Just got back from vacation...my mystery cigars trading partner, gummy jones, sent his PACKAGE last week, just before I left. Besides the three mystery smokes, the box included a Tatuaje Black petite lancero, EG Family Series (Pennsylvania shpo house blend), Bolivar petit corona, and a Montecristo Media Corona...plus several Sarris Candies chocolate confections (best chocolates ever) and a bag of pistachios (I considered sending them to FGM, but ate them while I was thinking about it)
Review: Mystery cigar #1
4 3/4" x 52, medium brown wrapper with a matte appearance, thick wrapper leaf with similar hued fillers; solid cigar with very little give when pinched; smelled of barnyard, earthy cocoa and veggie mix pre-light. Paired with ice water.
First few puffs and the flavor profile immediately said Cuban cigar, with the distinctive sweet, smooth, mild grassy, tangy, floral, boutique tea mix flavors. The smoke was dry, and the flavors became apparent only when retrohaling. Seems my tongue/mouth does not taste cigar smoke well, so I always push the smoke out through my sinuses and nose. The draw was about medium, which produced ample smoke.There was an initial slight spicy/pepperiness that disappeared after half an inch. The sweet floral grassy tea flavor remained solid and was joined by some citrus peel. The burn got uneven and needed a touch up after about 1 1/4" and the next puff caused the solid ash to finally drop, onto my lap.
The flavors popped after the burn correction, tasting sweet, floral and fruity mixed with the grassy veggie mix and tea. The smoke left my mouth feeling dry with a slight burn/spiciness, but a sip of water solved that. The mild flavor allowed a full retrohale...what a tasty cigar! Though I wanted to smoke faster, the cigar performed better at a slower pace...about a puff every minute or two. Half way in, and the strength of the tobacco appeared. Getting the warm jitteriness that happens when I have a strong cigar, but this is unusual because the flavors are so mild and mellow. After about 2+ inches, there was a minty flavor that came on, replacing the floral flavor. The sweet veggie, grassy tea mix remained strong. Needed another correction with about 2" left.
The final third, I kept thinking "great cigar!" The draw opened up here. The slight spiciness/peppery flavor came back for awhile, but the sweet minty veggie tea flavor stayed strong. The flavor in my mouth near the end was of mild tobacco with a slight burn. Had to do a last correction of the burn line with one inch left. An even burn line produces the best flavors...
Nubbed to about half an inch, and regretted putting it down. Total time was an hour and 25 minutes... quite a while for a smallish cigar...proof that it was solidly constructed. It was a strong yet mild flavored cigar with complex flavors which were difficult to describe. Despite a few burn corrections, this was a great cigar...guessing it was a high end Cuban, not sure which, though.
Thanks for the great cigar, gummy!
edit: please wait until I review all 3 mystery cigars before revealing what they were....