Wrapper: USA Connecticut Shade
Binder: N/A Dominican
Filler: Dominican
4 7/8" x 46/60
Time to light up this gorgeous thing. I have around 1:20 hrs for it...dun, dun, dun...
Pre-light reveals an almost veinless wrapper, with a beautiful coffee color look to it. The aroma the wrapper gave, of deep cocoa, with what appears to be a hint of nutmeg just shouts: SMOKE ME! I don't get much aroma from the foot for obvious reasons.
After cutting the cap, I tasted a chocolatey wrapper and the pre-light draw gave notes of a sweetness I can't quite put me finger on. Not a sweet chocolate in the cocoa notes, not honey nor sugar. Similar to raw sugar, mostly.
First few puffs have given a medium cigar with notes of cocoa, black pepper and nutmeg.
As I keep going, the flavor, which in the begining was somehow saturated and overpoweringof most notes, has begun to settle; making ye able to note the notes (sorry for that) better, as well as enjoy them. Still full of pepper and cocoa, the sweetness of the wrapper remains there to give some neat whiffs amidst the gorgeous blue smoke.
After a tad more puffing, ye can definetly tell this is a cigar that'll have a beautifull ash, as I'd expected from it. Even though the spices (both pepper and nutmeg, with what tastes of cinamon) and cocoa remain, a tad of cedar appeared, as well as a more defined sweetness (still the one from the begining); which seems to be more like a fruit than pure, raw sugar.
Suddenly getting in the 1st third a tighter draw (nothing serious), the cigars cocoa, starts fading out a wee tad to give notes of leather along with all the ones mentioned. The fruity sweetness in it is stronger than the other Hemmingway Maduros I've had. Suddenly, the pepper drops to a far spot, giving a milder profile due to most of it being sweetness. Very maduro-esque. This also reminded me to do aminor touch up due to wind (otherwise, the burn's almost perfect).
Enter the 2nd third. Ash is around 1 1/2" and still looks strong. The flavor is of black pepper, cedar, cocoa and a, now milder, sweetness. The leather did not remain for a long time, or so it seems. With the dominant flavor now being pepper, it reminds meof a chocolate with mexican spices I have sometimes.
And it seems I was a quick judge! Out of the bloody blue, the pepper and spices took over the sweet profile the cigar had developed. Also with a stronger cedar flavor. The ash remains solid, white and beautiful! (As I wrote that, the "nipple"fell off)
About 1/2" away from the band, the pepper remains strong, with the cocoa and sweet fruit presence returning with it (though the pepper is still strong). The nutmeg remains (no cinamon right now), and the cedar as well in a far back. I think some roasted coffee notes are starting to make way. As it opens I'll confirm.
Yes. It was strong coffee. Which fits the rest of the notes perfectly! Bloody hell! I almost got coated in ash right now!!! I was about to begin de-banding and the cigar did not like the movement. Anyways: de-banding moment (and Meg hurries me to finish and go watch The Watchmen (perfect finale for the cigar, most probably).
In the 3rd third, I get STRONG pepper flavors, with the aforementioned coffee and salt. A drastic change after the sweetness that came with the cigar, which remains, I can taste a slightly salted chocolate.
Deeper into the last third, the cigar gives notes of nuts, which I personally love. Regretfully this one's nearing it's end (no sweetness clip today; have to go to the movies). With this cigar I'd like to thank Casey for such a marvelous gift and Craig for making me smoke it, as well as joining me in the dual-review.
Binder: N/A Dominican
Filler: Dominican
4 7/8" x 46/60
Time to light up this gorgeous thing. I have around 1:20 hrs for it...dun, dun, dun...
Pre-light reveals an almost veinless wrapper, with a beautiful coffee color look to it. The aroma the wrapper gave, of deep cocoa, with what appears to be a hint of nutmeg just shouts: SMOKE ME! I don't get much aroma from the foot for obvious reasons.
After cutting the cap, I tasted a chocolatey wrapper and the pre-light draw gave notes of a sweetness I can't quite put me finger on. Not a sweet chocolate in the cocoa notes, not honey nor sugar. Similar to raw sugar, mostly.
First few puffs have given a medium cigar with notes of cocoa, black pepper and nutmeg.
As I keep going, the flavor, which in the begining was somehow saturated and overpoweringof most notes, has begun to settle; making ye able to note the notes (sorry for that) better, as well as enjoy them. Still full of pepper and cocoa, the sweetness of the wrapper remains there to give some neat whiffs amidst the gorgeous blue smoke.
After a tad more puffing, ye can definetly tell this is a cigar that'll have a beautifull ash, as I'd expected from it. Even though the spices (both pepper and nutmeg, with what tastes of cinamon) and cocoa remain, a tad of cedar appeared, as well as a more defined sweetness (still the one from the begining); which seems to be more like a fruit than pure, raw sugar.
Suddenly getting in the 1st third a tighter draw (nothing serious), the cigars cocoa, starts fading out a wee tad to give notes of leather along with all the ones mentioned. The fruity sweetness in it is stronger than the other Hemmingway Maduros I've had. Suddenly, the pepper drops to a far spot, giving a milder profile due to most of it being sweetness. Very maduro-esque. This also reminded me to do aminor touch up due to wind (otherwise, the burn's almost perfect).
Enter the 2nd third. Ash is around 1 1/2" and still looks strong. The flavor is of black pepper, cedar, cocoa and a, now milder, sweetness. The leather did not remain for a long time, or so it seems. With the dominant flavor now being pepper, it reminds meof a chocolate with mexican spices I have sometimes.
And it seems I was a quick judge! Out of the bloody blue, the pepper and spices took over the sweet profile the cigar had developed. Also with a stronger cedar flavor. The ash remains solid, white and beautiful! (As I wrote that, the "nipple"fell off)
About 1/2" away from the band, the pepper remains strong, with the cocoa and sweet fruit presence returning with it (though the pepper is still strong). The nutmeg remains (no cinamon right now), and the cedar as well in a far back. I think some roasted coffee notes are starting to make way. As it opens I'll confirm.
Yes. It was strong coffee. Which fits the rest of the notes perfectly! Bloody hell! I almost got coated in ash right now!!! I was about to begin de-banding and the cigar did not like the movement. Anyways: de-banding moment (and Meg hurries me to finish and go watch The Watchmen (perfect finale for the cigar, most probably).
In the 3rd third, I get STRONG pepper flavors, with the aforementioned coffee and salt. A drastic change after the sweetness that came with the cigar, which remains, I can taste a slightly salted chocolate.
Deeper into the last third, the cigar gives notes of nuts, which I personally love. Regretfully this one's nearing it's end (no sweetness clip today; have to go to the movies). With this cigar I'd like to thank Casey for such a marvelous gift and Craig for making me smoke it, as well as joining me in the dual-review.
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