Forum Blend Notes - Revist #1

Ken_Light

I don't do reviews and I'm terrible at flavors. This is really meant for better cigar minds than mine to post their thoughts, but I will get it started.

The strangest thing about this stick for me was that it felt really DRY. The wrapper felt kind of like microfiber to the touch and it was really dry in the mouth. I'm not talking about the smoke, but that was more drying than mouth-watering, but the actual wrapper. I've never had one feel like that before, and it was kinda awkward and uncomfortable(that's what she said). As for the cigar's construction, at a couple points (mostly the beginning and end) it put off smoke like it was from Liga, in the middle it was average. The ashes were impressive, I had to forcefully knock them off at each third and the burn was mostly even with a few (on the OCD side) touch-ups.

For flavor, the first bit of it was VERY spicy to me, like a tabasco spice, but it mellowed less than an inch in. I don't think it was user error on the light, it lasted a bit longer than that and grew before it tapered off. After that for about 1/3 of the stick I got the funky flavor I associate with Ometepe tobacco, or at least I assume it to be that because I've only had it before with the Punch Uppercut, which also has Ometepe. It's the flavor I was hoping for from that filler so that was great. But it only lasted about 1/3 in, after that either I acclimated to it and stopped noticing it or it actually disappeared. The next third was kinda woody/earthy to me, with a bit of a mild sweetness. Like a sweet wood if that makes any sense? There wasn't much noteworthy to me in the final third except that the mild sweetness vanished.

This smoke was overall somewhat "OK" to me, nothing memorable. It's missing character IMO. At the time I thought maybe it needed more sweetness, like maybe PA broadleaf maduro in there or something. But I'll leave all that to the heavier hitters, just wanted to get this ball rolling.

NOTE: This was literally in my humidor 24 hours before I smoked it and had spend probably 24 hours in transit before that.

Revisit #1: It's now been in my humidor 4 months to the day since my last (completely by accident!) try. It was pretty similar really, in a lot of ways. It still put off smoke like crazy at the start and tapered, and still blasted spice for about the first half inch. This time it didn't break down as nicely into thirds though, pretty much staying the same after the spice went away. I think it was less earthly, and unfortunately I didn't pick up the funk that was there last time (call me crazy but I liked that part!). There was still a mild sweetness that came and went in the middle portion and it was pretty smooth in the mouth. Darn harsh on the retro though, but i haven't been smoking a lot lately so maybe that accounts for that. I don't know, I want to like this, but part of me is wondering if maybe cigars shouldn't be blended democratically, lol

Gray4lines

Thanks Ken! I know many are very excited to see what this creation is like. I understand exactly the profile you're describing (except the omtepe flavor only because I have not had it much if at all), so the notes are good enough! Id call it a solid review (if I do say so myself), especially after only 1.

Mine arrived Friday and spent the weekend in the mailbox so I will likely wait a little longer to try it out. Sounds interesting, and hopefully we can keep the reviews coming. May possibly decide and make a change to the blend after we get a feel for it.

robbyras

Nice Ken! I think these guys are gonna need at least 3 months to be smokeable... these babies are FRESH! your experience seems to mirror my expectations of this one until it gets some rest... hopefully I can bury these in my humi and forget about them until September... but we'll see...

Ken_Light

Thanks for the support guys! I was under the impression this was going to be a quicker process and we wouldn't want to sit on these 3 months before starting to figure them out. I'm definitely saving the rest for longer time points (and I'll post updates).

Gray4lines

I'll likely give mine a month or so... just long enough to acclimate. I'd like to try em "fresh" first, then see what happens. I'll probably space them out a lot and may hold onto the last one as long as I can (years and years and years).

beatnic

I agree with you Ken on the spiciness and woody flavors. And yes, there is the Ometepe filler which continued throughout. But I had a different feeling on the wrapper. Mine was not dry at all. It appeared dry, but the stick seemed to be packed rather tightly and held a good bit of moisture. I enjoyed the second half of the cigar more than the beginning. These need lots of rest.

Ken_Light

beatnic:

I agree with you Ken on the spiciness and woody flavors. And yes, there is the Ometepe filler which continued throughout. But I had a different feeling on the wrapper. Mine was not dry at all. It appeared dry, but the stick seemed to be packed rather tightly and held a good bit of moisture. I enjoyed the second half of the cigar more than the beginning. These need lots of rest.

Maybe I didn't do a good enough job describing the dryness. I meant the feel, but both in the hand and on the lips. I don't think it was packed loosely or was dried out or anything, I meant dry as in not at all oily I guess.

kuzi16

Ken Light:

beatnic:

I agree with you Ken on the spiciness and woody flavors. And yes, there is the Ometepe filler which continued throughout. But I had a different feeling on the wrapper. Mine was not dry at all. It appeared dry, but the stick seemed to be packed rather tightly and held a good bit of moisture. I enjoyed the second half of the cigar more than the beginning. These need lots of rest.

Maybe I didn't do a good enough job describing the dryness. I meant the feel, but both in the hand and on the lips. I don't think it was packed loosely or was dried out or anything, I meant dry as in not at all oily I guess.

did you read my comments on THIS thread?
does that describe the dry flavor at all?

Ken_Light

kuzi16:

Ken Light:

beatnic:

I agree with you Ken on the spiciness and woody flavors. And yes, there is the Ometepe filler which continued throughout. But I had a different feeling on the wrapper. Mine was not dry at all. It appeared dry, but the stick seemed to be packed rather tightly and held a good bit of moisture. I enjoyed the second half of the cigar more than the beginning. These need lots of rest.

Maybe I didn't do a good enough job describing the dryness. I meant the feel, but both in the hand and on the lips. I don't think it was packed loosely or was dried out or anything, I meant dry as in not at all oily I guess.

did you read my comments on THIS thread?
does that describe the dry flavor at all?

It wasn't a flavor, it was a feel. I don't think I've had an oscuro wrapper before though, now that I think about it. Maybe it's just that I'm not used to it.

Gray4lines

Kuz did say "pulpy mouthfeel" on the other thread. That sounds dry to me. Will have to see when I try one!

Ken_Light

Gray4lines:

Kuz did say "pulpy mouthfeel" on the other thread. That sounds dry to me. Will have to see when I try one!

Does that mean dry? I always read that as a thick, sort of chewy smoke. Huh, I never really thought twice about that. Like a pulpy orange juice is thicker and you feel almost like chewing it. And also I figured it meant the smoke, not the wrapper, and here I mean it's a bit like sticking a piece of cloth in your mouth.

Honestly this is a minor point, though, just a bit distracting for me at first but something I got used to at about the 1/3 mark, and probably I just haven't had enough experience with this type of wrapper.

Gray4lines

Ken Light:

Gray4lines:

Kuz did say "pulpy mouthfeel" on the other thread. That sounds dry to me. Will have to see when I try one!

Does that mean dry? I always read that as a thick, sort of chewy smoke. Huh, I never really thought twice about that. Like a pulpy orange juice is thicker and you feel almost like chewing it. And also I figured it meant the smoke, not the wrapper, and here I mean it's a bit like sticking a piece of cloth in your mouth.

Honestly this is a minor point, though, just a bit distracting for me at first but something I got used to at about the 1/3 mark, and probably I just haven't had enough experience with this type of wrapper.

Lol! When I read "pulpy" I immediately though wood pulp, woody, dry, (like cloth in your mouth). I can see thick too thougj... My reasoning was, when chewing something "pulpy" like stringy celery or overcooked chicken your mouth gets dry.

But yeah, not a huge point. Kinda surprising to me given how dark thebwrapper was. And I always thought oscuros were a little more oily.

beatnic

I see what you mean, Ken.

kuzi16

yeah... pulpy like a texture of the smoke itself.

curtpick

kuzi16:

yeah... pulpy like a texture of the smoke itself.

Hmmm pulpy smoke... ya lost me there

kuzi16

curtpick:

kuzi16:

yeah... pulpy like a texture of the smoke itself.

Hmmm pulpy smoke... ya lost me there

mostly on the finish. its like a drying effect and the slightest hint of spice. the spice is so light that it cant even be called spice. its more of an impression on the tongue. the dry and the spice with a woody note all adds up to be a pulpy, wood pulp, sawdust, note. iduno... that texture is how i usually identify nicaraguan tobacco.

madurofan

kuzi16:

curtpick:

kuzi16:

yeah... pulpy like a texture of the smoke itself.

Hmmm pulpy smoke... ya lost me there

mostly on the finish. its like a drying effect and the slightest hint of spice. the spice is so light that it cant even be called spice. its more of an impression on the tongue. the dry and the spice with a woody note all adds up to be a pulpy, wood pulp, sawdust, note. iduno... that texture is how i usually identify nicaraguan tobacco.

Kuzi can describe things the rest of us mere mortals can barely even discern is there.

You a**holes made me place an order of these yesterday. My forum blend sampler should be coming soon. Along with a couple additional boxes of everydays ..

curtpick

kuzi16:

curtpick:

kuzi16:

yeah... pulpy like a texture of the smoke itself.

Hmmm pulpy smoke... ya lost me there

mostly on the finish. its like a drying effect and the slightest hint of spice. the spice is so light that it cant even be called spice. its more of an impression on the tongue. the dry and the spice with a woody note all adds up to be a pulpy, wood pulp, sawdust, note. iduno... that texture is how i usually identify nicaraguan tobacco.

I hear ya Kuzi. A fine example are the Varina Farms Breakfast blends.
I wouldn't have described it that way but I do get your meaning.

Ken_Light

madurofan:

kuzi16:

curtpick:

kuzi16:

yeah... pulpy like a texture of the smoke itself.

Hmmm pulpy smoke... ya lost me there

mostly on the finish. its like a drying effect and the slightest hint of spice. the spice is so light that it cant even be called spice. its more of an impression on the tongue. the dry and the spice with a woody note all adds up to be a pulpy, wood pulp, sawdust, note. iduno... that texture is how i usually identify nicaraguan tobacco.

Kuzi can describe things the rest of us mere mortals can barely even discern is there.

You a**holes made me place an order of these yesterday. My forum blend sampler should be coming soon. Along with a couple additional boxes of everydays ..

If a review that says "like sticking a piece of cloth in your mouth" makes you pull the trigger, you've got problems I can't help you with, and they might not be entirely cigar-related. ;D

madurofan

Ken Light:

madurofan:

kuzi16:

curtpick:

kuzi16:

yeah... pulpy like a texture of the smoke itself.

Hmmm pulpy smoke... ya lost me there

mostly on the finish. its like a drying effect and the slightest hint of spice. the spice is so light that it cant even be called spice. its more of an impression on the tongue. the dry and the spice with a woody note all adds up to be a pulpy, wood pulp, sawdust, note. iduno... that texture is how i usually identify nicaraguan tobacco.

Kuzi can describe things the rest of us mere mortals can barely even discern is there.

You a**holes made me place an order of these yesterday. My forum blend sampler should be coming soon. Along with a couple additional boxes of everydays ..

If a review that says "like sticking a piece of cloth in your mouth" makes you pull the trigger, you've got problems I can't help you with, and they might not be entirely cigar-related. ;D

Ha good point. It wasn't the review thankfully

kuzi16

madurofan:

Ha good point. It wasn't the review thankfully

you always have been the one to read a review and immediately ignore it. you should do what i do: not even read the review.

madurofan

kuzi16:

madurofan:

Ha good point. It wasn't the review thankfully

you always have been the one to read a review and immediately ignore it. you should do what i do: not even read the review.

Indeed. But seriously does anyone actually read a review and say "I'm glad I read that I won't buy that cigar now."

Another one of the regulars at the local B&M and I have complete opposite tastes. We constantly ask each other about cigars bc if he doesn't like it its almost a guarantee I will. It's not that I like spicy full cigars and he likes earthy medium or something easy like that. It's that my pallete draws different things from a cigar than his does. In theory we actually like similar cigars but there have been a number of cigars he thought we bland or one dimensional that I got a ton from and vice-versa.

kuzi16

nice. it always helps if you know the reviewer's palate.

i read reviews only for the hard line info. a lot can be learned from reviewers. often times they have done some serious research or they know someone on the inside therefor the review is chalk full of information goodness.

Alex_Svenson

I was curious where the feedback would start poping up. Its funny because before AJ shipped these he told me he didn't thing the blend was up to snuff. I spent hours explaining it was okay to ship because these are a first round and part of the process. The project by nature is tough because you have all cheifs and no indians LOL. That said, the idea is to get the fundamentals down and start with something and change from there. It can be as simple as priming and proportion changes and range all the way to complete changes in composition but you dont know until you get started. I love these projects because while it is exciting to be part of the process, it really also shows how much of an art the process is. Every time I see negative comments about someones blend, I think about this type of stuff and think people dont realize what goes into making a premium cigar and the years it takes to develop a blend let alone the decades it takes to understand how things work together conceptionaly. I have been watching a lot of this show "Chopped" on the food network and have fallen in love with it. In fact I have thought about taking the same concept and try to apply it to young, aspiring blenders instad of aspiring chefs and post it on you tube. I realize I am deviating so back to topic, this is simply phase one of what may be a longer process and that is okay. Lets collect some feedback and come up with some revisions. It may take a long time to get things the way they want them and that "is okay" because that is the way most blenders operate and I think it adds to the experience. The idea is to create an excellent cigar and it wont happen overnight. As we get further along we will start to involve the expertise of some folks like AJ, Nestor Plasencia, and other notable blenders who have made this their lifes work to help us in the process. So lets hear the feedback!!!

Poker_Slob

Thank you Alex for YOUR feedback on this isue. Being a part of this and watching "the blend" go through it's trial and tweeking process will be very interesting, and educational. Be sure to thank A.J. from us for this very rare opportunity.

ShotgunJohn

Thanks Alex your reason, wisdom and knowledge of tobacco make your insight into blending more understandable, and that this is step one of a few , to blend the forum blend to an optimal smoke.
Thanks for guiding us in this process and actually giving us this opportunity that few people ever particpate in.
P.S. I hope to sample 1 tomorrow, and comment on it.

kuzi16

Alex Svenson:

I was curious where the feedback would start poping up. Its funny because before AJ shipped these he told me he didn't thing the blend was up to snuff. I spent hours explaining it was okay to ship because these are a first round and part of the process. The project by nature is tough because you have all cheifs and no indians LOL. That said, the idea is to get the fundamentals down and start with something and change from there. It can be as simple as priming and proportion changes and range all the way to complete changes in composition but you dont know until you get started. I love these projects because while it is exciting to be part of the process, it really also shows how much of an art the process is. Every time I see negative comments about someones blend, I think about this type of stuff and think people dont realize what goes into making a premium cigar and the years it takes to develop a blend let alone the decades it takes to understand how things work together conceptionaly. I have been watching a lot of this show "Chopped" on the food network and have fallen in love with it. In fact I have thought about taking the same concept and try to apply it to young, aspiring blenders instad of aspiring chefs and post it on you tube. I realize I am deviating so back to topic, this is simply phase one of what may be a longer process and that is okay. Lets collect some feedback and come up with some revisions. It may take a long time to get things the way they want them and that "is okay" because that is the way most blenders operate and I think it adds to the experience. The idea is to create an excellent cigar and it wont happen overnight. As we get further along we will start to involve the expertise of some folks like AJ, Nestor Plasencia, and other notable blenders who have made this their lifes work to help us in the process. So lets hear the feedback!!!

ive had the opportunity to blend a cigar three times. each time it was a one shot deal. each time i would have changed something in it after i smoked one.

Ken_Light

Alex Svenson:

I was curious where the feedback would start poping up. Its funny because before AJ shipped these he told me he didn't thing the blend was up to snuff. I spent hours explaining it was okay to ship because these are a first round and part of the process. The project by nature is tough because you have all cheifs and no indians LOL. That said, the idea is to get the fundamentals down and start with something and change from there. It can be as simple as priming and proportion changes and range all the way to complete changes in composition but you dont know until you get started. I love these projects because while it is exciting to be part of the process, it really also shows how much of an art the process is. Every time I see negative comments about someones blend, I think about this type of stuff and think people dont realize what goes into making a premium cigar and the years it takes to develop a blend let alone the decades it takes to understand how things work together conceptionaly. I have been watching a lot of this show "Chopped" on the food network and have fallen in love with it. In fact I have thought about taking the same concept and try to apply it to young, aspiring blenders instad of aspiring chefs and post it on you tube. I realize I am deviating so back to topic, this is simply phase one of what may be a longer process and that is okay. Lets collect some feedback and come up with some revisions. It may take a long time to get things the way they want them and that "is okay" because that is the way most blenders operate and I think it adds to the experience. The idea is to create an excellent cigar and it wont happen overnight. As we get further along we will start to involve the expertise of some folks like AJ, Nestor Plasencia, and other notable blenders who have made this their lifes work to help us in the process. So lets hear the feedback!!!

I'm addicted to chopped too! Funny, I thought of doing it with scientists....anyway, so we shouldn't be waiting 3 months on these or is that ok? Any idea when we should plan for deciding on what to tweak in round 2?

Vulchor

Thank you Cigar.com for selling us a blend, which the man who made them stated was "not up to snuff"..............Lolllllllll, tongue in cheek----mostly. At least its honest though.

Ken_Light

Vulchor:

Thank you Cigar.com for selling us a blend, which the man who made them stated was "not up to snuff"..............Lolllllllll, tongue in cheek----mostly. At least its honest though.

That information was made public prior to taking orders. Anyway, I looked at the purchase more as the price of participation than buying the sticks...

JHewey

I smoked one last night. I agree with Ken's review of it. It wasn't bad but not great and am looking forward to the process getting it right.