Wrapper: Ecuadorian Habano 7th Priming
Binder: Brazilian Mata Fina
Filler: Undisclosed (Aged 3 Years)
Size: 6.75 x 52 Perfecto
Strength: Medium/Full
Price: $33.00
My cigars have gotten 4 months of naked humidor time.
While the cigars were not released until mid-November, I received samples from Highclere Castle Cigars in early August.
BACKGROUND:
Highclere Castle Press Release:
“Foundation Cigars crafted this rare blend to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the discovery of the tomb of King Tutankhamun by the 5th Earl of Carnarvon of Highclere Castle and famed archaeologist Howard Carter.
“The Highclere Castle Senetjer was aptly named Senetjer, the ancient Egyptian word for” incense,” translating directly as “of the gods.” The Senetjer presentation box is a replica of the storage boxes discovered within Tutankhamun’s tomb to bring his worldly treasures to the afterlife. The custom-designed scarab representing the Egyptian god, Khepri was the symbol of rebirth. This scarab incorporates the equivalent of a modern-day monogram representing the name Tutankhamun.
“This year, we celebrate the 100th anniversary of my Great Grandfather, the 5th Earl of Carnarvon’s extraordinary discovery of the Pharoah Tutankhamun’s tomb in November 1922. To celebrate the centenary of this amazing find, we have created the Senejter blend, which is a homage to the cigars enjoyed by my family in the roaring twenties.” George Herbert, 8th Earl of Carnarvon.
“Highclere Castle Cigar co-founder Adam von Gootkin hired famous Egyptian archaeologists Colleen & John Darnell to advise on the project. “As a result, we have translated the Highclere Castle name into ancient hieroglyphics as presented on the box facing. The hieroglyphs express the exact translation of Highclere Castle into 3,000-year-old Egyptian as follows: “The Great Domain; she who is high, she who is bright, she who is clear.” Says Von Gootkin.
“Nicholas Melillo of Foundation Cigar Company masterfully crafted the Senejter blend for Highclere Castle. This cigar measures 6 3/4 x 52 and is a perfecto shape, uniquely packaged in 12-count boxes. “When you open this box, you will see “wonderful things.” Says Melillo. The cigar incorporates a 7th priming Habano Ecuador wrapper with a Brazilian Mata Fina binder. The filler tobaccos were specially selected and aged 3yrs from unique lots especially for this blend.
THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
The accompanying Highclere Castle Gin – Barrel Aged is pretty spectacular. I’m not a gin drinker but this stuff is smoother than a Kardashian’s new face. Only 2000 cases. Never again to see daylight. And only $99 per bottle. All things considered, an affordable purchase. Don’t use this nectar for mixed cocktails. Sip it like fine bourbon. The florals are downright incredible. You can read a critique from Spirits Review here. If you want a shortcut to their manifesto, they rate it 10 out of 10 for taste and value. You might still be able to purchase this gin at a purveyor near you. But if not, the Highclere Castle website will sell it to you directly when you click here.
The appearance is quite gorgeous. Not a single flaw.
Aromas are a fur pelt…furry and warm. Baking spices…cinnamon especially, floral arrangements, potent honey, bitter cocoa with marshmallows, sweet cream, and freshly baked sugar cookies.
A big honker. And slightly tight. I reach for my PerfecDraw. I find a note in Esperanto. It has been kidnapped and is now in Havana. It wants to stay. I let it. I have more PD’s.
Who knew that the guitar intro to Jimi’s ‘Voodoo Child’ would be instantly recognizable to this day, even by folks in Utah.
Like a fine Casdagli, the big bang is immediate. A bit rougher than a Casdagli in that black pepper strikes first but also with a lovely richness I adore in my favorite blends. Very creamy. Espresso snaps its peas and queues. A fruity mixed cocktail in its own syrup sticks its beak out and it is slapped. Only one beak allowed in this household. Charlotte’s.
The burn is ajar. Nope. Not going there.
Nice smoke output. I stare upwards at the cobwebs and exhale. Video over.
No, no, no…’Hotel California’ is on my Amazon Music Jimi channel. Dr. Rod loves The Eagles. He’s a dentist so I overlook this.
Strength is medium/full after only 5 minutes. Uh-oh.
The burn self-heals. I gotta learn that trick. I have this thing over here…look. I turned the camera off. Sorry. No one wants to see an old man slobbering with a cigar in his mouth.
The pepperiness sidles to the bar and hunkers silently. I like that sentence. What I meant was, it relents. The balance is in full throttle. Savory v. Sweet is early gorgeous.
This is one tasty snausage. Well, for $33 it should be blowing me. Instead of the other way around. Prison talk.
I think of Black Betty. Bam-ba-lam.
I just reviewed the Casdagli Brothers of the Sabre Brave. Incredible cigar. Only $17. The Senetjer is twice that much. Should it be twice as good. Yes. Is it. Nope.
Yes, it is an excellent blend. I’m afraid the hype will out. At this point, nearly 2” burned…it reminds me of a wonderful $16 cigar. I guess this will be the last time the good folks at Highclere send me anything. I can’t be bought. Actually, I can. But not for a free cigar(s) and a bottle of hooch.
The burn decimates my earlier comment that it self-healed. It has relapsed. I saw this happen with my first two sticks.
The complex nature is a bit lax. What I truly love about Casdagli blends. And I use this simile because they are the most consistent cigar blends available to the smoking public…where was I. Oh. I love the fraction-by-fraction movement in infrastructure. No Casdagli cigar is linear. Constant forward momentum. This Senetjer ain’t quite there. It defies the order of the First Inch.
And it self-heals again.
Meanwhile, the cigar continues. Flavors are minimalistic. If the richness usurped this minor flaw, no big deal. But the rich quality is only on the cusp. It remains fragmented.
Halfwheel reviewed this cigar in April. It was loved and given a 92. That’s like 100 in Kohn World. Whittington tasted a full spectrum of flavors that are missing in my three-cigar experience. Maybe you should listen to him. His bio says he’s smoked cigars for over 8 years. Fresh and new. Not crusty and prehistoric like me.
Cigars Direct is scalping these sticks for twice the price at $65 per cigar. But they do provide the availability of purchasing singles.
The blend should be a whole lot better. I see a gaggle of ferrets on the horizon. Is it a flashback or an aneurysm. Dunno.
The blend started with enthusiasm. It is hopping on one leg at the halfway point. In the grand scheme of things, it is an excellent cigar I’d love to have at my disposal. But the damn thing is three sawbucks. I factor in price because it is appropriate to do so. This cigar pretty much sold out upon delivery. A box of 12 was $432. I imagine thoughts on this cigar varied. If I spent that kind of dough on a hunch, I would trick my brain into loving this cigar. Buyer’s remorse be damned.
Any idea what it is like to play “Immigrant Song” for the Marines at the EM Club. It raised goosebumps. Of course, it was 1970. Could have been the weed. Imagine sharing a joint with our best outside the club. Would never happen today.
And then the blend makes its brilliant debut. It waited. All those wonderful flavor wheel elements that Halfwheel described finally hit me. I am plagued by delay of game.
So, now I’m verblunget. Fakakta. Schmeared on a bagel. It went from zero to sixty in one hour. See my point. Same thing happened earlier in my exploration of this cigar. Maybe I should retire and ‘raise me up a flop of dental floss in Montana.’ Or stay in Milwaukee and drink myself stupid.
Caramel, creaminess, cinnamon, espresso, fruitiness, lemony, nutty, spicy, Bit-O-Honey, and dark chocolate. See. Now we’re talking. But waiting is not a sign of brilliance. The price tag hovers above my amygdala. You’re no Jack Kennedy. Or a Jeremy.
If the cigar had started here, I’d be doling out a 100. So, I’ll split the difference. I had hoped for more than a confused sense of purpose. Now, I loved the Highclere Castle Victorian that initially saw a price of $16 upon release. But can now be had for $12. That blend is cost appropriate. Even at $16. Which is where this cigar’s price should be.
I just can’t get on board with the industry philosophy that price is not how we judge cigars. That’s just crazy. The industry folks are out of touch.
My rating is still higher than HW. But we work on a different sliding scale. Listen to them…not me. Buy the gin.
RATING: 93
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Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS
