These where on sale last week, so I grabbed a bundle each of the #1 & #2 in robs. After sale price and BOTLORG discount, ended up paying $1.70 ea. They arrived today, and looked so good, I had to try one of each OTT. First rate construction, flawless, oily wrappers, topped off with a double cap. The #1 is finished with a Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro, while the #2 is finished with a Connecticut Habano(?) Maduro. Maybe I'm ignorant, but in my 10 years of this journey, I've never head of a Connecticut Habano wrapper leaf. They both look like Broadleaf to me. Both where well packed and heavy in the hand, with no soft spots. By inspection alone, you would swear these where $10 premium cigars.
First one up was the #2. Wow, tons of rich, creamy dark chocolate and espresso with a hint of nuts and sweet spice. There where times that it reminded me of a Liga, and other times a Nica Rustica. Slow burning with a perfect burn line, and a good amount of smoke. This one was right in my wheelhouse, and I will be grabbing more.
I took about an hour break, then lite up the #1. Though a perfect, slow burn, and tons and tons of smoke, I didn't enjoy this one as much. I got a lot of dry wood, dry baker's chocolate, and dry earth (dirt). Somewhat like an un-sweetened Dirt Torpedo (though I haven't had one in years, it just reminded me of what I remember them to be). Unless these improve with rest, I won't be buying anymore.
On a side note, the bands on these are extremely innovative, and I hope they become the industry standard. The glue is a "sticky note" type reusable adhesive, that looks to be machine printed on the label in a series of small dots. It holds the band on very tightly, but is a breeze to peel, without any damage to the band or the wrapper. I could not get the glue to stick to the wrapper, but you could but the band back together over and over again, so it must be designed to stick to paper only. No more having to tear bands off, or dealing with damaged wrappers due to sloppy gluing.
First one up was the #2. Wow, tons of rich, creamy dark chocolate and espresso with a hint of nuts and sweet spice. There where times that it reminded me of a Liga, and other times a Nica Rustica. Slow burning with a perfect burn line, and a good amount of smoke. This one was right in my wheelhouse, and I will be grabbing more.
I took about an hour break, then lite up the #1. Though a perfect, slow burn, and tons and tons of smoke, I didn't enjoy this one as much. I got a lot of dry wood, dry baker's chocolate, and dry earth (dirt). Somewhat like an un-sweetened Dirt Torpedo (though I haven't had one in years, it just reminded me of what I remember them to be). Unless these improve with rest, I won't be buying anymore.
On a side note, the bands on these are extremely innovative, and I hope they become the industry standard. The glue is a "sticky note" type reusable adhesive, that looks to be machine printed on the label in a series of small dots. It holds the band on very tightly, but is a breeze to peel, without any damage to the band or the wrapper. I could not get the glue to stick to the wrapper, but you could but the band back together over and over again, so it must be designed to stick to paper only. No more having to tear bands off, or dealing with damaged wrappers due to sloppy gluing.
