How's it going BOTL? I'll be hitting my one month mark on the site here in a few days. Looking forward to getting access to the marketplace to do some swapping. I really can't thank y'all enough for all the great content, and plan on making a donation as soon it becomes available to me (it's the least I can do). Anyway, I was out killing time with my old man yesterday and ended up on the same side of town as Underground Cigar Shop in Fort Worth, so we stopped in. I grabbed a few smokes I had really been on the lookout for, among those the Hermosa Double Ligero. As I was about to light up, I realized that we didn't have a review on the site, so I figured I'd throw my hat in the ring. Now, this is my first review. I don't have a world class pallette, but I'll do the best I can on it. Here we go.
Hermosa Cigars Double Ligero (Robusto)
Cost: ~$7
This cigar features Nicaraguan double ligero filler, Nicaraguan binder, and an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. Looking closely at it, it's a beautiful caramel-color wrapper with very few veins, a triple cap, no soft spots or any noticeable defects. This looks to be a well constructed smoke. Using a straight cut, I clip the cap. Honestly, nothing really stood out on the cold draw. I just picked up a really great tobacco flavor. The draw (in my opinion) was perfect. Not too firm, but not loose, just right. Alright, anyway, I use the 3 match lighting technique, and it starts pouring smoke.
1st Third:
I got hit with a blast of pepper immediately after lighting. Actually, I like that, my allergies are bothering me because of the weird weather and it cleared out my nose, and just as it succeeded at it's purpose, it disappears into the background, replaced by a leather and nutty flavor. It comes on a little strong and uneven at first, but given a couple of minutes, it rounds out really nicely with the mild pepper into a really nice creamy smoke, with a little bit of vanilla on the retro. I'm really surprised that something that's labeled as "double ligero" doesn't immediately announce itself as a pepper bomb. It's really a great start.
2nd Third: I'm smoking outside, and suddenly the wind picks up. I figured that it would cause some burn issues, but it didn't. The burn would get a little wavy, but would immediately self correct. Honestly, I'm really impressed by it, this is really a well constructed cigar. Flavor- the sweetness picks up a little. It's not overpowering. This cigar is really starting to show some complexity. The pepper fades a little, and the flavor is a really well balanced nutty/leather/cream/vanilla(?) primary flavor. Cedar, salt, and an oak flavor all make a quick appearance, it's a great flavor, but they disappear quickly.
Final Third:
You know how in the song Layla, the final part of the song is that really beautiful, harmonious piano and slide guitar part? Corny as it sounds to equate a song to a flavor profile of a cigar, that's pretty much how this smoke ended in the last third. Really mellow, really beautiful flavors. The sweetness and mild pepper from the flavor disappeared in the background, and the primary flavor was a really fantastic tobacco flavor, with a great caramel flavor with some floral notes, all of it really balanced and mellow. Absolutely a phenomenal ending. All in all, a great medium-full cigar, with plenty of complexity, but subtle and balanced enough to let you enjoy it.
I had heard some great things about this cigar, but I get let down pretty frequently when something gets hyped. It's happened twice this week with very highly regarded cigars. I pay the $12 or $15 dollars (that I did this week on the ones that disappointed), only to smoke a cigar with a pretty thin flavor profile. This cigar far exceeded my expectations though, so much so that my next purchase will be a box of Hermosas, and will be in my regular rotation. Like Booker Noe said about his bourbon, "if you're not completely satisfied, send back the unused portion, we'll drink it for you", if you're not satisfied with with this cigar, send 'em to me, I'll smoke 'em up for you...gladly.
Stout
Hermosa Cigars Double Ligero (Robusto)
Cost: ~$7
This cigar features Nicaraguan double ligero filler, Nicaraguan binder, and an Ecuadorian Habano wrapper. Looking closely at it, it's a beautiful caramel-color wrapper with very few veins, a triple cap, no soft spots or any noticeable defects. This looks to be a well constructed smoke. Using a straight cut, I clip the cap. Honestly, nothing really stood out on the cold draw. I just picked up a really great tobacco flavor. The draw (in my opinion) was perfect. Not too firm, but not loose, just right. Alright, anyway, I use the 3 match lighting technique, and it starts pouring smoke.
1st Third:
I got hit with a blast of pepper immediately after lighting. Actually, I like that, my allergies are bothering me because of the weird weather and it cleared out my nose, and just as it succeeded at it's purpose, it disappears into the background, replaced by a leather and nutty flavor. It comes on a little strong and uneven at first, but given a couple of minutes, it rounds out really nicely with the mild pepper into a really nice creamy smoke, with a little bit of vanilla on the retro. I'm really surprised that something that's labeled as "double ligero" doesn't immediately announce itself as a pepper bomb. It's really a great start.
2nd Third: I'm smoking outside, and suddenly the wind picks up. I figured that it would cause some burn issues, but it didn't. The burn would get a little wavy, but would immediately self correct. Honestly, I'm really impressed by it, this is really a well constructed cigar. Flavor- the sweetness picks up a little. It's not overpowering. This cigar is really starting to show some complexity. The pepper fades a little, and the flavor is a really well balanced nutty/leather/cream/vanilla(?) primary flavor. Cedar, salt, and an oak flavor all make a quick appearance, it's a great flavor, but they disappear quickly.
Final Third:
You know how in the song Layla, the final part of the song is that really beautiful, harmonious piano and slide guitar part? Corny as it sounds to equate a song to a flavor profile of a cigar, that's pretty much how this smoke ended in the last third. Really mellow, really beautiful flavors. The sweetness and mild pepper from the flavor disappeared in the background, and the primary flavor was a really fantastic tobacco flavor, with a great caramel flavor with some floral notes, all of it really balanced and mellow. Absolutely a phenomenal ending. All in all, a great medium-full cigar, with plenty of complexity, but subtle and balanced enough to let you enjoy it.
I had heard some great things about this cigar, but I get let down pretty frequently when something gets hyped. It's happened twice this week with very highly regarded cigars. I pay the $12 or $15 dollars (that I did this week on the ones that disappointed), only to smoke a cigar with a pretty thin flavor profile. This cigar far exceeded my expectations though, so much so that my next purchase will be a box of Hermosas, and will be in my regular rotation. Like Booker Noe said about his bourbon, "if you're not completely satisfied, send back the unused portion, we'll drink it for you", if you're not satisfied with with this cigar, send 'em to me, I'll smoke 'em up for you...gladly.
Stout
