Blind Review participants

[DAFU]

1) Aesthetics: the look of the cigar - oily, coarse, smooth, dry, light, dark, pretty, ugly, etc...
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: Roll cigar between fingers - soft spots? loose? tight? dense? lightweight? Well rolled? how does it smell?
A bit underfilled mostly but seems to be rolled OK.
Score for pre-light construction: 3.5

3) Post-light Construction/How it smoked: Does it draw well, does smoke pull through on its own, do soft spots appear after lighting, burns evenly? smokes hot or cool? What is ash like? color of ash? flaky or solid?
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: What does it taste like? Full-bodied, med. or mild? Does it taste earthy, spicy, fruity, vegetal, sweet, rich, harsh, direct, floral, robust, woody, green (haylike), acidic, salty? Is it pleasant or unpleasant? Does it build in flavor and/or complexity as you smoke it? Is it bland, flavorful, complex? Did it get bitter?
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: 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: What does it smell like? Good - bad? light or heavy? pervasive - mild? floral, perfumed, grassy, harsh, woodsy, overpowering, unpleasant, magnificent?

Score for aroma:

7) General Comments: Are samples consistent? Did you particlarily enjoy of with a certain food or beverage? Did they appeal more at certain time of day? Did it remind you of something? Would you buy them? Sum it up as you would to a friends ("That cigar was awesome!") and give it an overall score.

Overall score for the cigar:

8) Recommendation: Would you recommend the cigar? Pick one of the following and explain:

[DAFU]

Oops trying to hurry and need a redo.

Originally Posted by DAFU

1) Aesthetics: the look of the cigar - oily, coarse, smooth, dry, light, dark, pretty, ugly, etc...
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: Roll cigar between fingers - soft spots? loose? tight? dense? lightweight? Well rolled? how does it smell?
A bit underfilled mostly but seems to be rolled OK.
Score for pre-light construction: 3.5

3) Post-light Construction/How it smoked: Does it draw well, does smoke pull through on its own, do soft spots appear after lighting, burns evenly? smokes hot or cool? What is ash like? color of ash? flaky or solid?
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: What does it taste like? Full-bodied, med. or mild? Does it taste earthy, spicy, fruity, vegetal, sweet, rich, harsh, direct, floral, robust, woody, green (haylike), acidic, salty? Is it pleasant or unpleasant? Does it build in flavor and/or complexity as you smoke it? Is it bland, flavorful, complex? Did it get bitter?
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: 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?
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: What does it smell like? Good - bad? light or heavy? pervasive - mild? floral, perfumed, grassy, harsh, woodsy, overpowering, unpleasant, magnificent?
Aroma was mild, woodsy, floral and in no way overpowering. Pretty good.
Score for aroma: 4

7) General Comments: Are samples consistent? Did you particlarily enjoy of with a certain food or beverage? Did they appeal more at certain time of day? Did it remind you of something? Would you buy them? Sum it up as you would to a friends ("That cigar was awesome!") and give it an overall score.
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: Would you recommend the cigar? Pick one of the following and explain:
I could recommend this to someone wanting a milder bodied smoke with a Cubanesque flavor. May improve a bit with some age.

[RevSmoke]

Originally Posted by DAFU

Oops trying to hurry and need a redo.

Which stick? #1, #2, #3...

[DAFU]

Originally Posted by RevSmoke

Which stick? #1, #2, #3...

Sorry....that would be #1

[DAFU]

Smoked cigar #3 on the deck after supper with a pour of Four Roses Small Batch.

1) Aesthetics: the look of the cigar - oily, coarse, smooth, dry, light, dark, pretty, ugly, etc...
Robusto sized medium brown and silky smooth. Looks good.

Score for aesthetics: 4

2) Pre-light Construction: Roll cigar between fingers - soft spots? loose? tight? dense? lightweight? Well rolled? how does it smell?
Nicely rolled, maybe a little spongy. Not much of a cold aroma.
Score for Pre-light construction: 3.5

3) Post-light Construction/How it smoked: Does it draw well, does smoke pull through on its own, do soft spots appear after lighting, burnes evenly? smokes hot or cool? What is ash like? color of ash? flaky or solid?
Cigar smoked well, plenty of smoke with white ash. No relights necessary. A little hot at the end.

Score for post-light construction: 4

4a) Flavor and strength – 1st 1/3: What does it taste like? Full-bodied, med. or mild? Does it taste earthy, spicy, fruity, vegetal, sweet, rich, harsh, direct, floral, robust, woody, green (haylike), acidic, salty? Is it pleasant or unpleasant? Does it build in flavor and/or complexity as you smoke it? Is it bland, flavorful, complex? Did it get bitter?
Started out mild with slightly sweet floral notes on the retrohale.
4b) Flavor and strength – 2nd 1/3:
Picked up a little strength with hay replacing the floral notes. Full medium bodied now.
4c) Flavor and strength – Last 1/3:
Some of the sweet floral notes returning with some spicyness. Not quite a nubber but pleasant enough. Guessing Dominican and/or Nicaraguan blend.
Score for flavor and strength: 3.5

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?
Probably the favorite aspect of the smoke. Particularly the sweet floral and creamy notes. A little milder in flavor than what I usually smoke but OK for a change of pace.
Score for aftertaste: 4

6) Aroma: What does it smell like? Good - bad? light or heavy? pervasive - mild? floral, perfumed, grassy, harsh, woodsy, overpowering, unpleasant, magnificent?
Light floral aroma to my senses. Not offensive in any way.
Score for aroma: 4

7) General Comments: Are samples consistent? Did you particlarily enjoy of with a certain food or beverage? Did they appeal more at certain time of day? Did it remind you of something? Would you buy them? Sum it up as you would to a friends ("That cigar was awesome!") and give it an overall score.
Paired this cigar with a pour of Four Roses Small Batch and it complemented the sweet floral nose of the bourbon. I did enjoy it but probably not a cigar I would purchase. Maybe because I've been smoking 99% Habanos for awhile.
Overall score for the cigar: 3.5

8) Recommendation: Would you recommend the cigar? Pick one of the following and explain:
I'd recommend this cigar if you're looking for a light but flavorful NC.
Not Recommended
Possibly Recommended
Recommended
Highly Recommended