Wrapper: Mexican San Andrés
Binder: Ecuadorian Habano
Filler: Nicaraguan
Size: 5 x 46 Corona Gorda
Strength: Full
Price: $12.50
My cigars received 2 months of naked humidor time.
Released March 2024.
Limited to 900 boxes of 20 for three sizes (Corona Gorda, Robusto, Toro).
THE WHOLE MEGILLAH:
The draw is spot on. I twisted the little fantail off, and my gift was the perfect air hole. I open a telegram from Dr. Rod. ‘Cease and desist promotions cigar accessories Stop Failure to do so will result in suit Stop If dick pics halt may resume promotions. Don’t Stop.’
Smells like a spicy chocolate bar. Or having your face shoved in a boiling pot of Mole Sauce by Mexican cartel thugs because you didn’t tip the falafel street vendor.
Creamy hot cocoa. With whipped marmot. I like that there is an immediate richness that signals good things to come. If you go chasing rabbits.
Spiciness. Black pepper at the back of the throat and red pepper on the tip of my tongue. Not overwhelming…rather, the announcement of what’s in store. The creaminess is seriously up front. As I enter the first inch, saltiness finds an entrance at the same time notes of dark cherries and raisins become a thing. Nice. Forward progression met by a hint of complexity. I’ll wait in the queue.
As a young engineer, I laughed when the architect told me that a vomitorium in a theater is a real thing.
More sensory than complete acknowledgement, caramel is closely observing. I don’t know…it’s early and I’m only on my second cup of joe.
This is a good cigar. Not earth shattering…but for the dough, this is another solid go-to stick we can rely on. Oops. Gave away the happy ending.
Lest anyone forget, I chose 2024 to be the year that I only bring excellent cigars for your consideration. So, if my ratings are solely in the 90’s, that’s the plan. Wasting a few hours to tell you about a cigar that sucks…well, who really has time for that?
Drummer Florian Pilkington-Miksa was an elegant man. More than half a century as a member of Curved Air. He died May 20, 2021. Before Copeland, Flo was my guy. He could trace his family back to the 14th century in Britain. His wildly rich family were the founders of Pilkington Glass. He grew up living in a Lancashire castle. We even rehearsed a few times at his home…in the ‘servant’s castle’ of course. He was born of riches but was relatable like no other CA bandmate. Prior to the Live album, Florian saw my panic because there was no rehearsal; so Florian insisted that Miles Copeland pay for the rental of Covent Garden Studios so he and I could spend hours wood shedding. While everyone smoked hash, Flo’s drug of choice was Valium. Imagine the Etonian accent (Alfred Hitchcock) slowed down to half speed. Flo always commanded the room. I agree with Stewart when he said, ‘Florian Pilkington-Miksa was a great hang.’
Strength began a tick higher than medium and now at 1-1/2” burned, we have rock-hard medium/full. Not a lick of nicotine to spoil the show.
When ‘Stairway to Heaven’ was released in 1971, my band had its usual gig at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. We immediately learnt the tune to the glorious reception of the jarheads. Had to play that fucking tune 4 times. Oy. The chicks dug it.
A lovely progression. Smooth is its middle name. I don’t know its last name…maybe Schmaltzenegger. Sip of coffee. And voila! Coffee flavor is added to the mix. My brain is a metal trap. Probably why I smell like fish.
Life experiences. Whether they end gloriously. Or they end badly. You rack up a bunch of both and eventually find peace and wisdom. It’s good to be the king.
Graham cracker with molten black licorice atop. Raisins morph to snickerdoodles. Cherries don’t move an inch. Creamy chocolate reigns supreme.
Flavors are about flashes that linger. A smoker’s brain looks for identifiable instances that remind him/her of something familiar. Exotic flavor notes seem Looney Tunes but yet we reviewers find the need to say ‘Huzzah! Check this one out!’ Knowing that the odds of anyone bothering to read our tomes is small…and even if perused, will probably not experience anything close to our temporary involvement. Smoking several cigars in prep for a review and taking notes…is ludicrous. Cigar smoking is in the moment. Period.
This diminutive cigar is long time running. 45 minutes at halftime. It’s just a shot away. Is your cigar getting enough skulls?
Construction does not yield to the environment. The top 4 things in life we worry about: Supporting our family, maintaining our health, is our dog getting enough cheese…and is the humidity spot on?
I’ve always been enamored by the oft used reviewer’s term ‘creamy nuts.’ The fuck does that mean? Sure. There’s a filthy joke there, but I don’t do that shit.
If Jimi was alive…would he be playing with ABBA. Or would he be scoring music for Scorsese. That second thing would have put Robertson out of a gig.
New flavors…creamy nuts, black tea, a touch of dark honey, hang on I gotta check the flavor wheel…clotted cream and scones, fresh lumber, crispy fennel, fermented thistle, day old rubber gloves, and synthetic nougat.
Can’t hear ‘Sunshine of Your Love’ without thinking of ‘Goodfellas.’
I can’t find the start of the cigar band. Full strength has begun.
The second half is boner city. Love it.
I’m hot or cold about BLTC blends. Not one of the more consistent manufacturers. Regardless, I try everything they send down the pike. This so-called return to basics hits it out of the park. Better than AJ stuff…but similar in its intent. The Mexican wrapper is dead on arrival these days. So is Nic filler in the wrong hands. Ecuadorian Habano works perfectly. Together, they mosh pit nicely. A sure hit 90-minute smoke. Nubberino.
Only 18,000 cigars were produced for each of the three sizes. They won’t last. Am I jumping the gun? Sure. But I can tell what will mature into a very nice experience and what won’t. For $11, after promo codes, this is a solid blend to have in your humidor. I think the cigar is going to do well with extended humi time, so I bought a 20-count box before I hit ‘Publish.’ (A 3-minute read is profoundly better than any video review. Watching the painful hemming, hawwing, and facial ticks…while they stare at the ceiling in order to think, is a pass for me).
You can purchase this cigar from sponsors Small Batch Cigar (10% off with promo code ‘katman’), Luxury Cigar Club (15% off with promo code ‘katman’), and Cigar Page.
RATING: 93 (96 six months from now)
Categories: CIGAR REVIEWS
Cigar Reviews by the Katman 
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