406 Cigars

Over at the Half Ashed forums we have a little “cigar pass” going on. Each person involved sends two unbanded cigars to another person in the “Blind Review Pass.” For the next few weeks I’ll be posting (with permission) those blind reviews. If you have never smoked a cigar blind, or unbanded, I would highly recommend it. Get some friends together and trade cigars with the bands removed, or have your wife take some bands off a few sticks in the bottom of your humidor. You’ll be surprised at how much a band can affect your perception of a cigar.

Today’s review is the second cigar from Your’s Truly!!. I smoked this cigar after my wisdom teeth surgery.

A perfectly smooth leaf covers this 5 1/2 x 46 cigar. There is a noticeable oily sheen on the brown, mottled wrapper, and well hidden seams. After cutting the triple cap I get a nice sweet tobacco flavor on the cold draw.

The first few puffs are deliciously sweet. It’s a little sugary sweet, but mixed with a baking spice similar to cardamom. There is only the smallest touch of spice in the retrohale, otherwise this cigar is SMOOTH.
About an inch into this smoke a pleasant red pepper comes through the nose. The burn is very straight, and I think the wrapper is broadleaf based on how small the ash is compared to the unburned cigar.

I get a little plastic or petroleum type flavor on the finish, but it’s so mild it doesn’t detract from the rest of the smoke. Smoothness is still the name of the game here, but flavor has been lacking up until this point. Now about 2 inches in, I get a good amount of sweet wood. The retrohale is sweeter now as well, with just a touch of spice. I’m really liking this cigar. The play between sweet and spicy is right up my ally, and the strength is not about to put me on my butt.

About halfway through I get an awesome toasted marshmallow flavor. Another new flavor is a smoky-whiskey tannic quality that screams Nicaragua to me. Could this be another Tatuaje? Wood, spice, sweetness, triple cap, broadleaf wrapper, all signs seem to be pointing that way. By the last inch all sweetness had gone, and deep woodiness finishes off the smoking experience. I liked this cigar a lot.

The Reveal
Not a Tatuaje, but close! Made in the same factory (My Father) this was a La Reloba Mexico Corona, Don Pepin’s budget cigar. This smoke does indeed have a Nicaraguan binder and fillers, with a Mexican San Andreas wrapper. So close, and yet, so far. Thanks, SmokinSteve!