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Rockmart Reviews
dbeckom
Posts: 2,193 ✭✭✭✭✭
I just fired up my first Kinky Cristo tonight.
The pre-light aroma is slightly sweet and fruity. A quick snip with the guillotine cutter revealed a perfect draw, with pre-light flavors of fruit and sweet tobacco. Upon lighting, the fruity taste is transformed into an earthy, smoky raisin and spicy-sweet tobacco, with a light coffee finish. I'm not getting any of the pepper that some reviews noted, but there is a definite spice from time to time...almost like paprika and ginger. It's quite interesting. Throughout the first third the flavors stay consistent. The burn is absolutely flawless, with a solid white ash holding out to two inches.
As I near the end of the second third, the raisin that others mentioned is very evident, as well as a sweet, meaty flavor...like the caramelized bark on a smoked ham! The smoke is pleasantly aromatic...makes me think of dried fruit, a mysterious spiciness, and smoked ham! The draw and burn remain perfect. The finish is picking up a little sweetness with the coffee.
The final third brings a touch of pepper on the palate as well as through the nose. The fruit and raisin have given way to a more woody flavor, with the touch of paprika and ginger still noticeable. The aroma has picked up something that I can't place...different than any other cigar I've experienced. Toward the end, the flavors transitioned yet again...back to sweeter, caramelized fruit and a longer sweet and leathery finish.
Throughout the 1:45 burn time, the Kinky Cristo remained cool and the burn perfect. I had read a few reviews that noted a hot smoke and numerous touch-ups...this was not the case with mine. This cigar is a solid medium body, with tons of flavors. In my opinion, it would be a great morning cigar paired with your choice of beverages. Overall, the Kinky Cristo was a pleasant experience that I look forward to revisiting again in the near future.
The pre-light aroma is slightly sweet and fruity. A quick snip with the guillotine cutter revealed a perfect draw, with pre-light flavors of fruit and sweet tobacco. Upon lighting, the fruity taste is transformed into an earthy, smoky raisin and spicy-sweet tobacco, with a light coffee finish. I'm not getting any of the pepper that some reviews noted, but there is a definite spice from time to time...almost like paprika and ginger. It's quite interesting. Throughout the first third the flavors stay consistent. The burn is absolutely flawless, with a solid white ash holding out to two inches.
As I near the end of the second third, the raisin that others mentioned is very evident, as well as a sweet, meaty flavor...like the caramelized bark on a smoked ham! The smoke is pleasantly aromatic...makes me think of dried fruit, a mysterious spiciness, and smoked ham! The draw and burn remain perfect. The finish is picking up a little sweetness with the coffee.
The final third brings a touch of pepper on the palate as well as through the nose. The fruit and raisin have given way to a more woody flavor, with the touch of paprika and ginger still noticeable. The aroma has picked up something that I can't place...different than any other cigar I've experienced. Toward the end, the flavors transitioned yet again...back to sweeter, caramelized fruit and a longer sweet and leathery finish.
Throughout the 1:45 burn time, the Kinky Cristo remained cool and the burn perfect. I had read a few reviews that noted a hot smoke and numerous touch-ups...this was not the case with mine. This cigar is a solid medium body, with tons of flavors. In my opinion, it would be a great morning cigar paired with your choice of beverages. Overall, the Kinky Cristo was a pleasant experience that I look forward to revisiting again in the near future.
"Any cigar smoker is friend, because I know how he feels." Alfred de Musset
"A fine cigar is just like a woman. If you don't light it up just right and suck on it with a certain frequency, it will go out on you." Unknown
“A pipe is to the troubled soul what caresses of a mother are for her suffering child.” Indian Proverb
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Comments
The halfway point brought in new fruit-like flavors...like unsweetened prunes (this may be the raisin that others experienced). The "prune" flavor, along with the cedar, coffee and touch of cinnamon continued as the dominant flavors to the nub.
The burn and draw were perfect from start to finish! I never picked up any of the citrus flavors or aromas that others have written about. I will give the other two sticks a while longer to rest before I revisit them. The Grimalkin is definitely worth trying. I'd love to see what some of the BOTL's with more seasoned palates have to say about this one.
"Any cigar smoker is friend, because I know how he feels." Alfred de Musset
"A fine cigar is just like a woman. If you don't light it up just right and suck on it with a certain frequency, it will go out on you." Unknown
“A pipe is to the troubled soul what caresses of a mother are for her suffering child.” Indian Proverb
My pre-light inspection revealed a beautifully constructed, dark chocolate colored stick that lays heavy in the hand.
The pre-light aroma is of damp earth with a hint of chocolate. A snip with the guillotine cutter revealed a perfect pre-light draw with flavors of sweet tobacco and chocolate.
The first puff provided tons of thick, chewy smoke with flavors of strong coffee and earth, with a touch of sweetness and spicy kick on the tip of my tongue. The retrohale reveals an oily pepper taste on the palate...like freshly cracked black pepper.
After the first third the pepper gives way to a light spice that compliments the earthy flavors and semi-sweet mocha/espresso finish. The smoke is enjoyable all the way to the nub.
This cigar burns flawlessly for just over an hour, with cool smoke and a nice and firm gray ash that held to nearly 2" before I knocked it off. From start to finish I find no fault in the construction and burn of the Est 1844.
I received this cigar about a week ago, with an unknown date of purchase, so I'm to assume it's fairly fresh. I'm excited to see what a substantial rest will do for the flavors.
"Any cigar smoker is friend, because I know how he feels." Alfred de Musset
"A fine cigar is just like a woman. If you don't light it up just right and suck on it with a certain frequency, it will go out on you." Unknown
“A pipe is to the troubled soul what caresses of a mother are for her suffering child.” Indian Proverb
"Any cigar smoker is friend, because I know how he feels." Alfred de Musset
"A fine cigar is just like a woman. If you don't light it up just right and suck on it with a certain frequency, it will go out on you." Unknown
“A pipe is to the troubled soul what caresses of a mother are for her suffering child.” Indian Proverb
"Any cigar smoker is friend, because I know how he feels." Alfred de Musset
"A fine cigar is just like a woman. If you don't light it up just right and suck on it with a certain frequency, it will go out on you." Unknown
“A pipe is to the troubled soul what caresses of a mother are for her suffering child.” Indian Proverb
Nicaraguan filler and binder, with a Nicaraguan Sumatra wrapper.
This beast of a cigar is heavy in the hand and very firm, with no soft spots. There are a few small bumps and one wrinkle in the otherwise slick, oily wrapper. It has a sweet tobacco aroma. Upon cutting I notice a tight pre-light draw, with sweet mocha flavors.
From the first puffs, and throughout the first third I am met with a blast of peppery spice and tons of thick, complex and chewy smoke with sweet, vegetal flavors and a semi-sweet, woody finish. Toward the end of the first third, I'm picking up some sweet chocolate and coffee flavors and the finish is transitioning toward coffee and sweet spice. The retrohale now reveals a sweet, cinnamon with diminishing pepper. To sniff the end (Nasalhale-thanks BlueRings) reveals a sweet, creamy coffee aroma. The burn is uneven at times requiring a couple touch-ups in first third, and the ash is light gray and firm, with a little flaking.
Throughout the second third, the flavors remain mostly sweet and vegetal, with a salty spice and a salty/sweet/savory finish (applewood bacon) leaving an oily feel on lips and palate. A touch of pepper and sweet spice is evident in the retrohale. The burn issues from the first third have gave way to a perfectly straight, razor sharp burn line, with a very firm ash. The aroma is sweet and smoky.
The final third flavors remain complex, with sweet, salty, vegetal flavors and a touch of sweet spice. The finish is long with a leathery/coffee flavor. At this point I noticed a return of the pepper on the retrohale. The flavors remained great to the nub with no signs of bitterness.
As the burn progressed, the draw loosened considerably and the burn became flawless, with a dense light grey ash and a thin burn line. The burn of this cigar is very slow, with a 1:50 burn time. The smoke remained cool to the nub and never got bitter. I found the La Reloba Sumatra to be a full flavored cigar, with a solid medium body.
I definitely look forward to smoking this cigar again soon!
"Any cigar smoker is friend, because I know how he feels." Alfred de Musset
"A fine cigar is just like a woman. If you don't light it up just right and suck on it with a certain frequency, it will go out on you." Unknown
“A pipe is to the troubled soul what caresses of a mother are for her suffering child.” Indian Proverb
Robusto 5x52
Wrapper: Brazilian Arapiraca Maduro
Filler: Nicaraguan, Mexican and Dominican
Medium Body
5+ Months at 68% RH
Burn time: 1:20
The dark brown wrapper is oily to the touch, with a few small veins, and tight invisible seams. This stick is heavy in the hand and firm, with no soft spots. The aroma is sweet barnyard with a hint of cocoa.
The end piece of the cap peeled back when I cut it with my guillotine, so I removed the loose piece and found the rest of the cap to be intact. The pre-light draw is a bit tight but manageable, with a sweet tobacco flavor.
Upon lighting, the thick white smoke has a sweet, cooling effect on the tongue and palate. The flavors are sweet, vegetal, and toasty, with a clean finish and very little spice on the retrohale. By the end of the first third the draw has loosened up a little.
For the second third the sweetness has faded but the flavors remain toasty, vegetal, and somewhat nutty, with a touch of cayenne pepper. The retrohale has a lil more pepper and spice, and the finish remains fairly short with a touch of roasted nut, coffee, and a hint of red pepper on the back of my palate and throat.
On the final third, the smoke is cool and sweet as it hits the tongue, transitioning to vegetal, and nutty, with a spicy zing as it expands across my palate. There is now a moderate dose of cayenne and black pepper on the retrohale. The finish is fairly short with a nutty, leathery flavor and a hint of spice on the palate.
The draw improved through the first and middle thirds and was perfect by the start of the final third. The burn is a little uneven at times but this could be caused by the ceiling fan above me on the porch, otherwise the burn line is razor sharp. From start to finish the ash is firm and white, holding well past an inch where I always knock it off to prevent a mess.
I love this cigar and revisit it often. It never has let me down. The medium bodied smoke is thick and flavorful, offering a relaxing experience any time of the day.
"Any cigar smoker is friend, because I know how he feels." Alfred de Musset
"A fine cigar is just like a woman. If you don't light it up just right and suck on it with a certain frequency, it will go out on you." Unknown
“A pipe is to the troubled soul what caresses of a mother are for her suffering child.” Indian Proverb
This is exactly the same experience I had with this cigar. Great review brother.
I was looking at buying a box of these if this one turned out as good as the first. Now I've gotta find a couple more to smoke before I can decide to buy.
Anyone else have this issue?
"Any cigar smoker is friend, because I know how he feels." Alfred de Musset
"A fine cigar is just like a woman. If you don't light it up just right and suck on it with a certain frequency, it will go out on you." Unknown
“A pipe is to the troubled soul what caresses of a mother are for her suffering child.” Indian Proverb
I think you should definitely give this one another whirl, but in another size. This is exactly why I generally dont smoke robustos - not a whole lot of good experiences with them, and 99% of the time the cigar is much more enjoyable to me in smaller sizes.
l
"Any cigar smoker is friend, because I know how he feels." Alfred de Musset
"A fine cigar is just like a woman. If you don't light it up just right and suck on it with a certain frequency, it will go out on you." Unknown
“A pipe is to the troubled soul what caresses of a mother are for her suffering child.” Indian Proverb
"Any cigar smoker is friend, because I know how he feels." Alfred de Musset
"A fine cigar is just like a woman. If you don't light it up just right and suck on it with a certain frequency, it will go out on you." Unknown
“A pipe is to the troubled soul what caresses of a mother are for her suffering child.” Indian Proverb
"Any cigar smoker is friend, because I know how he feels." Alfred de Musset
"A fine cigar is just like a woman. If you don't light it up just right and suck on it with a certain frequency, it will go out on you." Unknown
“A pipe is to the troubled soul what caresses of a mother are for her suffering child.” Indian Proverb
Square press Toro 6x52
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Corojo
Filler: Nicaraguan, Honduran, Peruvian Ligeros
Binder: Dominican Corojo
Resting since Dec, 2010
Burn Time: 1:35
The 5 Vegas Cask Strength has a dark brown and oily Corojo wrapper with small veins and tight, invisible seams. There are a few small wrinkles in the binder that take away from the otherwise flawless appearance of the wrapper. This stick has the aroma of dark tobacco and earth, with a touch of chocolate on the foot. The pre-light draw is perfect, with light flavors of semi-sweet tobacco and earth.
Toasting the foot reveals a cloud of thick smoke with a toasty tobacco and oak aroma. The first draw provides a thick, palate consuming cloud of smoke with flavors of nut, coffee and spice. The smoke greets me with a touch of sweetness on the tip of the tongue that quickly gives way to a spicy explosion and a peppery exhale. The finish at this point is fairly short with notes of cedar and oily black pepper. A sniff of the head reveals a fresh brewed coffee aroma.
For the start of second third the flavors settled in to a toasty mix, with a touch of sweetness and a hint of spice and pepper on the retrohale. Then after about 3 puffs the strong pepper and spice came back with a vengeance. The finish is getting longer with toasty flavors and a hint of coffee and spice.
The final third brings back a sweet coffee flavor, with a touch of cedar and nutty flavors. The finish is sweet and toasty, with a touch of oily spice on the palate. The pepper continues to come and go throughout the final third....just when you get relaxed, it blows your head off again!
The ash is medium grey and a tad flakey at times from start to finish. It'll only hold for about an inch before falling all over. The burn is very inconsistent...great at times, and terrible at others, requiring several touch ups, and a couple re-lights.
This was my first 5 Vegas Cask Strength II, but it certainly wont be my last. I loved the complexity and ever-changing flavors, and the surprise blasts of pepper and spice were a great addition to the overall experience.
"Any cigar smoker is friend, because I know how he feels." Alfred de Musset
"A fine cigar is just like a woman. If you don't light it up just right and suck on it with a certain frequency, it will go out on you." Unknown
“A pipe is to the troubled soul what caresses of a mother are for her suffering child.” Indian Proverb
"If you do not read the newspapers you're uninformed. If you do read the newspapers, you're misinformed." -- Mark Twain
"Any cigar smoker is friend, because I know how he feels." Alfred de Musset
"A fine cigar is just like a woman. If you don't light it up just right and suck on it with a certain frequency, it will go out on you." Unknown
“A pipe is to the troubled soul what caresses of a mother are for her suffering child.” Indian Proverb