This was a DPG blended version of the Padilla 1932. It has been resting in my humi for about nine months. I enjoyed it before dinner with some good ol' H2O.
Appearance: The wrapper on this cigar was a medium brown, lighter than I remember it being actually. There was one major flaw in the wrapper. It looked like a piece of the wrapper was just...missing. No visable damage around it. It was about size of a button on a shirt. Since this was part of a sampler I purchased from another BOTL, I'm not sure when it happened (factory, shipping, previous owner, etc). Aside from that one "issue", it was very nice with only lightly visible veins. Score - 11.
Ash: The ash was light gray with deep lines of black. There was no flaking to it and it held strong for around an inch. At that point it would start to lean and I never took the chance of it dropping on me. Score - 8
Draw: I love my Palio cutter. I snipped the cap and the pre-light draw was just a little firm so I snipped some more...perfect. It remained this way until about the half-way point, where it got a little firm again...not firm enough to mess with though. Score - 9
Burn: The burn was quite good, even over the aforementioned wrapper "hole'. When it wavered at all, which it did a couple times, it would self-correct...VERY nice. Score - 9
Smoke: The smoke off this cigar was blue-gray and fairly plentiful. With the ever-so-tight draw, I felt I wasn't getting quite as much smoke as it could have produced. The aroma was wonderful. Interestingly a cedar or woodsy aroma was there that I didn't often note on the palate. In fact, it was the major characteristic of the aroma...albeit a very pleasant one. Score - 9
Flavor: Pre-light aroma was of tobacco and a slight barnyard goodness. The first couple of puffs brought spice with nutty and earth undertones. These flavors remained prominent throughout the first third. In the second third the spice faded to the background, no longer detectable on the tongue, and a creaminess joined the earth and nutty flavors. About half way through I was starting to pick up on some coffee and just a little twang. At this point it started to remind of a Cuban. Now before I get backlash, let me say that my ISOM experience is pretty limited, so take that statement for what it's worth (maybe nothing!). In the final third, I started to get some cedar or woodsy notes. Along with that, some dryness on the tongue and a little bitterness crept in, so I purged. Just before laying it to rest, I rewarded with a return of some spice and nuttiness. Score - 19
Uniqueness: This category has always been hard for me. I loved the flavors of this cigar and the journey that the changing flavors provided. Score - 9
Finish: A nice long finish. The bitterness was cured by a purge and the flavors I really enjoyed made a return visit. I'm ready for another. Score - 14.
Total Score: 88
Were it not for the wrapper flaw (which really ended up being just a visual thing) this would have scored pretty high with me. And in the end, I think appearance gets a little too much weight in this rating system. But, it is what it is. Thanks for reading!
Appearance: The wrapper on this cigar was a medium brown, lighter than I remember it being actually. There was one major flaw in the wrapper. It looked like a piece of the wrapper was just...missing. No visable damage around it. It was about size of a button on a shirt. Since this was part of a sampler I purchased from another BOTL, I'm not sure when it happened (factory, shipping, previous owner, etc). Aside from that one "issue", it was very nice with only lightly visible veins. Score - 11.
Ash: The ash was light gray with deep lines of black. There was no flaking to it and it held strong for around an inch. At that point it would start to lean and I never took the chance of it dropping on me. Score - 8
Draw: I love my Palio cutter. I snipped the cap and the pre-light draw was just a little firm so I snipped some more...perfect. It remained this way until about the half-way point, where it got a little firm again...not firm enough to mess with though. Score - 9
Burn: The burn was quite good, even over the aforementioned wrapper "hole'. When it wavered at all, which it did a couple times, it would self-correct...VERY nice. Score - 9
Smoke: The smoke off this cigar was blue-gray and fairly plentiful. With the ever-so-tight draw, I felt I wasn't getting quite as much smoke as it could have produced. The aroma was wonderful. Interestingly a cedar or woodsy aroma was there that I didn't often note on the palate. In fact, it was the major characteristic of the aroma...albeit a very pleasant one. Score - 9
Flavor: Pre-light aroma was of tobacco and a slight barnyard goodness. The first couple of puffs brought spice with nutty and earth undertones. These flavors remained prominent throughout the first third. In the second third the spice faded to the background, no longer detectable on the tongue, and a creaminess joined the earth and nutty flavors. About half way through I was starting to pick up on some coffee and just a little twang. At this point it started to remind of a Cuban. Now before I get backlash, let me say that my ISOM experience is pretty limited, so take that statement for what it's worth (maybe nothing!). In the final third, I started to get some cedar or woodsy notes. Along with that, some dryness on the tongue and a little bitterness crept in, so I purged. Just before laying it to rest, I rewarded with a return of some spice and nuttiness. Score - 19
Uniqueness: This category has always been hard for me. I loved the flavors of this cigar and the journey that the changing flavors provided. Score - 9
Finish: A nice long finish. The bitterness was cured by a purge and the flavors I really enjoyed made a return visit. I'm ready for another. Score - 14.
Total Score: 88
Were it not for the wrapper flaw (which really ended up being just a visual thing) this would have scored pretty high with me. And in the end, I think appearance gets a little too much weight in this rating system. But, it is what it is. Thanks for reading!
