havanaphile
Banned
The Salamon. The thickest regular-production cigar to come out of Cuba since the revolution. An interesting perfecto. Bulbous on one end, tapered like a torpedo on the top. The Alzetas Reales, the Royal Highness, of the connoisseur. This was the first cigar that I have smoked that was produced this year, being the neophyte and absolute amateur that I am (and I do mean this seriously).
That being said, this cigar had a very toothy wrapper, and was exquisitely made. No hard spots, no soft spots. Perfect construction, through and through. After snipping the top, the draw was even, and great, even before the cigar was lit. I lit the cigar with a cedar spill, imbuing the cigar with a cedary flavor. I have always noted that lighting some cigars with a cedar spill can give it a cedary taste, albeit to a certain degree, that is exhibited by mature cigars, and have wondered whether this is an intentional or accidental side effect of a learned connoisseur, or the result of some worker in a factory finding a good use for the cedar splinters resulting from the fabrication of boxes. But that is beside the point. Lighting a cigar like this is similar to an "A"-sized cigar. During the first few puffs, while the lit end of the cigar reacts to one's actions, not a wisp of smoke is to waft onto the palate. When it did, a distinctly toasty flavor was extant, along with a flavor that can only be described by the essence of orange peel. As the cigar progressed, it naturally produced the amount of smoke that one would expect from a smoke grenade. This toasty character continued to a certain extent until the middle of the cigar, when the tart character, that, while not grassy, is similar to the tart component of the flavor found in a Cohiba Corona Especiales, the quintessential "twang" found in habanos, amplified here to a great extent, crescendoing to a final replete in the strident flavors of fruit interlaced with a certain definitive floral taste. However, much to my dismay, I found the cigar to be, to a certain extent, milder than my expectations. While this easily overpowers the flavors extant in most cigars, I found it, well, agreeable, amenable, and approachable. I had hoped that this would be something that would be fitting for something of its girth, a ligero-packed cigar that would shock and stun the senses. I wanted sweat, shivers, and strength. Unfortunately, most cigar smokers do not have an addiction to caffeine that eclipses the effects of nicotine, and has permanently re-wired my mind to the point where a Bolivar Belicosio Fino to me is "full-bodied in terms of flavor, while being moderately medium-bodied in terms of strength." That being said, I did not feel that this cigar had its tobacco "sweated," in the way that certain non-Cuban cigars are, and given this cigar's age, it was more than likely, sick. A certain candidate for aging. At this point, this cigar, if it is to be smoked, given its "milder" start, great size, time investment, and great cost, for it to be truly appreciated, this must be the only cigar that one is to smoke for a particular day.
Recommended--with one caveat--those who for whom the sharp taste of the Havana is unfamiliar, this is not recommended. Otherwise, very enjoyable.
That being said, this cigar had a very toothy wrapper, and was exquisitely made. No hard spots, no soft spots. Perfect construction, through and through. After snipping the top, the draw was even, and great, even before the cigar was lit. I lit the cigar with a cedar spill, imbuing the cigar with a cedary flavor. I have always noted that lighting some cigars with a cedar spill can give it a cedary taste, albeit to a certain degree, that is exhibited by mature cigars, and have wondered whether this is an intentional or accidental side effect of a learned connoisseur, or the result of some worker in a factory finding a good use for the cedar splinters resulting from the fabrication of boxes. But that is beside the point. Lighting a cigar like this is similar to an "A"-sized cigar. During the first few puffs, while the lit end of the cigar reacts to one's actions, not a wisp of smoke is to waft onto the palate. When it did, a distinctly toasty flavor was extant, along with a flavor that can only be described by the essence of orange peel. As the cigar progressed, it naturally produced the amount of smoke that one would expect from a smoke grenade. This toasty character continued to a certain extent until the middle of the cigar, when the tart character, that, while not grassy, is similar to the tart component of the flavor found in a Cohiba Corona Especiales, the quintessential "twang" found in habanos, amplified here to a great extent, crescendoing to a final replete in the strident flavors of fruit interlaced with a certain definitive floral taste. However, much to my dismay, I found the cigar to be, to a certain extent, milder than my expectations. While this easily overpowers the flavors extant in most cigars, I found it, well, agreeable, amenable, and approachable. I had hoped that this would be something that would be fitting for something of its girth, a ligero-packed cigar that would shock and stun the senses. I wanted sweat, shivers, and strength. Unfortunately, most cigar smokers do not have an addiction to caffeine that eclipses the effects of nicotine, and has permanently re-wired my mind to the point where a Bolivar Belicosio Fino to me is "full-bodied in terms of flavor, while being moderately medium-bodied in terms of strength." That being said, I did not feel that this cigar had its tobacco "sweated," in the way that certain non-Cuban cigars are, and given this cigar's age, it was more than likely, sick. A certain candidate for aging. At this point, this cigar, if it is to be smoked, given its "milder" start, great size, time investment, and great cost, for it to be truly appreciated, this must be the only cigar that one is to smoke for a particular day.
Recommended--with one caveat--those who for whom the sharp taste of the Havana is unfamiliar, this is not recommended. Otherwise, very enjoyable.