Stogie_Bear
Chulo Savage
Review: Warped - Flor del Valle Sky Flower
Size: 5 5/8 x 48
MSRP: $12.50
Date: 20th day of April, the year 2015…
Smoking Environment: Settling in from a long Monday to watch some playoff hockey. I’ve got a six pack of Kona Big Wave on ice, just had a quiet dinner with my wife and reconciled the events of each other’s work day. Time to sink into my king’s chair and float into a Sky Flower. I have smoked many, probably too many, of these already. I have no doubt that the brew I have chosen shouldn’t interfere with the massive energy and flavor this stick puts out. Let’s delve into the Sky Flower, my friends.
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Jalapa Corojo 99
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua (corojo 99 and criollo 98)
Factory: Tabacos Valle de Jalapa S.A. (TABSA), Esteli, Nicaragua
Note: This is the same Flor del Valle blend we know (Nica puros from Aganorsa) but transformed by some additional Medio Tiempo leaf, which is the priming above the ligero leaf. Kyle explained that this is usually 1 or 2 tiny leaves and that it is especially hard to harvest and age correctly, which limits production. He elaborated on the point that if harvested and aged incorrectly, the medio tiempo leaf can turn a blend bitter. So, selection and quality control are of the utmost importance when using Medio Tiempo.
Appearance/construction: An especially delicious looking milk chocolate wrapper, semi-oily and smooth to the touch. Packed to the limit with tobacco, with very little to no rebound when squeezed. Some small to medium veins that run the length of the cigar are present. A famously executed triple cap to top it off.
Aroma Pre-Light: Earth, mixed nuts, pepper, natural tobacco and cedar. Yum.
Cold draw: I perform a straight cut on this stick, with one of the 15 free cutters I seem to have accumulated; an inevitable but useful side effect of an online cigar shopping addiction. Great open draw with just enough resistance. Getting notes of hay, cedar, and bit of citrus rind.
Light: Use the single torch to toast, and the foot blazes after a few rounds.
First impression: Charred meat and roasted nuts right off the bat, along with lots of black pepper that already seems to be fading.
Aroma Post-Light: Very fresh aroma. Not quite like fresh cut grass, but maybe the aroma of fresh hay and soil.
First Third: Jumping into this cigar with a full pepper and earth profile. The aroma through the draw and retro is full of earth, hay, fresh ground black peppercorn, and a touch of coffee and the tiniest bit of citrus. Plenty of smoke production, but not overly generous and an even burn so far. The Sky Flower seems to be a slow smoker so far, taking it’s time to burn all of the delicious oils for you smoking pleasure (and possibly for your own protection). Medium/full bodied and powerful. The ash falls before I can get a pic, at around the 1 ½ inch mark. As I move towards the second third, the profile begins to transition.
Second Third: Bold dark chocolate and roasted nuts are added to the profile, and the spice is dialed down. The smoke production ramps up a bit and turns creamy, along with the earth, hay, and coffee continuing from the first third. The retrohale still holds much of the pepper, but seems to have uncloaked a base of florals and lemongrass. The subdued spice allows some more citrus to come through, but with a bold toasted note. It reminds me of my aunt when she would load a bunch of orange peels in the oven to "clean" it. Geez…. Again, I lose the ash before I can snag a picture. This may be a before and after kind of review! The burn has been mostly even through this third, gotten a bit wonky towards the end but self-corrected after some therapeutic puffing, which means the burn has increased in speed but my draws have remained at a consistent frequency. I pick up the pace, carefully moving into the final third.
Final Third: Back comes the spice along with a beat of heat. More black pepper with a touch of red fire. The creaminess fades away and the earth and hay turns more to a barnyard brushfire kind of flavor. The florals are still present in the retrohale but the lemongrass has turned back to spice. The citrus has gone. Again, I miss the picture. Moving into the nub the heat kicks up again and it’s time to put this one out.
Overall Impression/Final Notes: There are a lot of transitions in this stick. A LOT. In each third I find that although the current profile flavors are intermingling, it is a wave of one flavor and then two or three puffs later, another wave of a different flavor. Then the profile changes altogether into the following third. This stick is full bodied, full strength, and insanely complex. I do believe that with a moderate amount of rest/age this stick will meld together. It’s reminded me a lot of a young CC, where the profile is all over the place and then a year later everything culminates into a full stick of incredible. I’ve already purchased a good stock of these, and will be buying more for aging.
Smoke time: 2hrs
Scoring:
Appearance and Presentation: 18/20
Lighting and Burning Properties: 13/15
Construction Properties: 28/30
Taste Properties: 31/35
Total: 90/100
Author’s Note: As always, I welcome any constructive criticism so that my reviews can continue to grow in strength and depth. I will try my best to review sticks that have not been previously reviewed here and that are generally “available.” As a service to my brothers, I intend to write with as much detail as I can muster, and with an honest opinion. However, it is only MY opinion, so please try a stick before you buy a box if you have any intention of being fiscally responsible with this beloved affliction for fine tobacco that we all have. Also, all cigars are kept humidified at 68% unless noted otherwise. Thanks for reading!
Size: 5 5/8 x 48
MSRP: $12.50
Date: 20th day of April, the year 2015…
Smoking Environment: Settling in from a long Monday to watch some playoff hockey. I’ve got a six pack of Kona Big Wave on ice, just had a quiet dinner with my wife and reconciled the events of each other’s work day. Time to sink into my king’s chair and float into a Sky Flower. I have smoked many, probably too many, of these already. I have no doubt that the brew I have chosen shouldn’t interfere with the massive energy and flavor this stick puts out. Let’s delve into the Sky Flower, my friends.
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Jalapa Corojo 99
Binder: Nicaragua
Filler: Nicaragua (corojo 99 and criollo 98)
Factory: Tabacos Valle de Jalapa S.A. (TABSA), Esteli, Nicaragua
Note: This is the same Flor del Valle blend we know (Nica puros from Aganorsa) but transformed by some additional Medio Tiempo leaf, which is the priming above the ligero leaf. Kyle explained that this is usually 1 or 2 tiny leaves and that it is especially hard to harvest and age correctly, which limits production. He elaborated on the point that if harvested and aged incorrectly, the medio tiempo leaf can turn a blend bitter. So, selection and quality control are of the utmost importance when using Medio Tiempo.
Appearance/construction: An especially delicious looking milk chocolate wrapper, semi-oily and smooth to the touch. Packed to the limit with tobacco, with very little to no rebound when squeezed. Some small to medium veins that run the length of the cigar are present. A famously executed triple cap to top it off.
Aroma Pre-Light: Earth, mixed nuts, pepper, natural tobacco and cedar. Yum.
Cold draw: I perform a straight cut on this stick, with one of the 15 free cutters I seem to have accumulated; an inevitable but useful side effect of an online cigar shopping addiction. Great open draw with just enough resistance. Getting notes of hay, cedar, and bit of citrus rind.
Light: Use the single torch to toast, and the foot blazes after a few rounds.
First impression: Charred meat and roasted nuts right off the bat, along with lots of black pepper that already seems to be fading.
Aroma Post-Light: Very fresh aroma. Not quite like fresh cut grass, but maybe the aroma of fresh hay and soil.
First Third: Jumping into this cigar with a full pepper and earth profile. The aroma through the draw and retro is full of earth, hay, fresh ground black peppercorn, and a touch of coffee and the tiniest bit of citrus. Plenty of smoke production, but not overly generous and an even burn so far. The Sky Flower seems to be a slow smoker so far, taking it’s time to burn all of the delicious oils for you smoking pleasure (and possibly for your own protection). Medium/full bodied and powerful. The ash falls before I can get a pic, at around the 1 ½ inch mark. As I move towards the second third, the profile begins to transition.
Second Third: Bold dark chocolate and roasted nuts are added to the profile, and the spice is dialed down. The smoke production ramps up a bit and turns creamy, along with the earth, hay, and coffee continuing from the first third. The retrohale still holds much of the pepper, but seems to have uncloaked a base of florals and lemongrass. The subdued spice allows some more citrus to come through, but with a bold toasted note. It reminds me of my aunt when she would load a bunch of orange peels in the oven to "clean" it. Geez…. Again, I lose the ash before I can snag a picture. This may be a before and after kind of review! The burn has been mostly even through this third, gotten a bit wonky towards the end but self-corrected after some therapeutic puffing, which means the burn has increased in speed but my draws have remained at a consistent frequency. I pick up the pace, carefully moving into the final third.
Final Third: Back comes the spice along with a beat of heat. More black pepper with a touch of red fire. The creaminess fades away and the earth and hay turns more to a barnyard brushfire kind of flavor. The florals are still present in the retrohale but the lemongrass has turned back to spice. The citrus has gone. Again, I miss the picture. Moving into the nub the heat kicks up again and it’s time to put this one out.
Overall Impression/Final Notes: There are a lot of transitions in this stick. A LOT. In each third I find that although the current profile flavors are intermingling, it is a wave of one flavor and then two or three puffs later, another wave of a different flavor. Then the profile changes altogether into the following third. This stick is full bodied, full strength, and insanely complex. I do believe that with a moderate amount of rest/age this stick will meld together. It’s reminded me a lot of a young CC, where the profile is all over the place and then a year later everything culminates into a full stick of incredible. I’ve already purchased a good stock of these, and will be buying more for aging.
Smoke time: 2hrs
Scoring:
Appearance and Presentation: 18/20
Lighting and Burning Properties: 13/15
Construction Properties: 28/30
Taste Properties: 31/35
Total: 90/100
Author’s Note: As always, I welcome any constructive criticism so that my reviews can continue to grow in strength and depth. I will try my best to review sticks that have not been previously reviewed here and that are generally “available.” As a service to my brothers, I intend to write with as much detail as I can muster, and with an honest opinion. However, it is only MY opinion, so please try a stick before you buy a box if you have any intention of being fiscally responsible with this beloved affliction for fine tobacco that we all have. Also, all cigars are kept humidified at 68% unless noted otherwise. Thanks for reading!
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