Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan Habano
Filler: Jalapa, Nicaraguan
Size: Size: 6 x 64 “Box Pressed Gigante”
Body: Medium
Price: $7.00 MSRP (Only Available in B & M’s)

Today we take a look at the new Dom Privé White Label from Marco V Premium Cigars.

The other new blend is the Black Sapphire which is medium/full bodied with a Mexican San Andrés wrapper.
Many thanks to Marc V. Keiser at Marco V Premium Cigars for the samples.

BACKGROUND:
From Marco V Premium Cigars:
“Brand new from Marco V, this cigar is very flavorful and pressed with a great draw. Notes of honey and cashew shine through with hints of molasses and citrus. This is a very elegant, balanced cigar.”

Also from Marco V Premium Cigars:
“Diverse flavors enhance the balance and harmony of our highly rated Marco V Premium Cigars, featuring a dynamic blend of 5-year-aged tobaccos meticulously selected from five different countries. The construction of these complex profiles is excellent, handmade by some of the world’s finest rollers; the draw is easy with a touch of resistance, the burn is slow and even, and the ash holds firm. Crafted much like a vintage estate wine, our cigars contain only the most refined tobaccos grown in lush valleys. For those who live life to the fullest, we invite you to enjoy the unique Marco V collection.

“Our farm in Jalapa lies in a valley surrounded by sprawling mountains near the northern border of Nicaragua. The tobacco that comes from Jalapa contains rich tobacco sweetness and is consistently found in the highest rated cigars in the world.

“The tobacco is harvested, cured, aged, and rolled into a Marco V Cigar. Everything is done by hand.”

From Marc Keiser:
“We are based out of St. Paul, MN and the majority of our market is in the Midwest. Cigar Aficionado has started rating our cigars which is an incredible honor to us as we are now being rated against the biggest multi-million dollar cigar companies in the world. This has helped expand our reach outside of the Midwest.”

The line can be purchased at only one online store: Casa de Lav. But at this time, the cigar can only be bought at your local B & M. See the Retailers Page on the Marco V web site.
Marco V Premium Cigars has a substantial line of blends:
Diamond, Platinum, Gold, Dom, Riviera, La Canela, Seville, Havana, King Dom, and King Platinum. Current sale prices range from $5.00-$6.00 per stick.
You can check them out on the Marco V Premium Cigars web site.

DESCRIPTION:
First thing I thought when I opened the package was ice cream on a stick. The light caramel colored wrapper and the enormity of the cigar led me to this errant thought process.

Seams are super tight. Few veins. Nice triple cap. Very solidly packed without a single soft spot. And a touch of oiliness. The box press is right on the money. Gentle soft edges but perfect rectangular shape.
The cigar band is a show stopper. White with a gold “M” and gold filigree that looks a little Vegas.

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
The aromas off the shaft are sweetness, grass, coffee, earthy tobacco, and leather. From the clipped cap and foot, I find aromas of strong earthiness, barnyard, spice, and leather.
The cold draw is exemplary of rich tobacco flavor, spice, leather, and a touch of sweetness.

FIRST THIRD:
Getting a good toast on the first light will be a test of my manhood.
Oh my. The draw is terrific filling my face with smoke like a giant cloud.

The flavor is extremely unusual. I taste: Sweetness, coffee, spice, wood, creamy, toastiness, caramel, a meaty element, leather, and earthiness.

But like the man said, the stars of the show are described perfectly in the Marco V description of the blend: I taste honey, cashews, lemon citrus, and molasses. Man, he nailed that.

The strength is on the light side of medium body.

The size of this cigar makes it impossible to hold on to it with my mouth and type. And since I don’t want to destroy the cap by chomping on it, I lay it down. (You probably don’t care about any of that).
One flavor is definitely some sort of fruit. And the honey has a floral note to it like honeysuckle. We had them surrounding our house when I grew up and when in bloom, you can pull the stamen from the flower and it dripped a honey like substance that we kids sucked on. Never made us sick. It was a real treat of Summer. Of course, I got in trouble all the time from my folks for destroying the plants by removing so many flowers.

The Dom Privé White Label has a light quality that both newbies, smokers who don’t like strong cigars, and even experienced palates will enjoy. For me, if a cigar is mild in nature, I expect an onslaught of flavors which the Dom Privé White Label has provided.

I use Cashew milk for my protein smoothies and the cashew flavor in this blend is very potent and reminiscent of my shakes. It’s been quite a while since I tasted honey in a blend so this is a nice change up.
Smoke time has been 35 minutes.

SECOND THIRD:
Construction is on point. The char line is good.
The Dom Privé White Label begins to find its complexity here. Nice balance. Long finish of honey and nuts and coffee.

So far, this is the perfect morning cigar blend.

Marco V Premium Cigars sent me a little card describing the two new blends and as I look at the Black Sapphire, I uncontrollably drool. That dark Mexican San Andrés wrapper and the description of it being medium/full. Sounds like my kind of cigar.

I hit the sweet spot just a couple minutes into the second third.
What a great cigar. I have to admit I wasn’t familiar with this brand but I saw it over and over again on Face Book and contacted Marc Keiser. I’m glad I did. Nothing is more exciting than being introduced to new cigar blends.

Thank goodness that a lot of the blends are for sale online at Casa de Lav. Prices are killer. There are a few B & M’s that carry them in Wisconsin but mostly in the northern part of the state. Of course, all one has to do is call them and order cigars. Wisconsin has one of the lowest cigar tax price points in the country. So low, that many stores sell cigars at the MSRP or lower.

Back to the Dom Privé White Label. This stick is oozing flavor. I get a new one: salty peanut butter. This is one of the most unique flavor profiles I’ve smoked. But at the same time, the potent component of cashew is still present. In fact, not a single flavor has dissipated. The creaminess and honey work beautifully together.

HALFWAY POINT:
Strength is solid medium body now. It has a little punch to it.
If you are a regular reader, you know I don’t particularly care for giant cigars. This is an exception. There is a bevy of transitions that keep the flavor profile very interesting. The complexity is rich with flavor. The balance is spot on. And that long finish is wonderful.

This is a totally worry free cigar. Sometimes, one can have trouble with a big cigar; especially with the burn. No worries here.

Here they are: Creaminess, honey, cashews, peanuts, spice, toasty, wood, cedar, leather, coffee, caramel, a rich earthiness.

The cigar band just peels off without a lick of problems. The box press has created some creases in it. I should have removed one last night and flattened it overnight. But no. I don’t think ahead.

Smoke time has been a little over one hour.
The toasty element splits into two flavors: Toasty and warm bread. I can taste the yeasty flavor of homemade bread right out of the oven.

Each sip of water rushes the entire list of flavors past my palate. Flavors explode.

I’m anxious to try the other 11 blends. Including the new Black Sapphire. I read reviews of the other blends and no one has an unkind word. Each reviewer appears to love his cigar.

The earthy tobacco element makes a surge and nearly makes the head of the list of flavors.

There is a ton of wonderful new cigars out there right now. Most based in Nicaraguan blends. But they taste nothing like the Dom Privé White Label. Marco V has turned what could have been a stereotypical Nic flavor profile on its head. Tell me you can’t list the main flavors of the usual Nic cigar? Throw them out with this blend.
The coffee flavor gets stronger. So does the nuttiness.

LAST THIRD:

I totally dig the Dom Privé White Label.
While I prefer much stronger cigars, this blend will satisfy the most discriminating palate.
The Dom Privé White Label maintains its medium body strength to the end.
Flavors are even stronger at this point.
Smooth. Balanced. Complex. A joy to smoke. This was a true cigar experience.

PRICE POINT:
Great deal. No complaints. I would have guessed it cost more.
All the work that went into this cigar shows that Marc Keiser has a deep passion for cigars. Marc is a young man and at the rate he is going, he will be a force to contend with in the following years. I’m always amazed when young men have such wisdom and focus when it comes to blending cigars. There isn’t much background on Marc so I would like to know more about him. He must have had a mentor or two.

The nice part of the Dom Privé White Label being only available in a B & M is you can buy as much or as little as you want. Start with a single stick to see if this blend is up your alley. I bet it will.

SUMMATION:
I will be begging Marc for samples of the Black Sapphire.
The Dom Privé White Label is a great cigar with very unique qualities.
Final smoke time was 90 minutes.
I highly recommend this cigar. It fulfills two essentials: Great stick for newbies and the wondrous flavor profile that an experienced palate will enjoy.
I don’t drink coffee any longer. When I retired, I gave it up. But I can imagine sitting on the back porch, in the morning, with a good cup of coffee, the newspaper, and the Dom Privé White Label.
Brava Marc V. Keiser. You did good, son.

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS

Tags: cigar review, cigar reviews by the katman, cigars, Dom Privé White Label from Marco V Premium Cigars Cigar Review, marc v. keiser