c.ortiz108
The fly in the ointment.
La Zona Habano
Country: Nicaragua
Factory: La Zona (Erik Espinoza)
Size: Super Toro (6.5” x 52)
Wrapper: Habano
Price: $4.25 in a box of 20, or $3.37 in a crate of 80 (!)
Paired with strong coffee with cream and a little sugar, and my mom’s coconut-pecan-chocolate chip-oatmeal cookies.
Review courtesy of @Happy Idiot who sent me a few of these in December (so it’s been resting just a couple of months).
1st 3rd:
Creamy! Savory, cedary flavors I normally associate with Connecticut wrappers. It’s a Habano that tastes like a Connecticut, and medium cigar that tastes mild. Like the “square candies that look round” in the Charlie & the Chocolate Factory book.
Graham crackers (one of those tasting clichés but I’m tasting it here). Kind of crunchy. Burn is a little funky so far. Good draw, maybe a tad on the loose side. Carlos the Wonderdog just knocked the ash off, so we'll never know what lengths it could have achieved.
Lots of smoke. A little milk chocolate. No bitterness, which is great. Very smooth. Roasted nuts – almonds or hazelnuts maybe.
After a couple of bad/mediocre smokes lately, this one reminds me of why I like cigars.
A little more chocolately, though flavors pretty consistent so far.
2nd 3rd:
Kind of earthy, ozoney, mineral flavor I associate with Connecticuts. Gives it a hearty richness, but it gets less creamy and strength increases.
Just checked and these are classed as Medium-Full on the interwebs. I think that’s accurate, despite how smooth and mild it seems. I’m a nicotine lightweight so I wouldn’t want to smoke one of these without something in my stomach. I feel like a big puto for saying that about this seemingly innocent, friendly creamy smoke, but I think deep down it’s a deceptive, cheeky little bastard. A wolf in sheep’s clothing – or at least an angry Chihuahua dressed like Little Bo Peep.
Chocolate ramping up, smooth sailing all the way. Still kind of nutty, and just a little spice.
That big vein is skewing the burn. Ash not wanting to stay on very long. It stayed lit when I went in for a drink, but then it mysteriously went out between puffs. This is definitely not a humidor problem because I left the cigar out to acclimatize for 24 hours prior to smoking (and use 65% Boveda). It usually needed quite a few puffs to get the smoke going, despite the easy draw.
No more graham crackers.
Going into the 3rd 3rd flavors were pretty much more of the same, though my smoking time was interrupted and wasn't able to finish it.
This was a nice, smooth consistent smoke all the way through. Nothing complex or mind-blowing, but satisfying and rich in a dessert sort of way – like eating a fat custard donut covered in cheap blended Scotch. Never gets bitter and there’s very little aftertaste (which my wife appreciates). Good value, and sure I’d smoke it again – why not. Curious what some age will do to the strong/mild mix.
Country: Nicaragua
Factory: La Zona (Erik Espinoza)
Size: Super Toro (6.5” x 52)
Wrapper: Habano
Price: $4.25 in a box of 20, or $3.37 in a crate of 80 (!)
Paired with strong coffee with cream and a little sugar, and my mom’s coconut-pecan-chocolate chip-oatmeal cookies.
Review courtesy of @Happy Idiot who sent me a few of these in December (so it’s been resting just a couple of months).
1st 3rd:
Creamy! Savory, cedary flavors I normally associate with Connecticut wrappers. It’s a Habano that tastes like a Connecticut, and medium cigar that tastes mild. Like the “square candies that look round” in the Charlie & the Chocolate Factory book.
Graham crackers (one of those tasting clichés but I’m tasting it here). Kind of crunchy. Burn is a little funky so far. Good draw, maybe a tad on the loose side. Carlos the Wonderdog just knocked the ash off, so we'll never know what lengths it could have achieved.
Lots of smoke. A little milk chocolate. No bitterness, which is great. Very smooth. Roasted nuts – almonds or hazelnuts maybe.
After a couple of bad/mediocre smokes lately, this one reminds me of why I like cigars.
A little more chocolately, though flavors pretty consistent so far.
2nd 3rd:
Kind of earthy, ozoney, mineral flavor I associate with Connecticuts. Gives it a hearty richness, but it gets less creamy and strength increases.
Just checked and these are classed as Medium-Full on the interwebs. I think that’s accurate, despite how smooth and mild it seems. I’m a nicotine lightweight so I wouldn’t want to smoke one of these without something in my stomach. I feel like a big puto for saying that about this seemingly innocent, friendly creamy smoke, but I think deep down it’s a deceptive, cheeky little bastard. A wolf in sheep’s clothing – or at least an angry Chihuahua dressed like Little Bo Peep.
Chocolate ramping up, smooth sailing all the way. Still kind of nutty, and just a little spice.
That big vein is skewing the burn. Ash not wanting to stay on very long. It stayed lit when I went in for a drink, but then it mysteriously went out between puffs. This is definitely not a humidor problem because I left the cigar out to acclimatize for 24 hours prior to smoking (and use 65% Boveda). It usually needed quite a few puffs to get the smoke going, despite the easy draw.
No more graham crackers.
Going into the 3rd 3rd flavors were pretty much more of the same, though my smoking time was interrupted and wasn't able to finish it.
This was a nice, smooth consistent smoke all the way through. Nothing complex or mind-blowing, but satisfying and rich in a dessert sort of way – like eating a fat custard donut covered in cheap blended Scotch. Never gets bitter and there’s very little aftertaste (which my wife appreciates). Good value, and sure I’d smoke it again – why not. Curious what some age will do to the strong/mild mix.
