- Joined
- Jan 25, 2015
- Messages
- 3,788
This cigar is a Toro measuring 6.5 X 52. The cigar has a shaggy foot and a pig tailed head. Per the information sheet that came with these two cigars thanks to @mel-mbombay the tobacco in this blend is aged in hybrid Sandalwood/Spanish Cedar coffins. The wrapper is 2002 Ecuadorian Deas Florado, binder is Ecuadorian Havana and the filler is both Dominican Republic and Peruvian. The wrapper on the cigar I reviewed was slightly papery with a light sheen on the light brown wrapper. There was a slight blemish through the wrapper to the binder just above the label. I was worried that this would affect the cigar's smoking qualities but it did not. No obvious seams. A few light veins were present.
A sniff at the foot reveal some scents of woodiness and graham cracker. After a straight cut the predraw was salty to the tongue at the filler with some cloves and a sweet tea flavor. Could be just my imagination but the pre draw flavors reminded me very much of a spring flush of Darjeeling tea.
FIRST THIRD
I toasted the shag foot and got a very good light. First few puffs on the cigar revealed mild red pepper and some baking spices. Past the shag the sweetness of the tea and cloves started appearing. Red pepper still there but more toward the back of the throat. At this point the cigar was creamy and produced a large volume of smoke. This part of the cigar was extremely enjoyable and had me looking forward to what would develop as the smoke progress. Both draw and burn were excellent. The ash was a dark charcoal gray and held at least for an inch as long as I let it. I retro'd almost the entire first third of this cigar because I was enjoying that sweet tea flavor so much. Red pepper pretty much receded to the background during the latter part of the first third. This cigar is a solid medium in both body and strength. Very nice melding of flavors with sweet spiced tea riding on some woody notes predominant. Picked up a bit of dustiness right at the end of the first third.
SECOND THIRD
Started out pretty much like the first third. A short ways in some faint sweet bell pepper notes were occasionally picked up in the background. The saltiness is gone. Overall the flavors seemed somewhat more muted during the second third. This was a disappointment to me as I was looking forward to more development and complexity. At about the midpoint of the cigar the smoke lost its creaminess and tended to lean toward being a bit dry and woody. I only drink iced water when I am trying to seriously review a cigar but at this point in the smoke I really longed for a couple of fingers of a good smooth rum to go with the smoke. All hints of red pepper are gone during the second third. Burn still good but the flavor remaining at this point is just some sweet woodiness.
FINAL THIRD
My overall impression at this point is that the smoke is woody and quite dry. The aroma has intensified as the cigar heats up and is very pleasant. Slight sweetness is still there but it is rather undefined very muted. The cigar did require one small touch up during the final third. I couldn't properly nub the cigar as it got very soft toward the end.
On my scale of 6 this cigar rates out at a score of 4.65 or 77.5%. After a very good start the cigar just became muted and failed to deliver the promise seen during the first third. Construction and burn were both flawless except for the minor hole in the wrapper above the band.
SUMMARY of these two MBOMBAY cigars
The construction and draw of these two cigars were flawless. It's obvious that some experienced rollers are at work here and the quality control is very good. I have no doubt that these cigars will find a place in quite a few brother's humidors. Of the two vitolas that I smoked of this marca I enjoyed the Habano Robusto much more. The KeSARA just left me with some unfulfilled promises after an awesome opening third. I might enjoy this blend more in a smaller vitola. Overall there is an exotic quality to these cigars and they offer some rather unique flavor characteristics. As you guys are aware, flavor and enjoyment are subject to each individuals own taste and judgment. Give these a try for a somewhat unique smoking experience.
Thanks again to Ron and @mel-mbombay for the opportunity to smoke and review these two cigars.
A sniff at the foot reveal some scents of woodiness and graham cracker. After a straight cut the predraw was salty to the tongue at the filler with some cloves and a sweet tea flavor. Could be just my imagination but the pre draw flavors reminded me very much of a spring flush of Darjeeling tea.
FIRST THIRD
I toasted the shag foot and got a very good light. First few puffs on the cigar revealed mild red pepper and some baking spices. Past the shag the sweetness of the tea and cloves started appearing. Red pepper still there but more toward the back of the throat. At this point the cigar was creamy and produced a large volume of smoke. This part of the cigar was extremely enjoyable and had me looking forward to what would develop as the smoke progress. Both draw and burn were excellent. The ash was a dark charcoal gray and held at least for an inch as long as I let it. I retro'd almost the entire first third of this cigar because I was enjoying that sweet tea flavor so much. Red pepper pretty much receded to the background during the latter part of the first third. This cigar is a solid medium in both body and strength. Very nice melding of flavors with sweet spiced tea riding on some woody notes predominant. Picked up a bit of dustiness right at the end of the first third.
SECOND THIRD
Started out pretty much like the first third. A short ways in some faint sweet bell pepper notes were occasionally picked up in the background. The saltiness is gone. Overall the flavors seemed somewhat more muted during the second third. This was a disappointment to me as I was looking forward to more development and complexity. At about the midpoint of the cigar the smoke lost its creaminess and tended to lean toward being a bit dry and woody. I only drink iced water when I am trying to seriously review a cigar but at this point in the smoke I really longed for a couple of fingers of a good smooth rum to go with the smoke. All hints of red pepper are gone during the second third. Burn still good but the flavor remaining at this point is just some sweet woodiness.
FINAL THIRD
My overall impression at this point is that the smoke is woody and quite dry. The aroma has intensified as the cigar heats up and is very pleasant. Slight sweetness is still there but it is rather undefined very muted. The cigar did require one small touch up during the final third. I couldn't properly nub the cigar as it got very soft toward the end.
On my scale of 6 this cigar rates out at a score of 4.65 or 77.5%. After a very good start the cigar just became muted and failed to deliver the promise seen during the first third. Construction and burn were both flawless except for the minor hole in the wrapper above the band.
SUMMARY of these two MBOMBAY cigars
The construction and draw of these two cigars were flawless. It's obvious that some experienced rollers are at work here and the quality control is very good. I have no doubt that these cigars will find a place in quite a few brother's humidors. Of the two vitolas that I smoked of this marca I enjoyed the Habano Robusto much more. The KeSARA just left me with some unfulfilled promises after an awesome opening third. I might enjoy this blend more in a smaller vitola. Overall there is an exotic quality to these cigars and they offer some rather unique flavor characteristics. As you guys are aware, flavor and enjoyment are subject to each individuals own taste and judgment. Give these a try for a somewhat unique smoking experience.
Thanks again to Ron and @mel-mbombay for the opportunity to smoke and review these two cigars.
