Im not much of a reviewer but Im going to give this one a go for kicks. It will be short and sweet. This will be the third Buena Vista I have smoked. According to the brochure the Reserva, unlike the LE, uses Aged Dominican tobacco along with Ecuadorian.
Prelight: No flaws to speak of. Good feel and a silky wrapper. Aroma is sweet tobacco and some barnyard.
First Half:
Very mild. Up front it tastes sweet with a lingering grassy flavor. The grass flavor fades and I pick up some light cocoa around a half an inch in. At this point a slight spiciness joins the party as well.
Second Half:
Body and Strength throughout the first half built to a sold medium and that continues into the second half. The flavor profile has shifted to a more cedar like profile, very toasty. The spice is all but gone at this point. It stays relativly the same right down to the end.
Construction notes:
Solid grey ash, good burn line, no touch ups needed. Draw was a bit loose for my liking but nothing to complain about
Overall: I did really enjoy this short churchill. The sweetness was very rich and overall it brought a lot to the table for a mild-medium smoke. But knowing that wholesale prices for 10 count boxes start at $57.50 and go up to $90+ means that even if this short churchill is at the bottom of the price range it would still cost $16+ in NY with the possibility of it being over $20 and thats the biggest issue with the Buena Vistas. With so many brands out there offering phenomenal bang for the buck value this is a tough sell. Would I buy it again? Maybe on occasion if Im looking for something a bit more mild than what I usually smoke. But more than likely Ill be reaching for something else.
I will say that I do feel this company could possibly carve out a niche in the market though. Despite how most of us on BOTL feel mild cigars are still the top sellers and this is a great mild-medium cigar. But with year one production numbers being set at 1 million I think Buena Vista is in for an uphill battle.
On a side note my Otter Creek Oktoberfest was delicious!
