Cigar B3 - from problemsolverjc
Size: 6"x54
Reviewer Level: Extremely Novice!
Location: Tobacco Grove indoor smoking lounge - Maple Grove, MN
Date: 25Nov2013 18:10 - 20:10 (2:00 total burn time, cut short part way in to the final third)
Pairing: Water
Appearance: light brown wrapper, prominent veins & seams
Feel: average, some hard spots
Smell: fought with this a bit as I was distracted by other smoke in the lounge, sweet cocoa?
Cut: Xikar MTX Multi-Tool, clean, no splits or unraveling
Pre-light draw: restricted, cut it back a bit further but no change, still tough, sweet tobacco, leather, cocoa, a little spice on the lips
Light: Xikar Tech Double Jet, ~1.5" above the flame, easy full even light
First Puffs: ample smoke, a "dry" taste, very mellow
First 1/3: Very mild. None of the spice I was expecting from the pre-light, at least not in my mouth but a bit on retro-hale. Tastes of cocoa & earthy fruits (raisin/date) immediately reminded me of the Verdadero line. Plenty of smoke on the draw but no significant smoke on the foot after it sits. White-gray ash w/ minimal flaking. First ash drop at about 3/4", solid, no crumbling. No real change in flavors as I continue. Ash has become much more flakey after the first drop, and more "salt & pepper" looking. More of the raisin/date fruit. Burn has become a bit uneven, but corrected itself quickly. Just a little spice appearing as we approach the 1/3 mark. Ash dropped again, right at 1/3.
Second 1/3: Tasting more of the fruit. Spice is picking up a bit, but it comes and goes, more noticeable on the finish. Seeing more sweetness, and even mint chocolate?! I think this was the cigar I could smell when I opened up the shipping box. Ashed again at the halfway mark and started to lose it's burn, so I touched up before it completely went out. Continued on after this with more of the same flavors.
Final 1/3: Draw continues to be tough, having to work hard at it, but still lots of smoke off the draw. Another uneven burn, but again corrected itself rather quickly. Still sweet, minimal spice, a little more nutty. Very mellow/"plain" in comparison to other cigars I've had. Started to get a bit of a nicotine high about halfway through the final third. Had to drop it off with about an inch left to smoke. Shop closed up 10 minutes ago ad I'm one of the last ones here. Need to start earlier next time! I would guess this is maybe a 2:15-2:20 smoke if I would have finished it.
Conclusion: Overall, a very light easy-going cigar. Maybe a morning coffee cigar flavor-wise, but I'd be worried on an empty stomach as I was feeling this one by the end! It was good, had some good flavors, I just got bored by the end. Not necessarily a bad thing, but some people want complexity. I would probably smoke again if I were in the mood.
Score: 7/10