So, Gary (grateful1) hands me my second smoke, and it's a mystery stick. It had been unbanded for "a while" and had "some age" on it.
Dark wrapper, but not really dark, if I wasn't as color-blind as I am, I would venture to guess that it had a reddish hue to it, close to a rosado? Gary, Rob, Ralph, Bill, tell me if I'm wrong. Cap looked cuban.
Initial pre-light taste was dominated by spice and tobacco flavor ( :laugh: ) and an exceedinly easy draw (to a fault...if everything else about the cigar was PERFECT, the draw would have taken a point or two off). The draw was very easy, but not so air-like as to cause rejection.
Sparked her up, and immediately thought "Oh shit, this is going to put me on my arse." I had eaten a very small lunch, very early in the day, and had smoked two cigars earlier, plus the first one gary gave me! I thought that was the end. it started off with big power, big spice, and voluminous smoke. WIthin roughly 1/2 an inch, though, the flavor mellowed out, and the smoke became rich, if perhaps a touch vegetal at the intial tasting, mellowing as rolled around the mouth, and then returning just a tiny-touch if exhaled through the nose. I thought perhaps these flavors could have spoken to the youth of the cigar, but Gary is pretty sure it was aged. I trust his memory well more than my palatte.
As it burned on, it mellowed and improved even furhter, as the vegetal aspects completely disappeared, and the creamimess of the smoke came out. Some vanilla bean texture, that dirt/sweet intrigue that catches the palate a touch off guard followed the lightly flavored intial taste, and continued through the "rolling" and exhale.
The cigar stared to burn slightly uneven at this time, and also had to battle to keep it lit. Flavors, however, remained much the same throughout the remainder of thsi very enjoyable smoke.
It came with me after its relight for the drive to the cigar dinner/herf, and was my relaxing companion as my Passat V6 kept up with the Hemi RT on the way to Hartford. (Thanks for not blowing me away, Gary).
The cigar continued to taste very nice, though the flavor was not very happy about the two or three re-lights neccesary in the final two inches or so. Finally, with approximately an inch left (maybe...Rob, you remember how much was left?), a relight was bitter and un-enjoyable. The cigar had been my companion for an hour and a half or so, and wanted to end on a good note, not fighting for the last inch...so into the cigar-butt retirement community it went. All in all, a very enjoyable smoke, which I would love to know the identity of, Gary, if you ever figure it out, I'd love to know.
EDIT: Oh yeah, we thought it might be the Monte Edmundo, though it was a tad darker....I have not smoked any of them, so I have no way to compare....and I should add that my palate was filthy while trying to taste this cigar!
Thank you for your generosity..you are a most gracious host, and I look forward to returning the favor!
Then I lit a VR Unicos from 02, and continued to enjoy the evening.
Dark wrapper, but not really dark, if I wasn't as color-blind as I am, I would venture to guess that it had a reddish hue to it, close to a rosado? Gary, Rob, Ralph, Bill, tell me if I'm wrong. Cap looked cuban.
Initial pre-light taste was dominated by spice and tobacco flavor ( :laugh: ) and an exceedinly easy draw (to a fault...if everything else about the cigar was PERFECT, the draw would have taken a point or two off). The draw was very easy, but not so air-like as to cause rejection.
Sparked her up, and immediately thought "Oh shit, this is going to put me on my arse." I had eaten a very small lunch, very early in the day, and had smoked two cigars earlier, plus the first one gary gave me! I thought that was the end. it started off with big power, big spice, and voluminous smoke. WIthin roughly 1/2 an inch, though, the flavor mellowed out, and the smoke became rich, if perhaps a touch vegetal at the intial tasting, mellowing as rolled around the mouth, and then returning just a tiny-touch if exhaled through the nose. I thought perhaps these flavors could have spoken to the youth of the cigar, but Gary is pretty sure it was aged. I trust his memory well more than my palatte.
As it burned on, it mellowed and improved even furhter, as the vegetal aspects completely disappeared, and the creamimess of the smoke came out. Some vanilla bean texture, that dirt/sweet intrigue that catches the palate a touch off guard followed the lightly flavored intial taste, and continued through the "rolling" and exhale.
The cigar stared to burn slightly uneven at this time, and also had to battle to keep it lit. Flavors, however, remained much the same throughout the remainder of thsi very enjoyable smoke.
It came with me after its relight for the drive to the cigar dinner/herf, and was my relaxing companion as my Passat V6 kept up with the Hemi RT on the way to Hartford. (Thanks for not blowing me away, Gary).
The cigar continued to taste very nice, though the flavor was not very happy about the two or three re-lights neccesary in the final two inches or so. Finally, with approximately an inch left (maybe...Rob, you remember how much was left?), a relight was bitter and un-enjoyable. The cigar had been my companion for an hour and a half or so, and wanted to end on a good note, not fighting for the last inch...so into the cigar-butt retirement community it went. All in all, a very enjoyable smoke, which I would love to know the identity of, Gary, if you ever figure it out, I'd love to know.
EDIT: Oh yeah, we thought it might be the Monte Edmundo, though it was a tad darker....I have not smoked any of them, so I have no way to compare....and I should add that my palate was filthy while trying to taste this cigar!
Thank you for your generosity..you are a most gracious host, and I look forward to returning the favor!
Then I lit a VR Unicos from 02, and continued to enjoy the evening.
