For the official review head on over to TCF ...
http://thecigarfeed.com/?p=7953
At this point everyone is familiar with Studio Tobac so there’s no real point in going over their short, but impactful history. The shadow of Sam Leccia is long-stretching (even moreso now that the cigar world is chattering like crazy with the Oliva/Leccia lawsuit) but from the Studio Tobac Tour and their LE Tour Sampler and Studio Tobac Corvette to the Cain Daytona release, they’ve made great strides in making sure that the industry, and more importantly, the consumer, sees them as a legitimate source of creativity rather then a knee-jerk reaction. Today we take a look at the most notable Studio Tobac release to date, the Cain Daytona, specifically the No.4 …
Name: Cain Daytona 543
Vitola: Corona
Size: 5 x 43
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan (Jalapa Valley Ligero)
Factory: Tabolisa
Country: Nicaragua
MSRP: $4-5/ea
Time in Humidor: 4 months
Cut: Xikar Multi Tool
Light: Ronson JetLight
Beverage: Bottled Water
Smoking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
The Story:
In short, the Daytona seemed destined for success since it’s first rumor. With it’s “Ligero with class” billing, large vitola lineup and very reasonable pricetag it would be hard combination not to win with. When the Nicaraguan Jalapa Valley puro hit the stores in March it did so with a bang and blogs and forums echoed it’s popularity. Since then the Daytona train has picked up even more steam with the “short robusto” available only in the Studio Tobac tour sampler and the Cain Daytona Lancero. (Editor’s note: The Cain Daytona Lancero was a prototype that was accidentally given to the folks at Cigar Journal, formally European Cigar Cult Journal, and was named “Nicaraguan Cigar of the Year” a few days ago. The cigar will be made beyond the fifteen bundles Oliva made for its reps, but the plans are still largely up in the air.)
I smoked one of these right after their release and didn’t care for it at all so I decided to let one sit for a few months and try it again to see if that made any difference. Today’s sample has a medium brown shade to the wrapper with a somewhat sloppily applied cap and a bright orange band paralelling it at the foot. The wrapper smell was of tobacco and a very light spice while the foot smelled like cocoa and rasins. The cold draw is very sweet and pleasant and has a great draw.
Lighting:
The 543 lights very easily instantly putting off TONS of smoke with a perfect draw. The initial flavors are of sweet tobacco with pepper on the finish. The ambient nose of the initial few puffs is very nice and I’m surprised that I was able to carefully retrohale and pick up some cinnamon. Honestly, this is a great start as compared to the first one I smoked months back.
First Third:
After we settle into the first third the initial flavors of tobacco and pepper are still present although the pepper has ramped up slightly after about an inch or so. Along with the pepper come intermittent tastes of a bitter woodiness. The smoke production is still fantastic and the burn is slightly wavy but not too concerning. Overall we’re doing well … although I’m not a fan of how dry this smoke is making my mouth.
Second Third:
Tobacco and pepper are still present but the beginning of the middle third has a very meaty taste to it … almost like hickory smoked pork. I definitely smell hickory along with cinnamon coming off the stick itself. Once we’re solidly into the second third the pepper ramps back up and I’m getting an odd metalic aftertaste. The retrohale is less pleasant then in the first third and the pepper burns me out just a bit. Performance and smoke production are going storng just like in the opening third. I’m starting to feel the nicotine now and I’d classify this as medium+ in strength and body.
Final Third:
I finally start to get a bit of the nice nuttiness that I associate with Nicaraguan tobacco but it’s not quite as pronounced as I’d like. The tobacco, pepper and bitter wood are still present and remain the discernible flavors until the death. Smoke production was good in this final third but a few touch ups were needed. The strength is a full- and body is still medium+.
For the Novice:
Nope … it’s just too strong. The flavors aren’t too nuanced but I think the nicotine would overwhelm a new smoker.
In the End:
Although not as disappointed as I was a few months ago, I’m still left wishing that there had been more good flavor. I can see why some folks love this smoke … good performance and great price and if the flavors are up your alley then you’d be set. But overall I found it to lack complexity (with the exception of the few really interesting puffs of hickory pork).
83 – The construction and smoke production were good to great and the price is fantastic, but the complexity and flavor just wasn’t there for me.
http://thecigarfeed.com/?p=7953
At this point everyone is familiar with Studio Tobac so there’s no real point in going over their short, but impactful history. The shadow of Sam Leccia is long-stretching (even moreso now that the cigar world is chattering like crazy with the Oliva/Leccia lawsuit) but from the Studio Tobac Tour and their LE Tour Sampler and Studio Tobac Corvette to the Cain Daytona release, they’ve made great strides in making sure that the industry, and more importantly, the consumer, sees them as a legitimate source of creativity rather then a knee-jerk reaction. Today we take a look at the most notable Studio Tobac release to date, the Cain Daytona, specifically the No.4 …
Name: Cain Daytona 543
Vitola: Corona
Size: 5 x 43
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan (Jalapa Valley Ligero)
Factory: Tabolisa
Country: Nicaragua
MSRP: $4-5/ea
Time in Humidor: 4 months
Cut: Xikar Multi Tool
Light: Ronson JetLight
Beverage: Bottled Water
Smoking Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
The Story:
In short, the Daytona seemed destined for success since it’s first rumor. With it’s “Ligero with class” billing, large vitola lineup and very reasonable pricetag it would be hard combination not to win with. When the Nicaraguan Jalapa Valley puro hit the stores in March it did so with a bang and blogs and forums echoed it’s popularity. Since then the Daytona train has picked up even more steam with the “short robusto” available only in the Studio Tobac tour sampler and the Cain Daytona Lancero. (Editor’s note: The Cain Daytona Lancero was a prototype that was accidentally given to the folks at Cigar Journal, formally European Cigar Cult Journal, and was named “Nicaraguan Cigar of the Year” a few days ago. The cigar will be made beyond the fifteen bundles Oliva made for its reps, but the plans are still largely up in the air.)
I smoked one of these right after their release and didn’t care for it at all so I decided to let one sit for a few months and try it again to see if that made any difference. Today’s sample has a medium brown shade to the wrapper with a somewhat sloppily applied cap and a bright orange band paralelling it at the foot. The wrapper smell was of tobacco and a very light spice while the foot smelled like cocoa and rasins. The cold draw is very sweet and pleasant and has a great draw.
Lighting:
The 543 lights very easily instantly putting off TONS of smoke with a perfect draw. The initial flavors are of sweet tobacco with pepper on the finish. The ambient nose of the initial few puffs is very nice and I’m surprised that I was able to carefully retrohale and pick up some cinnamon. Honestly, this is a great start as compared to the first one I smoked months back.
First Third:
After we settle into the first third the initial flavors of tobacco and pepper are still present although the pepper has ramped up slightly after about an inch or so. Along with the pepper come intermittent tastes of a bitter woodiness. The smoke production is still fantastic and the burn is slightly wavy but not too concerning. Overall we’re doing well … although I’m not a fan of how dry this smoke is making my mouth.
Second Third:
Tobacco and pepper are still present but the beginning of the middle third has a very meaty taste to it … almost like hickory smoked pork. I definitely smell hickory along with cinnamon coming off the stick itself. Once we’re solidly into the second third the pepper ramps back up and I’m getting an odd metalic aftertaste. The retrohale is less pleasant then in the first third and the pepper burns me out just a bit. Performance and smoke production are going storng just like in the opening third. I’m starting to feel the nicotine now and I’d classify this as medium+ in strength and body.
Final Third:
I finally start to get a bit of the nice nuttiness that I associate with Nicaraguan tobacco but it’s not quite as pronounced as I’d like. The tobacco, pepper and bitter wood are still present and remain the discernible flavors until the death. Smoke production was good in this final third but a few touch ups were needed. The strength is a full- and body is still medium+.
For the Novice:
Nope … it’s just too strong. The flavors aren’t too nuanced but I think the nicotine would overwhelm a new smoker.
In the End:
Although not as disappointed as I was a few months ago, I’m still left wishing that there had been more good flavor. I can see why some folks love this smoke … good performance and great price and if the flavors are up your alley then you’d be set. But overall I found it to lack complexity (with the exception of the few really interesting puffs of hickory pork).
83 – The construction and smoke production were good to great and the price is fantastic, but the complexity and flavor just wasn’t there for me.
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