Dr. Xikar
The Knife Doctor
Capoeira Formado (Torpedo)
· Strength: Full
· Size: 6.5 X 52
· Shape: Torpedo
· Country of Origin: Honduras
· Wrapper Color: Maduro
· Wrapper Origin: Brazilian
· Wrapper Leaf Type: Mata Fina
Let me begin by saying that (1.) this is my first review ever, (2.) I am still learning to pick up flavors its going well since I started retrohaling, but its in progress (3.) If you have any advice as to writing a good review, or proper cigar smoking etiquette for an accurate review, lay it on me. Im always looking to learn.
So, The cigar is the Capoeira Formado. Thanks go out to Megladon8 (Braden) for sending me this among others that Im really looking forwards to. Im pairing it with a Diet Pepsi and Water (Whichever strikes my fancy), and the weather is around 60 degrees F (50 with the wind). Ohio is finally thawing out.
Pre-Light Inspection: The Band is large, but not overly ornate to the point of gaudiness It looks good in the simple black and gold color scheme. The cigar itself is very well built with minimal give when squeezed, no soft spots or overly hard spots Its a very well packed cigar. Veins are quite visible, but this is due to contrast to the wrapper, not size The veins are very fine, and very smooth, as are the seams.
Cut and Cold Draw The cap cuts very smoothly under my Xikar X8 cutter (As an aside, I love this cutter. Its cheap and its extremely effective). The draw is exceptional Just a hint of resistance, and otherwise nice and loose. Im not getting much in the pre-light flavors (Told you, Im new), but there is a barnyard-y, hay-y taste that Ive come to associate with unlit tobacco, and something new a little saltiness.
Light Lighting this cigar in two steps, Toasting with a Xikar Axia (double jet torch), then light with slow puffs just over the flame of a Xikar EX (Soft flame) This is my preferred lighting style: torch-toast, then soft flame light, as it keeps the heat low and doesnt impair the initial flavors Just my two cents. Light up took a little effort, but its somewhat windy out, so thats normal
Initial taste/1st 3rd The smoke output is excellent, and the smoke itself is a little harsh, but tasty. This harshness is peppery, rather than that of a sick cigar, and only lasted for the first ¾ inch or so. The initial taste is a bit of a muddled tobacco with hints of pepper and chocolate that fade in and out. The saltiness is still present, but by no means unpleasant. It complements the tobacco taste quite well. Ash is pure white with an appearance akin to baked mud Wavy cracks running through it. About a half of an inch in, Im getting a slightly charcoal-ish aftertaste. This, like the salt, is new to me, but still not unpleasant. The retrohale gives a very pleasant taste of milk chocolate, cream, and tobacco. Downright tasty. Ash is a little flaky at the outside, but just in patches The core holds on well.
As I work past the first inch, the smoke takes on a much creamier profile The peppery harshness has completely vanished from the mouth and the retrohale. Burn is quite clean, but a little wavy. The retrohale is now less chocolate and more cream: like chocolate milk after all the chocolate settles at the bottom and the top becomes more milky (Thats a weird analogy, but hits the taste dead on for me). Ash fell around one inch and so far Im loving this cigar.
At this point, a bee has scared the shit out of my dog. Hopefully if youre still reading this, thatll give you a laugh I never expected to be this long-winded.
Burn is still nice and clean Flavors are flitting in and out The one constant is cream. This is a very creamy, smooth cigar (Braden, how old is this thing, just out of curiosity?) Chocolate, very mild pepper, and mild vanilla wind in and out through the cream.
Nearing the end of the first third, the chocolate has faded and been replaced with an espresso taste (This cigar is reading my mind and giving me what I want). The pepper, too, has gone away, and the charcoal aftertaste is gone. Every puff gives me a clean, creamy tobacco taste with a tasty espresso shot and a long finish. The chocolate reappears faintly on the finish to wave good-bye.
End of first third, fade to black.
Second Third: Ash has just fallen (it drops every inch or so with a little encouragement as Id rather not have it in my lap. This portion is not nearly as complex as the first Still creamy as can be with chocolate and espresso taking turns.
Burning close to the band now, and the burn is still clean, despite the wind throwing my cigar into my lap. A little unexpected twist here A honey-like taste enters the fray. Its not too noticeable on the retrohale, but fairly strong in the mouth. The honey and chocolate really play nice together, and its not too shabby when the espresso comes back either.
So far, this cigar hasn't displayed a vast array of different flavors, but the flavors its had have been my favorites, so Im not wishing for anything but more of the same.
Nearing the last half inch or so of the second third, the cigar takes a noticeable step up from Medium to Full Ive never been nicotine sick to this day (and Ive had some pretty potent sticks back-to-back) so I cant speak to how strong it is quantitatively, but its definitely ramping up
Burn is still nice and clean, ash is still a tad flaky but overall strong
A nice, powerful leather flavor is starting to weigh in as the second third ends, and thats another one I love, so Im quite happy at this point. The honey has vanished, which saddens me, but the leather is strong and delicious, so I say farewell to good friends. The leather tastes like vegetable tanned cowhide (I do leatherworking as a hobby/source of income on the side When resurfacing leather for strops a lot of leather dust fills the room, and cowhide and horsehide have distinct characteristics. This tastes like cowhide dust.) And thats not a bad thing Cowhide has a meatier body to it.
Smoke output is staying strong and thick.
Final Third: This third opens up with the mouth-smoke losing all signs of the cream, it remains smooth, but doesnt have a milky background any longer Just the leather. The retrohale has a huge change of pace A blast of pepper and the chocolate is back to hang out with the leather. Smoke is starting to get hot in the last two inches, so I have to quit puffing so often Sad because Im really enjoying myself.
Now its purely a smooth leather while the retrohale is leather with hints of milk chocolate.
Nearing an inch and a half, the burn is still wavy, but a very clean line, smoke output is still excellent. Im down to sipping the cigar to keep the smoke from being too hot. The only flavor that remains is the leather, which has become richer and meatier. It dominates both the retrohale and normal exhale. The aftertaste/finish is slow to come, but its of a faint milk chocolate that adds the perfect sweetness to the heavy leather.
Down to about an inch and the smoke is now too hot to retrohale, even in sips, but the smoke in-mouth is still a tasty leather with more chocolate creeping in as it reaches the nub. Smoke output and burn line stays strong and clean down to the nub, and Im going to keep smoking this bad boy as long as I can!
End Smoking Time Around 1:30 1:45
Box worthy? Yes. Again and again.
I really, really liked this cigar.
Sorry for being so long-winded! I'll try to make them briefer in the future, this is what I get for typing while I'm smoking.
Cheers!
Jeremy
· Strength: Full
· Size: 6.5 X 52
· Shape: Torpedo
· Country of Origin: Honduras
· Wrapper Color: Maduro
· Wrapper Origin: Brazilian
· Wrapper Leaf Type: Mata Fina
Let me begin by saying that (1.) this is my first review ever, (2.) I am still learning to pick up flavors its going well since I started retrohaling, but its in progress (3.) If you have any advice as to writing a good review, or proper cigar smoking etiquette for an accurate review, lay it on me. Im always looking to learn.
So, The cigar is the Capoeira Formado. Thanks go out to Megladon8 (Braden) for sending me this among others that Im really looking forwards to. Im pairing it with a Diet Pepsi and Water (Whichever strikes my fancy), and the weather is around 60 degrees F (50 with the wind). Ohio is finally thawing out.
Pre-Light Inspection: The Band is large, but not overly ornate to the point of gaudiness It looks good in the simple black and gold color scheme. The cigar itself is very well built with minimal give when squeezed, no soft spots or overly hard spots Its a very well packed cigar. Veins are quite visible, but this is due to contrast to the wrapper, not size The veins are very fine, and very smooth, as are the seams.
Cut and Cold Draw The cap cuts very smoothly under my Xikar X8 cutter (As an aside, I love this cutter. Its cheap and its extremely effective). The draw is exceptional Just a hint of resistance, and otherwise nice and loose. Im not getting much in the pre-light flavors (Told you, Im new), but there is a barnyard-y, hay-y taste that Ive come to associate with unlit tobacco, and something new a little saltiness.
Light Lighting this cigar in two steps, Toasting with a Xikar Axia (double jet torch), then light with slow puffs just over the flame of a Xikar EX (Soft flame) This is my preferred lighting style: torch-toast, then soft flame light, as it keeps the heat low and doesnt impair the initial flavors Just my two cents. Light up took a little effort, but its somewhat windy out, so thats normal
Initial taste/1st 3rd The smoke output is excellent, and the smoke itself is a little harsh, but tasty. This harshness is peppery, rather than that of a sick cigar, and only lasted for the first ¾ inch or so. The initial taste is a bit of a muddled tobacco with hints of pepper and chocolate that fade in and out. The saltiness is still present, but by no means unpleasant. It complements the tobacco taste quite well. Ash is pure white with an appearance akin to baked mud Wavy cracks running through it. About a half of an inch in, Im getting a slightly charcoal-ish aftertaste. This, like the salt, is new to me, but still not unpleasant. The retrohale gives a very pleasant taste of milk chocolate, cream, and tobacco. Downright tasty. Ash is a little flaky at the outside, but just in patches The core holds on well.
As I work past the first inch, the smoke takes on a much creamier profile The peppery harshness has completely vanished from the mouth and the retrohale. Burn is quite clean, but a little wavy. The retrohale is now less chocolate and more cream: like chocolate milk after all the chocolate settles at the bottom and the top becomes more milky (Thats a weird analogy, but hits the taste dead on for me). Ash fell around one inch and so far Im loving this cigar.
At this point, a bee has scared the shit out of my dog. Hopefully if youre still reading this, thatll give you a laugh I never expected to be this long-winded.
Burn is still nice and clean Flavors are flitting in and out The one constant is cream. This is a very creamy, smooth cigar (Braden, how old is this thing, just out of curiosity?) Chocolate, very mild pepper, and mild vanilla wind in and out through the cream.
Nearing the end of the first third, the chocolate has faded and been replaced with an espresso taste (This cigar is reading my mind and giving me what I want). The pepper, too, has gone away, and the charcoal aftertaste is gone. Every puff gives me a clean, creamy tobacco taste with a tasty espresso shot and a long finish. The chocolate reappears faintly on the finish to wave good-bye.
End of first third, fade to black.
Second Third: Ash has just fallen (it drops every inch or so with a little encouragement as Id rather not have it in my lap. This portion is not nearly as complex as the first Still creamy as can be with chocolate and espresso taking turns.
Burning close to the band now, and the burn is still clean, despite the wind throwing my cigar into my lap. A little unexpected twist here A honey-like taste enters the fray. Its not too noticeable on the retrohale, but fairly strong in the mouth. The honey and chocolate really play nice together, and its not too shabby when the espresso comes back either.
So far, this cigar hasn't displayed a vast array of different flavors, but the flavors its had have been my favorites, so Im not wishing for anything but more of the same.
Nearing the last half inch or so of the second third, the cigar takes a noticeable step up from Medium to Full Ive never been nicotine sick to this day (and Ive had some pretty potent sticks back-to-back) so I cant speak to how strong it is quantitatively, but its definitely ramping up
Burn is still nice and clean, ash is still a tad flaky but overall strong
A nice, powerful leather flavor is starting to weigh in as the second third ends, and thats another one I love, so Im quite happy at this point. The honey has vanished, which saddens me, but the leather is strong and delicious, so I say farewell to good friends. The leather tastes like vegetable tanned cowhide (I do leatherworking as a hobby/source of income on the side When resurfacing leather for strops a lot of leather dust fills the room, and cowhide and horsehide have distinct characteristics. This tastes like cowhide dust.) And thats not a bad thing Cowhide has a meatier body to it.
Smoke output is staying strong and thick.
Final Third: This third opens up with the mouth-smoke losing all signs of the cream, it remains smooth, but doesnt have a milky background any longer Just the leather. The retrohale has a huge change of pace A blast of pepper and the chocolate is back to hang out with the leather. Smoke is starting to get hot in the last two inches, so I have to quit puffing so often Sad because Im really enjoying myself.
Now its purely a smooth leather while the retrohale is leather with hints of milk chocolate.
Nearing an inch and a half, the burn is still wavy, but a very clean line, smoke output is still excellent. Im down to sipping the cigar to keep the smoke from being too hot. The only flavor that remains is the leather, which has become richer and meatier. It dominates both the retrohale and normal exhale. The aftertaste/finish is slow to come, but its of a faint milk chocolate that adds the perfect sweetness to the heavy leather.
Down to about an inch and the smoke is now too hot to retrohale, even in sips, but the smoke in-mouth is still a tasty leather with more chocolate creeping in as it reaches the nub. Smoke output and burn line stays strong and clean down to the nub, and Im going to keep smoking this bad boy as long as I can!
End Smoking Time Around 1:30 1:45
Box worthy? Yes. Again and again.
I really, really liked this cigar.
Sorry for being so long-winded! I'll try to make them briefer in the future, this is what I get for typing while I'm smoking.
Cheers!
Jeremy
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