Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Sumatran
Filler: Nicaraguan, Honduran
Size: 6 x 52 “Piramides”
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $8.00

Today we take a look at the Martinez Pasión Piramides.

BACKGROUND:
From the Martinez Cigars web site:
“Our Pasión Piramides provide a bold yet refined smoke in a beautifully tapered masterpiece of a cigar. Featuring the signature Pasión aged blend of Nicaraguan long filler tobaccos wrapped in a spicy Nicaraguan leaf, this medium to full bodied cigar was crafted specifically for those who demand the ultimate in flavor, smoke and enjoyment. The characteristic complex, spicy notes with strong peppery hints are concentrated at its end for an incredibly fulfilling draw.

“Since 1974, Martinez Hand Rolled Cigars Factory has produced some of the very finest cigars available anywhere in the world. All Martinez Cigars are made by hand in our factory in midtown New York City. We proudly maintain the tradition begun by our founder, Don Antonio Martinez, honoring his talents, skills and memory.”

My own comment is that this was a young man. He died at the age of 55. In my book, that is way too young. If you are looking at this from the other end of the age scale, one day you will realize how quickly time flies. And when you look in the mirror when you are 60, you don’t recognize the man you see because you feel the same as when you were 30.

There is a great article about the store at Paul Evans web site. He went there, in NYC, and watched the rollers do their thing. Very interesting story. You will, I’m sure, enjoy it.

The photo below is from Paul’s web site of the Martinez Cigars storefront.

DESCRIPTION:
A rustic cigar with a nice mottled, oily, toffee colored wrapper. Seams are tight. There are a lot of vein highways happening.

The Piramides pointed belicoso type cap is impeccable.
The cigar band is absolutely gorgeous. A true work of art. It uses the U.S. Constitution as a background and in the foreground is the photo of Don Antonio Martinez, photo of the storefront, the Liberty Eagle, and the Martinez logo.
And of course, the name of the blend at the top: Pasión

Beautiful tribute to this country. Screw you Donald Trump.

SIZES AND PRICING:
Pasión 5 x 44 $6.75
Pasión 550 5 x 50 $7.50
Pasión 654 6 x 54 $8.50
Pasión 750 7 x 50 $8.00
Pasión Piramides 6 x 52 $8.00
Prices for the other 3 blends range from $5.50 – $12.00 per stick. The Flatiron Series is the most expensive.

AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I can smell sweet carrot juice, spice, hints of coffee, cedar, and floral notes.
From the clipped cap and foot, I smell dark baking cocoa, spice, coffee, (Pardon me while I sneeze twice in a row from the pepper), heavier, floral notes, sweetness, and cedar.
The cold draw presents flavors of bittersweet cocoa, spice, coffee, sweetness, cedar, earthiness, and leather.

FIRST THIRD:
The draw is spot on.
I get slammed with a big dose of black pepper. Then the coffee, wood, cocoa, sweetness, gingerbread, and some nuttiness.

Jesus Martinez told me that these cigars need to rest because they are fresh rolled. So I used every iota of patience I could muster and waited about 10 days.
And besides, who doesn’t love the taste of a fresh rolled cigar? The good ones provide wonderful flavors and the secretive portent of good things to come with more humidor rest.

Creaminess and caramel show up after just a few minutes. The burned butter flavor comes through loud and clear.
The strength is medium+ body.
The char line is dead nuts.

My daughter and her fiancée are upstairs sleeping. Their electricity got turned off yesterday and it is hot and muggy in Milwaukee. So they slept here. John is a Milwaukee cop and had to work til 1am. Katie did something because she didn’t show up until he was off work.

I stuck a rolled up towel underneath their closed door to prevent smoke. My kid goes bat shit when she smells my cigar smoke. A real drama queen. And then she screams at me. We have a lovely relationship. So the real test is if I can get through this review before they wake up as I heard them talking and laughing at 4:30am.

The floral notes show up in the flavor profile with a strong impact. It’s honeysuckle and roses. Now I’ve never tasted a rose but the aroma is hitting my palate through my nose and that’s what I taste folks.

The cigar is super complex at only 1” burned. Now I know why the cigar is called Pasión.
A totally delightful flavor profile. I’m sure the Sumatran binder has a wondrous effect on the flavor.
I still have the Don Antonio Escogido to review. Maybe tomorrow.

I want to thank Jesus Martinez and Patrick Gilbreath for sending me samples to review. My review of the Martinez Flatiron # 6 Natural and the Martinez Flatiron #2 Maduro swayed them…that and a lot of begging from me.

I’m beginning to realize that Martinez Cigars can do no wrong in my eyes. This is the third blend I’ve smoked and each one is dynamite ready to blow. Terrific.

Ladies and Germs; the Martinez Pasión Piramides: Creaminess, black pepper, coffee, cocoa, caramel, sweetness, floral notes, cedar, lemon citrus, gingerbread, nuttiness, and leather. Whew. That’s a Mammajamma.

SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time has been 25 minutes.

The Martinez Pasión Piramides is super complex with a perfect balance and nice long finish. I’m sitting here, like a dog, smacking my lips constantly. If my wife were here, she would tell me stop doing that. It annoys her. After over 31 years with the same woman, everything annoys her.
And I’ve never cheated. (Couldn’t afford it).

Besides the Flatiron series, the Pasión Series, the Don Antonio Series, Jesus Martinez puts out the New York City Blend; which I will be begging for next.

You know what I really like about the Martinez folks. They put out the exact sizes I like: Corona (5.25 x 40), Robusto, Toro, Churchill, and the not so much liked; Gordo.
The Don Antonio comes in Natural, Maduro, and Claro. The Natural and Claro are mild blends while the Maduro is medium body.

HALFWAY POINT:
I sat back and enjoyed the cigar for so long, that I forgot to write.
The sun has come out. Huzzah!

Cigar photos look much better with natural light than artificial light. The darkness of the wrapper dissipates and it almost seems translucent.
We have hit medium/full body.
What a cigar blend! Holy cow.

Flavors are huge! The complexity is…..complex. Very nice balance of flavors. With that long, chewy finish. Delightful.
So far, in the three blends I’ve smoked, they have stood on their own. No duplicates of blends. I’m dying to review the Don Antonio. After all, it is named after the maestro himself.

The char line is hanging tough. No construction issues. Can’t imagine what this blend will taste like with a few months humidor time. I intend to put my other stick away and will check back at a later time.

There is a shakeup of flavors: Black pepper, coffee, creaminess, lemon citrus, cedar, sweetness, toastiness, and leather. The other flavors have all but disappeared.

The Martinez Pasión Piramides is now a very meaty, savory cigar. I can taste BBQ flank steak. With touches of garlic, salt, and cumin.

If I had to choose amongst the Flatiron Natural, Flatiron Maduro, or the Martinez Pasión Piramides, it would be impossible. These three blends are so different it would be comparing apples and oranges.

Martinez cigars are quickly becoming my favorite top 5 blends: Ezra Zion, Paul Stulac, Martinez, Tatuaje, and Illusione.
So if you plan to hurry up and send me cigars, you now know what to send. It’s alright, I won’t hold my breath.

You should read my reviews of the Martinez Flatiron No. 6 Natural and the Martinez Cigars Flatiron #2 Maduro.
I should add that you can buy directly from the Martinez Cigars web site. They have samplers if you’re not sure. I’d love to get Martinez as a sponsor and deliver a small discount to my readers.

Flavors have changed again: Caramel, sweet coffee, toasty, chocolate toffee, maple, BBQ seasonings, cedar, leather, and a renewed blast of black pepper.

LAST THIRD:
The Martinez Pasión Piramides has been a marvelous cigar. What a relief it is to review a great cigar blend…unlike my last two reviews where I trashed the cigars. Trashing cigars is no fun. But there is fun a ’plenty in reviewing a terrific cigar.

I’d love to try the 5 x 44 Corona size. At only $6.75, it is doable. I bet it is a real little firecracker.

I still don’t get the attraction of the Gordo 6 x 60 or larger size. I bet I can count on one hand the Gordos I’ve liked.

Flavors are exuberant and flashy now. The Martinez Pasión Piramides is going out with a big bang. The black pepper is now leading the pack. I love spicy cigars. Must be because I grew up in So Cal and had a Mexican housekeeper that took care of me and my sister cooking up some of the greatest Mexican food. She became our surrogate mother while my real mother lay dying due to malpractice of the docs treating her.

Smoke time has been 90 minutes. It sped up a little as the cigar tapered down to the piramides pointy cap.
The Martinez Pasión Piramides finishes cool and tasty. What a treat.
Thank you Jesus and Patrick!

PRICE POINT:
Prices ranging from less than $7-$8+ is absurd. Thankfully, the Jesus Martinez is not a greedy man. I can count endlessly the double digit cigars that aren’t half as good as the Martinez line.

Are you getting the same emails as me? Pre-order the new cigars coming out of IPCPR? I haven’t seen a single cigar less than $14.00. Greedy bastardos! The new cigars are way out of my wallet contingency. Not to mention the wife contingency.

Thankfully, I contacted a lot of manufacturers asking not to forget about me when they dole out samples. Every single one promised to load me up with samples. Great guys.
If not for their kindness and generosity, I would not be reviewing a single new cigar.

SUMMATION:
Great, great cigar blend!
If you do not go directly to the Martinez Cigars web site and score some of these blends when you finish reading this review; well..you are out of my will.
Full flavored. Complex. A perfect medium/full strength without a hint of nicotine.
No construction issues. Perfect burn.
I’m blown away by how good it tastes with less than 2 weeks humidor time. Imagine the possibilities.

Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS

Tags: cigar review, cigar reviews by the katman, cigars, don antonio genaro martinez, jesus martinez, martinez cigars, Martinez Pasión Piramides Cigar Review