Today was a relatively warm day sandwiched between a bunch of cold days so I took the opportunity to smoke a a pair of small cigars with my reading.
First up was an unbanded Cuban relabeled as "SLR Serie A '02." A quick glance showed this was incorrect and the cigar measured out precisely to the Marevas vdg. The wrapper was a delicate but leathery EMS. Lightup was uneventful and the burn was good. Primary flavor notes were medium earthy tobacco and a delightful, fresh pepperiness. This was a good smoke with a clean flavor and well balanced flavor and refreshing aroma. Nice
Second up was a cigar given to me by Strayvector to fulfill the Oneoff on my wishlist, Oneoff is a boutique brand and is not available in the B&Ms in my area. The wrapper was an extremely oily colorado maduro. Tightly bunched yet resilient, it was a bit hard to get going but once it did, this little cigar (which almost conformed to the Marevas vdg in size) released mouthfuls of rich, creamy and dense smoke. The flavor was just delicious. I got a solid base of well-fermented tobacco that was earthy and without any harshness or pepperiness. On top of this was a range of sweet spices and even hints of coconut. The aroma was dense, strong and floral. The ash was very much like one would find in a Habanos, light gray with medium gray striations and fluffy.
The oily nature of the wrapper was amazing. Though the burn in general was good, I had to touch it up a few times. The first time I did, I was shocked as the merest touch of my Blazer set the wrapper on fire! I actually had to blow it out with a puff of breath. This happened one other time during the smoke. I had never before experienced such a thing.
Overall, the Oneoff Mareva was a great cigar that I'd put up against other boutique brands like Tatuaje as well as most Cubans. Though young and not totally equalized, this cigar was very satisfying and showed great promise. I would not hesitate to try others in this brand or to put up a box for aging. Highly recommended.
Wilkey
First up was an unbanded Cuban relabeled as "SLR Serie A '02." A quick glance showed this was incorrect and the cigar measured out precisely to the Marevas vdg. The wrapper was a delicate but leathery EMS. Lightup was uneventful and the burn was good. Primary flavor notes were medium earthy tobacco and a delightful, fresh pepperiness. This was a good smoke with a clean flavor and well balanced flavor and refreshing aroma. Nice
Second up was a cigar given to me by Strayvector to fulfill the Oneoff on my wishlist, Oneoff is a boutique brand and is not available in the B&Ms in my area. The wrapper was an extremely oily colorado maduro. Tightly bunched yet resilient, it was a bit hard to get going but once it did, this little cigar (which almost conformed to the Marevas vdg in size) released mouthfuls of rich, creamy and dense smoke. The flavor was just delicious. I got a solid base of well-fermented tobacco that was earthy and without any harshness or pepperiness. On top of this was a range of sweet spices and even hints of coconut. The aroma was dense, strong and floral. The ash was very much like one would find in a Habanos, light gray with medium gray striations and fluffy.
The oily nature of the wrapper was amazing. Though the burn in general was good, I had to touch it up a few times. The first time I did, I was shocked as the merest touch of my Blazer set the wrapper on fire! I actually had to blow it out with a puff of breath. This happened one other time during the smoke. I had never before experienced such a thing.
Overall, the Oneoff Mareva was a great cigar that I'd put up against other boutique brands like Tatuaje as well as most Cubans. Though young and not totally equalized, this cigar was very satisfying and showed great promise. I would not hesitate to try others in this brand or to put up a box for aging. Highly recommended.
Wilkey
