Picked this stick up at the B&M a while back and I keep passing it up just not thinking much of it. I know the line is well revered and it does look gorgeous but for some reason it just hasn't been appealing to me when staring in the collection.
I won't make that mistake again.
The signature is a 6.0 x 47 perfecto (foot is tapered) and I think it is the home run of shapes for me. Only other perfecto anything I have had is the Gurkha Centurion double perfecto, which is a neat vitola but a little awkward and prone to burn issues. The tapered foot on the hemingway is genius as it results in a no brainer light that doesn't require much toasting and blossoms into an evenly lit foot once through the pinch. This also resulted in an immediate jump into the heart of the flavors (for me) and seemed to skip the sometimes harsh, sometimes bland, sometimes uneventful first 1/4" that most cigars suffer from.
Right off the bat were cedar, leather and nutty flavors abound with a hint of floral as well. Slight pepper from time to time but if pepper is your thing than you will be disappointing with this stick. Slight sweetness too and an intoxicating aroma coming off the foot, so much so that I held it closer in to my body between puffs to revel in it (usually try to keep the overall cigar funk down for the wife). I did find as I went through it that it definitely benefits from a slower pace with the smaller ring gauge (I am usually smoking 50-54 not by preference but just by what is in my stash) as it would go a little flat and boring if it got too hot. Simply increasing the time between puffs, taking a slower shallower draw or forgoing my usual short puff exhale then longer puff and hold routine resulted in elevated flavors.
Couple burn corrections needed but I chalk that up to the insane windy conditions that were swirling. Slight hit with the Ronson and it was quickly back on track (single jet lighters excel at the touch up).
Ash held on for an inch and then I went to....damn, ashed my self. Another 3/4" in and then I went to....damn, ashed my self. Later on I was lost in the flavors and went to....damn, ashed my self. I think every ash wound up in my lap from this thing. Now, it was really windy, but I was tucked in a corner of my deck that is sheltered mostly. With that said, this isn't the tightest ash.
In conclusion, this one has shot right up to one of my top 5 sticks. Great smooth flavors without a big nicotine kick. Absolutely my perfect size and shape with an idiotproof foot that jumps right into things. Not too bad of a B&M price although not discounted much online and cbid gets out of hand quickly on this one when it comes up.
Andy
I won't make that mistake again.
The signature is a 6.0 x 47 perfecto (foot is tapered) and I think it is the home run of shapes for me. Only other perfecto anything I have had is the Gurkha Centurion double perfecto, which is a neat vitola but a little awkward and prone to burn issues. The tapered foot on the hemingway is genius as it results in a no brainer light that doesn't require much toasting and blossoms into an evenly lit foot once through the pinch. This also resulted in an immediate jump into the heart of the flavors (for me) and seemed to skip the sometimes harsh, sometimes bland, sometimes uneventful first 1/4" that most cigars suffer from.
Right off the bat were cedar, leather and nutty flavors abound with a hint of floral as well. Slight pepper from time to time but if pepper is your thing than you will be disappointing with this stick. Slight sweetness too and an intoxicating aroma coming off the foot, so much so that I held it closer in to my body between puffs to revel in it (usually try to keep the overall cigar funk down for the wife). I did find as I went through it that it definitely benefits from a slower pace with the smaller ring gauge (I am usually smoking 50-54 not by preference but just by what is in my stash) as it would go a little flat and boring if it got too hot. Simply increasing the time between puffs, taking a slower shallower draw or forgoing my usual short puff exhale then longer puff and hold routine resulted in elevated flavors.
Couple burn corrections needed but I chalk that up to the insane windy conditions that were swirling. Slight hit with the Ronson and it was quickly back on track (single jet lighters excel at the touch up).
Ash held on for an inch and then I went to....damn, ashed my self. Another 3/4" in and then I went to....damn, ashed my self. Later on I was lost in the flavors and went to....damn, ashed my self. I think every ash wound up in my lap from this thing. Now, it was really windy, but I was tucked in a corner of my deck that is sheltered mostly. With that said, this isn't the tightest ash.
In conclusion, this one has shot right up to one of my top 5 sticks. Great smooth flavors without a big nicotine kick. Absolutely my perfect size and shape with an idiotproof foot that jumps right into things. Not too bad of a B&M price although not discounted much online and cbid gets out of hand quickly on this one when it comes up.
Andy
