When I first accepted Jere's challenge, I thought this was going to be a breeze. After second guessing every nuance of this cigar, I managed to piece together my first review... Bear with me brothers.
Unbanded Cigar
Unknown origin, wrapper, binder or filler.
5.6 x 46
The unbanded cigar has a slight box press. The craftsmanship looks to be on par as the cigar is compact and has good fill throughout the length of it. The wrapper is reddish brown with fine lines that contrast well against the dark red spots scattered across the surface. A couple of whiffs of the cigar gave off hints of sweet hay and towards the foot a raisin aroma.
The first third starts off a bit tight. A nutty hay profile dominates the first few puffs. It is a little harsh but not to the point of bothersome. A hint of pepper on the finish. My throat actually was quite itchy a couple of times and I had to take a drink of my ice tea. The cigar produced dirty grey and fluffy ash that hung on longer than expected. No issues with the burn as it naturally wanted to self correct when any issues appeared.
The cigar transitions into a nice creamy and nutty smoke in the second third. The strength builds from med to medium full and the draw opens up quite nicely. A hint of leather pops in but the finish takes a 180 for me. I detected a citrus note that I couldn't quite pinpoint. It almost comes off generic, like the NutraSweet version of citrus. I cant say I disliked it but it was definitely different.
In the final third, the cigars burn line tightens up significantly. Im really impressed. The once flaky ash becomes one of the most symmetrical ashes I have ever seen. The pepper builds up as does the strength and harshness. The profile becomes meaty. Combined with the pepper it reminded me of Jack Links Peppered Jerky. Almost makes me want to take a bite out of it
Final Thoughts: I thought this was pretty good cigar. Not something I would smoke daily as the harshness made me bored with cigar at times. The flavors were pretty sharp and I enjoyed that it was more spicy than peppery. More importantly, I want to thank Jere for providing me with the opportunity to post my first review. It is fitting that it came from my newbie sampler vet.
Unbanded Cigar
Unknown origin, wrapper, binder or filler.
5.6 x 46
The unbanded cigar has a slight box press. The craftsmanship looks to be on par as the cigar is compact and has good fill throughout the length of it. The wrapper is reddish brown with fine lines that contrast well against the dark red spots scattered across the surface. A couple of whiffs of the cigar gave off hints of sweet hay and towards the foot a raisin aroma.
The first third starts off a bit tight. A nutty hay profile dominates the first few puffs. It is a little harsh but not to the point of bothersome. A hint of pepper on the finish. My throat actually was quite itchy a couple of times and I had to take a drink of my ice tea. The cigar produced dirty grey and fluffy ash that hung on longer than expected. No issues with the burn as it naturally wanted to self correct when any issues appeared.
The cigar transitions into a nice creamy and nutty smoke in the second third. The strength builds from med to medium full and the draw opens up quite nicely. A hint of leather pops in but the finish takes a 180 for me. I detected a citrus note that I couldn't quite pinpoint. It almost comes off generic, like the NutraSweet version of citrus. I cant say I disliked it but it was definitely different.
In the final third, the cigars burn line tightens up significantly. Im really impressed. The once flaky ash becomes one of the most symmetrical ashes I have ever seen. The pepper builds up as does the strength and harshness. The profile becomes meaty. Combined with the pepper it reminded me of Jack Links Peppered Jerky. Almost makes me want to take a bite out of it
Final Thoughts: I thought this was pretty good cigar. Not something I would smoke daily as the harshness made me bored with cigar at times. The flavors were pretty sharp and I enjoyed that it was more spicy than peppery. More importantly, I want to thank Jere for providing me with the opportunity to post my first review. It is fitting that it came from my newbie sampler vet.
