Edgar Hoill OSOK Callejero Shaggy | Cigar Review

By Cigar Reviews by the Katman on November 1, 2013 • ( 2 )

Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 5.5 x 48 “Perfecto-Shaggy Foot”
Body: Full
Price: $9.00

I received two samples of what I believe are the Edgar Hoill OSOK Callejero. The good folks at CLE sent some samples, but no accompanying notes. But unlike the usual production shape, this perfecto has a ½” shaggy foot. I contacted my good buddy, Jason Harding of BestCigarPrices.com and he told me this:
“I have not seen that particular size anywhere. I remember that there was some inconsistent size/shape info originally given on those cigars, so the line might have seen some last minute tweaking before shipping to retailers.”

There you have it. CLE sent me mutants. But then the size and ring gauge are approximately correct. It just doesn’t have that perfecto nipple at the foot.

Fans of Edgar Hoill know he is a well-known artist whose talents lay in painting, tattoo artwork, and photography. He became famous for his uncanny ability to get the shot in one try. Hence the nickname of One Shot One Kill.

I found a cool photo of him online and it should give you an idea of who Hoill is. He seems to be borrowing the signatures of the 1960’s through the present time. I grew up in So Cal and spent a lot of time in the Haight Ashbury district in the mid/late 1960’s and his flamboyance would have fit right in.

Hoill has joined up with Christian Eiroa and the Honduran Fábricas Únidas factory. His latest versions of his blends made their debut at the 2013 IPCPR trade show.

His new moniker is EH Cigars by Edgar Hoill. And he is steering towards blending Nicaraguan puros. His cigars come in boxes of 10 only.

The cigars come in 7 sizes and names. And supposedly, a couple blends come in both the shaggy foot style and in the classic perfecto style. Although, in my research, I did not find a single photo of a shaggy foot.

The stick is extremely solid with only the slightest amount of give. The color is dark brown. Just the slightest amount of an oily sheen and very smooth.

The giant cigar band reminds of Gurkha’s bill board sized bands. It takes up almost half the length of the cigar. All of the blends come wrapped in a paper cone full of Hoill’s artwork. Very psychedelic. Neither the paper wrapper, nor the copycat cigar band, give any hint of which blend you are smoking.

I clip, what looks like a triple cap, and find aromas of strong bitter cocoa, cinnamon, spice, leather, sweetness, and a floral element.
Time to light up.

Shaggy foots..or is it shaggy feet? The foot certainly looka cool before being lit. But they are a true pain in the ass to light. Right away, I have burn problems. I correct them.

The first puffs taste of cocoa, ginger, thick molasses sweetness, and something fruity.

Damn. The foot needs another correction ¾” in. I smoked the other sample I was given and it, too, had the similar burn issues.
The body is barely medium at this early point. And the draw is tight. There is a plug near the cap and I fix it. That’s much better now.

I am near the end of the first third and the flavors become subtle. The draw has become tight again.
As the second third begins, I get a combo of flavors…caramel, creaminess, sweetness and almonds. It reminds me of a dessert I tried once called almond ice cream torte.

Apparently, the cap is self-healing as the draw gets tight for the second time.

The caramel, sweetness and creaminess are extremely strong. For a Nic puro, I am not getting the typical flavor profile. The cocoa is gone. No coffee. And I am having trouble identifying the fruitiness.

Sadly, I must remove the giant cigar band. It is one of the most spectacular pieces of cigar art I’ve seen.

The draw is tight for the third time. With the band off, I use my cigar awl to really drive the thing home, almost to the foot. This helps immensely. The first cigar I smoked had a minor draw problem but nothing like this stick. And the burn issue continues as I, once more, correct it.

This cigar is not cheap and I expect sterling construction. At best, both cigar samples have been iffy. I have a lot of cigar choices out there and I can buy two at this cost without all the michegos.

The cigar’s unyielding prevailing counter weight are that the flavors are wonderful. At the halfway point, they are becoming richer and more complex. The finish is very long and nicely balanced. It is here that this cigar finds its sweet spot.

The flavors are limited to: caramel, sweetness, creaminess, nutty, leather, and that elusive fruitiness. I take a sip of water to cleanse my palate and I get it. The fruit is a cross between strawberry and baking raisins. The pungent strawberry aroma hits first and then the super sweet flavor of raisins. Baking raisins are very soft and have the consistency of prunes. Baking raisins have a very intense flavor. Obviously, this is a unique cigar. And that is where the money goes…the blending. It is the construction that I have a problem with.

But like Jason said early on…..this shape I am smoking may not be on the market. Maybe the blenders had the same problem I am currently having and they stuck with a traditional perfecto with the nipple foot. And the almost Salomon-like shape.

The last third is delicious. Nothing has been added to the flavor profile. But the existing flavors are just blaring away. This must be the most intense caramel flavor I’ve experienced in a cigar.

The body is now medium/full.

As the cigar burns down, the draw remains acceptable. In the last couple of inches the strength hits full bodied.

The cigar goes past the sweet spot and becomes a flavor bomb. This is an ice cream parlor cigar.

I appreciate the CLE people sending me samples but because the shape is not like anything I can find on a single web site, I am probably not giving you a fair assessment of the construction. As it was probably manufactured in small batches then tweaked because of these construction issues. I’m just spit balling here.

I’d like to try the current Callejero and compare the two types.

I can highly recommend the cigar based upon its flavor profile. But if you find an OSOK with this shape and a shaggy foot, run away fast.

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