On this week’s episode, Kevin Sun joined the guys at The Straight Cut on an educational journey, exploring how different binders contribute to the tasting note in a cigar. Created by Luxury Cigar Club in collaboration with Valacari Cigar Company, this first installation in the Cigar University Series will help cigar smokers understand the (often overlooked) impact of the binder.
Nelson Alfonso is widely known for his marketing genius by establishing some of the most iconic brand identities for companies such as Montecristo, Romeo & Julieta, and one of the most sought out Cuban cigars, the Cohiba Behike. However, not everyone has heard of his cigars. Under the Selected Tobacco S.A umbrella, Byron is one of the three cigar brands under his belt (the others are Atabey and Tabacos Bandolero).
The history of this cigar is quite fascinating:
“Byron was the original cigar line produced by Alfonso’s family in the mid-19th Century. It was named after a world-renowned English poet George Gordon Byron, also known as Lord Byron. By the end of the 19th century, the Alfonso family encountered some major financial distress and reluctantly sold the brand to a neighboring cigar manufacturer. After almost a century, Alfonso’s family was able to reclaim the Byron brand.”
You can visit the Selected Tobacco S.A website to get the full version and learn about his other two cigar brands, Atabey and Bandolero.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Byron Reserva 5 Anos
Wrapper: Undisclosed
Binder: Undisclosed
Filler: Undisclosed
Size: Habaneros (6” x 56)
Appearance & Construction
The oily Colorado color wrapper shines pristinely under the warm light. It has no blemishes and just one small minor vein is visible. I run my fingers down the cigar and do not feel any soft spots. I can tell this cigar was rolled masterfully, as it takes me a while to find the seam of the wrapper.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
The wrapper gives off a scent of sweet vanilla, caramel, and cedarwood. I smell the foot and get tart dried cranberry, plum, and sawdust. After shaving off the cap, I taste oatmeal and cedar from the cold draw.
I take my first puff after lighting the cigar and am a bit disappointed as my tastebuds are bum-rushed with extreme bitterness in the smoke. Once my tastebuds acclimate a bit, I’m able to taste salty burnt peanut, dark leather, and red pepper spice that fades as soon as it hits the flat of my palate. There is an aftertaste of peanut skin, and just like peanut skin, it dries out my tongue. I retrohale the next puffs, and surprisingly it becomes quite floral with flavors of leather, tree branch, and baking spice that linger in my nasal passage.
Thankfully, the dark bitter flavors don’t last too long: by an inch in, the bitterness clears and I taste tree bark, light leather, apple, and a hint of spice at the back of my tongue. The retrohale remains the same so far.
I have to compliment the construction of this cigar. As I enter the second third: the burn line is even the whole time, and the white ash is undisturbed by random gusts of wind as it tunnels through the streets of New York City.
At this point, the Byron becomes very inviting with flavors of freshly baked bread, salted and buttered popcorn, sweet hay, peanut, and blond roast coffee beans. The combination of the flavors reminds me of cracker jacks without the caramel. The retrohale remains floral with almond, cedar, nutmeg, and red pepper spice.
The final third of the Byron is as enjoyable as the second third. I get a strong taste of butter popcorn alongside caramel, granola, cedar, and red pepper spice. As I take the last puff of retrohale, it transports me to a carnival with flavors of apple, marshmallow, cedar, light leather, and cinnamon spice.
Conclusion
The Byron is truly a sophisticated smoke. The overall flavors were flawlessly balanced, and the construction was superb. It was atypical for Byron to open up with such harshness. However, the flavors became delectable after surpassing the first inch of the cigar. What stood out to me the most was the subtle shift in the tasting notes every half an inch or so. Especially when the flavors evolved from buttered popcorn in the second third into cracker jacks during the final third. That being said, this can also be a challenge to review this cigar with the traditional standard of every third.
Ever since my first encounter with them at their launch event at The Carnegie Club back in March 2019, I’ve always had Viva La Vida from Artesano del Tobacco stocked in my humidor. Since then, I have gone through countless boxes in different vitolas, including their follow-up launches of the Jester, lounge exclusives, and club exclusive.
In April of 2020, Billy and Gus Fakih released a line paying homage to the first 500 cigar lounges and patrons whom they believed are the core supporters of the Viva La Vida cigar, the Club 500. I had the good luck of unknowingly blind reviewing this cigar. Read on.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Viva la Vida Club 500
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano Oscuro
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan Corojo 99 & Criollo 98
Size: 6″x60 (Box Pressed)
Appearance & Construction
The dark Oscuro wrapper gives off a red hue under the sunlight. The box-pressed cigar feels heavy and sturdy as I’m squeezing it between my fingers. My fingers become oily from holding onto the cigar for an extended amount of time. I see two minor veins, but it doesn’t hurt the construction. The box-press has leveled all sides evenly. Visually, this cigar is stunning; it reminds me of a chocolate bar.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
The wrapper gives off a nutty and vanilla scent. At the foot, the cigar delivers a mixture of apricot, hay, and pepper spice. I shave off the cap and take a cold draw. The flavors are a little muted; a hint of sweetness, dark leather, and cayenne pepper murmur at me. Slowly toasting the foot, a swirl of white smoke spirals around my head, giving off a scent of warm baking spices as they pass by my nose.
An abundance of velvety smoke glides past my palate as I puff on the cigar and drown myself in flavors of roasted peanut shell, barnyard, light leather, tree bark, vanilla, and cayenne pepper spice. I proceed to retrohale the next puff and taste citrus fruits, hay, vanilla, and a sizzling sensation of warm baking spice, only to disappear the second it exits my nose.
Half-way past the first third, the cigar becomes a chocolate bomb: creamy and sweet milk chocolate with light leather and a taste reminding me of a summer breeze. As the flavor disperses, red pepper spice lingers behind, playing punching bag with my uvula. A stream of warm smoke rushes through my nasal path, carrying vanilla, sunflower seeds, barnyard hay, and baking spice.
The flavors continue to enrich themselves as I reach the second third. The sweet and creamy milk chocolate intensifies along with roasted peanut, straw hay, and paprika spice with a citrus aftertaste. Retrohale is very saporous: I taste light leather, dry apricot, roasted peanut, and cinnamon spice. At this point, I feel like I am smoking a cup of Mexican Hot Chocolate.
As if the cigar knows what I was thinking, the flavor profile adjusts itself one last time for the big finale. Right before the sweet and creamy flavor overwhelm my taste buds, honey roasted peanut, hay, and cinnamon spice became the dominant flavors. I thought I was smoking an entirely different cigar. A great ending.
Conclusion
Billy and Gus hit another home run with the Viva La Vida Club 500. The construction was near perfection. The smoke was complex and well balanced with every shift in the flavor profile. I can’t wait to see what Artesano Del Tobacco has in store for us in the future.
In 2011, famed humidor maker Daniel Marshall custom-made a cigar wrapped in an edible gold leaf, specially designed to celebrate his friend’s 64th birthday. Not too long after, Marshall decided to recreate the golden cigar for an over the top “ultra bling” humidor, which was a project given to him by Universal Studios to commemorate the movie Scarface.
The next year, Marshall released another version of the golden DM2 blend named the “24kt Golden Torpedo” to celebrate the 30th anniversary of his company. The cigar itself is a Nicaraguan puro blended by Manuel “Manolo” Quesada and made in the Placencia factory. Each cigar gets rolled in a 24kt Italian gold leaf, which is sourced from the same supplier who provided for the Sistine Chapel. They come in individual coffins and sell for $300 per cigar.
But at such a high price point, could it be worth it? Let’s find out.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Daniel Marshall 24kt Golden Torpedo
Wrapper: Habano
Binder: Nicaragua (Esteli)
Filler: Nicaragua (Jalapa)
Size: 6 1/4″ x 54 (Torpedo)
Appearance & Construction
The Golden Torpedo is an eye-catcher. It glares under the sunlight, making it the brightest object in the dimmed B&M I’m smoking at. Other patrons couldn’t help but notice the shiny cigar, as some thought it was a prop while others recognized it immediately.
After a quick show and tell, I was able to sit down and give 110% of my attention to this cigar. Visually, the Golden Torpedo is stunning. The surface is very glossy, but I can feel the impression of the wrapper through the foil. I give the cigar a firm squeeze between my fingers, and it is unyielding. Upon a closer look, I see a small portion of the gold flaked off by the foot, exposing the habano wrapper.
Flavor & Smoke Characteristics
The gold leaf has a slight waxy smell coming off of it, which kind of reminds me of wax paper for baking. The foot of the cigar gives off a sweet apricot scent followed by white pepper, which tickles my nose. I cut off the triangular cap with my straight cutter and try a cold draw. The taste is exceptionally satisfying with floral notes, dried apricot, persimmon, and sweet hay with an aftertaste of granola. The airflow is on the tight end of the spectrum, about 8 out of 10.
Unlike a standard cigar, lighting the Golden Torpedo takes a while (and a little bit of patience). As I start puffing on the cigar, I taste barnyard, pine nuts, cedar, and black pepper. There is also an aftertaste of bitterness in the smoke. I retrohale the next puff and get a burst of black pepper spice, then hay and dark leather once the pepper disburse. This cigar forces me to continuously puff on it to keep it lit, which makes the bitterness in the smoke more prominent.
Halfway down the first third, I have to relight the cigar twice. On the third time, the filler is not reacting to the flame from my torch. I try to knock the ash off on the side of the ashtray, but the ash is hard like a lump of charcoal. I have no other choice but to cut off the remaining of the first third.
As I relight the Golden Torpedo, I notice a natural sweetness has replaced the bitterness in the smoke. There is also a taste of almond, light leather, and cedar. The retrohale becomes smoother as well, with barnyard and red pepper spice. Unfortunately, the cigar does not stay lit for more than half an inch. The same lighting issue is reoccurring. I have to do the unthinkable twice and cut off another portion of the cigar.
Hoping third time is the charm, I reignite the foot. The flavor profile picks up from where it left off all the way down to the nub. The Golden Torpedo finally burns and tastes like a $300 cigar with creamy smoke, dried apricot, sweet hay, and grain. I shut my eyes close for a second and immediately imagined a bowl of creamy oatmeal with fruits and brown sugar. I end my golden moment with a retrohale, and it leaves me with cedar, almond, and white pepper.
Conclusion
Is Daniel Marshall Golden Torpedo worth $300? No. This cigar did tease me with superb flavors on the cold draw. However, the gold that makes this cigar stands out is also its downfall. Not only does the 24kt gold leaf make the cigar look a bit gimmicky, but unlike natural tobacco wrapper, there is no aeration through the wrapper other than the foot of the cigar. I believe the lack of oxygen was the factor that created the burning issues I experienced throughout the whole smoke.
For the price of this cigar, the Daniel Marshall Golden Torpedo didn’t even come close to my expectation. Despite the negative experience, I am interested in trying the DM2 blend without the gold, seeing as the cold draw and the nub did leave a positive impression on me.
Archetype by Ventura Cigar Co. is not a brand I cross paths with regularly. However, as a fantasy enthusiast, you can imagine my interest after learning about the cigar once the big reveal from my blind review. Archetype originates from the works of psychologist Dr. Carl Jung and mythographer Joseph Campbell. Throughout much of Campbell’s research, he has discovered that in the world myths, ‘Hero’s Journey’ is a common theme used to tell and retell stories in their infinite variations since the beginning of time.
Using the ‘Hero’s Journey’ as a guideline, Archetype came out with their tale under their Fantasy Miniseries; Cloaks, Crystals, and Curses. Today I will be doing a blind review on Curses. As described on their website, “Curses represent the evil forces our hero is pitted against…”. Let’s see what kind of endeavor we would face smoking Curses.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Archetype Fantasy Miniseries Curses
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Nicaragua Habano
Filler: Nicaragua Habano
Size: Robusto (5″x50)
Appearance & Construction
Just like the name and the description suggested, Curses is true to its nature when it comes to its construction: A dry, toothy, Maduro wrapper a little bit on the rough side. The edge of the wrapper is visible; you can feel the separation, but it still gives off a sturdiness as a whole.
The cigar is pack proportionally, and it is springy as I squeeze it between my fingers. The wrapper gives off a strong smell of sweet and tart raisin, followed by light leather and espresso beans. Off the foot, I get apricot and dry hay. After shaving off the cap, and taking several puffs, I taste leather, sweet stone fruits, and bitter coffee.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
I take my first puff of the cigar after lighting and the foot shines like a miniature sun. Immediately, it feel like I get splashed in the face with a cup of dark roast coffee. As the initial flavor disburses, I taste oak, leather, earthy mineral with a hint of bitterness in the smoke, all while an undertone of pepper grows towards the back of my tongue. As I retrohale the next few puffs, the smoke comes through my nostrils with white pepper spice, roasted coffee beans, and almonds. As the first third comes to an end, the ash is still holding on and the burn line is even. The only complaint I have so far is the missing component—creaminess—which I believe would elevate the smoking experience and round up some of the roughness for this cigar.
The second third doesn’t change much, at least not until the halfway mark. Now I’m tasting medium roasted coffee, wheat, almond, and an earthy taste that reminds me of a wet log. On the retrohale, I get sweet black coffee, tree bark, and black pepper. The bitterness in the smoke is gone, replaced by a vegetal aftertaste. At this point, the cigar is enjoyable as it tones down in strength. But the flavors are still not balancing with one another.
In the final act of the Curses, the flavor profiles became even lighter with flavors of blond roasted coffee, sawdust, almonds, and cocoa dust. The retrohale is delightful as I get vanilla, oak, sweet hay, and white pepper. The smoke was so smooth and silky that I was able to retrohale the whole puff without any discomfort.
As I’m arriving at the nub, about three inches left, the Curses decides to reshape the whole flavor profile and introduce a creamy element into the fray, ending my experience with flavors of mocha latte, sawdust, and oats.
Conclusion
Like a villain, the Curses teased my palate throughout the whole smoking experience. Unfortunately, each third felt incomplete as it was missing an element needed to balance out the flavor profiles. It wasn’t until the very end where the missing component makes an appearance and harmonized the flavors. But by that time, I had to put out the cigar as it began to burn my fingers. Perhaps the fantasy miniseries was meant to be smoked back to back in a specific order — like a hero tale, where the end of one leads to the beginning of another.
It is just another night at the Carnegie Club. A dimly lit lounge with comfy chairs and walls lined with bookshelves and old photographs of historic figures smoking cigars. Guys and gals dressed in their casual business attires lost in their conversations, only to drown out by a live band performing Frank Sinatra’s greatest hits. Knowing it is a Fine Tobacco NYC event night, I arrive early to secure seating for my party. After settling down between JFK and Churchill, I obtain a dram of Glenlivet: Founders Reserve and light up a Cohiba Blue, which is the highlights of the night. The question in my mind is practical: “How many trials and errors did it take for them to figure out this perfect pairing?”
Pairing is a difficult task. Thankfully, Mombacho Cigars S.A has released a line that makes it easier than ever for consumers to solve the problem of making a perfect pairing. They did this by collaborating directly with Diplomatico Rum. With the same name as its rum counterpart, the Diplomatico cigar was blended to complement the Venezuelan rum.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Diplomatico by Mambocha Cigars S.A
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaragua (Jalapa)
Filler: Nicaragua (Condega, Esteli and Jalapa)
Size: Petit Corona (4″1/2 x 44)
Appearance & Construction
The oily colorado shade wrapper shines in the sunlight. The cigar has a minor vein but is leveled and covered in little oil bumps, which we describe as “toothy.” The Diplomatico cigar has solid construction; there are no soft spots, and it has a little weight to it. It’s strong enough that I feel like the cigar would not be affected if I accidentally dropped it onto the ground.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
The wrapper has a sweet and earthy aroma to it. On the foot of the cigar, it smells like a dry raisin with a hint of spice. Upon taking a cold draw, a stream of white pepper spice tickles the back of my throat. After a quick cough, I taste oats, cocoa, stone fruits, and nutmeg.
Once lit, the Diplomatico stomps on my palate with bitter charcoal, tree bark, mossy earth notes, dark leather, cilantro, and pistachio shells. The first puff leaves me with roasted coffee beans as the flavor disburses. As I take a retrohale, I get notes of tree bark, leather glove, and white pepper spice.
After about one inch of the cigar, the flavor profile takes a 180 turn and reshapes itself to a different experience altogether. The smoke becomes creamy. What was once white pepper spice on the palate becomes a gentle cinnamon spice, and the pistachio shell transforms into a peanut shell. While there is still an earthy tone to the cigar, the “dark and heavy” notes, such as bitter charcoal, and cilantro disappear, leaving me with a sweet sugarcane aftertaste.
The velvety smoke dances with the wind as the breeze from the East Side River makes its way inland. Even with a gust of wind from time to time, the pepper and salt ash holds on until it burns past the second third.
The flavors for this sweet and creamy cigar continue to develop between the second and final third; dark chocolate, oak bark, creamy oats, sunflower seeds, peanut shell, and an undertone of sweet sugarcane. The retrohale also becomes an easy task. I can retrohale an entire puff without discomfort, and am greeted by newfound floral notes, warm cinnamon spice, and blond roasted coffee.
I smoke this cigar to under an inch, reluctant to put it down. But as my lips begin to burn and my tongue dries out, I know I must end this journey.
Conclusion
The Diplomatico by Mombacho cigar was anything but lackluster. The construction was superb, the flavor notes complex. The constant change in flavors left me wanting more. I believe if I had a dram of the Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, it would take this cigar to the next level.
Notable first for his legendary skill as a jazz pianist and composer, Avo Uvezian was also known for AVO Cigars, his personal cigar brand. It was 1987 when he crossed paths with Davidoff’s Hendrik Kelner and started the conversation that would culminate in the creation of AVO Cigars. One of the first blends, AVO Classic, utilized an Ecuadorian Connecticut wrapper. In 2000, Avo produced a Maduro version of the same blend using Connecticut broadleaf, but the blend was discontinued in 2015.
Fast forward to 2020: AVO and Davidoff rereleased the classic Maduro.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: AVO Classic Maduro (2020 Release)
Wrapper: American – Connecticut Broadleaf
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Size: Toro (6″ x 50)
Appearance & Construction
Off the bat, the Connecticut Broadleaf wrapper feels super smooth. Two minor veins run down the side, which doesn’t take away from the smoking experience. The cigar is packed proportionally and feels sturdy from head to foot.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
There is a captivating vanilla scent coming off the wrapper. As my nose travel down to the foot, there is a pleasant fragrance of sweet and sour plum and white pepper. To my surprise, the cold draw is very similar to the scent from the foot; sour plum and cranberries with a hint of white pepper on the tip of my tongue. At this point, I want to chew on the cigar.
As I toast the foot, the smell of a fruitful incense emerges from the smoke and instantly transports me back to the time where I was visiting a Buddhist temple in China.
Unfortunately, the smoking experience isn’t as delightful.
While drawing on the first puff, the aftertaste of the smoke is distinctly sour, like someone is squirting a bottle of lime juice into my mouth. After fighting through some of the acidity, I’m able to identify dark cocoa and leather. On retrohale, white pepper spice and leather dominate my nostrils, accompanied by more citrus.
Just when I am about to give up on this cigar, the sourness transforms into a fruity sweetness. I can’t help but compare the cigar to Sour Patch Kids. The construction is impeccable and the ash holds sturdy while the ember approaches the second third. The flavors shift to sweet dark cocoa and black pepper spice. The tart and fruity notes are almost non-existent at this point.
The one experience I take away from the AVO Classic Maduro is to never get too comfortable. During the final third, the sourness from the first third reemerges, though not as intense as before. Thankfully, these flavors are embraced by the taste of sweet cocoa, dark leather, and a hint of spice. I take my last puff and bid farewell to what I will later discover is the AVO Classic Maduro.
Conclusion
Receiving the Avo Classic Maduro 2020 release on a blind review throws out any preconceived expectations, which is important. Overall, this was a good smoke. However, the intense sourness from the first third threw off my palate, which negatively affected the rest of my smoking experience.
From traveling to Central and South America for his rites of passage as a tobacconist in the 1920s to smuggling Cuban cigars out of France in the 1940s, Zino Davidoff had a thrilling and adventurous story behind his success. If the entertainment industry takes an interest in the history of tobacco, he takes the top prize as a success story in the industry. As for me, understanding the hardships he went through and the difficult decisions he had to overcome make me appreciate Davidoff cigars that much more.
Under normal circumstances, I would only smoke a Davidoff cigar when celebrating or for a special event, not a regular Tuesday smoke. To my surprise, I had the pleasure of doing a blind review on the Davidoff Aniversario Special R.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Davidoff Aniversario Special ‘R’
Wrapper: Ecuadorian Connecticut
Binder: Dominican Republic
Filler: Dominican Republic
Size: Robusto (5” x 50)
Appearance & Construction
Without knowing the brand, I can tell this cigar is rolled with perfection in mind. The soft honey-colored wrapper feels very smooth all around. There are no noticeable veins or blemishes, just the right amount of tobacco packed, and there are no soft spots in the roll.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
The cold draw is very pleasing with a taste of sweet and tart of dry apricot. The draw resistance is perfect, about a 6/10 in terms of amount of restrictiveness.
Once I introduced a laser-sharp flame to the foot of the cigar, a scent of sweet caramel emits from the smoke. About another twenty seconds in, the cigar is lit and I’m able to take my first puff. The smoke is creamy with notes of cedar, dry hay, and light caramel accompanied by an undertone of red pepper.
On retrohale, red pepper spice sizzles through my nasal passage. Just when I think the burning sensation is about to become overwhelming, it mellows out and the scent of light caramel and vanilla wash over. Also interesting is that unlike any other Davidoff I’ve had, the Aniversario Special ‘R’ starts as a nicotine bomb.
An inch in, the ash holds sturdily in the wind. The smoke profile becomes sweeter and toastier, and it also introduces flavor notes of lily petals and fresh almonds.
Arriving at the second third of the Davidoff Aniversario Special R, the red pepper transforms to black pepper and the sizzling sensation moves from the back of my tongue to the tip. The overall flavors lighten up, and the smoke is sweet and floral with a citrusy tart aftertaste. The nicotine lets up a bit halfway through as well.
In the final third, the pepper spice dissipates on the palate. All that’s left are fresh almonds and cedar in the smoke, and pepper spice and barnyard in the retrohale. As the last bit of smoke dries out my tongue, I can’t help but compare it with the texture of sandy graham pie crust.
Conclusion
The Aniversario Special ‘R’ is a complex and nub-worthy smoke. The flavors are well balanced between the palate and the retrohale. As good as this cigar was to smoke, the unexpected nicotine bomb during the first third of the cigar was just a bit much. If shifted to the final third, then I think this would have been a near-perfect smoke.
Have you ever wondered the cigars a master blender would create for their own personal humidor? Former president of Drew Estate Cigars, Steve Saka was kind enough to share his vision of a humidor worthy cigar. In 2005, he kicked off his personal project: Liga Privada, which translates to private blend in Spanish.
It wasn’t until a year later that he began to see the project coming to fruition. With help from Johnathan Drew and Nicholas (Director of tobacco & cigar in Nicaragua), and fifty plus test blends later, they were able to pin point a specific variation of blend: #9. After lighting up around 6000 cigars between the three of them and sharing some with others, as well as being badgered for over a year to put them on market, they finally caved and released them to the public.
As for the blend itself, there are tobaccos from seven different farms. The wrappers are hand fermented for more than 18 months. To make it even more exclusive, there are only four pairs of rollers throughout the whole factory who are authorized to assemble 250 cigar per day. Afterwards, they are aged for a full year before making their way to the B&Ms.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Drew Estate Liga Privada No. 9
Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf #1 Darks
Binder: Plantation-Grown Brazilian Mata Fina
Filler: Select Honduran and Nicaraguan Cuban seed
Size: Toro (6” x 52)
Appearance & Construction
The dark oily wrapper shines under the sunlight. As my fingers travel down the slightly toothy surface of the wrapper, I can feel the density of the cigar. It is evenly packed with no visible veins or blemishes. Overall, the longer I stare at this cigar, the more I salivate.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
The sweet vanilla and oak bark scent from the wrapper were very captivating. On the foot of the cigar, my nose picks up vanilla, peppery spice and dry berries.
Upon taking a cold draw, the image of maple glazed barbecue beef jerky materializes in my mind with a sweet cayenne pepper tingling on my tongue and lips. As I lay back into a lounge chair and take in my surrounding in the Catskills Mountain, I can’t help but to anticipate Bigfoot sneaking up behind me just like those Jack Link beef jerky commercials.
Liga No. 9 has a very strong opening in terms of flavors. Dark leather, bitter espresso beans, and vanilla on the palate and smoke with a hint of simple syrup towards the back of my mouth. On retrohale, there are sweet hay, toffee and red pepper spices. These flavors are perfectly balanced, leaving me wanting more. The meatiness from the cold draw disappears, and the aftertaste is quite floral similar to Chinese sunflower seeds. The burn is very even, and the salt and pepper ash holds sturdily.
Arriving to the second third, the flavor of roasted peanuts replaces the dark leather flavor from the initial lighting. The smoke also produces a very creamy texture, where it changes the whole dynamic of the cigar and reminds me of a nutty toffee bar.
An hour and a half later, I finally reach the final third of Liga Privada No. 9. The luscious, maple syrup-flavored smoke shifts to a sweetness of raw sugar. The combination of barnyard, cedar, granola and sweet toffee on the palate can be best described as a decadent experience. With my final retrohale, I’m embraced with warm baking spice and toffee escorted by an alluring creamy texture.
Conclusion
The Liga Privada no. 9 is nothing short of amazing. The flavor of this cigar is very well balanced, complex and inviting. Truly a humidor worthy cigar.
It all started with a fateful meeting between Al Micallef and the Gomez Sanchez brothers at a Texas lounge. By 2016, Micallef Cigars joined the fray of the cigar industry. Fast forward to IPCPR 2019, Micallef unveiled the newest toro size for their top of the line Reserva Limitada Privada. As Rob and Bryant from ‘Cigar Talk Podcast’ would boast;
“Micallef Cigar offers cigars priced from $4 to $42.”
I was lucky enough to do a blind review of the $42.
Blend Specifics
Cigar Reviewed: Micallef Reserva Limitada Privada
Wrapper: 8 Year Old Mexican San Andres Habano
Binder: 8 Year Old Nicaraguan
Filler: 8 Year Old Honduran, Dominican and Peruvian
Size: Toro (6 x 52)
Appearance & Construction
While not knowing the cigar I am looking at, I can tell from the construction that quality is involved. The wrapper is very smooth and the cigar evenly packed with no soft spots and no major veins visible.
The wrapper smells like candy and chrysanthemum tea leaves just from a quick whiff. As I trace my nose down to the foot of the cigar, the white pepper scent becomes more prominent. I sneeze a few times, which get me weird and concerning looks from the people in my vicinity. Once the pepper smell scattered, it leaves behind a sweet scent of lavender and green tea leaves. The cold draw is mouthwatering with the taste of dry cherries, raisins and tea leaves and an aftermath of warm red pepper spice that teases the back of my throat.
Flavor and Smoke Characteristics
Once ignited, the Reserva blasts off with a perfume of leather. There’s notes of light brown leather accompanied with roasted coffee beans, dry apricot and plentiful of red pepper spice. Retrohaling gives off a mixture of red and white pepper, and oven fresh warm bread. Overall, the Micallef Reserva is a pepper bomb at the start.
As the ash burns its way past one inch, a taste of buttery cream creeps up. While still flavorful, all the flavors turn down a notch and defined the saying “sometimes less is more”. Now there’s black coffee, dry apricot and dry rice straw which I can’t get enough of. On retrohale, the spices tone down into more of a baking spice with an aroma I can only describe as a pie crust dusted with cocoa powder.
On a side note, this cigar is packed with nicotine, even after a meal.
As we enter the second third, the flavors evolve to fresh baked bread, toasted nuts, cocoa powder and sweet hay with a lingering tingle in the mouth from the red pepper spice. These flavors are pretty consistent until the beginning of the final third. A milky texture slowly fuses itself with the present flavors, and the smoking experience slowly evolves from puffing on a cigar to sipping a cup of a mocha latte. The ending of the Reserva becomes raw sugar, sweet and creamy. I can’t think of a better way to end this smoke.
Conclusion
I nubbed this cigar to the very end of the cap. The Micallef Reserva Limitada Privada was enjoyable from the beginning until the very last puff. The only critique I have about this cigar is that, as great as the flavors are, I could have used a touch more complexity at times.
