That just goes to show how one mans taste is so different than the next. I would definitely put that cigar in the mid nineties it is in my top five of any cigars in current production. Every one I have smoked have been full flavor and pretty complex. Maybe it is just that you dont like Padilla or got a bad stick I like these sticks a little fresher but the ones I rested for a while have fared well for me too.
I noticed a tremendous difference in the Lancero and Robusto sizes of this very cigar. The lancero with a year on it, was one of my favorites ever. The Robusto with a mere six months on it was a pale comparison ( IMO ). Perhaps the extra time made the Lancero shine, but had I tried the Robusto first, I would have never ventured any further.
The 32's from when Pepin made them are amazing. The lancero is also my favorite size in the current blend. I think that they are a little over priced maybe, and probably also overhyped or something. They get the highest scores of Padilla's marca, but for me, the Dominus, with some age on it is my favorite. It has a fantastic leathery darkness to it.
Haven't had a 32 in a while but I have a few robustos stashed away. Have you had the 32 Oscuro Salomon? I remember liking that one a lot. Could be because I was sitting in a private hot tub outside in Jackson, NH last winter with my girl....who knows.
Isn't that what's so great about cigars sometimes? Even a mediocre cigar can be fantastic if the situation and whole experience is just right. Nice write up Kuz.
as i said a long time ago in September of 2006 (when i did my first review ever (Arturo Fuente Hemingway; 8.8))
Kuzi16:
I know that I am a novice when it comes to cigars. All I can offer to you is my humble opinion on the experiences I have with a certain cigar on a certain day.
and that still holds true. given all the factors that can make or break a cigar i, wouldn't be surprised if i had another one 6 months from now and loved it.
on the other hand, i feel that many of the Padilla cigars have a similar profile and there are very few of them that i truly enjoy. The 68 was fantastic. the 32 was not my cup of tea so much. I didnt like the obsidian at all even though i tend to like maduros quite a bit. the padilla hybrid was very "paper" to me in a bad way. i havent had the rest of the line yet but given what i have seen from the rest of the line and how my taste buds dont react in a positive way to them, i doubt ill be running out to try them.
I find this interesting. Personally I find 1932 my favorite padilla, while the 68 not so much. I'll smoke a 68, but will savor a 32.
Yep...I am also OK with the '68, Dominus and Miami, but the '32 is my favorite Padilla. Reading your review, seems like I picked up more chocolate on the ones I've had than the one you had.
See, everyone has those differnt tastes or at the vary least, gets something different out of every smoke.
I started with the Miami and love this line, it suites me and have ordered more. NOw the Amex bill just came in and I spent $400 on sticks this pay cycle, this is No good!! However, I am now free to make a purchase for this month and will grab the box of Miami's of the Box deals.
Anyway, I have had only only 32 and I think that was a better stick (more money too) and when a deal comes around, i'll grab that too. The 32 has that little extra something. Being new to cigars, (ever learning) I have one more 32 that is ready to go. I have a head cold and it has been cold out, so I must wait.
I did not care for the regular Padilla or the Special and have not had the Domingus although I hear good things. As for the 68, eh! Its ok but I have other options.
I'm going to have to lookout for that Chocolate flavor..lgl
This cigar has a smooth medium brown wrapper. There is a warm earthy smell to it. Cut with a Xikar 007 punch cutter. The Draw is very autumn in nature with a hint of nutmeg.
The first few puffs are a bit sweet and a bit nutty and a tiny bit of spice. The classic Nicaraguan pulp taste is in there but it is generally light. The autumn flavor that I associate with corojo is also there. All of the spice is on the finish.
As the cigar settles in, the flavors become more defined but do not change much beyond the sweet not is falling away. The nut/nutmeg flavor is brought to the front. The spice is still in the finish. Through the nose there is a note of leather.
The first ash fell at almost an inch. Now the flavor is turning more leather and the spice seems to come and go as it pleases.
At the half way point the leather has become the dominant flavor while the nutmeg has moved to the background. The space is the same.
I find that the flavor doesnt coat the mouth. Yes, there is flavor there but it feels very flat. The only way I can really describe it is if I relate it to music: it feels like the low end is turned down and is out of balance much of the time.
As the cigar winds down it is much of the same with a tiny chocolaty note in the initial taste.
Burn time: 1 hour 55 minutes
I think I dont like the way Padilla tends to blend their cigars. The Padilla 68 is good. But every other one Ive had, I have been disappointed with. Im still willing to do more testing on the matter
I have to agree with your assessment. Not a bad cigar, great construction and burn but not a great taste. The only Padilla cigars I've been really impressed with are the Miami robusto and the Artisan Habano (maybe because the extra wrappers add some complexity or maybe because it's just so darn pretty), the 68 is good also. But the 1948, 1932, Achilles, and Hybrid weren't anything I'd buy again. I havent tried the Dominus but I have one in my humi that Duder2 sent me in a trade, from what I hear about it I'm looking forward to trying it.
I think I dont like the way Padilla tends to blend their cigars. The Padilla 68 is good. But every other one Ive had, I have been disappointed with. Im still willing to do more testing on the matter
You no taste having, Gurkha loving, no good sonofabitch!
LOL You know I'm teasing kuz but that is one of my fave cigars or was I haven't had one in a year I think. I get this peanut buttery like flavor out of it, that may be the flatness you got.
I think I dont like the way Padilla tends to blend their cigars. The Padilla 68 is good. But every other one Ive had, I have been disappointed with. Im still willing to do more testing on the matter
You no taste having, Gurkha loving, no good sonofabitch!
LOL You know I'm teasing kuz but that is one of my fave cigars or was I haven't had one in a year I think. I get this peanut buttery like flavor out of it, that may be the flatness you got.
i have always suspected that out cigar tastes are polar opposites.
nothing wrong with that. i mean hey, now i know where to send all the cigars i hate....
1-6-11 been in humi since 2-5-08
El Rey Del Mundo Choix Supreme
5 x 48
Wrapper: Cuban
Binder: Cuban
Filler: Cuban
Box Code: JNL DIC04
This cigar came to me as a gift from a member of the old cigar.com forum when it was the AmBack Forum years ago. When I received this cigar there was a large noticeable crack in the wrapper (I believe it to have happened in transit). Since that time, the wrapper (only) has begun to peel up from the cigar.
The color of the wrapper is a bit on the red side of brown but it is not that dark at all. The feel of it is a bit rough as well. The lick on the cap has almost no taste to it but there is an oily feel to it on my lips.
Cut with a double guillotine cutter. The draw is a bit on the easy side with a classic tobacco taste to it that is very light.
The first puffs have flavors that are creamy with a nutty undertone and a tiny bit of spice. Through the nose there is a hint of leather/musk. The spice comes on late and the finish is much to short IMHO.
At the first ash (just over an inch) the cigar has continued on with the cream notes but has also picked up a subtle caramel note. It isnt that sweet though. The nutty undertone is still there and it has picked up a sharp element to it.* The finish has thankfully lengthened a bit. A nice overall roundness has developed even though this is no more than a medium bodied cigar. The generic spice has come out to be white pepper (simply because it is a bit on the mild side).
Over half the cigar has been smoked and the cracked and peeling wrapper has made no difference. At this half way point the cigar has started to flatten out a bit. It feels a bit flat because the nut flavors have left but the sharp flavor has remained.
As the cigar winds down, the spice ramps up. I am not entirely impressed.
I am still not overly impressed by any of the Cuban cigars that I have had. Of those that I have rated, the highest was the RyJ Petit Piramides Edicion Limitada 2005 (8.9). Beyond the the RyJ review and this review (ERdM Choix Supreme) the only other Cuban I have reviewed was a Diplimaticos no.4. back in 2007. That got an 8.4 also.
No Cuban cigars that I have reviewed have ever broken the 9.0 mark. I have to say, I am a bit let down. That being said, the Cuban version of RyJ is quickly becoming my favorite Cuban brand. The short Churchill is very good. I have one in a tube that ill review when the time is right. I have high hopes that it will be the first to break the 9.0 mark.
* the sharp flavor that I describe in this cigar is often referred to as the Cuban Twang.
I dont feel that the word twang does it justice. We are describing flavors here, not music or sounds. Think of Sharp Cheddar vs. Cheddar. Im not really sure if that helps. The word "sharp" helps me because the term Twang is annoying. I use that word to describe the way a fender telecaster sounds when the bridge pickup is being used.
I got this cigar while in Nicaragua on the Oliva Factory tour. Though a few weeks since the trip, it is still about a week from release date.
The smell on this cigar is a bit young. The ammonia smell is very faint. The wrapper is smooth and the lick on the cap is slight sweet. the draw is thick and chocolate in nature.
The first puffs have a leather note to them with a bit of musk through the nose. There is a light spice to it. The sweet is surprising. There is no indication that it would be sweet given what went into this cigar and the slight ammonia smell. The youth (ammonia) is noticed way in the back of the palate and only appears as a note of harshness.
At just over an inch I chose to ash and was met with some resistance. The burn is very even and the draw is very good. The flavor has not changed much. This cigar is supposed to be milder than the original Cain and the Cain F. IT is but I would still place this at a medium to medium-full.
At the half way point it sheds its sweet note and the youth really starts to show.
As the cigar progresses through the second half, the aroma gets better but the harsh note picks up.
The potential is clear but the youth is over powering. Being that this cigar was pulled off of the rolling table, banded and handed to me without any time in the aging room, it should be no surprise.
This cigar needs serious time on it to be what it clearly wants to be.
Giving it a rating would not do it justice. There are other flavors there beyond the youth flavor. And there were puffs that were very good. But I could clearly taste what the fermentation room smells like in this cigar. It was subtle, but distinct.
It may be too late once you post these they become public and anyone can claim them.
my mother in law works in a lawyers office that focuses on copyright law. ill give her a call soon. im not looking to sell my reviews, i just dont want others to make money off of my work. If i can make money out of it then cool. if not, i was in this for me from the get go so it wont make a lick of difference.
Hey, I realize this is an old comment, and I don't know if you've pursued more info on copywrite, but I happen to be a writer/editor and there are a couple of issues surrounding that process, particular to writers.
1. you don't need to copywrite your reviews. Posting them on this forum constitutes publication. If anyone wanted to steal them, they would then have to prove that they actually wrote the review in question, and that they did so prior to your posting date. That's a tough standard to get around.
2. if you did copywrite the material, and then found a publisher interested in your project, that personal copywrite may ruin the deal. It can either add extra expense or limit the publisher legally. Trust me when I say, they don't like that.
3. the reviews themselves are your best advertisement, so you want them readily available to anyone who wants to read them. Copywriting them could limit your legal right to post them wherever you see fit as most copywrites prescribe exactly where, when, and how a text may be published.
hope this is helpful and thanks for the good writing!
Kuzi thanks for the Daytona review. Def let's me know what to do. I reserved one of the samplers Alex referred to in the post before I commit to a box I wanna give them a shot, and esp get a few of those Cain Double F's. I'm excited for those
The cigar is dark. It is either a maduro or a Sungrown leaf given how dark it is. Considering this cigar is not released and many have never heard of the project, let alone had their hands on this cigar, there is limited information about it around. This cigar was handed to me by Pete Johnson while on a tour of the My Father cigar factory in Nicaragua late in January 2011. He pulled the cigar from the aging room there. This cigar should be (cross your fingers) released some time this year. (2011). There is a good sheen to the cigar and a bit of sparkle to it (light bloom)
There is a triple cap at the end of a rough wrapper. The smell of the cigar before the light is light but there is a smell of damp earth to it. the lick on the cap reveals almost nothing beyond the slight sweetness. Cutting the cap and drawing brings out a rich classic tobacco taste but on the earthy side.
The first puffs have a creamy taste/feel to it. the signature veggie taste that I associate with Tatuajes blending style is there but in the background. Flavors of peat come out through the nose and there is a tiny bit of spice on the back of the palate.
The first ash fell a bit earlier than I was anticipating at about half of an inch. By this point the flavor has settled in and the veggie flavor calms but a bit of a woody note develops.
The ash is flakey and falls easily. The flavor is good and woody and creamy half way through. The burn is uneven and inconsistent. The smoke is Medium in strength, full of flavor and has decent body when held in the mouth. The cigar has rounded out in this middle third and balanced out well.
The final third brings a cinnamon note to it. The last third has a roundness that makes this last third the best part of this cigar.
Through the cigar there is a flavor in there that I cannot put my finger on. It is not like any Tatuaje or cigar that I am familiar with to this point.
That was La Casita Criolla. Pete posted some potential bands, as well as the original Cuban band from back in the day recently. Looking forward to trying it. It will have a low price point as well.
"Meanwhile on facebook he (Pete) recently shared with the world, Okay, I cant keep it a secret any longer. My new brand La Casita Criolla is made with the following tobacco. 100% Conn. broadleaf. This is dark broadleaf that would be considered maduro. Coming in July. Its not too strong but its got great spice and that chewy sweetness that I love. It should age great also."
the phrase that got me is "chewy sweetness" that is the flavor i coulndt get my taste buds around.
i would say its good. im not willing to say great as of yet.
I don't know if you've talked about this previously, but how would you say an average of your individual ratings compares with your 'overall impression' of the cigar? If you didn't look at your individual scores, would you rate this an 8/10? I'm curious because you give the taste a 9, which gets dragged down by the burn and construction's 7s. I guess what I'm wondering is if they take as much away from your overall impression as they do your average score.
i would say its good. im not willing to say great as of yet.
I don't know if you've talked about this previously, but how would you say an average of your individual ratings compares with your 'overall impression' of the cigar? If you didn't look at your individual scores, would you rate this an 8/10? I'm curious because you give the taste a 9, which gets dragged down by the burn and construction's 7s. I guess what I'm wondering is if they take as much away from your overall impression as they do your average score.
i think about this concept a lot.
i try and keep my rating simple. once you start to weigh the individual categories things get complicated. not that cigars arent complicated, but if i can simplify it at all i feel i should. a review does no good if you have to work hard to understand what the heck the cigar is about overall. the details will be reveled when you smoke it yourself.
if i just pull a number out of thin air on my overall i feel that it is too subjective.
iduno. i have always said that my review are one cigar on one day. that cigar on that day didnt burn well. it was to the point where it was effecting the way that i was enjoying/experiencing the cigar. would it get a better score if it burned better? yes. but the burn and the construction issues influenced the cigar. my reviews are about my experience, not just the taste. i try to keep my feelings to a minimum and try to make it as "factual" as something that is subjective can be.
Graycliff G2 Turbo
Torpedo (6x60)
Wrapper: San Andreas Valley Maduro*
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
This cigar has a smooth feeling wrapper given the look of the dominant veins on the wrapper. Un-lit it smells extremely barnyard. The foot is not exactly round.
The lick on the cap is oily on the lips with a taste that is exactly as it smells.
The draw after the cut is has a slightly sweeter feel to it.
The first few puffs are a bit woody with a strange bitter taste to it. the finish is still woody but un the pulpy side. After a few more puffs the cigar settles down a bit and the bitter fades away to a very flat nutty sweet and wood. Through the nose is the only hint of spice.
Near the mid point the flavors have not changed and one realizes that this cigar is not as full bodied as advertised. It is medium in strength and in flavor. It also has a medium body in the mouth. That seems to describe this cigar all around. Medium
With a third left a slight note of harsh shows up. From there on out the cigar does not change.
There is almost no complexity through the course of the cigar but the flavors that are there are decent. The draw is wonderful and the burn is excellent.
I've had a few of these, and one thing I've noticed is they taste drastically different after some rest. Somewhere between 6 months to a year, and it doesn't even taste like the same cigar. I haven't decided if I like it yet. It's certainly in the running for me liking it, but the gauge bugs me. I smoke slow, and this thing always wants to go out on me. The price dropped recently to a much more reasonable level, which helps it's case too.
Comments
Isn't that what's so great about cigars sometimes? Even a mediocre cigar can be fantastic if the situation and whole experience is just right. Nice write up Kuz.
as i said a long time ago in September of 2006 (when i did my first review ever (Arturo Fuente Hemingway; 8.8)) and that still holds true.
given all the factors that can make or break a cigar i, wouldn't be surprised if i had another one 6 months from now and loved it.
on the other hand, i feel that many of the Padilla cigars have a similar profile and there are very few of them that i truly enjoy. The 68 was fantastic. the 32 was not my cup of tea so much. I didnt like the obsidian at all even though i tend to like maduros quite a bit. the padilla hybrid was very "paper" to me in a bad way. i havent had the rest of the line yet but given what i have seen from the rest of the line and how my taste buds dont react in a positive way to them, i doubt ill be running out to try them.
Yep...I am also OK with the '68, Dominus and Miami, but the '32 is my favorite Padilla. Reading your review, seems like I picked up more chocolate on the ones I've had than the one you had.
I started with the Miami and love this line, it suites me and have ordered more. NOw the Amex bill just came in and I spent $400 on sticks this pay cycle, this is No good!! However, I am now free to make a purchase for this month and will grab the box of Miami's of the Box deals.
Anyway, I have had only only 32 and I think that was a better stick (more money too) and when a deal comes around, i'll grab that too. The 32 has that little extra something. Being new to cigars, (ever learning) I have one more 32 that is ready to go. I have a head cold and it has been cold out, so I must wait.
I did not care for the regular Padilla or the Special and have not had the Domingus although I hear good things. As for the 68, eh! Its ok but I have other options.
I'm going to have to lookout for that Chocolate flavor..lgl
You no taste having, Gurkha loving, no good sonofabitch!
LOL You know I'm teasing kuz but that is one of my fave cigars or was I haven't had one in a year I think. I get this peanut buttery like flavor out of it, that may be the flatness you got.
nothing wrong with that.
i mean hey, now i know where to send all the cigars i hate....
El Rey Del Mundo Choix Supreme
5 x 48
Wrapper: Cuban
Binder: Cuban
Filler: Cuban
Box Code: JNL DIC04
This cigar came to me as a gift from a member of the old cigar.com forum when it was the AmBack Forum years ago. When I received this cigar there was a large noticeable crack in the wrapper (I believe it to have happened in transit). Since that time, the wrapper (only) has begun to peel up from the cigar.
The color of the wrapper is a bit on the red side of brown but it is not that dark at all. The feel of it is a bit rough as well. The lick on the cap has almost no taste to it but there is an oily feel to it on my lips.
Cut with a double guillotine cutter. The draw is a bit on the easy side with a classic tobacco taste to it that is very light.
The first puffs have flavors that are creamy with a nutty undertone and a tiny bit of spice. Through the nose there is a hint of leather/musk. The spice comes on late and the finish is much to short IMHO.
At the first ash (just over an inch) the cigar has continued on with the cream notes but has also picked up a subtle caramel note. It isnt that sweet though. The nutty undertone is still there and it has picked up a sharp element to it.* The finish has thankfully lengthened a bit. A nice overall roundness has developed even though this is no more than a medium bodied cigar. The generic spice has come out to be white pepper (simply because it is a bit on the mild side).
Over half the cigar has been smoked and the cracked and peeling wrapper has made no difference. At this half way point the cigar has started to flatten out a bit. It feels a bit flat because the nut flavors have left but the sharp flavor has remained.
As the cigar winds down, the spice ramps up. I am not entirely impressed.
Burn: 10
Draw: 8
Taste: 8
Aftertaste: 8
Construction: 9
Balance: 8
Feel: 8
Overall: 8.4
I am still not overly impressed by any of the Cuban cigars that I have had. Of those that I have rated, the highest was the RyJ Petit Piramides Edicion Limitada 2005 (8.9). Beyond the the RyJ review and this review (ERdM Choix Supreme) the only other Cuban I have reviewed was a Diplimaticos no.4. back in 2007. That got an 8.4 also.
No Cuban cigars that I have reviewed have ever broken the 9.0 mark. I have to say, I am a bit let down. That being said, the Cuban version of RyJ is quickly becoming my favorite Cuban brand. The short Churchill is very good. I have one in a tube that ill review when the time is right. I have high hopes that it will be the first to break the 9.0 mark.
* the sharp flavor that I describe in this cigar is often referred to as the Cuban Twang.
I dont feel that the word twang does it justice. We are describing flavors here, not music or sounds.
Think of Sharp Cheddar vs. Cheddar. Im not really sure if that helps. The word "sharp" helps me because the term Twang is annoying. I use that word to describe the way a fender telecaster sounds when the bridge pickup is being used.
Cain Daytona Robusto
(5 x 50)
Wrapper: Nicaraguan Habano
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
I got this cigar while in Nicaragua on the Oliva Factory tour. Though a few weeks since the trip, it is still about a week from release date.
The smell on this cigar is a bit young. The ammonia smell is very faint. The wrapper is smooth and the lick on the cap is slight sweet. the draw is thick and chocolate in nature.
The first puffs have a leather note to them with a bit of musk through the nose. There is a light spice to it. The sweet is surprising. There is no indication that it would be sweet given what went into this cigar and the slight ammonia smell. The youth (ammonia) is noticed way in the back of the palate and only appears as a note of harshness.
At just over an inch I chose to ash and was met with some resistance. The burn is very even and the draw is very good. The flavor has not changed much. This cigar is supposed to be milder than the original Cain and the Cain F. IT is but I would still place this at a medium to medium-full.
At the half way point it sheds its sweet note and the youth really starts to show.
As the cigar progresses through the second half, the aroma gets better but the harsh note picks up.
The potential is clear but the youth is over powering. Being that this cigar was pulled off of the rolling table, banded and handed to me without any time in the aging room, it should be no surprise.
This cigar needs serious time on it to be what it clearly wants to be.
Giving it a rating would not do it justice. There are other flavors there beyond the youth flavor. And there were puffs that were very good. But I could clearly taste what the fermentation room smells like in this cigar. It was subtle, but distinct.
Hey, I realize this is an old comment, and I don't know if you've pursued more info on copywrite, but I happen to be a writer/editor and there are a couple of issues surrounding that process, particular to writers.
1. you don't need to copywrite your reviews. Posting them on this forum constitutes publication. If anyone wanted to steal them, they would then have to prove that they actually wrote the review in question, and that they did so prior to your posting date. That's a tough standard to get around.
2. if you did copywrite the material, and then found a publisher interested in your project, that personal copywrite may ruin the deal. It can either add extra expense or limit the publisher legally. Trust me when I say, they don't like that.
3. the reviews themselves are your best advertisement, so you want them readily available to anyone who wants to read them. Copywriting them could limit your legal right to post them wherever you see fit as most copywrites prescribe exactly where, when, and how a text may be published.
hope this is helpful and thanks for the good writing!
Tatuaje 100% Connecticut Puro
6.25 x 50
Wrapper: Connecticut
Binder: Connecticut
Filler: Connecticut
The cigar is dark. It is either a maduro or a Sungrown leaf given how dark it is. Considering this cigar is not released and many have never heard of the project, let alone had their hands on this cigar, there is limited information about it around. This cigar was handed to me by Pete Johnson while on a tour of the My Father cigar factory in Nicaragua late in January 2011. He pulled the cigar from the aging room there. This cigar should be (cross your fingers) released some time this year. (2011). There is a good sheen to the cigar and a bit of sparkle to it (light bloom)
There is a triple cap at the end of a rough wrapper. The smell of the cigar before the light is light but there is a smell of damp earth to it. the lick on the cap reveals almost nothing beyond the slight sweetness. Cutting the cap and drawing brings out a rich classic tobacco taste but on the earthy side.
The first puffs have a creamy taste/feel to it. the signature veggie taste that I associate with Tatuajes blending style is there but in the background. Flavors of peat come out through the nose and there is a tiny bit of spice on the back of the palate.
The first ash fell a bit earlier than I was anticipating at about half of an inch. By this point the flavor has settled in and the veggie flavor calms but a bit of a woody note develops. The ash is flakey and falls easily. The flavor is good and woody and creamy half way through. The burn is uneven and inconsistent. The smoke is Medium in strength, full of flavor and has decent body when held in the mouth. The cigar has rounded out in this middle third and balanced out well.
The final third brings a cinnamon note to it. The last third has a roundness that makes this last third the best part of this cigar.
Through the cigar there is a flavor in there that I cannot put my finger on. It is not like any Tatuaje or cigar that I am familiar with to this point.
Burn: 7
Draw: 9
Taste: 9
Aftertaste: 8
Construction: 7
Balance: 8
Feel: 8
im looking forward to the release of this cigar
i would say its good.
im not willing to say great as of yet.
i try and keep my rating simple. once you start to weigh the individual categories things get complicated. not that cigars arent complicated, but if i can simplify it at all i feel i should. a review does no good if you have to work hard to understand what the heck the cigar is about overall. the details will be reveled when you smoke it yourself.
if i just pull a number out of thin air on my overall i feel that it is too subjective.
iduno. i have always said that my review are one cigar on one day. that cigar on that day didnt burn well. it was to the point where it was effecting the way that i was enjoying/experiencing the cigar. would it get a better score if it burned better? yes. but the burn and the construction issues influenced the cigar. my reviews are about my experience, not just the taste.
i try to keep my feelings to a minimum and try to make it as "factual" as something that is subjective can be.
Graycliff G2 Turbo
Torpedo (6x60)
Wrapper: San Andreas Valley Maduro*
Binder: Nicaraguan
Filler: Nicaraguan
This cigar has a smooth feeling wrapper given the look of the dominant veins on the wrapper. Un-lit it smells extremely barnyard. The foot is not exactly round.
The lick on the cap is oily on the lips with a taste that is exactly as it smells. The draw after the cut is has a slightly sweeter feel to it.
The first few puffs are a bit woody with a strange bitter taste to it. the finish is still woody but un the pulpy side. After a few more puffs the cigar settles down a bit and the bitter fades away to a very flat nutty sweet and wood. Through the nose is the only hint of spice.
Near the mid point the flavors have not changed and one realizes that this cigar is not as full bodied as advertised. It is medium in strength and in flavor. It also has a medium body in the mouth. That seems to describe this cigar all around. Medium
With a third left a slight note of harsh shows up. From there on out the cigar does not change.
There is almost no complexity through the course of the cigar but the flavors that are there are decent. The draw is wonderful and the burn is excellent.
Burn: 10
Draw: 9
Taste: 8
Aftertaste: 7
Construction: 9
Balance: 7
Feel: 7