A little history.....
This cigar was made for a 2007 release in limited quantities of 850 boxes of each size ranging from Guerrero (robusto), Emperadores (belicoso) and Gladiadores (churchill). The filler and binder is Criollo 98 and Corojo 99 with a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper (aged 3 years) which at this point, has over 5 years of age after being rolled.
2007 El Centurion Guerrero (Don Pepin Garcia)
Size: 5.5 x 52
Drink: Water
Smoke Time: 1hr 30 min
Location: Tasty Tobacco Shop
Construction/Appearance:
Just glancing at the cigar you can tell the "El Centurion" has some rest/age under its belt. A beautiful cap with that feels very well rolled having a slight give in the squeeze test. The cigar is round yet the foot has the box pressed look which is unique in itself. To me, the label is very different from most Don Pepin Garcia signature blends. My expectations are fairly high for this beautifully made cigar.
Burn/Draw:
Gently cutting the foot of the cigar with my trusty Xikar, I take a few prelight draws and they are simply smooth. Not airy and not tight but just a balanced draw. The burn was absolutely perfect throughout the entire experience never wavering with an ash that strong and firm never falling until I gently tapped it with almost 2 inches of ash. As usual the smoke came off in plumes, very picturesque if I might say.
Flavor/Aroma:
I am detecting prelight notes of possibly cinnamon and cedar showing to me that the cigar hasn't lost any aroma from the wrapper. The initial puffs reminded me of citrus and wood but not too much of spice. However, fully moving into the 1st third brought a smooth leather flavor with some spicy undertones and a bit of cedar. This first half was a delight to smoke as the flavors balanced themselves out well.
The second third brought the same leathery note but I also noticed that this time it was buttery/creamy and finished with the beautiful spice. The "El Centurion" left a pleasant sweet taste on the tongue but I couldn't pinpoint the exact flavor. The final third continued with leather and a bit of earthiness but the spice has ramped up its presence. After enjoying the subtle notes throughout the cigar, I am looking forward to the spicy finish. The final third transitions well into full bodied cigar. With only half an inch left, I decide to lay the cigar down respectfully as one can be.
Final Thoughts:
The "El Centurion" aged with elegance in a way that I don't always get to experience. The brilliant profile with the perfect mix of flavors was ever so inviting. This cigar might possibly be smoking at its peak right now because none of the notes were overwhelming. Finding this cigar at this point might be really difficult but who knows, maybe you'll get lucky and see it in a older shop where traffic isn't at prominent. This cigar reminded me again why I choose to smoke cigars, a beautiful masterpiece.
Rating: 94
This cigar was made for a 2007 release in limited quantities of 850 boxes of each size ranging from Guerrero (robusto), Emperadores (belicoso) and Gladiadores (churchill). The filler and binder is Criollo 98 and Corojo 99 with a Nicaraguan Habano wrapper (aged 3 years) which at this point, has over 5 years of age after being rolled.
2007 El Centurion Guerrero (Don Pepin Garcia)
Size: 5.5 x 52
Drink: Water
Smoke Time: 1hr 30 min
Location: Tasty Tobacco Shop
Construction/Appearance:
Just glancing at the cigar you can tell the "El Centurion" has some rest/age under its belt. A beautiful cap with that feels very well rolled having a slight give in the squeeze test. The cigar is round yet the foot has the box pressed look which is unique in itself. To me, the label is very different from most Don Pepin Garcia signature blends. My expectations are fairly high for this beautifully made cigar.
Burn/Draw:
Gently cutting the foot of the cigar with my trusty Xikar, I take a few prelight draws and they are simply smooth. Not airy and not tight but just a balanced draw. The burn was absolutely perfect throughout the entire experience never wavering with an ash that strong and firm never falling until I gently tapped it with almost 2 inches of ash. As usual the smoke came off in plumes, very picturesque if I might say.
Flavor/Aroma:
I am detecting prelight notes of possibly cinnamon and cedar showing to me that the cigar hasn't lost any aroma from the wrapper. The initial puffs reminded me of citrus and wood but not too much of spice. However, fully moving into the 1st third brought a smooth leather flavor with some spicy undertones and a bit of cedar. This first half was a delight to smoke as the flavors balanced themselves out well.
The second third brought the same leathery note but I also noticed that this time it was buttery/creamy and finished with the beautiful spice. The "El Centurion" left a pleasant sweet taste on the tongue but I couldn't pinpoint the exact flavor. The final third continued with leather and a bit of earthiness but the spice has ramped up its presence. After enjoying the subtle notes throughout the cigar, I am looking forward to the spicy finish. The final third transitions well into full bodied cigar. With only half an inch left, I decide to lay the cigar down respectfully as one can be.
Final Thoughts:
The "El Centurion" aged with elegance in a way that I don't always get to experience. The brilliant profile with the perfect mix of flavors was ever so inviting. This cigar might possibly be smoking at its peak right now because none of the notes were overwhelming. Finding this cigar at this point might be really difficult but who knows, maybe you'll get lucky and see it in a older shop where traffic isn't at prominent. This cigar reminded me again why I choose to smoke cigars, a beautiful masterpiece.
Rating: 94
