JDog
BoM Nov '12 & May '13
This is my first review published for public consumption, let alone on this board. I want to first thank DantheBugMan for making this a Newb Scavenger hunt task and getting me off of my butt to finally post a cigar review. That said, for my first review I wanted to do something interesting, and I am fortunate to be given the opportunity to post a review on a cigar called Forajido, a new store release cigar offered by The Outlaw Cigar Company found in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Kendall Culbertson, the owner of The Outlaw Cigar Company, worked closely with Arsenio Ramos the master blender at Raices Cubanas to create this blend. As you probably already know Arsenio Ramos has been associated with brands like Illusione, Viaje, etc.
There are three variations of the blend that Im going to review: orange, purple, and black. The difference in the blends is with the filler. According to Kendall, a half leaf of Corojo is replaced with Criollo as you move from orange-to-purple-to-black. Therefore there is an entire leaf difference between the orange and black.
All three sticks are a Toro vitola. I was a bit nervous to smoke a cigar that only sat 2 days in humidor: these were straight off the FedEx truck. To be honest, I was expecting to get something a bit wet or with an ammonia smell. After inspecting them, they seemed like they were ready to be smoked. Construction of all three sticks was great and the burn on them was also good: slightly uneven at first but that quickly corrected itself about a quarter of an inch into the cigar.
I waited about 30 minutes between smokes, meaning that I didn't smoke them all at once!
1st and 2nd Third Impressions
Orange - Nice initial spice with an earthy and citrus taste. About an inch into the cigar, started to pick up a bitter cocoa, replacing the citrus, and the earth taste remained. The midpoint had the same bitter cocoa taste but a subtle sweetness came out not present in the 1st third of the stick.
Purple Again, nice initial spice but with a bitter cocoa taste about 1/8 inch into the stick that I experienced a little later with the orange. The spice was defiantly more prominent in the purple than with the Orange. Something that I just noticed smoking the Purple is how the spice initially hits you as you puff on the stick but quickly dissipates until the next puff. The second half starts to develop a tea taste as the spice began to die down. As you worked through the midpoint, the bitter cocoa taste came back. Nice subtle complexity!
Black Similar taste bitter cocoa taste as the purple but a bit more pronounced earthiness. Spice with this cigar is even more pronounced than with the Purple. The Black appeared to have slightly more strength, as well. The Black also developed a nice tea taste as you approached the midpoint, but unlike the Purple the spice held on: the spice lingers a lot longer than the other sticks between puffs. Again, similar to the Purple as you worked through the midpoint, the bitter cocoa taste came back although not as pronounced as with the Purple.
Final Third
Orange As you worked your way into the final third of the Orange a tea taste develops. So, the flavor profile transition seems to be slightly different than the other sticks. The spice also begins to pick-up again.
Purple Cocoa taste still present and holds that taste profile for most of the final third until you get to the final inch where the tea taste reemerges.
Black Similar to the Purple but with a more pronounced spice which lingers on the palate.
Overall Impression
I enjoyed all three cigars, but I thought the purple was my favorite. It will be interesting to see what my impressions are after I smoke a few more of all three of these blends. I would definitely consider purchasing these at the current price point versus my normal go-to smokes, which I believe is $7.50.
Well, I would like to get folks' opinion on how replacing Corojo with Criollo will affect the spice and taste profile. I only wrote what I experienced.
Thank you for reading!
Wrapper: Nicaragua
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua
Kendall Culbertson, the owner of The Outlaw Cigar Company, worked closely with Arsenio Ramos the master blender at Raices Cubanas to create this blend. As you probably already know Arsenio Ramos has been associated with brands like Illusione, Viaje, etc.
There are three variations of the blend that Im going to review: orange, purple, and black. The difference in the blends is with the filler. According to Kendall, a half leaf of Corojo is replaced with Criollo as you move from orange-to-purple-to-black. Therefore there is an entire leaf difference between the orange and black.

All three sticks are a Toro vitola. I was a bit nervous to smoke a cigar that only sat 2 days in humidor: these were straight off the FedEx truck. To be honest, I was expecting to get something a bit wet or with an ammonia smell. After inspecting them, they seemed like they were ready to be smoked. Construction of all three sticks was great and the burn on them was also good: slightly uneven at first but that quickly corrected itself about a quarter of an inch into the cigar.
I waited about 30 minutes between smokes, meaning that I didn't smoke them all at once!
1st and 2nd Third Impressions

Orange - Nice initial spice with an earthy and citrus taste. About an inch into the cigar, started to pick up a bitter cocoa, replacing the citrus, and the earth taste remained. The midpoint had the same bitter cocoa taste but a subtle sweetness came out not present in the 1st third of the stick.
Purple Again, nice initial spice but with a bitter cocoa taste about 1/8 inch into the stick that I experienced a little later with the orange. The spice was defiantly more prominent in the purple than with the Orange. Something that I just noticed smoking the Purple is how the spice initially hits you as you puff on the stick but quickly dissipates until the next puff. The second half starts to develop a tea taste as the spice began to die down. As you worked through the midpoint, the bitter cocoa taste came back. Nice subtle complexity!
Black Similar taste bitter cocoa taste as the purple but a bit more pronounced earthiness. Spice with this cigar is even more pronounced than with the Purple. The Black appeared to have slightly more strength, as well. The Black also developed a nice tea taste as you approached the midpoint, but unlike the Purple the spice held on: the spice lingers a lot longer than the other sticks between puffs. Again, similar to the Purple as you worked through the midpoint, the bitter cocoa taste came back although not as pronounced as with the Purple.
Final Third

Orange As you worked your way into the final third of the Orange a tea taste develops. So, the flavor profile transition seems to be slightly different than the other sticks. The spice also begins to pick-up again.
Purple Cocoa taste still present and holds that taste profile for most of the final third until you get to the final inch where the tea taste reemerges.
Black Similar to the Purple but with a more pronounced spice which lingers on the palate.
Overall Impression
I enjoyed all three cigars, but I thought the purple was my favorite. It will be interesting to see what my impressions are after I smoke a few more of all three of these blends. I would definitely consider purchasing these at the current price point versus my normal go-to smokes, which I believe is $7.50.
Well, I would like to get folks' opinion on how replacing Corojo with Criollo will affect the spice and taste profile. I only wrote what I experienced.
Thank you for reading!