moki
el Presidente
- Joined
- Dec 16, 2003
- Messages
- 9,418
I met a friend of mine at the local smoke shop after work today for a mini-herf. His wife was away for the week, and apparently she'd left his cojones with him this time, so he was able to come out for a smoke. I picked out a few cigars and let him choose from among them. I myself had decided upon a black beauty I'd had my eyes on for some time: an Arturo Fuente Hemingway Masterpiece Maduro.
This cigar is the largest of the Hemingway line, large enough that pulling it out garnered a few incredulous looks from the local smoke shop patrons. This monster smoke offers 9 inches of black Maduro love in the form of an expertly constructed perfecto cigar that's only slightly thinner than an Untold Story (52 ring). The wrapper tasted sweet and luscious, so I wasted no time sparking it up via the little toe on the foot of the cigar.
The initial tastes were a wonderful blend of cream and cocoa, combining to form what I can only describe as a smokable cup of hot chocolate. Ahh... this was one smooth, pleasant, and tasty cigar. It brought me back to a warm summer day, laying serenely in a hammock shaded by trees, rocking gently back and forth in a light breeze as I watched the world go by. Some cigars transport you to another time and place when you smoke them, and this is certainly one of them.
3-4 inches into this Masterpiece, though it retained its pleasant countenance, the flavors shifted subtly into dark chocolate with a hint of cloves. This cigar doesn't have punchy flavors that knock you over the head, but rather subdued flavors that you marvel in the depth and complexity of as you puff away. It never ceases to amaze me the variety and depth of flavors that master tobacconists are able to bring out of a simple plant leaf.
Though the cigar had a bit of a tight draw, it didn't detract from the smoking experience at all, and the cigar burned straight down to the band with nary a hint of canoeing. I sat in a nice comfortable LazyBoy chair shooting the breeze with my friend, occasionally sipping a cup of coffee, but mostly just enjoying this supremely crafted cigar. The next thing you know, an hour and a half passed.
The shop was closing up, we were the last two people there, and this cigar just kept on going, despite the employees starting to close up shop. Apparently I'd picked the wrong cigar, because they were hoping to get home on time. Amazingly enough, even though I was almost 8 inches into this smoke, it stubbornly refused to get bitter. Nothing but cocoa, cream, and hints of mellow spice.
Like a newly smitten lover, I couldn't resist giving this cigar a second, then a third, then a fourth "final" puff goodbye before reluctantly tossing the last inch into the ashtray. Wow. I know exactly the kind of day I'm going to save the next Masterpiece Maduro for. That day will be a day I want to lay back and forget about any worries or obligations for a few hours.
