Macanudo Inspirado Broadleaf review

[joltikintokyo]

Hi guys,

I am trying a review again with some advice that I received from a kind soul in my inbox. I received some constructive criticism about the reviews I do on YouTube so I wanna do some work on my reviews before I do another YouTube review.

To start with, I will talk about what I know about the Macanudo I am smoking. It is roughly a Corona size, it has a darker Maduro colour to the wrapper, it is supposed to be more mild, and it cost about $25 CAD. The wrapper was kind of thin but in good shape.

1st third: I had some problems lighting the cigar, I need to get a real cigar lighter again as the last one stopped working on me. When I did get it working, I found a burst of flavour which was generally pleasant, very sweet and mild. I liked it a lot.

2nd third: I was out in my backyard with the weather about 20 degree Celsius. It got cooler after a while but I decided to tough it out without a coat. The major difference between the first third and second third is that the flavour calmed down and I was really able to enjoy the sweetness. I also tasted a bit of a spicy flavour, maybe it could be described as peppery.

3rd third: The third third was characterised, as I have come to expect after watching some videos about cigars, with one last good draw and then a kind of declining flavour and a more smoky and unpleasant draw. I pretty quickly put it down at this point.

Overall, I would say that I would give it 80 points out of 100, I really enjoyed this one as it was sweet and mild and aesthethically nice. I enjoyed this one more than any cigar I can remember smoking other than the Romeo Y Julieta No 2. If you like mild, sweet cigars, I really recommend it.

Thanks for reading, feel free to give me some (kindly worded please) more advice on how to improve my process

 

[xyz123]

Nice review! And nice job knowing when to lay it down. It was informative and had me wanting to know your overall thoughts of your experience. A great improvement in a very short time!

For the Cohiba, especially for review, I would suggest knowing as little about it as possible before diving in. Go at it with a blank slate. That's the reason for blind reviews, helps the reviewer not go into it with any expectations based on prior knowledge. It's just you and the cigar.

Again, great job and I look forward to your next one!

 

[kann]

Very good review, and quite the step up from your previous attempts -- great work! Don't think too hard about flavors you are experiencing; let the notes come to you. "Flavors" in cigars are usually more like fleeting notes and hints that are often gone before you realize what you are recognizing. Don't force yourself to believe there's something there that isn't. Sometimes cigars just taste like tobacco. Do you retrohale (blow the smoke out of your nose)? Many believe that the majority of a cigars essence is experienced through the retrohale, rather than the typical exhale from the mouth. If you don't, start with a MILD cigar to give it a shot.

I would recommend a cheap torch lighter if you are smoking outside. It's often difficult to get a soft flame to light the cigar evenly if there's even the slightest breeze blowing. As for the review, you hit most of the salient points looked for. Some additional things to think about might be to include more photos as the cigar burns down and what the ash is like (or evidence of any tunneling/poor burn), and maybe total length of time it takes to smoke. You can insert full-size photos by mousing over your photo upload, and an "insert full size" button will show up. Finally, what criteria are you basing your 1-100 score on?

Again, great progress and I look forward to more of your reviews!

 

[CigarStone]

Good review!

 

[cabaiguan juan]

@kann has some great advice. Good review @joltikintokyo ! Keep it up.

 

[H. Vachon]

Infinitly better, my friend!! Nice review!

As for the decline in flavor near the end, @CigSid taught many of us the “cut and purge” method. If it starts to get bitter, cut a bit more of the head off the cigar, then blow into the cigar to purge any bitter smoke. This keeps the tar build up away from your tongue and greatly increases the smoking experience.

 

[CigSid]

Much better review. Most cigars are rolled with the expectation of change. As you smoke more, concentrating on the initial taste on your tongue, the after taste in your mouth, and the retrohale (through the nose, get on the vherf and we will teach you this process) you will get much better at delineating the different flavors. Practice this, and you will not only get better, but you will also enjoy the process…

 

[CgarDan]

Much improved

Definitely get a torch ( blue flame at high temperature ) lighter. The ones that burn different unless high end can influence the initial flavors of the cigar.

Also the method many of us use is to toast the foot before we start puffing on the cigar this gets the tobacco burning evenly and you will be getting pleasant flavors from the first few puffs. You tube is your friend here to see how this works.

Not sure if everyone does this but I purge the cigar every 6-8 puffs in the stronger cigars. Helps to keep the harsh flavors to a minimum. Also smoke the cigar slowly without letting it get too hot - eliminates those off flavors of harshness. It’s better to smoke half a cigar while enjoying it vs rushing through the whole thing and hating the experience

Most important stick around and don’t be afraid to ask questions here in the forums or through dm

 

[IngloriousBasterd]

Much improved

Definitely get a torch ( blue flame at high temperature ) lighter. The ones that burn different unless high end can influence the initial flavors of the cigar.

Also the method many of us use is to toast the foot before we start puffing on the cigar this gets the tobacco burning evenly and you will be getting pleasant flavors from the first few puffs. You tube is your friend here to see how this works.

Not sure if everyone does this but I purge the cigar every 6-8 puffs in the stronger cigars. Helps to keep the harsh flavors to a minimum. Also smoke the cigar slowly without letting it get too hot - eliminates those off flavors of harshness. It’s better to smoke half a cigar while enjoying it vs rushing through the whole thing and hating the experience

Most important stick around and don’t be afraid to ask questions here in the forums or through dm

Yeah I purge too. Especially in the last 1/3 and when I’m nubbing.