Docbp87
Smoke Into Oblivion
GRAYCLIFF DOUBLE ESPRESSO
4.5x54
This small, fat robusto is a special line extension to the Espresso line,
that apparently is a stronger, more ligero based version, that no doubt also
plays to lovers of the Nub sized cigar.
It has an earthy smell off the gorgeous, toothy wrapper. The foot has an
aroma of spice and pepper, as well as aged tobacco. The pre-light draw has
a slight grassy flavor, as well as a musty tobacco taste. It is advertised
as a maduro wrapped stick, and I love it. It has a fairly medium brown color,
so for this to be a maduro, you know it has nothing added to it, only the pure
fermentation process.
Lit at 10:50 on a super hot and muggy night...
Immediately an intense cocoa flavor comes on the draw, with a good pepper blast
on the finish, which is pretty darn long. Good start. Effortless light, and a
good medium draw.
In the first third, the flavors seem to be mostly sweet tobacco, cocoa, and
a little coffee bean, with a lingering pepper in the back of the throat. Great
flavors that I expect from a maduro. The ash is also worth noting, as it is a
perfect solid white mass, all around. No breaks in it. It is tight as hell.
This cigar, if nothing else, is PERFECT construction-wise. The draw is a little
on the tight side though.
Burning a little unevenly (one side faster than the other) 30 minutes in, but it
seems to want to correct itself, so it's all good.
Around the half way point the draw is still pretty tight, and smoke production
isn't great but flavor is what I'm really here for, and that is delivering on
all accounts. The cocoa and coffee flavors are lessened and a nuttiness is
present on the draw, followed by a dry woody flavor. The finish remains peppery
and spicy, and leaves a creamy feel on the lips, and back of the palette. Being
a short length cigar, the halfway point as getting dangerously close to what would
be considered the very "nub" on most others. It is burning cool temperature wise
however, and presents no problems. Ash has fallen once, at about an inch and a half.
Burn line, as expected, corrected itself. I have found that a few quick puffs
back to back, as opposed to one longer, normal draw allows this cigar to
burn better, and keeps the flavor even and balanced.
At around one hour, the cocoa flavor has taken back over entirely, though
the stick is starting to get pretty hot, with only about an inch and a half left.
Too bad, since the flavor has finally come full circle. Graycliff should make
this stick in a longer vitola in my opinion, as the flavors are great, but the
size seems limiting to it...
Ended at 12:07 am, for a total burn time of one hour 17 minutes, which is great
for a small cigar like this, though I think it would have lasted longer if the
draw had been looser, as I wouldn't have had to draw as hard. Either way, Great
smoke that I will be revisiting once the rest of these have some time on them
to rest and calm down. As I said before, I would love to see this blend in a
longer stick, maybe at a 50 ring gauge. Definitely recommended, especially for
lovers of good maduro flavors or fans of the Nub cigars.
4.5x54
This small, fat robusto is a special line extension to the Espresso line,
that apparently is a stronger, more ligero based version, that no doubt also
plays to lovers of the Nub sized cigar.
It has an earthy smell off the gorgeous, toothy wrapper. The foot has an
aroma of spice and pepper, as well as aged tobacco. The pre-light draw has
a slight grassy flavor, as well as a musty tobacco taste. It is advertised
as a maduro wrapped stick, and I love it. It has a fairly medium brown color,
so for this to be a maduro, you know it has nothing added to it, only the pure
fermentation process.
Lit at 10:50 on a super hot and muggy night...
Immediately an intense cocoa flavor comes on the draw, with a good pepper blast
on the finish, which is pretty darn long. Good start. Effortless light, and a
good medium draw.
In the first third, the flavors seem to be mostly sweet tobacco, cocoa, and
a little coffee bean, with a lingering pepper in the back of the throat. Great
flavors that I expect from a maduro. The ash is also worth noting, as it is a
perfect solid white mass, all around. No breaks in it. It is tight as hell.
This cigar, if nothing else, is PERFECT construction-wise. The draw is a little
on the tight side though.
Burning a little unevenly (one side faster than the other) 30 minutes in, but it
seems to want to correct itself, so it's all good.
Around the half way point the draw is still pretty tight, and smoke production
isn't great but flavor is what I'm really here for, and that is delivering on
all accounts. The cocoa and coffee flavors are lessened and a nuttiness is
present on the draw, followed by a dry woody flavor. The finish remains peppery
and spicy, and leaves a creamy feel on the lips, and back of the palette. Being
a short length cigar, the halfway point as getting dangerously close to what would
be considered the very "nub" on most others. It is burning cool temperature wise
however, and presents no problems. Ash has fallen once, at about an inch and a half.
Burn line, as expected, corrected itself. I have found that a few quick puffs
back to back, as opposed to one longer, normal draw allows this cigar to
burn better, and keeps the flavor even and balanced.
At around one hour, the cocoa flavor has taken back over entirely, though
the stick is starting to get pretty hot, with only about an inch and a half left.
Too bad, since the flavor has finally come full circle. Graycliff should make
this stick in a longer vitola in my opinion, as the flavors are great, but the
size seems limiting to it...
Ended at 12:07 am, for a total burn time of one hour 17 minutes, which is great
for a small cigar like this, though I think it would have lasted longer if the
draw had been looser, as I wouldn't have had to draw as hard. Either way, Great
smoke that I will be revisiting once the rest of these have some time on them
to rest and calm down. As I said before, I would love to see this blend in a
longer stick, maybe at a 50 ring gauge. Definitely recommended, especially for
lovers of good maduro flavors or fans of the Nub cigars.
