I finally got around to this thing Saturday evening, a little later than expected. Friday night I ended up smoking a Punch after dinner maduro first off (finally tried the cigar that I handed out when my sone was born in '99. I didn't smoke back then) and wanted to try this one on a clean start.
I picked up the Cervantes.
I cut it with my increasingly dull cutter (I know. No excuse, but it has really only gone down hill in the last 5-6 cigars that I've smoked) and I think that lead to the only down fall of the cigar. It is a box pressed and the cap was not that large. When I cut it, the wraper started to come up a little bit. I just delt with it until I could not go any farther. With about 1 1/4" left, it became unmanagable. The thing just let go all together. I think punching it is the way to go.
I didn't notice much taste on the wraper, nothing jumped out and made me say WOW. But, it was not bland enough to make me think 'what's the point'. The ash is a good solid white and holds on to a little over an inch and a quarter at a time. It had some good flavors in it, but I'm not the one who can pull all the different times out by name. It was a little harsh as mentioned above, but just slightly.
It is a decent little maduro that I would buy again and let age some or for nothing more than to try again. Not a bad little <$4 cigar.
