes came into the fold. i couldn't pinpoint the sweetness. It wasn't a true cocoa flavor. It was almost like a sweetened coffee sweetness without the coffee. Whatever that means. Regardless of all that, it was nice. Everything seemed to come together at the 1 inch point.
Middle: This is an elegant cigar. It's subtle without being boring or weak. The flavors really seem to wrap around each other. I know that sounds lame, but I can't think of another way to describe it. Pepper, sweetness, so leather and wood notes round out the menu and really compliment each other well. I'm enjoying this smoke for sure and I'm trying not to think about the price tag.
End: More of the same. Solid medium body and medium strength. I've seen some other reviews that say it picks up in strength toward the end, but I did not experience that. The word elegant sticks in my head. It's really the perfect description of this cigar. Some of it could be me falling victim to the marketing, but who cares. I began to wish I was smoking this in a lounge in a suit instead of on my deck in a hoodie. I nubbed this baby out after almost 2 hours of enjoyment.
Construction: Solid. The torpedo felt substantial in my hand, the wrapper was pristine, the draw was flawless. The only issue I seemed to have was the burn got funky and went out on me once. Other than that it's very well constructed.
Final Thoughts: I wish I could say this cigar snuck up on me, but it didn't. When you check out their website and advertising, you really kind of expect something high end and this stick delivered. Here's my issue, it really is an everyday smoke at a premium+ price. I really wish I could take price out of the equation, but I can't. It's a really good smoke and I would like to have 5-10 of them resting in my humi, but he price point won't really allow that.
Scores:
Smoke Time: 110 minutes
Price point: 6: I loved this stick, but I can't stomach paying $12 for it. If it were $8 then I'd be singing a different tune.
Appearance: 9.5 - Clean. Precise. Elegant.
Construction: 9 - Spot on for the most part. The burn was a little troublesome.
Draw: 10 - Perfect.
Flavor: 9 - Subtle flavors that really melded well together. A different take on the everyday smoke for sure.
Overall without price consideration: 9 - This stick forces you to pay attention.
Overall with price consideration: 8.25 - Cut a few bucks off and we're in business.
I enjoyed my first dance with La Palina. She's not a cheap date and may price herself out of some budgets. I know she's on the high end for me. If I can talk her in to going to Apple-bee's every once in a while, then we may be able to carve out a relationship.
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Vitola: Pyramid 6 1/8 x 52
Time in Humi: 1 week
Accompanying Beverage: Water
Like most of you guy (and gals) I am a sucker for anything new. I gotta have it. Whether it's a new stick or a new line or even something that I was just not aware of before. So when San Cristobal released the Elegancia, I was on the prowl.
Prelight: The wrapper has the claro color (look at me, expanding my vocab!) common to most Connecticut wrappers. It offers the spicy smell which I have come to expect from Don Pepin Garcia. It's a flawless looking wrapper with no visible veins and is smooth and light to the touch. There is one slight imperfection in the wrapper, but it looks to have happened in transit (aka, it's my fault). The cap is clean and offers little taste before clipping.
Beginning: My expectation level for this cigar is growing. It's a nice outside, the wrapper is giving me indications that this isn't going to be too mild in the flavor department and I'm done working for the day. My Xi Cutter clips the cap cleanly and I find an even draw waiting for me. Toast the foot and fire it up with a single flame torch pretty simply. The first draw offers up some spice, but not the pepper I was expecting. There is a light floral note in there as well. The blend has a very unique flavor to me. It's much bolder than I had anticipated. Definitely a medium body.
Middle: Things get creamy. The flavors have mellowed a bit. Less of the spice is present and it seemingly has been replaced by a light leather and earthy flavor. The leather notes are more luxurious than overpowering. The smoke feels thicker in the middle and has a much smoother creamier texture. It's really settled in nicely. Still medium bodied for sure, but it's on the mild side as far as strength is concerned. So far, it's a really nice early afternoon smoke.
End: So the pepper returns a little at in the end. I say pepper, but it's more of a spicy note. Not sure what to call it really. It's not your normal pepper flavor, it's more muted. Anyway, it's a nice compliment to the existing flavors. There is little change the rest of the way out.
Construction: Spot on. The size and shape were nice and allowed the flavors to mesh nicely. I'd be curious to try this in a smaller ring gauge. No burn or draw issues. The triple cap was well constructed as well. It has a nice, classic cigar look. And I dig the band design as well.
Final Thoughts: Pretty flingin' flangin' good. I had high hopes and was not disappointed. The flavors were unique and they played off each other well. The floral note in particular was pleasant. I picked it up right off the bat, but it took me some time to put my finger on it. Even now I'm not too sure what to call it. "Floral" is a bit of a vague description. Think of it this way, it's like smelling a bouquet of flowers without the flowers. Make sense? It's something between cut grass and dry leaves with a slight citrus note. Whatever it is, I liked it. It gave the flavors a clean crispness that I found refreshing.
Scores:
Smoke Time: 97 minutes
Price point: 9 - I think I payed $6.50 which is just about perfect.
Appearance: 9.5 - I really like how the green and gold of the band plays off the claro of the wrapper.
Construction: 9 - Spot on.
Draw: 10 - It was so good that I actually took note of it. Usually you only notice the draw when it's bad.
Flavor: 9 - Unique flavors. It's like a Connecticut Wrapper remix.
Overall: 9 - I really enjoyed it. I had high hopes and they were met. Well done.
So, I'll admit it. I was WAAAAY too quick to write off DPG. I still don't like the Cuban Classic that everyone loves. But man, I am coming around on him big time. Thanks for reading!
If I dont like the next time I try it you owe me $6.50. ;-)
CAO OSA
thanks for all your support guys!