[omowasu]

I have enjoyed the Manuel Quesada blends off and on throughout the years. Most were perfectly enjoyable but not the best cigars I have had. I picked up one of the Oktoberfest Bavarians from the local B&M thinking it would be like prior Quesadas.... boy was I wrong!

This cigar had a beautiful dark wrapper, thick and triple capped, and smelled great - like hay and cedar. Off the light I got an instant full-bodied smack of pepper and dark chocolate! This was a full bodied Quesada - I was impressed! There was a lingering taste of pleasant bitterness, almost like the hop aftertaste of a good ale. So, I chose a good ale to pair with the cigar (as suggested) - a local brewery (Onion Brewery) Pumpkin Ale. The beer and cigar went very well together - it wasnt just a marketing gimmick... The strength of the cigar would get washed away by the beer leaving a wonderful aftertaste of both.

Pepper stayed in the picture for the first half of the cigar while the chocolate notes faded into coffee and cedar. I could detect some citrus twang in there too, probably from the all-Dominican filler and binder. Kinda reminded me of an Opus X a little bit. I like citrus twang. I also had a good N buzz by this point. At the 2/3 mark, bitterness crept up but a purge cleared most of it out.

Recommended - Get them before they are gone - its an enjoyable stick, and does indeed pair well with a good beer!