In ramping up for my imminent trip to the desert, I've been shopping around for some inexpensive bundle smokes to take (or ship) out with me, so I don't run the risk of messing up some higher $$ stuff. I'm a fan of the Famous Nic 3000, and already have plenty. I came across these on Holts' website, liked the description and the price, so I ordered a bundle without any great expectations.
Now, I'm a fan of full flavored smokes, and can handle the stronger stuff. I am an unabashed Pepin whore, and Nicaraguan smokes just tend to have the flavor profile I like. Apparently I'm not the only one, as there seem to be quite a few Nic puro bundles available as of late. Holts describes these as very full bodied, using all Nic filler and a Cuban seed wrapper. They don't specify a type, but it's a bit darker than what I'd call a typical corojo wrapper.
Maybe I'm jumping the gun a bit here, having only smoked the one with about 2 hours in the dry box after delivery. Therefore I'm not going to go in depth, but I really liked this thing. The first thing I noticed was the the cello was a bit on the yellow side. The wrapper isn't the prettiest, but it's sturdy and without any major flaws. It lit and burned well enough.....a bit jagged, likely because it's still a bit wet.
The flavor, though, is really something else. From the get-go, it delivered ample smoke, and the flavor is what I consider typical of a good Nic filler cigar. Very rich, earthy, with a decent note of spice. The smoke is very rich, and cool. What really got me is how full bodied it is, without being the least bit harsh. Being a fan of the stronger stuff I can accept a certain amount of harshness, and have even come to expect it. I was very surprised at the level of refinement here.
I only got a little past the halfway point, as I was in and out doing other things. The flavor remained very consistent the whole time, and delivered a lot of smoke considering how slow it burned. The ash wasn't the prettiest, but it wasn't sloppy, either.
So overall, it made a very good first impression. At $34 for a bundle of 20, this will be my new go-to if the rest of this bundle proves consistent.
Now, I'm a fan of full flavored smokes, and can handle the stronger stuff. I am an unabashed Pepin whore, and Nicaraguan smokes just tend to have the flavor profile I like. Apparently I'm not the only one, as there seem to be quite a few Nic puro bundles available as of late. Holts describes these as very full bodied, using all Nic filler and a Cuban seed wrapper. They don't specify a type, but it's a bit darker than what I'd call a typical corojo wrapper.
Maybe I'm jumping the gun a bit here, having only smoked the one with about 2 hours in the dry box after delivery. Therefore I'm not going to go in depth, but I really liked this thing. The first thing I noticed was the the cello was a bit on the yellow side. The wrapper isn't the prettiest, but it's sturdy and without any major flaws. It lit and burned well enough.....a bit jagged, likely because it's still a bit wet.
The flavor, though, is really something else. From the get-go, it delivered ample smoke, and the flavor is what I consider typical of a good Nic filler cigar. Very rich, earthy, with a decent note of spice. The smoke is very rich, and cool. What really got me is how full bodied it is, without being the least bit harsh. Being a fan of the stronger stuff I can accept a certain amount of harshness, and have even come to expect it. I was very surprised at the level of refinement here.
I only got a little past the halfway point, as I was in and out doing other things. The flavor remained very consistent the whole time, and delivered a lot of smoke considering how slow it burned. The ash wasn't the prettiest, but it wasn't sloppy, either.
So overall, it made a very good first impression. At $34 for a bundle of 20, this will be my new go-to if the rest of this bundle proves consistent.
