Stogie_Bear
Chulo Savage
Date: The 11th day of January, the year 2015
Review: Blind Review “A” from Rob (FourKicksFan)
Approx. Size: 5.2x42 (Petite Corona)
Smoking Environment:
Short Version:
Moderate weather today, steady at 74 degrees. I’m parked in the shade of my office, but the doors are wide open, letting the humidity (81%) and light breeze brush the length of the room. I’ve had a good day so far, so take that into account with the rating.
Long Version (skip if you want, nothing really important about the cigar in here…):
You know those days where you can’t help but wear a smile? The days that are, without a doubt, the equal but opposite reciprocation of an absolute shit day. It is not as if some specific event or person put it there, more that it’s the inevitable result of everything being in the right place at the perfect time with good people, even if just for a day. It gives me the faith and courage to continue through the bad days, as few or many as they are, because I know that eventually I approach days like today in life’s road. I woke up next to my wife this morning. Face to face, our eyes fluttering open in the same instant, squinting against the brilliance of a single gleam of sunshine sneaking past the bedroom curtain. I kiss her deeply, and rustle the remainder of sleep from my bones, making my way out to the kitchen for coffee and to start my day… that’s what spawned this cluster of rampant positivity and introspection.
Now, I know there a lot of brothers that don’t know, or think they haven’t experienced this. This is just MY version of a morning like this. Trust me, I know it’s sappy. But it’s the morning you wake up with a quiet in your heart and mind unlike anything else, and you can choose to fill them with anything you want. It’s the day without schedules or unwanted commitments. It’s freedom.
No matter where you are in life, what bills are due, what tasks remain unfinished; there is always a day like today lurching forward, reaching out to you, waiting for you to remember…. To remember that you have breath and a beating heart, touch and taste, time and blessed tobacco. So, be reminded of your blessings so that you don’t miss out on these days, or they’ll pass you by as you blindly reach out for resolution to life’s pebbles. Also on that same note, this being the first review that I’ve posted in 2015, when the time comes to get back to the grind, let’s not forsake ourselves and put some real work behind the aspirations for a strong and successful year. After all, New Year’s resolutions seem to get recycled more than anything else in your trash can.
Anyway… I’m beginning to think this section should be called “Pre-Review Rant,” haha! I’m obviously in a good mood, so take that into account when I review and rate. After all, that is the purpose of this section; to give you a look into my day, mood, and environment so that you may possibly derive some factor of which would influence my rating positively or negatively. At least this way, you can decide for yourself with the added knowledge that I may have shaved or added a few points based on my mood.
Enjoy.
Appearance/construction: Impeccable construction. Flawless triple cap with a seamless wrap and minimal veins. This is a tightly filled cigar, solid on the press and little rebound. Chocolate brown in color with a medium shine, smooth to the touch with little to no tooth and semi oily.
Aroma Pre-Light: Very very light white pepper and hay. Not much else coming through on the aroma. Again, very light.
Cold draw: V-cut with my table cutter and the stick dries my lips, soaking in every ounce of moisture, and a touch of spice. Again, light pepper on the draw along with notes of hay, chocolate, and something else I can’t quite place.
Light: Lighting with a double torch. Toasts and lights quickly, however the burn is quickly turning one sided, so I touch up the light promptly after a couple of draws.
First impression: Chalk. The first few draw held nearly no flavor and turned my mouth as dry as a desert, which I experience sometimes with CCs and aged sticks. At about a quarter inch the flavor opens up. Nice open draw with just enough resistance.
Aroma Post-Light: Just a light pepper and hay mostly.
First Third: Not many flavors coming out of the first third, although the smoke is smooth and plentiful and burn has evened up. Mostly light spice in the back of the tongue and throat, with some sweet possibly citrus notes at the top of my palate and on the retrohale. The sweet floats in and out and is paired with a hearty flavor, not to be mistaken for heavy. Everything about this stick so far is light, light, light. A tight white ash falls at the ¾ inch mark. I can’t place the hearty flavor yet, it’s not present enough. There is some red pepper coming out vaguely, and the minor sweet flavor turn more to a floral than a citrus as I move into the second third.
Second Third: Still not a huge amount of flavor coming from this stick. More like a handful of subtleties with each draw, which makes me think this may be an aged stick…. Wait…
Whoa. I just arrived in flavortown. I’m getting blast after blast of chocolate, coffee, and red pepper (most of the pepper being on my lips and in the retro). There is still some background florals and hay that play into the profile. Although this smoke is still light and plentiful, and the body still a medium, the flavors are there. The strength isn’t overwhelming at all, and I’m beginning to feel a slight heat on my tongue.
There is something going on here as I approach the last third…. The chocolate and coffee stuck around for nearly an inch of the stick, and now everything has dialed back down and is very well balanced between dark chocolate, spicy pepper, not so much coffee anymore, floral backdrop, and a little hay/grass and black peppercorns on the retro.
Final Third: The light flavors continue and I’m starting to get a very bitter aftertaste that I have to rinse with water after every few draws. It fades quickly, and is ONLY in the aftertaste, so I’m thankful for that. The burn is still very even. I miss an ash and it dusts all over my pants.. oh well. Still plentiful smoke. The profile has become very flat and I’m beginning to get only natural tobacco and grassy flavors. The heat kicks up to an uncomfortable level, causing me to put this smoke down before my usual nub.
Overall Impression/Final Notes: Great profile, overall, but almost too light and one dimensional in the majority of the first and final third. Also, the heat was a downer at the very end. Probably a cigar I would smoke again, however as I was really diggin’ the flavors in the middle. If this is an aged cigar, maybe it was past its peak. Of that, I am still unsure. The construction and appearance of this stick were very good, with a solid wrapper and cap that held together through entirety, and it was a beautiful stick. Thanks for the good smoke, Rob!
Smoke time: 1hr10m
Scoring:
Appearance and Presentation: 18/20
Lighting and Burning Properties: 12/15
Construction Properties: 28/30
Taste Properties: 29/35
Total: 87/100
Author’s Note: As always, I welcome any constructive criticism so that my reviews can continue to grow in strength and depth. This is a blind review, and as such is free of any brand or factory bias. As a service to my brothers, I intend to write with as much detail as I can muster, and with an honest opinion. However, it is only MY opinion, so please try a stick before you buy a box if you have any intention of being fiscally responsible with this beloved affliction for fine tobacco that we all have. Also, all cigars are kept humidified at 68% and dry boxed before enjoying. Thanks for reading!
@fourkicksfan
Review: Blind Review “A” from Rob (FourKicksFan)
Approx. Size: 5.2x42 (Petite Corona)
Smoking Environment:
Short Version:
Moderate weather today, steady at 74 degrees. I’m parked in the shade of my office, but the doors are wide open, letting the humidity (81%) and light breeze brush the length of the room. I’ve had a good day so far, so take that into account with the rating.
Long Version (skip if you want, nothing really important about the cigar in here…):
You know those days where you can’t help but wear a smile? The days that are, without a doubt, the equal but opposite reciprocation of an absolute shit day. It is not as if some specific event or person put it there, more that it’s the inevitable result of everything being in the right place at the perfect time with good people, even if just for a day. It gives me the faith and courage to continue through the bad days, as few or many as they are, because I know that eventually I approach days like today in life’s road. I woke up next to my wife this morning. Face to face, our eyes fluttering open in the same instant, squinting against the brilliance of a single gleam of sunshine sneaking past the bedroom curtain. I kiss her deeply, and rustle the remainder of sleep from my bones, making my way out to the kitchen for coffee and to start my day… that’s what spawned this cluster of rampant positivity and introspection.
Now, I know there a lot of brothers that don’t know, or think they haven’t experienced this. This is just MY version of a morning like this. Trust me, I know it’s sappy. But it’s the morning you wake up with a quiet in your heart and mind unlike anything else, and you can choose to fill them with anything you want. It’s the day without schedules or unwanted commitments. It’s freedom.
No matter where you are in life, what bills are due, what tasks remain unfinished; there is always a day like today lurching forward, reaching out to you, waiting for you to remember…. To remember that you have breath and a beating heart, touch and taste, time and blessed tobacco. So, be reminded of your blessings so that you don’t miss out on these days, or they’ll pass you by as you blindly reach out for resolution to life’s pebbles. Also on that same note, this being the first review that I’ve posted in 2015, when the time comes to get back to the grind, let’s not forsake ourselves and put some real work behind the aspirations for a strong and successful year. After all, New Year’s resolutions seem to get recycled more than anything else in your trash can.
Anyway… I’m beginning to think this section should be called “Pre-Review Rant,” haha! I’m obviously in a good mood, so take that into account when I review and rate. After all, that is the purpose of this section; to give you a look into my day, mood, and environment so that you may possibly derive some factor of which would influence my rating positively or negatively. At least this way, you can decide for yourself with the added knowledge that I may have shaved or added a few points based on my mood.
Enjoy.
Appearance/construction: Impeccable construction. Flawless triple cap with a seamless wrap and minimal veins. This is a tightly filled cigar, solid on the press and little rebound. Chocolate brown in color with a medium shine, smooth to the touch with little to no tooth and semi oily.
Aroma Pre-Light: Very very light white pepper and hay. Not much else coming through on the aroma. Again, very light.
Cold draw: V-cut with my table cutter and the stick dries my lips, soaking in every ounce of moisture, and a touch of spice. Again, light pepper on the draw along with notes of hay, chocolate, and something else I can’t quite place.
Light: Lighting with a double torch. Toasts and lights quickly, however the burn is quickly turning one sided, so I touch up the light promptly after a couple of draws.
First impression: Chalk. The first few draw held nearly no flavor and turned my mouth as dry as a desert, which I experience sometimes with CCs and aged sticks. At about a quarter inch the flavor opens up. Nice open draw with just enough resistance.
Aroma Post-Light: Just a light pepper and hay mostly.
First Third: Not many flavors coming out of the first third, although the smoke is smooth and plentiful and burn has evened up. Mostly light spice in the back of the tongue and throat, with some sweet possibly citrus notes at the top of my palate and on the retrohale. The sweet floats in and out and is paired with a hearty flavor, not to be mistaken for heavy. Everything about this stick so far is light, light, light. A tight white ash falls at the ¾ inch mark. I can’t place the hearty flavor yet, it’s not present enough. There is some red pepper coming out vaguely, and the minor sweet flavor turn more to a floral than a citrus as I move into the second third.
Second Third: Still not a huge amount of flavor coming from this stick. More like a handful of subtleties with each draw, which makes me think this may be an aged stick…. Wait…
Whoa. I just arrived in flavortown. I’m getting blast after blast of chocolate, coffee, and red pepper (most of the pepper being on my lips and in the retro). There is still some background florals and hay that play into the profile. Although this smoke is still light and plentiful, and the body still a medium, the flavors are there. The strength isn’t overwhelming at all, and I’m beginning to feel a slight heat on my tongue.
There is something going on here as I approach the last third…. The chocolate and coffee stuck around for nearly an inch of the stick, and now everything has dialed back down and is very well balanced between dark chocolate, spicy pepper, not so much coffee anymore, floral backdrop, and a little hay/grass and black peppercorns on the retro.
Final Third: The light flavors continue and I’m starting to get a very bitter aftertaste that I have to rinse with water after every few draws. It fades quickly, and is ONLY in the aftertaste, so I’m thankful for that. The burn is still very even. I miss an ash and it dusts all over my pants.. oh well. Still plentiful smoke. The profile has become very flat and I’m beginning to get only natural tobacco and grassy flavors. The heat kicks up to an uncomfortable level, causing me to put this smoke down before my usual nub.
Overall Impression/Final Notes: Great profile, overall, but almost too light and one dimensional in the majority of the first and final third. Also, the heat was a downer at the very end. Probably a cigar I would smoke again, however as I was really diggin’ the flavors in the middle. If this is an aged cigar, maybe it was past its peak. Of that, I am still unsure. The construction and appearance of this stick were very good, with a solid wrapper and cap that held together through entirety, and it was a beautiful stick. Thanks for the good smoke, Rob!
Smoke time: 1hr10m
Scoring:
Appearance and Presentation: 18/20
Lighting and Burning Properties: 12/15
Construction Properties: 28/30
Taste Properties: 29/35
Total: 87/100
Author’s Note: As always, I welcome any constructive criticism so that my reviews can continue to grow in strength and depth. This is a blind review, and as such is free of any brand or factory bias. As a service to my brothers, I intend to write with as much detail as I can muster, and with an honest opinion. However, it is only MY opinion, so please try a stick before you buy a box if you have any intention of being fiscally responsible with this beloved affliction for fine tobacco that we all have. Also, all cigars are kept humidified at 68% and dry boxed before enjoying. Thanks for reading!
@fourkicksfan
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