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Like the thread title says, this is my first review. Comments - both negative and positive - are appreciated. I will also post this to the review form section (if that is what it is called).
Size: Robusto
Weather: 50-something clear fall day
Cut / lighter: Guillotine and cheap-ass torch from the bargain bin at my B&M
Tasty beverage: Pipeline Porter (with 100% Kona Coffee!)
Company: See attached
Smoking time: 80 minutes
Storage/conditioning: Two months of rest after picking up from my B&M, stored at 70% in my humi. Lit her up with no dry-boxing.
Pre-light - this cigar was reviewed in other places as being tightly rolled. Not the case with this specimen. Pre-light draw was just about right. There were only a couple of prominent veins, and everything was well put together. Big-ass foil band looks nice, but it is way too big, IMO.
Fire! Gnawed on the stogie for a while before clipping the cap. I've gotten into the habit of doing this as it seems to make for a more consistent and clean cut. Don't know if this is a function of good practice or covering for my equally (see lighter) cheap cutter, but it works. Even after pulling the cigar directly from my humi at 70%, it was easy to get going and immediately produced plenty of creamy smoke.
Shady the mutt supervised (begged for me to throw her rope toy) as only a lab/smooth border collie can. She's hyper as all get-out, and always approves of "dad" having an hour or so to play fetch. Shady seemed to approve of this maduro.
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Initial puffs had nothing special to show. The cigar started off with what I would call "up-town swisher sweet" and immediately mellowed to a LOT of maduro flavor. I quite liked it - coffee, chocolate, and a simple retrohale were the watchwords with the first half of this cigar. Had to remove the band before the half - why do they make these things so big?
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As I moved into the second half of the cigar retrohaling showed a bit more kick, and I picked up a bit of a brown mole flavor. Not the little bastards that ruin your yard - the tasty south of the border sauce kind. This was what I would consider a light-medium body cigar of average strength - not enough vitamin N to give you that just off the roller coaster feeling, but enough to let you know that you've just had a cigar.
The end of the stick saw a slight pick up in body, and retrohaling left me with a bit of pepper. Overall, a smooth maduro flavored smoke, nothing more. This would be a good cigar for those times when you aren't worried about much other than having a decent quality cigar while ___________. The recent golf thread would probably be a good home for the Triple Play, as would a cold winter morning of duck hunting. Note the crappy quality of the blackberry picture and the paint stain on my patio floor - both essential parts of the experience.
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The cigar was well constructed, and the cap and wrapper had no issues with staying together. Burn was straight and consistent, and I neither re-lit it nor was forced to correct for canoeing or otherwise uneven burn.
Once all was said and done, this was a pretty good - if simple - cigar. If you are looking for boldness, Nicaraguan pepper/strength, or complexity, move on. I would recommend this as a solid maddie for newbs or experienced BOTL's who didn't want a smoke requiring a black belt in cigar-fu to enjoy.
Size: Robusto
Weather: 50-something clear fall day
Cut / lighter: Guillotine and cheap-ass torch from the bargain bin at my B&M
Tasty beverage: Pipeline Porter (with 100% Kona Coffee!)
Company: See attached
Smoking time: 80 minutes
Storage/conditioning: Two months of rest after picking up from my B&M, stored at 70% in my humi. Lit her up with no dry-boxing.
Pre-light - this cigar was reviewed in other places as being tightly rolled. Not the case with this specimen. Pre-light draw was just about right. There were only a couple of prominent veins, and everything was well put together. Big-ass foil band looks nice, but it is way too big, IMO.
Fire! Gnawed on the stogie for a while before clipping the cap. I've gotten into the habit of doing this as it seems to make for a more consistent and clean cut. Don't know if this is a function of good practice or covering for my equally (see lighter) cheap cutter, but it works. Even after pulling the cigar directly from my humi at 70%, it was easy to get going and immediately produced plenty of creamy smoke.
Shady the mutt supervised (begged for me to throw her rope toy) as only a lab/smooth border collie can. She's hyper as all get-out, and always approves of "dad" having an hour or so to play fetch. Shady seemed to approve of this maduro.
Initial puffs had nothing special to show. The cigar started off with what I would call "up-town swisher sweet" and immediately mellowed to a LOT of maduro flavor. I quite liked it - coffee, chocolate, and a simple retrohale were the watchwords with the first half of this cigar. Had to remove the band before the half - why do they make these things so big?
As I moved into the second half of the cigar retrohaling showed a bit more kick, and I picked up a bit of a brown mole flavor. Not the little bastards that ruin your yard - the tasty south of the border sauce kind. This was what I would consider a light-medium body cigar of average strength - not enough vitamin N to give you that just off the roller coaster feeling, but enough to let you know that you've just had a cigar.
The end of the stick saw a slight pick up in body, and retrohaling left me with a bit of pepper. Overall, a smooth maduro flavored smoke, nothing more. This would be a good cigar for those times when you aren't worried about much other than having a decent quality cigar while ___________. The recent golf thread would probably be a good home for the Triple Play, as would a cold winter morning of duck hunting. Note the crappy quality of the blackberry picture and the paint stain on my patio floor - both essential parts of the experience.
The cigar was well constructed, and the cap and wrapper had no issues with staying together. Burn was straight and consistent, and I neither re-lit it nor was forced to correct for canoeing or otherwise uneven burn.
Once all was said and done, this was a pretty good - if simple - cigar. If you are looking for boldness, Nicaraguan pepper/strength, or complexity, move on. I would recommend this as a solid maddie for newbs or experienced BOTL's who didn't want a smoke requiring a black belt in cigar-fu to enjoy.
