danthebugman
BoM Nov '10
Size: 4 1/8 x 60
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina
Filler: Dominican & Honduran
Price: ~ $12.00
Intro: Back in 2009 Drew Estates released a funky looking version of the then already popular #9 cigar. It was a limited release of around 2000 boxes of 12. The wrapper and binder are the same as that used in the other #9 vitolas, but the filler blend was tweaked to give it a little more umph. It's definitely an interesting vitola, but if you're not a fan of large ring gauges you may not be that keen on firing one up.
Prelight: Visual inspection reveals that this is one damn fine cigar. The wrapper is a dark chocolate color with a very oily appearance to it (kind of like a hot Brazilian sunbather). There are a few small veins, but nothing that looks as though it should impact the smoke. Seams are tight and the cap is expertly applied, though in this case it seems to have come undone a wee bit. Aroma coming off the wrapper is a faint cedar. The cigar feels well packed. I hesitated a bit with the Palio...did I really want to smoke this now...I'm pretty sure there's one more in the humidor, but man...snap goes the Palio and the decision no longer needs to be made. Draw was perfect and carried flavors of faint cedar and a light, sweet tobacco. A couple of blasts from the Ronson was all it took to get it spewing smoke like Willie Nelson's tour bus.
First Third: Initially there was a faint pepper flavor and not much else. Soon a slightly sweet woodiness crept in. By the end of the first third this was starting to build into a slightly sweet cedar flavor. The burn was a little wavy here and there, but for the most part was spot on. Ash was white in color and held strong for the entire first thrid, probably longer had I not tapped it off.
Second Third: The cedar flavor continued to build along with a sweetness and an occassional chocolate note for good measure. The burn continued to be spot on throughout the second third and the smoke output is on par with what you'd expect from a LP.
Last Third: The last third on this one fell a little short of what my expectations had been led to believe was coming. The whole time the cigar was building and building, but when the last third arrived the flavors started to mute a little and by the end I had kind of a generic woody core with some faint chocolate notes. Not that it was bad. Oh no, the #9 Flying Pig was indeed a damn good cigar. It was just that I felt led up to a bigger finish than what I got. The burn finished straight and the nub was spewing smoke for a while after I dropped it in the Stinky.
Final Thoughts: Overall a great experience. During the course of the cigar my mind wandered and I ended up thinking about how my grandfather (whom died before I was even conceived, but whom I have heard stories of and was a cigar smoker himself) would have liked this cigar. I'd like to think he would have. Time has certainly robbed these of some of their pop, but they're still quite tasty. If you can find some, get 'em and see for yourself.
Dan
