Wrapper: Nicaraguan
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 6.125 x 52 Belicoso Box Pressed
Strength: Full
Price: $18.12 (Can be had for as little as $11.00 online)
My cigars have received 9 months of naked humidor time.
Cigar Aficionado’s #2 Cigar of 2021. Rated 95.
Regular production. Released November 2020.
Made By: San Lotano Cigars S.A. (A.J. Fernandez) Octatel, Nicaragua.
THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
I waited nearly a year because this cigar is notoriously strong.
Punchy and stout cigar. Filled to the brim. But a clear and present draw. My PerfecDraw won’t be needed. I assure it that I have plenty of cigars that will need assistance. PD strokes itself needlessly and I steer it to the cellar. And it sees what Vera “Lila Crane” Miles saw. Too late.
Chocolaty, peppery, and creamy start.
Complex notes begin. Fat richness. Nice. Leaving the cigar alone was a good idea.
Most reviews earlier in this cigar’s life were good. Some complained that the price point was unreasonable. Makes sense. I’m sure that this was not lost on the Montecristo folks. And, hence, the price has plummeted since its release.
The parameter of flavors I read described were typical AJ condiments. No wild and crazy flavor wheel stuff. This is a tipoff that the cigar was designed to be smoked after it has aged on your watch. And since I trust AJ, that is exactly what I did before I put pen to paper. Or fingers to keys.
Everything is creamy. Caramel. Vanilla ice cream. Cup o’ Joe.
The spiciness is an instrument of ruin. It is odd that the leaf stats only refer to the country. Most blenders like to brag. Not this time. This is just one step away from declaring ‘Undisclosed.’
Strength is medium/full at ¾” burned. A leisurely slow roll. No hurry in Mudville.
Chandler Bing is dead. I knew and worked with so many folks with addictive personalities. There is nothing you can do but watch.
Fatitude. I smoked this cigar in the early months of its presence. Nicht gut. It is so hard to wait. But wait I did. Sam I am.
Not a flavor bomb. Time has sized up the black pepper and tamed it. But it is very strong even after its long sleep. Some AJ blends don’t have a long shelf life. The onus is on the smoker.
Something is at play in this leafy design that inherits the wind. Something good. I sense that another 6 months or longer will do this cigar no harm.
Morning. It is still dark outside. I hate it even more when darkness comes at 4:30pm.
Inflation is at 3.67%. Did your box of cereal go up by 18 cents. Did your eggs go up by 11 cents. No. Add several dollars to those prices. Corporate greed. And they are getting away with it. How do you control greed and corruption.
2” burned. So fucking lovely. Richness creep. Complexity ascends. I nod off. Sorry. Old man shit. Do I care what I say anymore…fuck no.
Strength rips me a new one. Holy shit. Ha. A newbie killer. Even seasoned smokers will drop to their knees with this baby. Double ha. But it tastes so good.
Is it worth $18. Dunno. Is it worth $11. Fuck yeah.
I like the rating of 95. It says so much about a cigar that 94 or 96 doesn’t.
I miss playing live. Can’t drag my gear around anymore. And I’m not trying to get laid.
A renowned reviewer emailed me. Nice of him. Made fun of me for always bringing up 70’s rock and roll. 30 years from now, I wonder what he will write about. I’ll have checked out.
Strong to the bone. But the edges are rounded, and the depth of nuances and subtleties are fantastic. Criticism…yeah, AJ could have taken it easier on the power. But you don’t tell AJ nothin’.
“Honey Bee…sail on, my little honey bee.”
This is an ordeal for testicles everywhere. If you can turtle them up into your body, good for you.
Our weekly Hungry Root food delivery is this morning. We are eatin’ good. And our food budget is happy.
I never read old reviews. But when I do, I am so embarrassed.
Slow but steady progression. The rich flavor notes spill out on the floor like I’ve been gutted.
31 degrees outside. Sammy sits by the window frozen in time.
Chocolate. Espresso. Creamy. Caramel. Black pepper. Malt. Brown sugar. Mick Jagger.
Halfway point. One hour. Oh my God. It is going to get stronger. Screaming laughter.
Delirioso. Delicioso. Syncopy. Where am I.
Removing the cigar band with shaking hands is harder than I thought.
Don’t do what I do. Eat something first. Just not spicy. Gruel is good.
Construction is excellent. Perfect char line. I’m writing in a stilted style. Oh no.
Everything gets better with age. Look at me. Don’t. Avert your eyes.
I am writing a complete sentence just to prove I can do this without swooning. Better.
Great cigar. AJ outdid himself. I would have been pissed off if I paid the $18 release price tag. For $11, you can let this cigar rest and when you feel like leaving the planet, smoke it.
The flavor profile is very capsulized, but its tentacles reach all sorts of intriguing complex nuances that have no distinct boundaries. Did that make sense…dunno.
There is a clearing ahead. My brain has adjusted to the strength. My feet hover above the ground but I don’t care. I’m having a good time.
This must be what it is like to fly at Mach 8.
I flew in a two man glider above San Diego at 12,000 feet. The silence was deafening. I thought that the barrels would tear the wings off. I was warned not to eat beforehand. So glad I listened.
Senses and mobility return. I must have crossed to the other side. I see mom. I see dad. I see my 10th grade German teacher who flew off a mountain driving to Big Bear Lake.
Flavors are in totum. Amplified by the natural progression of this most excellent blend. If this cigar was any richer, Elon Musk would fold his tent.
Cigar Aficionado gave this exact model a 95. I couldn’t agree more. Just splendid in all manner of things.
Two hours. What a journey.
Grab your nutsack and fly.
Three sponsors have this cigar for sale: Small Batch Cigar (10% off with promo code ‘katman’), Cigar Page, and Atlantic Cigar.
RATING: 95
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