Warped Cigars

In 2021, Kyle Gellis of Warped Cigars released a blend from the new Tabacalera La Isla in the Dominican Republic called the Chinchalle robusto. Usually known for producing cigars in Nicaragua and El Titan Bronze in Miami, this project is an exciting Dominican-produced smoke from a master blender. I’ve enjoyed many of Warped Cigars blends and respect the styles Kyle has created. I smoked this cigar blind and didn’t know who was behind it – read on to find out what the experience was like.

Blend Specifics

• Cigar Reviewed: Warped Chinchalle
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
• Binder: Dominican
• Filler: Dominican
• Size: 5” x 50 (Robusto)

Blind Review: Warped Chinchalle Robusto

Appearance and Construction

The wrapper on this robusto is a rosado color and the cigar is dense to the touch. The wrapper is veiny and does not give in to any pressure, clearly packed full of tobacco. The roll in my palm feels just as solid and overall the smoke is well constructed. The foot smells of earth and mushroom with hay and some wood notes.

Flavor and Smoking Characteristics

With my Xikar I clip a straight cut that takes a small slice off of the head. The dry draw gives a mustiness with oak and straw notes. Using a long match, I toast the cigar and the first puff hits me with some serious spice that gets into the back of my throat. I am not expecting this strength right away, at least not going by the cigar’s outer appearance. There’s rich tobacco and toasty oak that envelops my palate and delivers a robust flavor. I take a retrohale which is spicy, almost tabasco like which pierces the nostrils. The ash is glaring white and solid as a rock.

The burn line at the midpoint is a bit wavy as the ash holds on. The spice continues in this full-bodied smoke with underlying pecans and a creamy finish. Taking a retrohale I’m getting the spice mixed with some floral notes and almond in the mouth. There’s a savory quality I’m picking up on the sides of my palate along with some flickers of cherry that jump out. The changes with this robusto are swift as coffee and almond are next to emerge with a long silky finish.

The final third surprises me with the return of full tobacco flavor and an amped up body. There is definitely a duality in this cigar of strength and texture.

Another retrohale gives off the intense spiciness with a finish of marzipan that lingers on after I expel the smoke. The wrapper is a bit salty which is an added contrast to the complexity of the robusto. Still maintaining its strength there’s leather and wood rounding out the cigar. I take a last puff almost to the nub and finish is roasted nuts and a long creamy finish.

A pleasant experience of power and flavor.

Conclusion

After smoking cigars for over twenty years, it’s easy to feel at times like you have a cigar figured out by its appearance, smell, and draw. It’s always fun when a premium smoke surprises your expectations. I did not see the strength that came on immediately from looking at this robusto, and I was certainly taken back. Even more was that with its strength there was a nice balance of toast, wood, fruit, and even floral notes. Throughout the cigar the full body remained yet managed to become savory on the finish.

When I found out this was a Warped cigar, I was not surprised as I enjoy Kyle Gellis’ variety of blends. The Warped Chinchalle is worth a try and/or a box purchase if you enjoy a full-bodied cigar with character to back it up.

Final Rating: 92

Up for review today is another 2018 release, this time from Kyle Gellis and Warped Cigars. I’ve been a fan of Warped cigars ever since I smoked my first back in 2013. Kyle’s blends are, in my opinion, some of the most complex and expertly balanced on the market today. Perhaps because I love smoking Warped cigars so much, I haven’t gotten around to reviewing as many as I’d like. So we’re changing that up today and reviewing La Relatos. According to Cigar Aficionado, La Relatos is “a reincarnation of one of Warped Cigars owner Kyle Gellis’s original blends from about 10 years ago.”

That all said, let’s get to the review, shall we?

Product Specifics

• Cigar Reviewed: Warped La Relatos
• Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua
• Size: 6 x 38 (petit lancero)

Appearance & Construction

La Relatos comes wrapped in a dark, chocolate brown Ecuadorian Habano wrapper that is covered in a layer of visible oil. The small, purple band is ornately designed and very attractive with silver lettering.

After cutting using a straight cut, I test the draw, which is fairly restrictive, about an 8.5 / 10 in terms of restrictiveness. It makes it hard to pick up the cold draw notes, but I do get some earth and cocoa. Off the foot are sweet aromas of wood, hay, and slight spice.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The Warped La Relatos kicks off with plumes of rich, aromatic, almost chalky smoke. It’s very sweet and creamy, not something I’m necessarily used to from Kyle’s work but it’s delicious. The sweet notes are creamy chocolate, nuts, floral perfume, and vanilla cake. Those notes are balanced nicely with slight bitterness and a touch of spice. The retrohale is easy and light, with flavors of chocolate cake and light baking spices. I’d put both strength and body at just below medium. Construction throughout the first third is excellent, with a consistently straight burn and the ash falling in half inch increments. It’s a damn great start.

As La Relatos burns into the second third, there’s a slight shift, with the bitter elements of the profile (charred oak, chalk, paper) taking on a bit more prominence. A few puffs later, the finish which was initially very clean takes on a lingering sourness which not endearing. Thankfully, a quick purge is enough to dispel that flavor. The strength and body are still hovering below medium at halfway, but the flavors are still clear as day.

In the final third, the sweetness that has characterized La Relatos subsides, with espresso, bitter wood, and dark chocolate coming to the fore. The texture of the smoke shifts as well, with more pepper on the palate and the tip of the tongue. It’s a nice change of pace, though I do think the bitter elements take up perhaps just a touch too much of space (a balance issue). Regardless, it’s a decent way to end what is undoubtedly an excellent cigar.

Conclusion

La Relatos from Warped Cigars is an obvious winner. It scores well on all counts: complexity, balance, harmony, progression, and construction. It has a great story to tell, and, minus some brief lapses in balance, is a downright excellent cigar. I’d be hard pressed to find any recently released cigars in this price range that are as memorable.

Final Rating: 92

The Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988 is the newest release from Kyle Gellis and Warped Cigars.  Like other Warped cigars, this blend has been positively received by many reviewers, and I honestly can’t think of a release from the company that hasn’t.

Still, this is a unique release. For one, it has only been released in one size that resembles a slightly longer than normal robusto. Second, it uses some notable tobaccos, including a Corojo ’99 wrapper from Nicaragua.

Let’s see how this cigar stacks up.

Product Specifics

• Cigar Reviewed: Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988
• Wrapper: Nicaragua (Corojo ’99)
• Binder: Nicaragua
• Filler: Nicaragua (Criollo ’98)
• Size: 5 1/4 x 50

Appearance & Construction

The Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988 comes with an understated presentation. No gaudy brand names on the band, and it’s small in comparison to most cigar bands. I have no idea what “976212” is referring to, and I couldn’t find any additional information on that online.

In terms of the product itself, the outer wrapper is extremely smooth (silky actually), with few major veins. The cigar has a moderate amount of give when squeezed and seems to be packed mostly consistently though there are a few variations in give. Smelling the wrapper itself brings subtle notes of creamy cocoa and nuts. The aroma off of the foot is full but not in your face, giving off mostly notes of honey, dry dirt, toasted bread, and mild leather.

The draw is perfect, and the cold draw delivers notes of almonds, cereal, coffee beans, and a slight amount of finely ground pepper and cinnamon.

Flavor & Smoke Characteristics

The Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988 opens up with medium bodied, textured smoke. It’s obvious that this is a Warped cigar just by the flavor profile. Overall, it is split between bitter notes of leather and wood and sweet notes of cream, cinnamon toast, and chocolate brownies. I’d  say the balance is found, though just barely. The bitterness is actually quite strong. The meanwhile retrohale is mostly mild mannered, though it packs a lingering white pepper that warms the throat and sinuses. Smoke production is average.

Half an inch in, the burn is impressively straight, and a really interesting note enters in, something something akin to raisins or maybe even figs. At this point the bitter notes have taken back seat, though are still present complementing the sweeter notes. For the better part of the next half inch, the balance of flavors shifted almost each puff, creating an enjoyably dynamic and complex experience.

As the Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988 burns deep into the second third, the profile develops by shifting slightly toward a more savory character, with notes of salt and brown sugar barbecue sauce. This is balanced by sweet notes of graham cracker, molassas, and cake. The strength of the retrohale has almost entirely disappeared, bringing forth light, sweet notes of vanilla and powdered sugar. Just delicious, and most importantly all well balanced and harmonious. Body wise, the cigar is now below medium, but still full of flavor. Construction remains perfect.

In the final third, the strength ramps back up to medium, with oak, espresso and white pepper dominant and secondary notes of cream, cinnamon, and vanilla. There’s a bit of harshness in the final third, but it mostly finishes disappears by the end.

Conclusion

The Warped Serie Gran Reserva 1988 is a delightfully complex, flavorful, and (mostly) balanced smoke. The profile overall seems to be a mix between something like Snickerdoodle cookies and savory meat. If that sounds like a strange pairing, I understand. It’s the balance and movement of flavors that makes it all work together, and that’s a rare feat.

Final Score: 92