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Smoking a Verite as I type...

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I saw in the La Verite Arrival thread somebody compared this cigar to smoking "Hot Air" and I thought I'd give my two cents as I smoke it out of the box.

The wrapper has a smell reminiscent of mexican corojo David Kitchens brought a co-worker of mine back from visiting Manuel Quesada; sweet earth with a sour twang. It's lighter then I'm used to and has a slight dusty feel.

Half an inch in and the ash is white as cotton. Slightly dirty sweet notes and very faint carmel. Bridging this cigar reminds me of Diplimaticos; mild and almost floral at the front. If I was blind-folded, I'd guess this was cameroon. It's almost soft tasting, a huge departure from any of Pete's or Pepin's lines.

Little more than an inch in and the burn is razor sharp.

More after another few inches...
 
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Two inches in the ash dropped, but the burn is still dead on. The spice appeared out of nowhere a moment ago and it "really brings the room together". There are alot of familiar flavors going on that I just can't put my finger on... but they're not that of nicaragua. The pepper is not a black pepper, and it not qute the "white" pepper of a '26; almost unique but more in line with... it's on the tip of my tounge but not coming to me. It's nice. Still a pretty easy-going smoke. Creeped up to a solid medium body.

More in another inch or two...

...and it still kinda reminds me of an amped up Diplimaticos.
 
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Halfway point. The finish has changed completely, going from mellow to a thick taste that's slighly sour and reminds me of someting I've tasted in Thai cooking. The spice has gotten slightly fiercer, but I would still call this cigar medium-body. The floral notes are dead and gone, the sweetness is at the back, and a leather...no, lets call it raw-hide has developed.

More in another inch or so...
 
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Doesn't sound like a bad day to me! :)
It's the only redeming thing...

Just let the La Verite die on the vine at about a half inch. The last two inches; while the overall flavor was nice, it got a bit muddy and a little more guess-work was involved. The spice faded, not much of a crashendo, but I am happy with the cigar...and the price. I don't have what I'd call a refined pallate (or good spelling skills), but I would call this a pretty sophisticated smoke. As long as it doesn't mellow too much I think a little age will do wonders for this cigar, but it is a superb smoke out of the box, and most certainly a curve-ball from Pete. I'm worried how it will be recieved by people who are only looking for a strong, spicy pop. Given the strength and knowing the robusto vitola was blended to be a bit more easy-going I'm pretty excited to spark one up... which I'll be doing in a few moments.

the illustrator in me has to mention that the band is a bit too simple for my tastes. Sure the vintage is important and the whole idea behind the cigar...but I think more could have been done to romantisize this cigar, or at least establish it as tatuaje product
 

Docbp87

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the illustrator in me has to mention that the band is a bit too simple for my tastes. Sure the vintage is important and the whole idea behind the cigar...but I think more could have been done to romantisize this cigar, or at least establish it as tatuaje product
Totally agree with this. I love the artwork on the box and in the ads for it, but the band on the actual cigar is not very attractive, especially given the fantastic design for the box and what not.
 
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The robusto's wrapper has the same scent, but slightly darker in color. Hot damn, spice right from the get-go. It tastes mild to medium, but bridging is making me tear up. The spice is similar, but slighter thinner... and yet more intense, if that makes sense. The sweetness is also a little different. Out of the gate (first half-inch) this cigar starts out more solid than the verite.

More in an inch or two...
 
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The burn is wavering a bit, but the ash is snow white. This cigar tastes nothing like the pre-release I got when Pete was at Holt's. The leathery flavor that appeared at the end of the Verite is present right from the start in this vitola. An inch and a half in the spice gets a bit tame, but this kinda makes the favors seem a little more harmonious. Again, this reminds me of a Diplimaticos on steroids. I should also mention this cigar is producing a lot more smoke than the chuchill.

The ash dropped about an inch and 3/4 in. Half-way though and the flavors are even keel for the most part except for the addition of a slight salty flavor that compliments the faint sweet nicely.

More in a few...
 
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Thanks SC for the review so far. I got a bx of 10'rs each coming. Although I like the strong spicy pop, what you described so far is a decent smoke except the mud part, but thats alright I have ate lots of mud in my day.


Earl
 
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Getting close to the band and I'm gonna say this: The Le Espirit does not f*ck around or mince words, it got right to the point. The cigar hasn't really developed for me, and yet I really don't mind. It's a great flavor, the spice is at the perfect level for a mid-afternoon smoke. Strength wise this cigar stayed on the medium end of mild-medium up till the band.

Little more to go...
 
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Like the Verite, the Le Espirit got a bit muddled at the end, with a slight harshness. While I enjoyed the churchill more, I would deffinately buy a 10ct box of both and sit on them a year or so.

Also, a friend of mine is smoking the Le Espirit now, and he too says that it tastes very different from the pre-release, and the wrapper is splitting up the side as he smokes it.
 
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