blessednxs65
Is it Nicaraguan
I was in my B&M today and I was in a quandary regarding a stick and Todd steered me towards this behemoth of a stick from Abe Flores which has this band that is a cross between a Behike and a L'Atelier. He notes that while no one in his opinion has cornered the market on the San Andrea Maduro, Abe has come close. So, I am deciding between this and a LFD "A" at roughly the same price point. So then one of the guys who is a LFD whore, yes G, I said it... chimes in and says "While the A is good, you will not get that LFD experience." That sealed it for me so I went with the AFR and man, I am so happy I did.
Now for the experience...
Pre-light:
As I stated, this is a massive stick, not a seam, vein, blemish or soft spot to be found. Running my nose the length of the stick I am met with warm cocoa and butterscotch, at the foot, a little bit of barnyard debuts. So I give the stick a deep V-cut and the dry draw is simply legit; a mixture of cocoa and nuts greet me. I am excited to put fire to this one; so, I do just that. A toasting of the foot and 45 seconds later, I have an even start and we are off.
First Third:
A firm, effortless draw and PLENTY of smoke. Cocoa powder, cashews and white pepper and the prominent flavors. No one flavor stands out over the other, simply put, the blend is balanced and so far, so good. The white ash holds on for almost two inches.
Second Third:
The dray is still good, the burn line is tight and the Cocoa is the dominant flavor and although the White Pepper is giving way to a spicier varietal, it is not overwhelming. I am starting to pick up a hint of molasses to accompany the nicotine that is beginning to pick up especially on the retrohale. Overall, the complexity is keeping me interested.
Final Third:
Straight bliss, butterscotch, dark espresso and chocolate. Is this a candy bar or a cigar? Because there's smoke billowing from it, I am going with the latter. The cigar kept rapt attention for almost 2 hours and leaves me wanting more. Definitely gotta find some at a better price point but man, must find more.
Last Thoughts:
I have always been fond of what Abe did with PDR and I still consider the 1878's and the stick he did for Mission Pipe Pleasanton, to be some of the best boutique cigars, this one was over the top. Come to think of it, the stick reminded me a little bit of something that Sean Williams did with the La Hermendad. I am wondering since they have come together if this was perhaps a collaboration. Bottom line, this was a damn fine stick!
Now for the experience...
Pre-light:
As I stated, this is a massive stick, not a seam, vein, blemish or soft spot to be found. Running my nose the length of the stick I am met with warm cocoa and butterscotch, at the foot, a little bit of barnyard debuts. So I give the stick a deep V-cut and the dry draw is simply legit; a mixture of cocoa and nuts greet me. I am excited to put fire to this one; so, I do just that. A toasting of the foot and 45 seconds later, I have an even start and we are off.
First Third:
A firm, effortless draw and PLENTY of smoke. Cocoa powder, cashews and white pepper and the prominent flavors. No one flavor stands out over the other, simply put, the blend is balanced and so far, so good. The white ash holds on for almost two inches.
Second Third:
The dray is still good, the burn line is tight and the Cocoa is the dominant flavor and although the White Pepper is giving way to a spicier varietal, it is not overwhelming. I am starting to pick up a hint of molasses to accompany the nicotine that is beginning to pick up especially on the retrohale. Overall, the complexity is keeping me interested.
Final Third:
Straight bliss, butterscotch, dark espresso and chocolate. Is this a candy bar or a cigar? Because there's smoke billowing from it, I am going with the latter. The cigar kept rapt attention for almost 2 hours and leaves me wanting more. Definitely gotta find some at a better price point but man, must find more.
Last Thoughts:
I have always been fond of what Abe did with PDR and I still consider the 1878's and the stick he did for Mission Pipe Pleasanton, to be some of the best boutique cigars, this one was over the top. Come to think of it, the stick reminded me a little bit of something that Sean Williams did with the La Hermendad. I am wondering since they have come together if this was perhaps a collaboration. Bottom line, this was a damn fine stick!
