Wrapper: Honduran
Binder: Honduran
Filler: Honduran
Size: 4.5 x 50 “Robusto”
Body: Medium/Full
Price: $10.00
Today we take a look at the yet to be released Asylum 33 from Asylum Cigars.
(Today is a bad day for me and “that” disease. I’ve been up since 4am with a horrible headache and feeling unwell. My memory is failing and I’m having serious trouble finding the right words. So please forgive me. Thanks.)
BACKGROUND:
The cigar made its debut at the 2015 IPCPR trade show.
Asylum 33 is a new brand for Asylum Cigars. Under the aegis of the “33” brand, Christian Eiroa and Tom Lazuka will produce cigars with extremely aged tobacco from all over the world.
The only available information is that this blend is made up of 7 year old aged tobacco.
This will not be a regular production cigar.
The cigar comes in four sizes.
Factory: El Aladino in Danlí, Honduras.
Asylum is owned by Christian Eiroa and an arm of the CLE Cigar Company.
DESCRIPTION:
First, this stick has over a month of humi time thanks to buddy Paul Stulac who wangled some IPCPR samples for me.
Nice looking cigar. The wrapper seems to be Colorado Claro. Seams are tight. Veins are minimal. The triple cap is flawless. The Asylum 33 is a very firm stick with the right amount of give.
And of course, my curse and bane to my mediocre photographic skills…a very shiny aluminum siding cigar band that reflects light like no one’s business.
SIZES AND PRICING:
The four sizes of Asylum 33 will be packaged in 20 or 25 count boxes:
5.5 x 46 Corona Grande
4.5 x 50 Robusto
6 x 52 Toro
6 x 70 (There is no name attached to this so I shall call it Rodan!)
Prices range from $10.00-$13.00.
AROMAS AND COLD DRAW NOTES:
From the shaft, I smell wonderful baking spices, floral notes, sweetness, barnyard, a bit of coffee and cocoa, and leather.
From the clipped cap and foot, I smell strong spice, barnyard, cocoa, coffee, sweetness, anise, and cloves.
The cold draw presents flavors of spice, chocolate, sweetness, floral notes, baking spices, and a touch of lemon citrus.
FIRST THIRD:
The draw is excellent. Nice.
A bombast of red hot chili peppers smacks me in the puss right away. A few years ago, I was writing for a big online store and I used a phrase like this and the owner, a Cuban, told me I couldn’t use that kind of language. It was dirty. I explained the different definitions of the word. Took 3 or 4 times to get through, but through I did.
Very earthy, sweetness, cream, coffee, nutty, toasty, baking spices, cedar, and leather.
Not bad for the first minute of the cigar. Very good sign. Unlike the Island Jim #2 which started fantastic and then petered off. (Now that’s dirty).
Strength is medium+ body.
The char line is spot on.
The is a warm French pastry. Or maybe a decadent version of cheesecake. The graham cracker soaked in butter is up front along with the thick and creamy cheese.
And there are streaks of chocolate throughout. Damn. This is making me hungry.
I love this cigar already. I can’t wait to rate it. I know, I know. I spouted my rhetoric about rating is so subjective and no one has the same palate…but now I like doing it. I’m on my way out so no reason I can’t still shake things up a little.
The lemon twist gives the sweetness a perfect counterpoint.
(The docs really encouraged me to continue reviewing. I feel like I come alive when I smoke and review. Really. It’s so wonderful.)
I’m a huge fan of Asylum cigars as well as anything Christian Eiroa and Tom Lazuka design. And they are not letting me down with this up and comer.
The cable TV radio is playing “I Can’t Quit You Baby” by Zep. I crank it. Charlotte left for work so the neighbors get a Led Zep concert courtesy of the madman next door.
The Asylum 33 is right on the verge of finding its complexity. The balance is already there and it has a nice long, chewy finish. I can feel the flavors on my teeth. And my knee caps. Yeah, it’s that good.
SECOND THIRD:
Smoke time is 20 minutes.
Wish I had a Toro. The 6 x 70 is too much for this exemplary standard of mankind.
The ash is hanging tough.
I think it is a real shame that Eiroa sold Camacho to Davidoff. The only cigar I’ve really liked the Barrel Aged. That came close to the Camacho standard of quality. Close but no cigar. But life moves forward and changes occur. Usually for the better for these two men: Eiroa and Lazuka.
Here they are: Creaminess, coffee, spice, nuts, toasty, graham cracker, generic sweetness, cedar, baking spice, and the big “It” factor.
This is truly a high premium blend.
The complexity kicks in big time. The Asylum 33 is smooth as my tushy. My testosterone is low so I have no more body hair except on my head. If I take testosterone, it causes you to lose that last bastion of hair. And I want my hair. I have a high forehead, but I’ve beaten my male relatives, now dead of course, by a good 20 years. They all lost their hair early. But I have a theory. Back in the day, everyone used harsh chemical shampoos like Prell. No one used conditioner except women.
I’ve used nothing but top of the line hair products since my early 20’s. And bang! I have all my hair.
Where was I?
Back to the Asylum 33. Eiroa and Lazuka are not going to like this review because I’ve so much of me into it. But this has now become a journal that will document my slide into madness over the next couple of years.
And besides, this was not a sample. These guys don’t send me pre-release cigars. Although, they should with my massive readership. I still can’t get over that I’m read in 130 countries. Mind blowing. Both Israel and Palestine.
Fine, fine blend.
Strength is medium/full now.
With the cigar band off, you can see a holographic type art on it. It is beautiful. Trippy Daddy-O. Yes, on April 3, 1968, I was at the opening of the movie “2001: A Space Odyssey” at the Cinedome in Hollywood. And like all the other Hippies, my friends and I dropped Lysergic acid diethylamide and sat in the very first row. LOL!
The Asylum 33 is one of the creamiest cigars I’ve smoked. It is smooth and delightful. With a rough edge caused by the cedar and lemon twist. The graham cracker has definitively morphed into a rich cheesecake.
Transitions. The true test of a high premium blend. And this baby has them. Flavors morph slowly from one to the other. The spiciness has remained mostly static near the front of the line in the form of black pepper.
I’m now getting strong floral notes. Like honeysuckle.
HALFWAY POINT:
Smoke time is 35 minutes.
Oh man, if you don’t snag these cigars when they come out, you are crazier than me. This is a major step in the Asylum Cigars portfolio. I cannot wait for the other blends to come out.
Each sip of water causes a flavor explosion.
The spice, surprisingly, surges at this point. It becomes both black and red pepper at the same time and clears my sinuses. I can breathe!
The 7 years of aged tobacco really shows itself. Lots of cigars boast about the age of their tobacco and most of them taste no different than an ordinary cigar. Here…it says, “See! I told you so!”
I’m smoking very slowly now. This cigar blend is designed to be savored. The subtleties and nuances are beautiful and gratifying. You smoke this baby, alone, in your man cave with no distractions. Make it the first cigar of your day.
In the entire PR, it doesn’t say how many will be produced. Just that it is a limited run.
One more flavor: Caramel. Now it’s perfect.
LAST THIRD:
This is Sweet Spot 3.0.
Massive flavors. Incredible complexity. Perfect balance and finish.
The last 1-1/2” is cool as a cuke. No harshness and only a modicum of nicotine.
It will finish out at medium/full body.
Lousy morning made spectacular by this blend. Another sip of water really brings out the woodiness and earthiness. And the spice rips my tongue off. That’s a good thing.
The experienced smoker is going to go ape shit over the Asylum 33.
Flavors actually become stronger at this point.
I’m very impressed. I give this cigar a 95.
In all truth, it is really close to being perfect.
Final smoke time is just under an hour.
PRICE POINT:
You’ve read me rail on double digit pricing. But the new stuff coming out of 2015 IPCPR has just gone mad. The average price for a new cigar is $14.00+. Greed. Plain and simple.
Now the Asylum 33 is worth every shekel. Every single penny. The boys could have been greedy and sold this at a much higher price to compete with the greedy boys but they didn’t. Extensively aged tobacco from God knows where can’t be cheap. Especially in a limited run.
Buy it. Buy a 5 pack. Buy a box. Buy two boxes and send me one.
SUMMATION:
Yes, I fawned all over the Asylum 33. It deserves all my raves.
The construction is perfect. And the flavor profile is unmatched.
The blend is well rounded. Nothing sticks out to the point of drowning out other flavors.
I like that the spiciness remained intact throughout the cigar experience. And this truly was an experience. Now when will they hit the shelves?
Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS
Cigar Reviews by Phil 'Katman' Kohn 
All of the press on the Eiora/CLE & ASYLUM have me drooling, I want to tray EVERY single one of their new sticks. That’s rare for me, usually I get excited over 1 or 2 new products from a line, but not all…..that says something….I cannot wait to try these. Excellent review sir.
Thanks Daddy-O!