Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro

Binder: Nicaraguan

Filler: Nicaraguan, Mexican, Honduran

Size: 6 x 48  “Box pressed”

Body: Full

Price: $ Unknown

I am venturing forth on uncharted isles. I have zero information about this cigar as it is not supposed to be released until May, 2013. Being a wily old coot, I managed to snag a few.

I won’t go into the storyline of the Wild Bunch cigar line for each month has a character and a back story.

I loved the look of this cigar the moment my eyes lay upon it. That dark maduro wrapper is beautiful. The box press is a bit goofy as it must have gotten squished in the box and now resembles a rhomboid instead of a rectangle. But seams are tight. Very few veins. The dark brown wrapper is inviting. It looks like a double or triple cap but is so perfectly integrated that being sure is impossible. There are oils glistening from the wrapper. It feels smooth in some places and toothy, in others.

I do the sniff around and detect loads of cocoa, cedar, sweetness, spice, nutmeg and cinnamon….Makes you want to eat it.

I clip and light up.

The first few puffs lead me to say this is my kind of cigar. Cocoa, sweetness, coffee, red pepper, and a deep earthiness. And it’s going to be a flavor bomb.

The strength is immediately medium in body. No fooling around here. The draw is excellent and the char line is close to perfect.

This is one of those rare cigars that speaks to you from the very beginning. It tells me I’m going to love these and I will crave more of them when I am done. This has already surpassed as my favorite, the Iron Mike and Tony “The Boss.” I can read this cigar like a book and it is going to make me very happy.

This cigar is so solid with tobacco leaves, I expect a long smoke. Which is just great. The description of this cigar is called a 6 x 54. The 6” checks. But not the 54. With a box press that is shmushed a bit, it is difficult to measure. I measured directly across the mid-section and came up with 48/64”. Or three quarters of an inch. Maybe if it were to be measured like a TV, diagonally, it would become 54. Using the Pythagorean Theorem, the rhomboid diagonal is 7/8”. Which would make it just a bit over 54. Actually, 56. But then I was using a tape measure, not a micrometer.

The first inch brims with flavors. The spiciness has tamed itself. It was almost like the famed Garcia blast at first.

The sweetness seems to come from citrus; orange zest. Not tart at all. Getting citrus to be anything but lemon is difficult. So I applaud the blender’s ability to cast this into the orange peel mode. Sweetness leads the charge on the flavor profile with the other original flavors just a half step behind.

The first third is nothing but wonderful flavors. The strength stayed at medium. The draw continued to be perfect and the char line, dead nuts.

As I begin the second third, I get baking spices of cinnamon and also toast. The toast is a nice addition and I am always amazed at the flavor of toast in a cigar. It is not buttery but as I type this, a buttery smooth creaminess shows its head in a very small dose.

The cigar has become very complex with the flavors melding into one distinct character. If I had to categorize it, I would call it haute cuisine. Why? Because it satisfies all the flavors a palate requires in order to truly enjoy an experience of delight and surprise.

I am so glad this is my first cigar of the day. My palate is fresh and I can truly enjoy each nuance the cigar is throwing at me. And there is a lot of nuance and subtlety and shading. Well balanced doesn’t begin to describe this cigar.

I am shocked that after only a week, this cigar is performing so admirably.

Creaminess now excels and moves away from the pack. It puts an edge on the other flavors that not only complement them, but makes them strive to be more refined.

It is clear to me now that this stick is, by far, my favorite of the Wild Bunch series. I am a sucker for a flavor bombed cigar. And I like the flavors that these leaves bring to the table.

I have no idea the cost of this cigar, but if I were to guess, I’d say it will be in the $8-$9 range. And worth every dime.

There are no changes as the cigar moves toward the halfway point. It is on a steady course which is delightful and without need for anything extra.

The early earthiness really shines now. It brings a superb richness to the cigar. Like taking your first bite from some decadent dessert that you’ve never had.

I kick back and stop writing. It is raining outside and 2” are expected but the temp is supposed to get up to 68 which will be the warmest day in Milwaukee for the year 2013. This would be considered a hot day by Wisconsin standards.

The body has moved up to full now as I can feel the nicotine giving me a light headed experience.

The flavors remain very complex and the cigar has a long finish causing lip smacking. The strength kept on chooglin’ and without food in my stomach, I was being hammered by the nicotine.

I stop and have a bowl of cereal. This is turning out to be one of the strongest cigars I’ve smoked.

The last third is a delight. Flavors exploding and becoming so intense that I find it hard to believe a cigar with only one week in the humidor is so well balanced and flavorful. I’m sure a couple months of humidor time will calm things out a bit.

I have nothing but the highest praise for this cigar in a 12 cigar series. When this cigar hits the stores in May, make sure this is of the highest priority for you. You will thank Uncle Katman

And now for something completely different:

I had only £5 left to my name. We had come to Europe, and then England with insufficient funds to last as long as hoped. We had been there 6 weeks and our dough had dwindled fast. We decided to get to England because if we were to be poor and have to beg, we should be in a place that speaks English.

My girlfriend had found a part time gig as a maid in a fancy hotel; but only made enough money to feed us and pay rent on our flat that we shared with my best friend and his wife.

I was going to auditions and getting nowhere fast. And then I saw an ad in Melody Maker for a bassist. Right below that ad was another looking for roadies. They had the same phone number. I called and got an audition. I asked about the roadie gig and the man on the other end laughed and said let’s see how the bass audition goes first.

I spent half of my £5 getting to St. John’s Wood at the home of Miles Copeland. Just down the block from EMI studios…Abbey Road studios.

I was ushered to the basement where there was a glassed off rehearsal studio and a lounge filled with bass players. I turned heels and walked out. I can’t do cattle calls.

Stewart Copeland caught me as I was walking down the driveway and told me to get back inside, “You douchebag.”

He held my arm, dragging me back. He told me to shut up and wait my turn. The room was full of well-known bassists and my heart sank.

For 90 minutes, I sat and listened to each 10 minute audition. I began to work out in my head what I would play to the same tunes the band was playing over and over.

It was my turn.

Darryl Way, the leader, said they were tired of playing the same shit so how about I give them something to play off. OMG! All that head playing for nothing.

I was into jazz fusion which hadn’t made it to the shores of England yet and played an aggressive riff that made their eyes light up. They couldn’t keep up and I watched Stew play drums with his eyes open so far I thought they would pop out.

We played a bit more and was questioned thoroughly and told that this coming Sunday, the best of the lot would be invited back for a final audition. They really liked me.

As I packed up my bass in the lounge, the bassists all looked forlorn. One asked if I got the gig and I laughed and said no.

I got back to our flat and got two calls; one from Stew and one from Darryl. They seemed to be very high on me.

So for several days, I had a horrific stomach ache. Sunday showed and I made my way back to the house. I had no idea how many bassists would be there.

There was only one. Me. I got the gig. Management immediately put me on the payroll and I was now a rock star.

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS