Wrapper: Ecuadorian
Binder: Dominican
Filler: Dominican
Size: 5.5 x 52 Robusto
Strength: Medium
Price: $11.00
My cigars have been sunbathing naked on the beach of Lake Michigan for 3 months.
BACKGROUND:
Released August 2022
From Luxury Cigar Club:
“Luxury Cigar Club is proud to welcome its newest offering, SNBN, or Shall Not Be Named. This masterpiece was made at Tabacalera Diaz Cabrera, in the Dominican Republic. It wears an Ecuadorian wrapper with Dominican insides. This silky-smooth cigar is bursting with notes of cedar, coffee, cream, honey, and just the right amount of pepper. This cigar is versatile enough to enjoy with a cup of coffee or enjoy after dinner. SNBN pairs very well with a scotch or low-proof bourbon. We hope you like this cigar as much as we enjoyed making it!
“When working on this cigar we wanted to pay tribute to the true masters of the craft of blending. While we cannot say who blended this cigar because of legal reasons, we can say that you do know who it is and have smoked many cigars by the blender.
“SNBN is surrounded in legal issues, which is why we are adamant at getting it to you to smoke! SNBN was going to be called #$&*@ (Sorry, we are not legally allowed to say that either) The cigar was going to release at the 2022 PCA show, but because of a cease-and-desist letter we had to stop the shipment, unpack the cigars, and work on a re-brand.”
THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
Aromas are superb: Dark and milk chocolate truffles, gorgeous floral notes, my anteater nose lops away at a hill of honey & caramel, cinnamon graham crackers, pure vanilla ice cream, malt up to here, espresso…man, I’m telling you if it tastes half as good as it smells, we have GOAL! (Just finished binge watching “Ted Lasso.” Not as good as I expected).
If you read the background info, you know this cigar is made by a blender who knows what he is doing, and you most probably have smoked his premium blends before. As I’d just as soon not see Ben Rotem of LCC go back to prison again, the blender cannot be discussed in this platform.
The cigar bears some weight. Solid construction. It loves me like a rock.
Once again, time to show off the PerfecPunch & Stand. The blades are as sharp as my wit 30 years ago.
Notes of salted cashews, honey, creaminess, black pepper, and malt begin the beguine.
Strength is a solid medium.
Just below the surface is a hint of richness and decent complexity.
Lemon curd pops up. A slight minty note hangs back representing an interesting note of green tea.
Easy going. No rush. The char line is radiant in its crispness.
Cinnamon sits on top of the heap.
I found out that a third Curved Air member has died. Francis Monkman was an innovator whose skills on the keys…and especially the harpsichord, was monumental. Francis died from cancer at 73. He played on the 1975 “Live” album with me. “Francis is also known for his playing on the scores to The Empire Strikes Back, Raiders Of The Lost Ark, Superman II and two of the James Bond movies, The Spy Who Loved Me and Live and Let Die. Francis’ score for The Long Good Friday has the avid admiration of film fans in its own right.”
The original bassist, Ian Eyre, died at 70. Original drummer, Florian Pilkington-Miksa died at 70…also on the 1975 “Live” album. All in the last two years. Flo and Francis were upstanding guys who stayed in touch, and they will be missed. Two other friends passed since hitting 70 as well. Seems that becoming a septuagenarian is a dangerous feat. Boomers mistakenly thought we were going to live forever. At least outlive our parents.
That is Florian on the far left. Francis sits next to him. And of course, there was no room on the couch for me on the far right:
This blend is a quiet cigar. Very subtle approach. Do not expect a flavor bomb from this blend…but still, everything I have described is in play giving the cigar a lovely richness. The spicy black pepper is joined by the Red Hots cinnamon.
Good morning cigar. Excellent blend for newbies to try. Seasoned smokers will enjoy the discreet level of complexity.
1-1/2” burned. 25 minutes.
I like the SNBN by Tabacalera Diaz Cabrera. It’s not a ball buster. It is an understated cigar with restrained notes that linger on the finish. The construction is excellent. And takes its time delivering the goods. What’s not to like?
Only LCC carries these cigars. This delightful cigar gets 15% off with the promo code, bringing the price point down to $9.35. Worth the price for a cigar that doesn’t challenge your tolerance for overbearing strength.
It is a good stick to hand to friends that are wussies. They get sophisticated flavor minus the whining about the cigar being too strong.
Creaminess, honey, cashews, green tea, black pepper, malt, citrus, cedar, lemongrass, and sourdough bread.
I use my Perfec Cigar Solutions mini chain saw to remove the ash that just won’t tap off. I’m very fond of my nuts and they do not respond well to being lit on fire from an errant ash.
The halfway point arrives at 50 minutes burned.
The blend inches towards becoming medium/full in strength.
This cigar is a bona fide relaxing experience. Smooth. No sudden jerks. Flavors and nuances creep up on me. The blend keeps on getting better.
While on tour with Curved Air in the mid-70’s, Francis, Florian, and I went to a German Hofbrau. They had a massive outdoor space for drinkers covered by a tent. As we sat and drank giant steins of beer, we couldn’t help noticing that we didn’t belong. Not a single other long hair in the hundreds of patrons. Most were of the age that they must have served in WWII. Lots of sneers. I thought, “Great. Ex-Nazis.” Some of the waitresses carried trays of giant white curled radishes that were apparently the perfect accompaniment for beer. We passed on that delicacy. You could smell the farts for miles.
The first sweet spot lands at Normandy. The subtleness shifts gears and flavors go for broke. Transitions kick into gear. Boldness takes over.
Strength is officially medium/full.
Cashews switch to honey glazed walnuts. Creaminess is still the driving force. The spiciness ramps up. The blend never loses sight of its smooth eminence.
The burn line never wavers.
The cigar finishes at 95 minutes.
An excellent blend.
You can purchase this cigar from Luxury Cigar Club. Promo code ‘katman’ gets you 15% off.
RATING: 92
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Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS
