Carolina Cigar Red Label Reserva
Size: 6 x 42
Country: USA
Wrapper: Colorado Red
Binder: North Carolina
Filler: North Carolina
Single Price: $7.00
Total smoke time: 50 minutes
Thought I would smoke and do a review on something a bit unique this morning. Last year my wife and spent a weekend in Asheville, NC and I walked into a little cigar store http://www.thecarolinacigarcompany.com/ that I had never heard of. I was expecting your typical B&M but instead discovered that these guys actually sell what they make. I cant find any additional info anywhere to verify so I'm just taking the guys word that what he said was true. While they do produce cigars with tobacco from other countries, the Red Label Reserva is supposedly a medium body 5 blend cigar that uses 4 year old tobacco from only North Carolina. I thought that was pretty cool so I picked up a 5er of the corona size. This is the review on that cigar.
Pre-Light
The first thing that strikes me about this cigar is how red the wrapper is. I will assume that it has to be dyed but have no way of knowing that to be fact. The cigar is well packed with minimal veins on the wrapper and the seams are damn near invisible with a strong smell of cocoa from the foot. The cap appears to be a single and clipped very easily with no damage to the wrapper. The draw offer a slight bit of resistance and that same cocoa flavor is present along with a hint of pepper on the lips.
First Third
The cigar lit very quicly and immediately produced a lot of thick smoke. There is a slight amount of pepper on the tounge as well as on the back of my throat. Flavors are different than what I had expected considering the strong cocoa presence on the pre-light and different than anything I am used to. Mostly woodsy/earthy tones, but the dominant flavor is more like roasted almonds and the finish has a lot of sweetness almost like raisins.
3/4" in and the burn is a bit lopsided with a dirty gray ash.
Middle Third
Pretty consistant with the first 1/3. The ash is very crazy looking but holds on for about 1 1/4" before letting go.
The pepper has faded but that same flavor profile I had in the first part of the smoke is still there.
Final Third
There is a slight transition in the flavors going to more of a heavy leather but the raisin sweetness is still in the back ground.
Almost at the end the burn has corrected itself and the ash was much lighter than at any point in the cigar.
Final Thoughts
I liked the idea of the cigar being sort of a novelty being made entirely with tobacco from North Carolina. I enjoyed the cigar but the fact that it is $7 smoke would put it in a class where there are bunch of others that I would probably reach for as a preference. If anyone has any additional info to share on the cigar that would confirm or deny that it is all Carolina tobacco would be great. Enjoy your Sunday and thanks for reading.
Size: 6 x 42
Country: USA
Wrapper: Colorado Red
Binder: North Carolina
Filler: North Carolina
Single Price: $7.00
Total smoke time: 50 minutes
Thought I would smoke and do a review on something a bit unique this morning. Last year my wife and spent a weekend in Asheville, NC and I walked into a little cigar store http://www.thecarolinacigarcompany.com/ that I had never heard of. I was expecting your typical B&M but instead discovered that these guys actually sell what they make. I cant find any additional info anywhere to verify so I'm just taking the guys word that what he said was true. While they do produce cigars with tobacco from other countries, the Red Label Reserva is supposedly a medium body 5 blend cigar that uses 4 year old tobacco from only North Carolina. I thought that was pretty cool so I picked up a 5er of the corona size. This is the review on that cigar.
Pre-Light
The first thing that strikes me about this cigar is how red the wrapper is. I will assume that it has to be dyed but have no way of knowing that to be fact. The cigar is well packed with minimal veins on the wrapper and the seams are damn near invisible with a strong smell of cocoa from the foot. The cap appears to be a single and clipped very easily with no damage to the wrapper. The draw offer a slight bit of resistance and that same cocoa flavor is present along with a hint of pepper on the lips.
First Third
The cigar lit very quicly and immediately produced a lot of thick smoke. There is a slight amount of pepper on the tounge as well as on the back of my throat. Flavors are different than what I had expected considering the strong cocoa presence on the pre-light and different than anything I am used to. Mostly woodsy/earthy tones, but the dominant flavor is more like roasted almonds and the finish has a lot of sweetness almost like raisins.
3/4" in and the burn is a bit lopsided with a dirty gray ash.
Middle Third
Pretty consistant with the first 1/3. The ash is very crazy looking but holds on for about 1 1/4" before letting go.
The pepper has faded but that same flavor profile I had in the first part of the smoke is still there.
Final Third
There is a slight transition in the flavors going to more of a heavy leather but the raisin sweetness is still in the back ground.
Almost at the end the burn has corrected itself and the ash was much lighter than at any point in the cigar.
Final Thoughts
I liked the idea of the cigar being sort of a novelty being made entirely with tobacco from North Carolina. I enjoyed the cigar but the fact that it is $7 smoke would put it in a class where there are bunch of others that I would probably reach for as a preference. If anyone has any additional info to share on the cigar that would confirm or deny that it is all Carolina tobacco would be great. Enjoy your Sunday and thanks for reading.
