DBall's Newb Blind Taste Test #4

[DBall]

Originally Posted by Samsquanch

OUT FOR DELIVERY, September 29, 2010, 9:15 am, SEATTLE, WA 98122

How is it they are both delivered on the same day on opposite sides of the country...not that I'm complaining!!!

Incredible, right? Looks like you should have them tonight!

[Samsquanch]

About to head to the bar to wish bon voyage to a good friend who is retiring and moving down to Costa Rica. Looking forward to getting home and since they were hardly in transit perhaps lighting up #1 this evening, it is a beautiful one out there.

[Samsquanch]

Package arrived safe (can't say the same for my mailbox, got this package and bombed on the same evening, 17 cigars total, insane!)

[DBall]

Had review #1 from Dom in my PM box this morning. The man wastes no time at all!

[Brutus2600]

Oh dang!

[DBall]

jonumberone Cigar #1
******************





Initial thoughts

The stick appears to be a touch over 5 inches in length. I squeeze the stick and find a very soft spot an inch above the foot. I also find two very hard spots, one about an inch above the soft spot, the other an inch from the cap. There are a few veins on the wrapper that aren’t very pronounced when I feel them. The wrapper appears to be very wrinkled and has about a dozen bluish green discolorations. I imagine this is what my grandmother’s legs would look like if they were filled with tobacco. Pre-light aroma is very musky, again reminding me of my grandmother. Pre-light draw is fine and I get a sweet grassy taste.







First third

After I light the initial taste I get is very sweet. After about a half an inch the sweetness disappears and is replaced with a woodsy taste. I’m getting a lot of smoke but I find it very thin. As I am about to move into the second third, the sweetness is back along with some cedar.







Second Third

The sweetness, cedar and woodsy flavors continue into the second third. So far the flavor has remained consistent . I keep trying to go to my nose, It’s a technique I haven’t mastered yet. I’m really looking for something more from this stick, but I am just not getting it.







Final third

I haven’t commented on it yet, but the draw and burn have been terrific. I thought I may have some burn issues because of how humid it is outside. The flavors have shifted finally. I’m getting a nutty flavor and the sweetness is entirely gone. The cedar is still there but it is faint. As I smoke a little more the sweetness comes back and is more identifiable now. It is very fruity and tart like a pear.







Final thoughts

All in all this stick wasn’t bad, but wasn’t great either. While I was smoking, I felt like I wanted more. I wonder if it’s my undeveloped palate picking up subtle flavors making me want more, or if this stick was truly lacking them. The flavors I did pick up, I felt were well defined.

Smoke time 1 hr 50m

Final score 6.5/10

[DBall]

Samsquanch Cigar #1
******************

Thanks again for the opportunity Dan, enjoying this!



Review #1



Beautiful day in Seattle so I found a nice park on Lake Washington with a view of Mt Rainier to enjoy my first cigar of this round.







It is medium brown in color with a few veins but nothing too noticeable. The wrapper seemed a little wrinkled in places, maybe this is common and I just am paying extra attention to this one. Squeeze test it seemed perfect, no serious soft spots. Triple cap clipped with my Palio. Pre-light it drew perfect with a nice mild flavor. Time to light.









1/3



Lit up nice and fast with lots of dense white smoke. Mild flavor and not really able to discern any specific flavors. The draw is perfect on this baby. Ash is holding well for the first inch.







2/3



Building in strength a bit, burn has been even up until now. Just caught a hint of hazelnut.







3/3



Feeling the strength but it may be just because I haven't eaten in a while. A few touch ups on the burn now but nothing too serious. Other than the hazelnut, which was faint, I haven't picked up on any distinct flavor. It may just be my noob palate though. A nice mild tobacco flavor throughout.







Final thoughts



Enjoyed this cigar, flavor was very mild and I've found that my tastes have been trending towards the medium to fuller smokes lately so I probably wouldn't pick this one up.



Total score - 6/10

[DBall]

What they smoked:



2008 Por Larranaga Petit Corona

jonumberone score: 6.5

Samsquanch score: 6

I really expected higher numbers from these. However, they are mild and these two are primarily NC smokers.

That's gonna be the challenge with this and most other of these threads... trying to look past the lack of power in some of these cigars and embrace (or in some instance, hunt for) the subtlety and nuance. Not saying by any stretch that the reviews are "wrong" or anything... everyone's palate is different and everyone should smoke what they enjoy.

Also, a lot of people don't feel these are quite ready yet with so few years on them. While I think they are decent cigars, they don't blow me away yet either.

1 down, 9 to go!

Thanks for this thread Dan, I like the reviews

[hscmit]

nice work guys

[Brutus2600]

Good to see the first reviews so quick! I enjoyed reading them...can't wait for the next one

[DBall]

Originally Posted by Brutus2600

Good to see the first reviews so quick! I enjoyed reading them...can't wait for the next one

I know what ya mean... I wanna see them all at once, but at the same time, the 1 per week thing makes the fun last longer.

I'll probably only post one per week anyway

[CRIMPS]

Great reviews... and entertaining as well

[Samsquanch]

Second review inbound this evening.

[jonumberone]

Review #2 Delivered

[jonumberone]

The suspense is killing me

[DBall]

Originally Posted by jonumberone

The suspense is killing me

Me too... I literally haven't been home long enough to get the images (which are on my laptop) all weekend. The best thing is, my memory sucks ass and I don't even remember what I sent you till I see the pics.

[jonumberone]

Plans are for #3 tonight

[Samsquanch]

Originally Posted by jonumberone

Plans are for #3 tonight

I think that's a good idea and I'll do the same, really put the pressure on Dan to get #2 posted!!

[DBall]

jonumberone Cigar #2
******************

It’s a beautiful night in NJ, so I decide to grab some coffee, head to the yard, put on the Yankee game, and Give stick #2 a try.



Initial thoughts
The stick appears to be over 5in in length. The wrapper is a Rich coffee brown, with a few veins. One vein is very thick and runs for about an inch and a half from the cap down. I squeeze the stick and this thing is rock solid from cap to foot with almost no give. Pre light draw is tight, and I can tell I’m going to be in for a rough one. I’m going to give this a go as is but, I’m almost positive I’ll be re-cutting this bad boy. Pre light draw isn’t giving me many flavors of note. I Draw on it again and am seriously considering postponing this for a few days to dry box. I’ve sat here for a half an hour debating what to do. I decide rules are rules time to suck it up and give it a go. I shave a little more off the top and it helps a tad, but I have a feeling by the time I’m done my eyeballs will be a little further recessed into my head.




First third
After about a half an inch I still haven’t gotten a mouthful of smoke. I don’t know how to unplug a cigar, but I’m going to have to learn on the fly. This stick is unsmokable as is. This stick is so tight I consider pulling out my power drill and boring a hole in it. I opt instead for a corn on the cob holder and pry out some of the leaf. This works to an extent as I can now get a mouthful of smoke, but it’s still tight as hell. Now that I’m getting some smoke I can start to hunt for flavors. I’m getting a chocolate taste, not a sweet chocolate but more like a bakers chocolate. I’ve been working on going to my nose all week, but I just can’t get enough smoke to make it happen.



Second third
The stick is starting to get a little bitter. I suspect this is my fault as I feel I’m constantly pulling on it trying to get smoke out of it. I also am switching to water. Normally I can pick out flavors over coffee, but with the minimal smoke I’m getting it is the front most flavor on my palate. I’m starting to get faint cedar notes and a little cream. As I smoke a little further the stick is becoming looser, still tight but much more bearable.



Last third
The Flavors have come with the switch to water and the draw opening up. I’m still getting a bitter taste but it is a good bitter like espresso. I’m hoping that’s not the coffee I had earlier but it’s been 45 min since I switched to water. I give the stick a good purge, let it sit, and go to my nose, wow that burns! Cedar and a woodsy taste are in the forefront now and the espresso is still present in the background. A little further down the chocolate is back. It was nowhere to be found since the first inch of this stick. The last third of this stick has been tremendous, and I am a little more than disappointed that the first parts were so tight. Based on the last third alone I would say these are box worthy.



Final thoughts
If I had to sum this stick up in as few words as possible I would call it “Catholic High school Girl”. It was tight as hell, full of potential, and somewhat divine. I believe the tight draw was due to construction problems. The burn was perfect with zero relights and only one touch up after I let it sit a min while I made a second cup of coffee. I also considered the cool temp to be a problem before I lit it; however I find when the temp is the issue the stick expands when I smoke it. This was not the case here. As soon as I find out what this is I’ll be on the hunt for more.

Final score 7.5/10 based solely on the draw problems
Smoke time 2 hrs