Orchestra is going so terribly nowadays. I have a full scholarship to do my Doctoral degree here at Arizona State, but as a trade off, I am required to play in the school orchestra. There are many fine musicians in the school, but there are also plenty of weaker players as well. The project I'm playing on now is a concert with no conductor, and while this can be a thrilling experience for many musicians, it requires a lot of skill to listen to those around you. This kind of project requires that you know your own part very well so you can kind of go on "auto pilot" while concentrating on what everyone else does, and adjusting to what you hear what is going around you. While this is more of given at the graduate level, most undergraduates haven't quite developed such skill, and so it can potentially be a very frustrating experience.
I received this stick in the mail this past weekend and let it rest for a few days. I planned on letting it rest a week, but I had such a terrible day today that I was looking for a special treat and felt compelled to give this baby a run. I stopped by Burger King on the way home and ordered a great big chocolate shake, which I was shocked about because they have changed the way they prepare them and it cost a lot more than the old ones ($3.50). No more shake machine, they blend up ice cream with chocolate syrup and milk.
I sat down today with a cup of hot coffee, the large chocolate shake, and my equipment for the review. The sun is out and it's 75 degrees on my back patio. I'm keenly aware I need to trim the back yard, but since I moved in last august, i haven't bought a lawnmower or weed whacker yet, so I guess I need to get myself motivated enough to do so.
The cigar was a handsome looking cigar. It had a nice brown wrapper with no imperfections. There were three major veins, but they were very narrow. The wrapper did has some strange black splotchy discoloration which I noticed, but wasn't sure what it was or where it would come from so I wasn't disturbed by it.The stick had a nice triple cap. The cigar was slightly box pressed, and measuring it, the wide width was about a 45 gauge. The cigar was extremely dense, except for the last third, which felt a bit spongy and loose.
Smelling the stick initially, it smelled of sweet tobacco. A prelight draw further gave flavors of chocolate and tobacco, and I started getting excited about the cigar. I punched the cap and lit the stick with a cedar split, and was blown over by a VERY spicy hit of flavor. I'm Korean who likes his Kimchi and lives in little Mexico here in Mesa, AZ, but this was spicy even for me, and I was glad I had a chocolate shake in hand to sweeten my tongue a bit, which I rinsed with a swig of coffee.
The draw on the cigar was near perfect, not being too resistant or too loose. The burn quickly wanted to go sideways. Plenty of smoke came funneling out of both ends.
The cigar gave off a very nice aroma, with nuts and sweetness. It was definitely an aroma I associated more with Honduran tobacco rather than the stronger buttery Nicaraguan tobacco. The cigar was still pretty spicy, and a retrohale stung my nose to near-tears.
The 2nd third began to open up the flavors, and I started tasting mocha, nuts, and something richer. The flavor started getting a bit sweeter and the retrohale was more mellow, and less stinging, but still a bit harsh. The burn was definitely going to one side, and I kept touching it up to even it out. The ash is banana'ing a bit.
The final third began getting really tasty. The nuts and chocolate flavors subsided, and coffee and leather came to the forefront. With about an inch and a half left, the pepper began to kick up very strongly again, and the flavor started getting harsh. A quick purge helped it for a short time, but it became too peppery for me, so I let it go. Standing up, I'm realizing that it was stronger than it seemed at the time, and while it isn't as strong as a LFD, it was a medium-to-strong strength.
I'm pretty sure at this point it's a Don Pepin blue label Invictos. I've had a couple, and the overwhelming spice, the construction, and the flavor profile just seems to be this line.
So I opened the envelope and...
Well, I got the Don Pepin part right, but not the correct line. I'm actually a bit surprised, because I smoked one last month and it was much smoother, and don't recall it being so spicy. Perhaps the one I previously consumed had some more time on it. I currently have a EE in my humidor, and will be curious to compare notes with this one when I light it up.
I can't say this was my favorite flavor of cigar, but I'm grateful to ChiefMD for the opportunity and for the quality sticks he sent along with it. Thanks buddy!