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- Jan 25, 2015
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I was fortunate enough to find a couple of these a week ago at my local tobacconist in Chattanooga. I have already smoke the Olas vitola and for purposes of this review all the notes are based on the Rebeldes vitola shown here.
A bit about the Cigar
This line is made by the Garcia family for Crowned Heads. It not only is a Nicaraguan puros but a Garcia puros as all tobacco for this cigar is grown on the Garcia family finca in Namanji. The wrapper is Corojo 99 and originates from what Don Pepin regards as original Cuban seed. The August 2016 release of this cigar is composed of 4 sizes. I have had 2 of the 4 and I have it on good source that I haven't smoked the best vitola in this line yet.
Rebeldes
5.5 X 52 (Super Robusto)
Wrapper is a reddish brown color that I would describe as near Colorado. The cigar has a few visible seams and some veins. The nose at the foot is barn yardy, light chocolate and hay.
Pre-light draw has some spiciness with notes of cocoa, dark bread, leather and a touch of saltiness. There was a slight resistance to the draw at pre-light but the cigar is well constructed.
1st 1/3
Spicy but without the typical Garcia pepper blast that I expected even on the retro. It is well integrated and more like white pepper intensity rather than what reminds me of red pepper on most Garcia family cigars. Earthy, leathery, sweet tobacco notes. I also pick up flavors of toasted bread, graham and some sweetness at about the 1/4" mark. There is a very light saltiness when the tongue is touched to the filler. Draw is now very good with a good volume of smoke. Everything seems in balance early on with the most surprising thing being the amount of flavor notes that are present at this point in the smoke. Medium bodied with medium but identifiable flavors at this early stage. Those leathery, sweet toasty notes start building very quickly during the first third. Very smooth retro. Spiciness is there but does not ever take over. Notes of chocolate and a light citrusy flavor appear toward the end of the first third. Ash holds well (about 1 1/2" for me) and is a charcoal grey and a bit flaky.
2nd 1/3
S'mores flavors become very prominent with a bit of increase in spice intensity. Flavors have intensified toward full. Body and strength remain near medium to my tastes. Toasted bread notes, slight saltiness are still present with light floral notes appearing every now and then. Sweetness and that citrus note intensifies. I did have to do a touch up as the burn line went a little wonky on me probably due to me putting the cigar done without paying enough attention during my note taking in a vain attempt to capture the flavor notes I perceived. This is one smooth cigar with excellent flavor intensity and complexity. Man what a middle!
Last 1/3
Toasted bread, leather and spiciness with the floral notes making an infrequent appearance are still present though not as intense as the middle third. That sweet S'more flavor has also lost some of its intensity toward the end of the cigar. Citrus note remains very constant as does the slight saltiness through out the smoke.
Summary
Very complex flavors. The flavors come and go with most of them spending some time at the forefront. This stick develops its flavors early on and stays clear and focused throughout the smoke. Spicy but so well integrated that it never dominates.
I smoke a lot of Cubans and I did pick up notes with Las Mareas that are very reminscent of some Montecristos and Partagas that I have enjoyed. I did find that the Olas version of Las Mareas to be more "Cubanesque" as that one had a bit of twang that I did not pick up on the Rebeldes. This blend as it is right now is probably one of the finest cigars I have smoked to date. I haven't smoke them all but I have smoked a lot of them. It's going to be a long wait for the release in August but this one appears as near to can't miss as anything I have tasted in a long time. What a magnificent effort from CH and the Garcias!
Rating
Appearance/Construction 13/15
Smoking Characteristics 23/25
Flavor 25/25
Overall Enjoyability 35/35
Score: 96
A bit about the Cigar
This line is made by the Garcia family for Crowned Heads. It not only is a Nicaraguan puros but a Garcia puros as all tobacco for this cigar is grown on the Garcia family finca in Namanji. The wrapper is Corojo 99 and originates from what Don Pepin regards as original Cuban seed. The August 2016 release of this cigar is composed of 4 sizes. I have had 2 of the 4 and I have it on good source that I haven't smoked the best vitola in this line yet.
Rebeldes
5.5 X 52 (Super Robusto)
Wrapper is a reddish brown color that I would describe as near Colorado. The cigar has a few visible seams and some veins. The nose at the foot is barn yardy, light chocolate and hay.
Pre-light draw has some spiciness with notes of cocoa, dark bread, leather and a touch of saltiness. There was a slight resistance to the draw at pre-light but the cigar is well constructed.
1st 1/3
Spicy but without the typical Garcia pepper blast that I expected even on the retro. It is well integrated and more like white pepper intensity rather than what reminds me of red pepper on most Garcia family cigars. Earthy, leathery, sweet tobacco notes. I also pick up flavors of toasted bread, graham and some sweetness at about the 1/4" mark. There is a very light saltiness when the tongue is touched to the filler. Draw is now very good with a good volume of smoke. Everything seems in balance early on with the most surprising thing being the amount of flavor notes that are present at this point in the smoke. Medium bodied with medium but identifiable flavors at this early stage. Those leathery, sweet toasty notes start building very quickly during the first third. Very smooth retro. Spiciness is there but does not ever take over. Notes of chocolate and a light citrusy flavor appear toward the end of the first third. Ash holds well (about 1 1/2" for me) and is a charcoal grey and a bit flaky.
2nd 1/3
S'mores flavors become very prominent with a bit of increase in spice intensity. Flavors have intensified toward full. Body and strength remain near medium to my tastes. Toasted bread notes, slight saltiness are still present with light floral notes appearing every now and then. Sweetness and that citrus note intensifies. I did have to do a touch up as the burn line went a little wonky on me probably due to me putting the cigar done without paying enough attention during my note taking in a vain attempt to capture the flavor notes I perceived. This is one smooth cigar with excellent flavor intensity and complexity. Man what a middle!
Last 1/3
Toasted bread, leather and spiciness with the floral notes making an infrequent appearance are still present though not as intense as the middle third. That sweet S'more flavor has also lost some of its intensity toward the end of the cigar. Citrus note remains very constant as does the slight saltiness through out the smoke.
Summary
Very complex flavors. The flavors come and go with most of them spending some time at the forefront. This stick develops its flavors early on and stays clear and focused throughout the smoke. Spicy but so well integrated that it never dominates.
I smoke a lot of Cubans and I did pick up notes with Las Mareas that are very reminscent of some Montecristos and Partagas that I have enjoyed. I did find that the Olas version of Las Mareas to be more "Cubanesque" as that one had a bit of twang that I did not pick up on the Rebeldes. This blend as it is right now is probably one of the finest cigars I have smoked to date. I haven't smoke them all but I have smoked a lot of them. It's going to be a long wait for the release in August but this one appears as near to can't miss as anything I have tasted in a long time. What a magnificent effort from CH and the Garcias!
Rating
Appearance/Construction 13/15
Smoking Characteristics 23/25
Flavor 25/25
Overall Enjoyability 35/35
Score: 96
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