Wrapper, Binder, Filler: Undisclosed except that the cigar may be a combo of Honduran, Nicaraguan and Brazilian tobacco.
Size: 5.5 x 50 “Robusto”
Body: Medium
Price: $5.50
I have reviewed two cigars from this group of 11 blends..Plutonium and Vanadium. But I will refresh everyone’s memories about this astounding concept.
The brand is called Foundry Tobacco Compounds, Elements, and Musings. In 2012, the idea came from General Cigars’ Creative Director Michael Giannini, who was in awe of Victorian-era science fiction, the Steampunk genre and the mechanisms of England’s Industrial Revolution. The packaging of the cigars was almost as important to Giannini as the blends themselves.
Foundry Tobacco is a totally separate company from General Cigar; although under its umbrella. He was given full reign on the whole schlimazel. And the frustrating part for someone who writes about cigars is that basically the ingredients are a secret. Although some info leaked out.
The list of all 11 blends:
Gold, argon, vanadium, xenon, plutonium, [From this point on, the following blends can only be found in B & M’s]: Carbon, H20, Hydrogen, Uranium, Helium, and Titanium.
The sticks made their debut at the 2013 IPCPR Trade Show and they went like hot cakes. And the word is that once they are gone, they’re gone. And very few boxes were made. BestCigarPrices.com is selling boxes and 5 packs.
Argon is a noble gas that is abundant in our earth’s atmosphere.
Enough of being Mr. Wizard in absentia, on with the review.
Like most of the Foundry cigars, the cigar bands come close to covering the entire cigar. So most of my photos will show bare cigar only. And speaking of photos, just like the rest of you out there, it is snowing here in Wisconsin. There is no sun and my photos will probably look like shit. Sorry.
The wrapper is a strange color I haven’t seen before. It appears to be tan mixed with concrete gray. It is extremely mottled. Seams are nice. Veins are few. There is a slight bit of oiliness and very smooth to the tush, I mean touch.
I clip the cap and the aromas are barely discernible. I can’t smell anything. Oh no. I’ve got a second one and after I start smoking this first one, I will go back and try to figure out why my nose went dead on me.
Time to light up.
I get an immediate influx of nice flavors on the first puffs: Sweetness, orange peel, cinnamon, fresh fruit of the melon variety, cocoa, leather, and some I can’t quite put my finger on this early. It may not smell like much but it doesn’t short you on flavor.
These cigars do need a little time. But they still fall within the New Breed Tattooed Ones spectrum. I’ve had them more than 3 weeks and this is the first time one has been ready to smoke. And I want to thank my pal, Jason Harding of BestCigarPrices.com for the gift.
At only ½” in, spiciness begins to develop. The cocoa becomes stronger. In fact, everything becomes stronger. I hate taking off the beautiful bill board sized cigar band but it is either that or I smoke it. Believe me, I’ve smoked worst. There was this time in Amsterdam in the early 1970’s….another time..maybe.
The draw is fine. The char line is almost dead nuts. It is already chewy and leaving a buttery sensation on my lips. And then POW. The spice jumps the shark. It is very potent and I like it.
And it courteously allows the rest of the flavors shine through. It is a heady cigar. It starts off with a blast of flavors and the halfway through the first third it settles into a variety of subtlety and nuance. Flavors become less distinct. I couldn’t list them for you at the moment. They are all over the place.
The first third comes to an end and this is truly an unusual cigar. I believe the leaf stats are merely a guess. Giannini went to extraordinary lengths to keep the tobaccos a secret so I haven’t a clue what I’m smoking.
A fruity flavor flummoxes me. What the hell is it? It is not the aforementioned melon-y aroma. BANANA!! That’s it my brethren.
It is here, nearly at the halfway point that the cigar explodes in my face like a pie from Soupy Sales. Flavors go from subtle to indigenous life forms. Spice, cocoa, banana, toast, sweetness, citrus, leather, and yo’ mama. The last remark is for my black brothers who see me as a cool Daddy-O.
The banana flavor is the strongest I’ve ever tasted. The body is at a classic medium. And the flavors are very nice. BCP still has these cigars. They carry Argon, Europium, Vanadium, Gold, and Xenon. And all in the $5 per stick range. 5 packs are available too.
The last third finds the char line dead nuts perfect. There has been no loose tobacco from the cap. And I’m sitting here just cruising on this very pleasant tasting cigar. Now with all my fawning and schmaltzy descriptions, this is not a Tatuaje or an Illusione. But it is an extremely good deal for $5.
The last third finds the flavors jutting their chins out trying to make it to the wire before the other flavors.
It ends without a bit of harshness or bitterness. The flavors are clean. And there is only the slightest touch of nicotine. And the thing to remember is that when these limited run cigars are gone, they are gone. I have one more from this line to review: Gold.
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Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS
I have a question…Are there Cigars or companies out there that have a low nicotine level with a full flavored stick ?…Some relatively mild sticks have had so much nicotine that they kicked my ass…I have a tendency to stick with the same brands in fear of being knocked on my butt…So…How does one know ? Thanks, and good review as usual !
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I just reviewed the right cigar for you. The Sosa Auric Perfectum. It starts out mild, boosts to medium and stays there and not a single drop of nicotine.
But to answer your question, my memory is a fog bank. You can’t count on the cigar stores to give you the lowdown on your topic so basically read reviews about the cigars you’re interested in. The good reviewers will discuss the nicotine levels of any particular cigar.
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Thank you sir !
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