Sailchaser Challenge cigar #2
photos will be posted when i find my damn cable to the camera to download them.
robusto in size, rounded head, non-cuban in appearance and initial flavors.
very solid cigar to the touch, hefty, full of tobacco, was afraid i wouldn't be able to draw on it, but it draws good enough (not tight). wrapper shade is kinda wild, it almost looks like a barber pole type cigar, but that's just how different the wrapper color is from one side of the leaf to the other. photo taken of it.
initial flavor was a strong coffee grounds finish with a little amonia up front. white, solid ash (just to describe it, i've never been one to worry what color or how long of an ash i can keep - doesn't matter to me, doesn't change the smoke at all in my books).
it's got a weird finish to it now. it's a light spice, but a cool spice. the up front flavors are a bit powerful/in your face, and i exhaled out the nose once and will only do it that once - pretty harsh.
nicely rolled, outter wrapper has a nice velvety look to it up close, no major veins. burning a little crooked, but nothing that bothers me.
not much to say about the flavors - it's a solid older non-cuban, of which company, i don't know. smoked an inch of it so far, no real changes to the flavors. hoping it does change soon or it won't make it much longer here.
just ashed and it revealed why it's burning crooked. got a little bit of a bunch up on one side.
was just daydreaming and started to overpuff. brought out some stronger coffee and eather flavors, and a little more harshness to the tongue.
for some stupid reason, i keep wanting to say that this is some type of Fuente Opus X or something - that's what it's reminding me of. nice in appearance, solid construction, greatly lacking in flavors that appeal to me other than a spice that you have to search for through the harsh earthy tones and slight coffee on the finish.
i don't know if there was an Opus X robusto size or not, but that's what i'm leaning toward right now.
i'm freezing, can hardly type. weather in KC is typical. warm one day, high winds and hail the next, clear and cold the next, possible snow later in the week. typical...
so, the verdict on this one is that it's a nicely made cigar. looks are deceiving though, as the taste gets pretty boring and isn't anything to write home about to beginwith.
if you could taste a cigar before buying, i don't think this one would come off the shelves. i'd give it a 3 out of 10.
sorry, chris, this one ain't my cup o' tea.